Mavic 3 classical RC Test, is this the fresh king of profitability for professionals?

About Mavic 3 and flights in the fresh class C1

At the beginning of the review Mavic 3 Classic I'll tell you briefly about the legal position in airspace. If you have not yet been aware of the requirements for drone flights, I urge studying the authoritative PANSA UTM website, you will find many interesting facts and current limitations. However, what distinguishes now Mavic 3 classical (and only Classic, but about that later) is its C1 class.

What is C1 and why is that crucial to me? I have 2 answers for you:

• Soon, due to the fact that at the end of 2023, the transitional rules for classifying drone flights on the basis of weight expire. Only Class C drones and Legacy drones stay in the air, which will be limited by higher requirements than under current conditions (flights A3 alternatively of A1).
• Class C1 allows more freedom of flight with larger drones than the erstwhile weight classification.

Such a transition to class C1 looks more friendly than a shrinking distance from buildings under the current transitional provisions. In order not to be so pink, respective requirements are imposed by this classification on drones, specified as the inability to disable position lighting or active tracking limited to a distance of 50 meters from the operator or... reducing the permissible sound generated for fresh drones all fewer years after the regulation has been introduced.

The more costly Mavic 3 remains by default in the Legacy group, but its users have the anticipation of retro classification to level C1, from the first reports everything happens rather smoothly, but it's up to you to do it now.

Specification Mavic 3 Classic

Briefly, if you already know Mavic 3, you can decision on, the only change visible at first glance is the deficiency of lens and telephoto matrix.

For the record, Mavic 3 classical belongs to a group of semi-professional drones and professional video recording and low-flight aerial photos (legal limitation in Poland to 120 m).

The construction of Mavic 3 continues to fit in the language of the folding tiny drones known to us. Mavic 3 is already 1 of the largest (not counting the Inspire series and the T30 and T40 series monsters), it has a starting mass of somewhat little than 900 grams — i.e. at the limit allowed for the C1 category (Mavic 2 Pro already has 907 grams, a tiny difference, but 3 is much more handy). This gave the DJI a strong field to show and attach the 4/3′′ matrix to the 2.8f lens with 24 mm equivalent.

The 20 MP matrix is my eye in the head, and by it I had to rediscover my fresh 1 erstwhile utilizing the drone — the aperture is regulated in the 2.8-11f range, and the video is recorded with an electronic snapshot. Only in the Enterprise Mavic 3 version has a mechanical snapshot for photogrammetric images in motion.

The kit I got for the tests is the more costly version with the DJI RC controller, which I tested with DJI Mini 3 ProMore importantly, it is presently compatible with DJI Mini 3 Pro, DJI Air 2S and Mavic 3. My concern is inactive powerfully highlighted here, especially with this drone class — by closing the built-in screen system, we besides close the anticipation of installing future software for independent developers.

These concerns are somewhat suppressed erstwhile implementing the DJI Fly application, which is utilized by Mavic 3 Classic. True, we inactive have no anticipation of planning flights from home or saving hyperlapse flights for the future. However, compared to what is in Mini 3 Pro, it does not bother me so much by the intelligent MasterShots flight modes (this time in 4K and with avoiding obstacles) and the hyperlapse mode in which we can manually set the flight path, which the drone will then recreate.

With the controller itself I am inactive very pleased, and especially with the brightness of the LCD screen, so I don't gotta worry that after a while AMOLED in the smartphone will lose readability after a fewer seconds of flying in the sun. If I were to be stingy, I would say that this screen is besides tiny to service as a full-fledged monitor. Fortunately, to the cheaper RC-N1 controller we can connect a tablet that will service as a very large screen.

The reason for my discontent is the iris and the autofocus. 2.8f 24 mm has good adequate focus erstwhile filming from a perspective... drone, but erstwhile we're going to follow someone, I like to make certain that the drone correctly interpreted my intentions and set focus on the mark alternatively than infinity. Unfortunately, Autofocus in Mavic 3 prefers infinity.

This does not change the fact that if you are looking for a fast and reliable (after checking focus) RC controller tool is for you.

Flights from Mavic 3 Classic

Something you gotta admit to the DJI right distant is that they can play battery and flight length. Although the administered 46-minute flight is simply a bit of an expansion, however, the real 40 minutes in the air is awesome and allows me to reduce my travel kit to 1 battery in the drone and 2 in the spare or fast car charger in the car.

Though nothing beats the excitement of flying DJI Avata, however, this Mavic 3 classical is simply a safe and balanced SUV, and Mini 3 Pro is an electrical city car. DJI drones gotta each another that they are controlled likewise and it is highly easy to control between series (even in flight), but each of them has its characteristics that are worth remembering. Mavic 3 classical in comparison to Mini 3 Pro is much heavier and feel it all time the apparatus is tilted. Where Mini responds energetically to commands there Mavic needs time to brake, think, figure out how to defy inevitable gravity and his own momentum.

Unfortunately, this creates a problem with the action of avoiding obstacles, I personally think Mini 3 behaves better in this respect and erstwhile it detects an obstacle, it adjusts its flight way a small faster. However, I cannot be deceived that Mini is simply a safer drone — much little sensors, incomplete field of sight coverage and much lighter materials in a smaller drone are not welcome with a possible crash.

If I had to add something meaningful here, the Mavic 3 classical range, it's just fabulous. Where Mini 3 Pro flew to 1 km, where Mavic 3 classical in CE version flew to 2 km — this shows how good the signal and antennas have this drone, and how far will it scope in a distant place? That's what I'm afraid to convince due to the time of the drone, I'll say 1 thing: far enough.

Video quality Mavic 3 Classic

The main mark group of this drone are filmmakers, we don't gotta argue about it, without the telephoto lens, the inspection of distant and tiny objects is impossible. However, the 4/3′′ matrix makes rather a fuss in my head. We have a immense number of video recording modes available, the best of which (the largest) is 5.1 K 50 fps in DLOG or alternatively HLG. Unfortunately, we inactive don't have the ability to evidence like this all the time, due to the fact that if we want to evidence with ActiveTrack, QuickShots or MasterShots then we gotta number to 4K30 fps. It doesn't hurt so much due to the fact that we have an active APAS 5.0 obstacle avoidance strategy at our disposal, which in Mini 3 Pro was disabled erstwhile utilizing MasterShots.

For the willing to usage a full 5.1K and relieve a fewer muscles I urge learning flights in a fresh pace mode, which we can delegate to 1 of the 2 function buttons under the controller. This allows you to focus on gentler framing of another analog apparatus.

For volunteers, I place the recordings below without additional processing, they are sent to YT in native 4K 30 fps or 5.1K 30 fps files, but will not full reflect the quality leap to 5.1K, which in this way we can treat as a tool for framing, stabilizing and zooming in postproduction. This means that you are not doomed to choose between the good quality of the 5.1K video and the intelligent flight and the lower quality of 4K – no substance what you choose, the quality is stunning and the codecs refined.

The latest update of Mavic 3 is besides night mode, below respective samples and comparison with DLOG mode. The night mode is besides limited to 4K and 30 fps, but thanks to this it can evidence with higher ISO sensitivity and automatically save the recordings that just cut. The same quality solution turns out to be recording in DLOG, but you will immediately see the sound that the night mode removes.

Mavic 3 can besides evidence in slow motion. In this mode it reaches 4K 100 fps in DLOG with the full matrix or 1080p 100 fps with a 2x zoom.

The sound comparison for a given mode and radiation settings can be found below, as you can see, is very good.

Photo quality Mavic 3 Classic

I made a akin comparison with photos and lens aperture settings. DNG images have a slight vignette at full opening, which cancels out around f4-5.6, including in this respect the lens for its highest optical resolution.

The photos we get from the drone are DNG files with a resolution of 20 MP, they let us to have a lot more fun than the files received from Mini 3 Pro and this drone receives a recommendation. You'll take large professional pictures, especially for ISO400.

Smart flight modes

One of the best features of the Mavic 3 series are intelligent flight modes. Compared to Mini 3 Pro, they are much more advanced, both by the presence of additional sensors (which are active during quickshots and mastershots flights) and a faster processor that allows you to evidence 4K 30 fps Dlog material.

When activetrack and spotlight tracking correctly detects their target, these functions are unchangeable and let fast recording of materials on socialmedia. Due to the recording of 4K on a large matrix, specified material can be freely cut to the vertical rotation of social media, while at the same time we gotta reckon with a slight failure of quality compared to the native proportions of the matrix. If you're going to evidence vertical rollers mostly in open ground, without advanced winds then Mini 3 Pro can be a better choice.

However, erstwhile we look at the quality of recordings and the stableness of flight in utmost wind (12 m/s compared to 10.7 m/s Mini 3 Pro) then Mavic 3 is not equal.

Summary

DJI ranks Mavic 3 classical as a direct successor to Mavic 2 Pro, however, now moving to Mavic 3 I urge users of the lower series and people who want to usage much more sophisticated self-flight modes, without distant flight planning, which you will find presently in the Enterprise version controller.

Compared to the lower Mavic 3 classical series comes with a harness that allows safe transport of the drone in the backpack without an additional cover. If you fly longer than 40 minutes during 1 order, Fly More Kit with charging station is designed for professionals who want to charge 2 extra batteries faster.

Compared to two-objected Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 The Cine classical version is simply a well-balanced price option for professionals who do not request a lower quality telephoto lens with a focal dimension of 162 mm. I'm happy to usage the funds saved for an extra battery.

DJI Mavic 3 classical RC can be found in the x-kom store

Read ours besides test DJI Mavic 3 in Geex