Well This Just Figures...

[DevilsLuck]

I finally decide to buy a drone. Picked one with a good reputation, the Air 3, then DJI decides to drop this Air 3 S...

DJI Air 3S Leak Reveals Potential Game-Changing Features

A leaked image shared by Igor Bogdanov, known as Quadro_News on Twitter, showcases what appears to be the new DJI Air 3S drone alongside

dronexl.co

 

[GFields]

There is not release date yet that I am aware of.

 

[DevilsLuck]

There is not release date yet that I am aware of.

Even still... Those are some very serious upgrades over the current model.

 

[GFields]

Even still... Those are some very serious upgrades over the current model.

True. You can most likely cancel your order and wait. However, if the US passes the ban on any new imports form DJI you may not be able to get one.

 

[Cafguy]

True. You can most likely cancel your order and wait. However, if the US passes the ban on any new imports form DJI you may not be able to get one.

I think will we soon see many new DJI releases because they will be trying to get their FCC Certifications Before any Ban.

 

[mavic3usa]

I think will we soon see many new DJI releases because they will be trying to get their FCC Certifications Before any Ban.

We don't know for sure yet but I have seen several references to a fixed ban date meaning retroactive to 6 months, 8 months, 12 months, etc ago which is typical if it's usually done that way; not usually starting on the day the law is signed. But again, we don't know. Just rumor. I heard is was just after Mini 3 Pro, imagine that!

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Even still... Those are some very serious upgrades over the current model.

There will always be a new and improved model just a few months away, it's the nature of the game.

 

[Meta4]

Even still... Those are some very serious upgrades over the current model.

There's nothing in that article to say that there are any serious upgrades beyond the current model.
There's some speculation about what might be incremental improvements or maybe just minor frills.
That's the nature of drone development these days.
Major updates are rare.
The drone you ordered is still going to be a great purchase.

 

[3rdof5]

About the only way to improve an Air 3 (or a Mavic 3 for that matter) is with an improved camera. Both are well equipped with great flight time and range. Honestly, the only features DJI could add that doesn't already exist on both is built in strobes and a modular swappable camera system. You made a great choice that I'm sure you'll be happy with.

 

[mavic3usa]

About the only way to improve an Air 3 (or a Mavic 3 for that matter) is with an improved camera. Both are well equipped with great flight time and range. Honestly, the only features DJI could add that doesn't already exist on both is built in strobes and a modular swappable camera system. You made a great choice that I'm sure you'll be happy with.

Personally I'm waiting for the day when the premiere Mavic series drones have obstacle avoidance system that rivals the Skydio drones, 6G cellular capabilities to take over when you lose O6 connectivity, a top speed of 98 mph with a battery life greater than 59 minutes, strobes are good but need headlights/spotlights/flashlights, redundancy to fly home even with a disabled engine or prop, direct integration with devices like the Apple Vision Pro for immersive flying plus augmented and virtual reality features, and finally built in emergency beacon capabilities similar to what you might find on a personal locator beacon. This doesn't even begin the address AI capabilities.

I really wish I had a drone that would automatically submit a standard LAANC request for auto approval when you fire up the props to cover a 12-grid area at all the correct limits and the drone would automatically obey and/or apply on the fly with a predictive path; pausing when/if necessary, etc.

 

[3rdof5]

Personally I'm waiting for the day when the premiere Mavic series drones have obstacle avoidance system that rivals the Skydio drones, 6G cellular capabilities to take over when you lose O6 connectivity, a top speed of 98 mph with a battery life greater than 59 minutes, strobes are good but need headlights/spotlights/flashlights, redundancy to fly home even with a disabled engine or prop, direct integration with devices like the Apple Vision Pro for immersive flying plus augmented and virtual reality features, and finally built in emergency beacon capabilities similar to what you might find on a personal locator beacon. This doesn't even begin the address AI capabilities.

I really wish I had a drone that would automatically submit a standard LAANC request for auto approval when you fire up the props to cover a 12-grid area at all the correct limits and the drone would automatically obey and/or apply on the fly with a predictive path; pausing when/if necessary, etc.

That's a big list lol. But not something we are likely to ever see on a consumer level drone.
You do point out great features that could definitely be added to a much more costly prosumer level drone, except the ability to have a limp home mode with a dead motor or a damaged prop, you definitely need a hexamotor setup minimum for that, not possible on a quad.

 

[mavic3usa]

That's a big list lol. But not something we are likely to ever see and a consumer level drone.
You do point out great features that could definitely be added to a much more costly prosumer level drone, except the ability to have a limp home mode with a dead motor or or damaged prop, you definitely need a hexamotor setup minimum for that, not possible on a quad.

I think in order for consumer drones to ever go anywhere, we gotta do something about the long shot that is a malfunction which causes the drone to fall on top of someone's head or on top of cars going down the highway. Keeping the drone up in the air long enough to control the fall or prevent it will change everything because prop guards and parachutes won't ever cut it. Makes me think about the Autel Dragonfish. If we don't have at least half of these in 10 years....

 

[Starz]

it's the nature of the game.

Also, the method DJI uses to remove $ from several wallets!

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I think in order for consumer drones to ever go anywhere, we gotta do something about the long shot that is a malfunction which causes the drone to fall on top of someone's head or on top of cars going down the highway. Keeping the drone up in the air long enough to control the fall or prevent it will change everything because prop guards and parachutes won't ever cut it. Makes me think about the Autel Dragonfish. If we don't have at least half of these in 10 years....

I think it should be possible to achieve at least a semi controlled descent after a prop loss or motor failure with a quadcopter. Just switch the direction of rotation of the unmatched motor as needed and throttle up the matched pair.
You'd have spin and probably little to no horizontal control but it should be feasible to at least keep the drone upright and somewhat control its descent rate.
If the intact drone can lift its own body weight as cargo then it should be possible for it to even hover.

Just consider how quickly the motors stop when the drone shuts down on landing, my suspicion is that the motors are actively braked.

The above said I think it is much more likely that bureaucrats will force manufacturers to apply unbreakable range and height limits ..... not that that will prevent anything.

 

[DevilsLuck]

There's nothing in that article to say that there are any serious upgrades beyond the current model.
There's some speculation about what might be incremental improvements or maybe just minor frills.
That's the nature of drone development these days.
Major updates are rare.
The drone you ordered is still going to be a great purchase.

That lidar sounds fairly significant. Crashing my drone into something is my biggest fear.

 

[Meta4]

That lidar sounds fairly significant. Crashing my drone into something is my biggest fear.

They are just guessing that perhaps that's a Lidar sensor up front, but then explain how it wouldn't make much difference if it was.
If it was Lidar, I'd rate that a minor frill.
It wouldn't make the drone fly faster or further and wouldn't help create better images.

 

[Starz]

That lidar sounds fairly significant

Would be interesting to know the power needed to run that and the effect on battery consumption. (if it turns out to be implemented)

 

[rjwmorrell]

I think in order for consumer drones to ever go anywhere, we gotta do something about the long shot that is a malfunction which causes the drone to fall on top of someone's head or on top of cars going down the highway. Keeping the drone up in the air long enough to control the fall or prevent it will change everything because prop guards and parachutes won't ever cut it. Makes me think about the Autel Dragonfish. If we don't have at least half of these in 10 years....

Parachutes are literally the only way how drones are allowed to fly over people under Canadian rules.

 

[rjwmorrell]

They are just guessing that perhaps that's a Lidar sensor up front, but then explain how it wouldn't make much difference if it was.
If it was Lidar, I'd rate that a minor frill.
It wouldn't make the drone fly faster or further and wouldn't help create better images.

LiDAR doesn't impress me either if it's just used as a range finder for photography, and at any rate it won't make a difference if the camera doesn't have adjustable focus and variable focal lengths.

 

[Nanny Ogg]

If you wait to buy the "perfect" drone, you will miss a lot of opportunities to enjoy this hobby.