The best Mavic drones on the market are a game changer in any project, so choosing one of them when it comes to purchasing it is a decision that requires a little documentation.

We come to your aid with this article that compares the DJI Mavic Air 2S and the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise. You can see what are the key features of each of them, what does each drone bring in addition, what are the similarities and differences and most importantly, what is the difference between a consumer drone (Air 2S) and an enterprise drone (Mavic 3 E). Read the article and be one step closer to the perfect drone for you.

Mavic 3 E | 4K video – 20 MP photo – 56X hybrid zoom

Air 2S | 5.4K video – 20 MP photo

The DJI Mavic 3 E features an innovative new dual camera design that delivers advanced performance. This camera uses a massive 4/3″ Hasselblad CMOS sensor with a mechanical shutter that is capable of capturing incredible 4K images and taking stunningly detailed 20MP photos even at high shutter speeds.

The Mavic 3 E also has a secondary 1/2″ CMOS telephoto camera that enables remote shooting with up to 7X optical zoom. Digital and optical zoom can be combined for a hybrid zoom of up to 56X!

On the other hand, with its 1-inch CMOS sensor, the Air 2S offers the best camera performance yet on an Air series drone. Capable of delivering 20MP photos packed with rich detail, the Air 2S is perfect for capturing stunning aerial images. The Air 2S offers the highest maximum video resolution of any DJI camera drone, with support for 5.4K video capture.

Mavic 3 and Air 2S have a number of similar features, such as taking photos in RAW format, capturing images at a set interval and Panoramic photos. The difference between the two is the much larger sensor on the Mavic 3 E and the time interval between pictures of only 0.7 seconds thanks to the mechanical shutter that can work at higher speeds without distorting the information. In the case of Air 2S, the minimum interval is 2s.

For high frame rate recording, the best option is the Air2S, with support for recording at 120fps in 1080p and up to 60fps in 4K. On the other hand, the Mavic 3 E only supports 30 fps at 4K resolution, being a drone specialized in photogrammetry.

An exclusive feature of the Mavic 3 E is the variable aperture control, which can make a huge difference when you want to capture the perfect shot. With variable aperture control, the Mavic 3 E offers full control over all three elements of the exposure triangle, allowing you to make fine adjustments and manipulate settings to your heart’s content. Air 2S users are limited to ISO and shutter speed control.

Mavic 3 E | Flight time 46 minutes – maximum speed 68 KM/h – O3+ transmission

Air 2S | Flight time 31 minutes – maximum speed 68 KM/h – O3 transmission

With a maximum flight speed of 68 KM/h, the Mavic 3 E can cover long distances in seconds. Mavic 3 is powered by a new intelligent flight battery design that provides more flight time than any other drone in the Mavic series. With this new smart flight battery, the Mavic 3 E can reach a maximum flight time of 46 minutes , 50% longer than the previous generation DJI Mavic 2!

With the updated O3+ video transmission technology, the Mavic 3 E can fly further than any DJI drone has ever flown, with a wireless video transmission range of 15 km when flown with the DJI RC Pro remote controller.

The Air 2S isn’t far behind the Mavic 3 E when it comes to flight performance, boasting the same top flight speed of 68km/h.

However, with its smaller body, the Air 2S uses a smaller smart flight battery that provides a maximum flight time of 31 minutes . In addition, the Air 2S uses a slightly older version of DJI’s OcuSync wireless video transmission system, with a maximum transmission range of 12 km.

Mavic 3 E | Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance – APAS 5.0 – ADS-B

Air 2S | 4-way obstacle avoidance – APAS 4.0 – ADS-B

With omnidirectional obstacle avoidance sensors, Mavic 3 E can detect surrounding obstacles and effectively avoid them to keep the drone safe. Omnidirectional obstacle avoidance also helps with ActiveTrack 5.0, allowing the Mavic 3 to track subjects quickly and efficiently while avoiding obstacles.

Also featured on the Mavic 3 E are APAS 5.0 and ADS-B, two advanced safety protocols that help overall flight safety by gathering information from nearby aircraft to ensure accidents and interceptions are avoided.

The Air 2S has virtually all the important safety features found on the Mavic 3. However, being released before the Mavic 3, these features are not as advanced as those on the Mavic 3. For example, both the Air 2S and the Mavic 3 features APAS (Advanced Pilot Assistance System), however the Mavic 3 features the updated APAS 5.0 compared to the Air 2S’s APAS 4.0.

The Air 2S offers 4-way obstacle avoidance, including new upward obstacle sensors that support advanced safety when the drone is flying at full speed. These upward obstacle avoidance sensors are unique to the Air 2S and have yet to appear on another DJI drone.

DJI Mavic 3 E is compatible with the DJi Pilot 2 software, but also with other third-party applications through which we can make autonomous inspections. With the help of the official application from DJI we can designate an area where the drone will take pictures according to our requirements to make a 2D or 3D model. Through the application we can make classic mappings, oblique mappings, corridors or waypoints.

DJi Air 2S is not compatible with DJI Pilot 2, using the Dji Fly app as recommended, but it can pair with another third-party app thanks to the sdk released by DJI, so we can make a mapping similar to what we find inside the Pilot 2, but at a slower speed because it has an electronic shutter that can distort the image at too high a speed.

The DJI Mavic 3 E has a PSDK port where we can very easily and quickly install the RTK accessory specially made for this drone, so we can have centimeter precision both in mapping and positioning during flight.

DJI Ai2 2S does not have RTK capabilities, but if we want centimeter precision in our projects we can use GCPs to correct the mappings made by Air 2S. To collect points we need at least one GNSS Receiver such as Emlid RS2.

With a starting price of 4999 RON, nothing beats the DJI Air 2S for its price. It’s the complete package with a 5.4K 1-inch CMOS sensor, over half an hour of flight time, and tons of smart flight features. With the Air 2S, you’ll also get the benefits of advanced intelligent flight features, including ActiveTrack 4.0, MasterShots and more.

If you’re serious about precision aerial scanning and want a professional drone that’s easy to use and transport, there’s no better option than the Mavic 3 E. With a 4/3 Hasselblad sensor, variable aperture and mechanical shutter, the Mavic 3 is designed to be the compact drone standard in precision mapping.

If you want to purchase the wonderful DJI Air 2S drone or the standard on the market, the Mavic 3 Enterprise in one of its three variants, Thermal, Multispectral or classic Enterprise, you can call us at +40724 339 757 or write to ciprian.iorga@skylinedrones.ro.