DJI’s Mavic 3 drone may have a bigger sensor and 46-minute flight time

DJI’s upcoming Mavic 3 Pro drone may be a big upgrade over the last model, according to leaks from DroneDJ and Jasper Ellens seen by The Verge. It may have a significantly longer flight time along with not just one, but two cameras, including a telephoto model and one with a larger Four Thirds sensor. If accurate, the Mavic 3 would be highly desirable for cinematographers and aerial photographers when it arrives, reportedly later this year. 

Where the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom make you choose between a larger sensor or a 24-48mm equivalent zoom, the new model will offer both on one drone. It reportedly comes with two separate cameras, including a 20-megapixel, 24mm f/2.8-f/11 primary camera with a Four Thirds sensor, along with a 12-megapixel, 1/2-inch sensor secondary camera with a 160mm-equivalent telephoto lens.

A Four Thirds sensor would be a huge boon for aerial shooters, allowing for extra detail and a more cinematic look in general. Currently, shooting in that format requires a large, relatively expensive drone and in many cases, a separate camera like DJI’s Zenmuse line or Panasonic’s BGH1. At the same time, a second telephoto camera would make it more versatile.

It will also offer direct USB-C charging so you don’t need to remove the battery. All of that will boost the weight a bit, up from 907g on the Mavic 2 Pro to 920g for the Mavic 3 Pro. Despite that bump from the extra camera and other new features, the Mavic 3 will be able to fly for 46 minutes, way up from the 31 minutes available on the Mavic 2. 

The Mavic 3 will apparently come in two flavors, a Pro and a Cine model, with the latter offering a built-in SSD and a “1Gbps Lightspeed Data Cable” option for faster transfers. It will also offer a new version of DJI’s display-equipped Smart Controller allowing for video transmission over 15km, up from 10km on the Mavic 2 Pro. 

The Mavic 3 Pro will cost $1,600, both sources say, which is the same price as the current Mavic 2 Pro. Prices for the Cine model are less clear, but could run around $1,000 more — still a relative deal for such a high tech camera drone. Both are expected to arrive on November 15th.