As drone fliers we are used to the ever increasing regulation of our hobby/profession. So in 2025 when the UK’s CAA announced it would be changing the rules on UK drone flying, I was concerned but not surprised. However when the new rules were finally announced it wasn’t as bad as feared and in many respects it was a positive move.
The dreaded but probably not too worrying remote pilot ID will be fully introduced from 2028. Camera drones under 250g would now have to take the same drone test as the rest of us. However there were some significant upgrades to where we can and cannot fly.
For much of the world, you are only allowed to fly sub 250g drones in city and urban areas. This has led to DJI’s Mini range becoming increasingly successful. However in the new CAA regulations, that 250g weight limit has been upped to certain drones up to 900g. Those drones are ones that either have a current EU C1 classification or an upcoming UK1 classification. This seemingly small change means that much larger and more capable drones can fly in city centres. It was decision time.
My Previous Set Up
A lot of the stock video I sell is taken in urban areas and so I had invested in a DJI Mini 3 Pro. However the sensor on that is relatively small and for less urban areas where I wanted the best quality I also had a DJI Air 2S with its larger 1” sensor. The difference in quality was large enough to be noticeable, especially in lower light.
Whilst DJI had released the Mini 5 Pro with the 1” sensor, I was using one remote control for both my drones, upgrading to the 5 Pro would require me to sell the 3 Pro without a controller or to buy a used controller to go with it. This was clearly not an ideal situation and so I decided to stay with the Air 2S/Mini 3 Combo.
The new CAA 2026 rules however changed the game as far as I am concerned. I could now use a single sub 900g drone with a larger sensor and better quality for both urban and rural environments. I could literally sell two drones to buy one much more capable – one without a huge outlay. Enter the DJI Air 3S
Why The Air 3S?
The Air 3s has been around for about one year as of early 2026. It’s an upgrade to the Air 3 and a significant upgrade to my Air 2s. Whilst it has the same 1” sensor as the Air 2s, it has one stand out feature. A secondary moderate telephoto lens with a slightly smaller sensor (the same one as my Mini 3 Pro).
That lens is a 70mm f/2.8 and while that might not sound significant in the world of drone flying it makes a big difference. Until recently most drones, and in particular ones capable of flying in city centres used a fairly ubiquitous 24mm lens. That meant that drone footage often has a very similar feel to it. Whilst 70mm might not seem a big upgrade, it really does make a difference.
The other headline is 10 bit D-Log M footage making it more editable plus a 50mp resolution on the 24mm lens and 48mp on the 70mm lens. As these are quad bayer sensors, the resolution is “effective” not actual. However so far my results have been promising.
My First Impressions
My very first impression was that it’s big. Significantly bigger than my Air 2S, but it also seemed to be better built. The Air 2S was by no means a flimsy drone, but the Air 3S feels more solid in every way. I had bought the Flymore package which gave me three batteries with the charging hub. On the Air 2S the charging hub was a flimsy piece of flat plastic with three sockets to plug the batteries into. On the Air 3S you get a solid plastic container that the batteries slot into and lock. This means you can simply unplug the hub from your charger and put it into your bag with the batteries inside.
Then there is the colour. It’s a significantly darker grey than the Air 2S. That might not seem relevant but stay with me, I will explain shortly.
My First Flight
This being north east England and winter, flying opportunities have been few and far between. Combined with Christmas and New Year, I have only managed to get out twice with the DJI Air 3S. However those two shoots have impressed me immensely.
The first thing I noticed was just how stable the drone was even in blustery conditions. Its significant heft and power give it a stability that I have not encountered before even with my much larger Phantom drones.
Secondly, that darker grey I mentioned. In the often leaden skies of this part of the world, it makes the drone much more visible at distance. The light grey of the smaller Mini 3 Pro could easily get lost in the sky at 150m away – UK rules dictate visual line of sight and orientation. The Air 3S was clearly visible at 350m in low light. This is aided by the on board red/green wing lights but also the darker colour and larger size, It makes flying a much less stressful experience.
The transmission remained rock solid, even when flying at the Angel of the North, a huge steel statue that could potentially block the transmission line of sight. That also meant that the screen on my controller gave me a fluid visual reference – something not always the case with older drone technology.
Lastly the batteries. Although I bought the Flymore package with three batteries, in both flights I barely used up all the power in two. The official flight time is 45 minutes. That’s always optimistic but I get 35-37 minutes in windy conditions. In the cold of the north east that’s more than enough to get the shots. In the summer I am sure I will be able to use up all three batteries.
The Image Quality
The still image quality is broadly similar to that of the Air 2S. That’s to be expected with a similar sized sensor. The dynamic range does seem slightly higher but it’s difficult to tell. The 70mm lens is clearly not as capable as the 24mm but again with the smaller sensor that’s normal. The image quality on both give very usable images – although with the 70mm being a smaller sensor and aperture, this image quality does drop off in lower light/higher ISOs.
In terms of video the situation is very much the same. I have not had a chance to heavily edit footage yet but the lightly edited footage is similar – perhaps slightly better than my Air 2S for the 24mm lens and on a par with the Mini 3 Pro for the 70mm
Where the difference lies, is the look you get from that 70mm lens. It really does make a significant difference to footage and stills. Despite not being a huge difference in focal length, there is a definite compression between subject and background and also a shallower depth of field.
This becomes even more noticeable when shooting video, passing the drone in front of a subject with the 70mm definitely gives it a more cinematic feel.
Overall, despite not getting out too much, I have been very impressed with the DJI Air 3S. With the additional 70mm lens, 10 bit D-Log M and 50mp resolution it’s a significant step up from both the Air 2S and Mini 3 Pro.
The biggest change though was that as of the 1st January 2026, I could fly this drone in city centres and other urban environments. With the addition of the 70mm lens this opens up whole new possibilities of high quality footage and images.
