Mavic 3 vs Mavic 2: no shortage of ways the DJI Mavic 3 drone is superior
DJI’s newest drone is here, and there is no shortage of reasons why the Mavic 3 can easily claim the title of best camera drone yet. But there’s one reason why you might opt away from it, the price tag. The base model starts at $2,199, which is far higher than the $1,599 that the DJI Mavic 2 Pro goes for. So how much better is it, really? In a Mavic 3 vs Mavic 2 matchup, here’s how the two stack up:
Price
The price difference is definitely the stickiest difference. Based on their base model price, the Mavic 2 is nearly 30% cheaper than the Mavic 3. Here are the various prices:
| Mavic 2 Pro | Mavic 3 | |
| Base Price | $1,599 | $2,199 |
| Price with Fly More Kit | $1,998 | $2,999 |
| Protector Case | $169 | $319 |
| Extra battery | $149 | $209 |
It’s not just the drone itself that costs more (note: for the purposes of this comparison, we looked at the more-expensive Mavic 2 Pro versus the Mavic 2 Zoom). Even the spare batteries will run more. Be prepared to pay up for the spiffier model.
Mavic 3 vs Mavic 2 battery life and flying time
But speaking of spare batteries, you might not actually need them on the Mavic 3. Max flight on the Mavic 3 is an incredible 46 minutes. Some of that might be attributed to a lighter weight on the newer model. Here’s how the two stack up:
| Mavic 2 Pro | Mavic 3 | |
| Max Flight Time (no wind) | 31 minutes | 46 minutes |
| Max Hovering Time (no wind) | 29 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Max Wind Speed Resistance | 8-10.7 m/s | 10.8-13.8/s |
| Takeoff Weight | 907 g | 895 g |
| Capacity | 3850 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Energy | 59.29 Wh | 77 Wh |
| Weight | 297 g | 335.5 g |
| Charging Hub capabilities | 4 batteries charging in sequence | 3 batteries charging in sequence |
Obstacle avoidance
A huge standout feature on the new Mavic 3 is its improved sense and avoid tech that makes this drone nearly crash-proof. It’s all thanks to DJI’s Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing system, and it’s a huge upgrade from the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom drones. Here’s exactly how:
| Mavic 2 Pro | Mavic 3 | |
| Sensing System | Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing (though does not fully cover the circumference of a 360-degree arc) | Omnidirectional binocular vision system, supplemented with an infrared sensor at the bottom of the aircraft |
| Forward Vision System | Measurement Range: 0.5-20 m Detection Range: 20 to 40 m Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤14m/s FOV: Horizontal 40°, Vertical 70° | Measurement Range: 0.5-20 m Detection Range: 0.5-200 m Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤16m/s FOV: Horizontal 90°, Vertical 103° |
| Backward | Measurement Range: 0.5-16 m Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤12m/s FOV: Horizontal 60°, Vertical 77° | Measurement Range: 0.5-16 m Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤14m/s FOV: Horizontal 90°, Vertical 103° |
| Lateral Sensing System | Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤8m/s FOV: Horizontal 80°, Vertical 65° | Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤16m/s FOV: Horizontal 90°, Vertical 85° |
| Upward | Precision Measurement Range: 0.1-8 m | Measurement Range: 0.2-10 m Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤6m/s FOV: Front and Back 100°, Left and Right 90° |
| Downward Vision System | Effective Sensing Height: 0.5-11 m Detection Range: 11 to 22 m | Measurement Range: 0.3 to 18 m Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤6m/s FOV: Front and Back 130°, Left and Right 160° |
Mavic 3 vs Mavic 2 Camera quality
It’s likely you’re getting the Mavic 3 as a camera drone. By most metrics, the Mavic 3 is an improvement over the Mavic 2 — but not by necessarily all metrics. Here’s how they compare:
| Mavic 2 Pro | Mavic 3 | |
| Sensor | 1-Inch CMOS, Effective pixels: 20 MP | 4/3 CMOS, Effective pixels: 20 MP |
| Lenses | FOV: 77° Format Equivalent: 28mm Aperture: f/2.8 to f/11 Focus: 1 m to ∞ (with Autofocus) | FOV: 84° Format Equivalent: 24 mm Aperture: f/2.8 to f/11 Focus: 1 m to ∞ (with Autofocus) |
| Shutter Speed | Electronic Shutter: 8-1/8000 s | Electronic Shutter: 8-1/8000 s |
| Max Image Size | 5472×3648 | 5280×3956 |
Gimbal
The gimbal has a big improvement with greater range and speed.
| Mavic 2 Pro | Mavic 3 | |
| Stabilization | 3-axis (tilt, roll, pan) | 3-axis (tilt, roll, pan) |
| Controllable Range | Tilt: -90° to 30° Pan: -75° to 75° | Tilt: -90° to 35° Pan: -5° to 5° |
| Max Control Speed (tilt) | 120°/s | 100°/s |
| Angular Vibration Range | ±0.01° (Mavic 2 Pro) ±0.005° (Mavic 2 Zoom) | ±0.007° |
Video transmission
Another huge selling point of the Mavic 3 is it upgraded transmission system called DJI O3. This make the Mavic 3 DJI’s first drone that offers a High Frame-Rate Transmission with a 1080p/60fps live feed. Thus, the camera view is displayed at a resolution nearly exactly at what the camera actually records.
| Mavic 2 Pro | Mavic 3 | |
| Video Transmission System | OcuSync 2.0 | O3+ |
| Remote Controller Live View Quality | 720p @ 30fps/1080p @ 30fps | 1080p @ 30fps/1080p @ 60fps |
| Antennas | 2 antennas, 1T2R | 4 antennas, 2T4R |
I rounded up some of the most intriguing specs here. That said, you can find them all on the official DJI website. Here are the Mavic 2 specs, while here are the Mavic 3 specs.
Mavic 3 vs Mavic 2: the bottom line
Especially if you can’t decide between the Mavic 2 Pro or Zoom (and wish you could have both), if you demand more than about 30 minutes of battery life, or if you require a crash-proof drone (just don’t call it that in front o the lawyers), the Mavic 3 is superior.
Of course, that superiority comes at a cost, as the Mavic 3 isn’t exactly cheap.
All things considered (including cost), which drone do you think is better? Leave your comments below!
- Get the DJI Mavic 3 from Adorama
- Get the DJI Mavic 3 from Amazon
- Get it from B&H Photo
- Or order directly from DJI itself
Oh, and if you haven’t seen it for yourself, check out my DJI Mavic 3 unboxing video below!
I just ordered the Mavic 3 for work. I think it will be a great upgrade from the Mavic 2 Pro for our projects. My biggest concern is how long will it be before waypoint flying is possible? Or is it already possible? We create mosaics all the time with our M2P and want to be able to do the same with the M3. Thanks for providing this comparison!