DJI Mavic 3 Pro guide

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro doesn’t represent a giant leap forward from the ‘standard’ Mavic 3, but its three-camera payload makes it the best choice for any serious aerial photographer or videographer looking for a compact folding drone – provided they’re happy to deal with the restrictions brought about by its increased weight and stricter category.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro review

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is the world’s first consumer drone featuring three cameras and provides a highly versatile option that comfortably straddles the consumer and prosumer markets.

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is one of the best foldable drones available. It offers impressive features and functionality, including three useful cameras, but it is expensive.

The rule of three in creativity suggests that three is more pleasing and interesting than two, for instance, and taking this idea into the technology realm is the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, the world’s first consumer drone to offer three cameras. With the main 24 mm Four Thirds camera taking center stage, it’s flanked by a 70 mm medium telephoto and a 166 mm telephoto that have the potential to open up even more creative possibilities, making it one of the best drones out there.

The Mavic 3 Pro shares the majority of its features and functionality with previous models including the single camera DJI Mavic 3 Classic and the original DJI Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine with dual cameras. The main difference between both is the three cameras and the fact that the Mavic 3 Pro/Mavic 3 Pro Cine supersede the Mavic 3/Mavic 3 Cine, which are now unavailable on the DJI website.

What makes this new drone stand out is that the three cameras provide an incredible amount of versatility with the ability to maintain a consistent workflow when shooting with any of the cameras. The main camera is the excellent Four Thirds 20MP Hasselblad offering the most features and functionality, including an adjustable f/2.8-f/11 adjustable aperture. The 70 mm medium telephoto uses the same 1/1.3-inch sensor as the DJI Mini 3 Pro and the 166 mm telephoto features a 12MP 1/2-inch sensor.

Whether you’re an amateur or professional drone pilot, this is a drone that can easily meet your needs if you can make use of the three cameras on offer. While it’s not cheap, it does launch with a similar price as the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine. What this means is that you effectively get an additional 70 mm camera for free, and this is easily the best and most useful of the two telephotos.

Cameras: 20MP 4/3 main camera, 70 mm and 166 mm telephoto cameras

Video resolution: Up to 5.1K

Frame rates: 5.1K up to 75fps / 4K up to 120fps / FHD up to 200fps

Video transmission range: FPV Camera approx. 9.3 miles (FCC), 5 miles (CE/SRRC/MIC)

Flight modes: Sport, Normal, Cine

Battery: 5000 mAh / up to 43 minutes flight time

Charger type: USB-C: 5-20 V, max 5 A / Battery Charging Hub: 65 W

Weight: Mavic 3 Pro 33.79 oz/958 g, Mavic 3 Pro Cine 33.96 oz/963 g

Dimensions: 9.10 x 3.85 x 3.75 inches / 231.1 x 98 x 95.4 mm (folded)

13.68 x 11.44 x 4.24 inches / 347.5 x 290.8 x 107.7 mm (unfolded)

Unmistakably a Mavic 3 series model, the Mavic 3 Pro features the signature Mavic folding design and looks almost identical to previous models. The only significant giveaway, apart from the name badge, is the larger gimbal that’s home to the three cameras with the two telephotos sitting above the main camera. Folded, the drone is 9.10 x 3.85 x 3.75 inches (231.1 x 98 x 95.4 mm) which extends to 13.68 x 11.44 x 4.24 (347.5 x 290.8 x 107.7 mm) unfolded.

It’s slightly larger and heavier than other Mavic 3 models at 33.79 oz/958 g for the 3 Pro and 33.96 oz/963 g for the 3 Pro Cine, which isn’t a problem for most regions around the world, but in the U.K. and mainland Europe, the drone has received a C2 rating. This simply means that the Mavic 3 Pro must be flown at least 50 m away from uninvolved people and 150 m away from built-up areas (although these distances can be reduced with certain drone qualifications).