DJI has spent the last several years doubling down on its imagining prowess — tripling down as it were, in this case. Makes sense. Aside from the underlying fun of flying these things around, all of the most immediate consumer/prosumer applications revolve around picture taking and video.

The new Mavic 3 Pro embraces the prosumer side of that dichotomy with a triple-camera system. At its heart is a Hasselblad camera — naturally, given that the drone giant purchased a majority stake of the much-loved Swedish camera maker back in 2017. It’s the same 4/3 CMOS model found on the standard Mavic 3 series, which is capable of shooting 12-bit RAW images.

The three-camera system appears to offer a lot more optical flexibility than you’ll find on other off-the-shelf consumer-focused drones, with a trio of focal lengths at 24mm, 70mm and 166mm. The system can shoot up to 5.1K at 50 FPS and 4K at 120 FPS.

Here’s DJI describing the system a bit further:

The medium tele camera (70mm format equivalent) is suitable in a range of different scenarios from framing intriguing buildings to cars in commercial shoots. With its 1/1.3″ CMOS sensor and 3x optical zoom, it is capable of 48MP/12MP photos, 4K/60fps video, and supports the new D-log M. It compresses the depth of field and depth of focus to highlight the subject and give a unique sense of depth and space. For those looking to wow their viewers with a stunning Hyperlapse, this 3x optical zoom camera, is the ideal choice.

Image Credits: DJI

All of that is enhanced by the video software DJI has been building over several generations, allowing for pre-programmed cinematic shots. Effectively, you can get something that looks professional with a couple of clicks, or you can take manual control yourself. It can also fly based on waypoints or fly through a preconfigured route, while using built-in obstacle avoidance to stop from falling out of the sky.

The beefy 43-minute battery should help with that, too. Flight time has traditionally been a major sticking point on these systems, but 43 minutes is generous. You can also swap batteries to keep going — you’ll get two additional if you go in for the Fly More package.

Predictably, this thing isn’t cheap. The Mavic 3 Pro starts at $2,200. The Fly More combo, which also includes a battery charging hub, is an additional $800. Another $889 will get you the DJI RC Pro controller with a built-in 1080p screen.

The drone is up for preorder today and is expected to start arriving May 9.

DJI’s latest Mavic drone is a beast by Brian Heater originally published on TechCrunch

https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/25/djis-latest-mavic-drone-is-a-beast/