DJI Mavic 3 Pro specs, rumors and leaks
The Brazilian YouTube channel Dronemodelismo has published what appears to be the biggest DJI Mavic 3 Pro leak so far. It claims the specs and illustrations have come from a reliable source – and the channel does have a track record of leaking accurate information about drones like the DJI Mavic Air 2. But some unusual suggestions about the design and specs have led some to question the accuracy of the rumors.
The biggest claim is that the Mavic 3 Pro will have dual Hasselblad cameras – one with a 7x zoom (which is presumably digital zoom rather than optical), and another 5.7K camera with a 24mm f/2.8 lens. According to Dronemodelismo, there will also be an adapter that can give this lens a wider 16mm focal length.
The suggestion that the Mavic 3 Pro will have a 5.7K camera contradicts an earlier “trusted source” from DroneDJ, which claimed that the drone could become the first compact DJI model capable of shooting 8K video. If true, this would trump its predecessor’s 4K/30p video powers and match the likes of the 8K-shooting Autel Evo II, which uses a smaller 1/2-inch sensor.
On the other hand, Autel’s Evo II Pro model shoots 6K video from a 1in sensor, and Dronemodelismo thinks the Mavic 3 Pro could even use the same sensor as that drone. The contradictory claims have likely arisen from the fact that DJI is probably testing different sensors with the Mavic 3 Pro. Earlier rumors suggested there could be also be two different versions of the Mavic 3 Pro.
Another detail that the Dronemodelismo leak hasn’t clarified is the DJI Mavic 3 Pro’s sensor size. The obvious step up from a 1-inch sensor is moving to a Four Thirds sensor, which is something many DJI fans have hoped for.
A DroneDJ source claimed on August 10 that the drone’s sensor would indeed be a Four Thirds chip, but that “development has been problematic (on the Hasselblad side)”. However, it would be nigh-on impossible to fit a Four Thirds camera and gimbal into a drone of the Mavic 2 Pro’s size. And with the leaked illustrations from Dronemodelismo suggesting that the Mavic 3 Pro will indeed be a similar size to its predecessor, it seems pretty unlikely that a Four Thirds camera will be possible.
DJI Mavic 3 Pro: 5 things we want to see
1. Interchangeable cameras
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Historically, a truly ‘pro’ camera is one that lets you change lenses to suit different situations. Shooting landscapes? Time to grab a lovely wide-angle zoom. Going to a wedding? An 85mm prime is the better tool for the job.
You arguably don’t quite need this level of flexibility in the air, with a wide-angle focal length generally preferable in most situations. But it’d be great if the rumored Mavic 3 Pro could at least bring the option of a few different user-swappable cameras.
2. An 8K camera
Okay, perhaps our dream of a Mavic 3 with interchangeable cameras is too optimistic – if so, we’d settle for the drone making the step up to 8K resolution.
The best way of doing this while maintaining image quality would be for it to use a Four Thirds sensor, which would be considerably larger than the 1-inch ones in the DJI Air 2S and current Mavic 2 Pro.
But we remain sceptical that it’ll be possible to do add this kind of camera to a compact drone – you only have to look at the size of DJI’s Xenmuse X5S, a Four Thirds camera that’s designed for the DJI Inspire 2, to see how big that kind of setup is.
3. Smart Controller V2
Back in 2019, DJI launched the lovely Smart Controller – an optional control pad for its drones that came with a built-in 5.5-inch touchscreen, so you didn’t need to use your smartphone as mission control.Its 1080p screen is now showing its age, but we’d love to see a new version come bundled with the Mavic 3 – or at least arrive as an optional extra. Having a dedicated, all-weather controller with a super-bright screen is a real bonus for flying, and the addition of Ocusync 3.0 connectivity would make a new version a great ally for a next-gen Mavic Pro.
Perhaps the only issue might be cost, as the Smart Controller is currently priced at $749 / INR 56000 – about half the cost of the DJI Mavic 2 Pro. So perhaps a stripped-down version that comes bundled with a drone, or an optional updated model, would be the way to go.
4. A 40-minute battery life
One upgrade that seems a dead cert for the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, based on the limited leaks we’ve seen so far, is an improved battery life. The DJI Mavic 2 Pro’s flight time is rated at 31 minutes, but that’s without wind – and by the time you’ve taken into account the automatic return-to-home function (which kicks in when the battery hits 25% charge), your real-world fight times are more like 20 minutes.Some early leaks from the likes of DroneXL suggested that the Mavic 3 Pro will have a new, larger battery, and Dronemodelismo’s leak has predicted a 40-minute flight time. This would likely work out as a real-world flight time of 30 minutes, once you’ve taken into account conditions and getting the drone back to its take-off pad.
5. True 360-degree obstacle avoidance
The Mavic 2 Pro shoots excellent video and stills, but it isn’t quite the best drone out there for obstacle avoidance and sports-tracking. While it does have sensors on the front, back, top, bottom and sides, the latter are disabled in many modes. We’d like to see the Mavic 3 Pro take a step up here and offer the true 360-degree smarts of something like the Skydio 2, which has six 4K sensors to help it build up a full picture of possible obstacles around it.
Two of those sensors are upward-facing ones on its front arms, which are possible thanks to its downward-facing motors. With early leaks suggesting the Mavic 3 might have a similar design, perhaps DJI has indeed taken some inspiration for its next compact flagship drone.
