This is the best review ever. I feel like all other reviewers would cut out the fails and just talk up how great the drone is. Instead this is way more nuanced, yes show the beautiful footage but also show it has clear limitations. Thanks!
re beacon, I completely agree, we need something like this to control drone while we are on the move. I was trying to film myself while skiing, placing RC in the pocket, the experience is nightmare, all buttons are so easy to press by accident...
Interesting video. Before you got to the end bit about the beacon I was questioning why such a thing wasn't present when it kept losing you. Very odd decision by DJI. I mean if they didn't want to sell you a separate beacon (!!) surely it's something that could be incorporated in the controller which is with you (and activated because it knew it was "in shot" when it was tracking).
It is nice to see that I am not the only one talking to my drone :) Great review. Thanks for producing the video. I am a Skydio 2 user, and bought the drone specifically for its tracking capabilities. With Skydio exiting the consumer market, I am keeping a close eye on DJI's tracking and obstacle avoidance capabilities, as I am sure I will buy a DJI drone once my Skydio 2 is retired.
I appreciate your realism dude, you’ve certainly cost DJI a sale on this one as I wanted it to track me, even from the front view, whilst riding my motorbike through a tightly packed pine forrest, however this baby’s just not up to the task. Also I can’t afford to babysit the thing while I’ve got both hands securing me to my motorbike. Is there a newer version on the horizon? I’ve clicked the like button for sure, thanks.
Just in general, thank you for the hard work you put into your reviews...I almost ordered a canyon aeroad with a shimano power meter til I saw your tour de France power meter video a few weeks back...went sram instead. Again, thank you sir and keep it up
Great video, many thanks. I like your kind of testing because you are really go to the limits, be it with wind or with active track. Helps a lot when using my new Air 3 in the near future …
I will a) also keep my Air 2S b) see Air 3S/Pro in 11 months and c) fly the hell out of thev10m/s ascend/Descend time that's faster than my Mavic 3 Pro. Also enjoy the Night Mode that is order of magnitude better than any other DJI Drone excepting Mavic 3, the nearly double range and double useable plight times) getting just shy of 40 minutes. Extravagant and excessive? Yeah... I'm not a "wise consumer" but I always get 70%+ return on sales of gently abuses DJI stuff, lol... your choice is absolutely the right one for you... I'm a but of a tech junkie..some people spend money on... other stuff, lol. 😂
@RaniRani-zt2tr no it isn't a 48 mega pixel camera it's actually a 12 megapixel camera that use a quad Bayer sensor which uses an algorithm an a different pixel color layout to digitally make it 48 mega pixels but if you put a true 48 megapixel camera an compare it to this camera in 48 mega pixel mode you'll see that is not even close in fact the dji air 2s uses a true 20 megapixel camera that is way better than this camera in 48 mega pixel mode you just think it looks better because of the over sharpening an the huge leap in image technology the brain has alot to do with images as far as color contrast etcetera
Ok so I want to run....will this work???? I'm asking early in the video so I don't know if you're hitting in this question or not but if I leave the remote with the phone....will it follow and how far??
Great active track review again. Good Job. Air 3 or Mavic 3 does better? can You make an active track Air 3 vs Mavic 3(the original one)? Active track in Mavic 3 has improved over firmware updates so it may do it better if You try it now than before.
I would love to see the same test I had a Mavic 3 og. The Air 3 is better except for the hassleblad. Just better software obviously the 4/3 is a better camera but that newer one over 1/1.3 being almost perfected stack sensor isn't much of a downgrade from the hassleblad other than the adjustable aperture. Other than that the signs point to the Air 3 being as of now a better product for most unless you're professional filmmaker and need to use ProRes. The whole time I had my Mavic 3 I had pro resin ever needed to use it once. My favorite lens on the Mavic 3 Pro is that middle 70mm telle lens Then again I'm not a photographer for Pro photography or anything. Thank you very much for the video.
And the biggest thing to piss me off about the drone is on the Air 3 you can use all those features quick shots Master shots everything on either lens the middle or the main the Mavic 3 Pro you're limited to mostly just that main lens. Not to mention the compatibility between the Air 3 two lenses is so much better than the compatibility between the three on the pro 3. Especially if you watch somebody color grade something from a Mavic 3 Pro compared to an Air 3.
Great review, I learned things about the newest Active Track that I never knew. I didn't see the link for your handlebar mount, can you share that? Couldn't find it in your channel, either.
Very nice video. Looks like Skydio has nothing to worry about from this drone. Also, don't you think carrying around the whole controller is pretty lame? I appreciate that DJI is trying but doubt they are trying hard enough to succeed even in their next try. It's a REALLY hard problem. I spent some time working with Skydio on what became the 2 and even that model, years ago now, makes this look like a toy. Thanks for your fine reviews.
The Air 3 tracking works best from the rear, it's like a heat seeking missile that is incredibly hard to shake off. The scenarios definitely were quite tough in the trees so that is understandable, but I like how you point out the pros and cons of the tracking.
That’s a bummer about Skydio. I’ve been waiting for their next version that’s smaller. I agree DJI needs something. I want to use a drone for mountain biking.
Hey Ray really interesting review there. Very interested in this as i am a cyclist myself and i am looking forward to use this drone for the tracking. Your bug your getting if you go and turn on the drone and controller wait untill it get more them 12 satellites then go and click on dji fly updates this should fix it so i have read. hopefully... again great work ray enjoy the world championship on Sunday if you look at them
Thank you DC rainmaker: I believe there is a fix for the "failed to load dynamic safety data". You need to be on Wi-Fi, also go outside and get at least 16 satellites and then do your check for updates. It just needs good satellite reception to update. Hope this helps. If not i apologizes
I don't understand why dji use only visual tracking. Even if it was an option. Tracking the remote gps coordinates should be there. And even Can use that combined with the visual tracking in order to archive better shots where you might be behind objects for some seconds and still track you. And also set the home point dynamically to the remote location. Really usefull for bike rides/ trekking/car/motorcycle Etc when you have to update the home Point. And of course, cellphone only or gesture flight. My spark can do it perfectly and my Air2S can't.
You're absolutely right. If the Chinese would listen to me they could make a true hiker/biker GPS follow-me drone for $250 that would blow any DJI out of the sky. It won't have obstacle avoidance or a gimbal or 10 km range. But still everybody would want one. Because I know how it should look like. Small to put in your pocket, silent, super quick to launch, small light controller, auto-update-homepoint, compass type follow-me, can use the sticks anytime and put it anywhere you want. And did you know there already is a drone with a perfect GPS follow-me that works better in real life than any DJI active-track? My $130 L109 Pro. I so wish the camera and gimbal were better. I may get myself a DJI Mini 2 with Litchi or Maven. Aren't they compatible with your Air2S?
I noticed a few weeks ago when I used Spotlight mode on my Mini 3 Pro on a kayak race that it put up the boat icon. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t doing that in the spring. But bottom line, how much better is this drone’s active track than the Mini 3 Pro, because I was pretty impressed with the Mini 3 Pro even though it failed me a few times.
Does Air 3 4K60p have any crop? The Air 2S crops at 4k60 and can't use ActiveTrack (no poi, no activetrack, no spot light) at that frame rate which is fairly disappointing for my workflow needs. So I'm considering upgrading to the Air 3 for that reason
when you were active tracking the boat were you in the boat? sounds like before you said you have to have the remote with you like on the bike but I couldn't tell if you were in the boat.
Hi, I've got a question about using Active Track on my Mavic 3 Pro. Is there a minimum altitude required to use active track? I wanted to fly the drone quite low off the ground to track a vehicle but it kept repositioning itself to a higher altitude and angle.
Is this thing capable of following downhill while skiing? I mean, will it be able to keep the difference in height between the subject and him self while the subject is loosing altitude? Because the old mavic 2 pro used to follow you but it was still staying at the same altitude so that the subject becomes smaller and smaller. Thanks for the help and many thanks for the review!
Yup, it'll go downhill and uphill. Albeit, when going uphill it lags a bit on that. And yeah, they changed what you noted after the Mavic 2 Pro, where it basically just stayed the same - was super annoying back then.
When you said it’s still alive unlike all of its siblings I died 🤣🤣 It’s a great drone! The trees was a really tough scenario but without obstructing objects or even using the functions that let you set points on where to go you might have a better result especially if you don’t need too long of a clip
Hi, I think I know what is the problem, you actually do not have to put it into appas mode when you enter active track, the drone will put itself on the appas mode without displaying that in the safety tab.
Not sure why DJI doesn't do some software code so that the controller becomes the beacon?? It's already communicating with it for it's commands, why not use for a beacon?
That’s a great question. My intel, from watching countless YT videos on this drone, tells me yes and no. It appears he didn’t need it to track the boat but seems he definitely needed it to track himself, for some reason… it’s got me beat! Conclusion: Yes and No!
I was hoping that because of higher max speeds, the drone should be better in tracking. I wonder if waypoints is a solution here. Like in first scenario, would it be better just the create waypoints route and try to sync your movements with drone flying on the course....
With enough time you can definitely get fancier results with waypoints. It works better in hiking/running where it’s easier to be very exact in point timing while running/walking. Whereas with cycling or other faster sports it’s hard to ensure not only the exact same speed/place each time, but being off by even 1 second means you’re framing is likely dorked up (or out of frame).
Incredible review as always. The amount of effort you put forth is next level. Spending hours upon hours of frustrating testing outdoors for an 18 minute video. Kudos. I have had several DJI drones before (it's been a few years) and reliable Active Tracking was something I'm still waiting for before I buy again. The "follow me" feature is a necessity since few people have a second camera guy handy. Too bad Skydio is giving up on the consumer market because they had figured it out for the most part. With that said, my rant.... Dear DJI: it's 2023. Your Active Tracking still sucks balls. Slightly improving, but it's still horrible. Watch this video and learn from it. Fix it. It's unbelievable how bad it STILL is. People don't ride bikes or drive cars slowly, and obstacles exist. And why do you STILL not offer a beacon? Clearly your drones need it because they're not smart enough.
The Air 2S uses different sensors (vastly different), and a different ActiveTrack and APAS version. That’s both good and bad. The newer sensors mean it’s less likely to hit things (as I showed in my Air 2S review), but at the same time the newer algorithm is more sensitive to objects and has become more cautious than previous.
@@bayern1806 It loses track because I go behind something. As I noted in the video, it won't change altitudes to ensure I stay within view. It only changes altitudes when it needs to avoid something. Skydio will change altitudes to ensure I stay in view.
I was hoping that the firmware on the Air 3 made this drone as good as a Skydio, but after watching this video I canceled my order for the Air 3 (thanks for the heads up).
hm.. that boat seemed way more than 15 meters away.. i got the mini 3 pro and have annoying problems with it doing 'orbits' when biking.. it just dont keep up when it gets over my 12 o'clock (if we say 12 is right ahead and 6 is behind me).. i usually loose it when im between 10 - 2.. when it goes 'over' 12 from either sides it just nopes out.. but.. i havent tried in a few months.. maybe an update fixed it (although i doubt it)
50 meters, but yup, I agree. I'm not sure why it didn't trigger on that one (legally I was holding the controller anyway, so it wouldn't have mattered), but yup.
think the minis atleast struggle with meassuring distance and movement when its around water.. guessing the things that control it automatically gets confused.. saw one guy here on the youtubes that flew around a slow moving river surrounded by trees.. he didnt get a good homepoint and the mini3 i think it was, locked onto the water via the downwards facing sensors and it dragged him into a tree after wich it crashed hard.. think he got a new one from dji
The error in the top left can be fixed by connecting the controller to the drone outdoors and using a mobile hotspot to update the Flysafe data. The drone must have contact with GPS satellites.
There should be an option to import gpx files to DJI drones. This way a better tracking could be implemented. One mode would allow the drone to follow the imported path, and the second mode: it'd be flying in proximity of a path, following the subject. I'm kinda baffled DJI haven't done t yet...
As always mate, a great review, thank you. Q. As this would be my 1st drone purchase, would you recommend it for a newby? I'm scared I'll smash it on my 1st fly!! 😆
Learn to fly with a cheap toy, a $15 tiny whoop without camera. No GPS, no optical flow position hold, maybe not even altitude hold. It's much more difficult, but that's the whole point. People who started with a DJI can't fly. The drone does it all for them. Until they do need skills to save their drone. You get better shots shots too if you had practice with a cheap drone. But if you can afford a $1000 DJI, you have money for something cheaper too. Such as a $120 drone with GPS you can shut off, brushless motors, and 'OK' video that is saved to an SD card. Most cheaper drones these days don't have one. If that is not a problem you can go even cheaper. Right now I'm looking at a ZLL SG105 Max on Banggood. 45 Euro. GPS, brushless, unbelievable. Or how about the SG108 Pro with 2-axis gimbal for 90 Euro? I myself BTW would get a Mini 3 Pro instead of the Air 3 if I had the cash. It's under 250 grams which means you can legally fly it at more places and don't need remote ID or registration. Trust me, that's a big deal. Only thing it doesn't have is side sensors. Don't fly it near trees using active-track. Unfortunately it is not compatible yet with a third party app like Litchi or Maven. Those apps have GPS follow-me, which in my mind is much easier and reliable, even if you won't have obstacle avoidance. You were born with sensors in your head. Use them. So that's it. Step by step. Only idiots tell you to start with a $1000 DJI. It all goes well until it goes wrong.What it also does it give you more confidence and courage to fly your fancy DJI later. I've seen many never using their expensive drone to the full, to what it is capable of.
Get this. Eachine E010 Can crash it 1000 times against the wall. Real flying! Takes an hour before you get the hang of it so don't let it put you off. 15 Euro on Banggood. Then maybe the SG108 Pro with 2-axis gimbal? I wonder if the old version I had was better? I crashed the 2023 model first time. But it was very windy and I didn't charge the batteries first. OK the video isn't DJI quality. But not too bad! I see a black version on Banggood for € 81.40. Really cheap if that is true!! I paid €120. It flies really easy. Don't sell it. Keep it next to your DJI as a 'scout' quad before you send out the DJI on its mission. To see how the shot should look like. The price is the same as a DJI battery. Or that ZLL SG105 Max with GPS for 45.51 Euro. Don't ask me how good it flies. I do see a GPS button on the controller. So you can shut that off and do some optical flow flying. Usually you have to have a bit more skills in the wind. Good for practice. I liked the 2 year old SG108 without gimbal a lot. Only it didn't have an SD card slot. So I still had to use the phone to save video and photos. The photos weren't too bad. Now there are a whole bunch of brushless GPS drone under 80 Euro. Don't expect the video to be usable. It's all about practice and getting confidence. But some are bit better if there isn't wind. Watch reviews.
For your sticky messages on the screen , try this , might work . Connect to a hotspot or wifi outside and fly the drone up … then try to update the Flysafe data . Make sure you get enough satellites 📡 12+ .
It's complicated. The Air 3 unquestioanbly has better obstacle avoidance (since the Mini 3 Pro lacks it sideways/upwards). Yet the Mini 3 Pro seems to handle tighter scenarios better, I suspect partially because it doesn't know about the danger around it, and partially because it's a more agile aircraft being smaller/lighter (something we saw as well in the Mavic 3 tests, it just takes a lot longer to slow down/stop).
I don´t have the bug on the screen.. I live on a high hill. So I turned it on with wifi on the remote. When it has sufficient satelites it comes up with an update.. And now no error :)
I wonder when will DJI going to use voice control. It isn't a new tech, its ald years since voice control been used in some of tech. For example during action, we could just said 'follow me behind' or side... For easier change on how we predict where the obstacle is too much for the drone to handle. Many other function could hv been easier controlled by voice... I hope DJI will upgrade their product. For now im not interested buying one after i crash my AIR last 2 years... Huhuhu
@@Dcrainmaker are you sure? Max drone speed is 21 (19 in EU) m/s but in active track its 12 m/s according to the manuals. So it should be max 12 m/s no matter the mode or am I wrong?
There is nothing similar to Skydio 2+ for tracking from diferent sides and front at certain speed. I it the only drone in you can trust (althogh it can crash). With a beacon you don't have to worry for the controller an you can pay full atention in your ride. I agree with you. I would pay some extra money for a DJI beacon. I do not undestand why they don't produce it.
They had a Beacon/ watch in development but it was scrapped. Believe it or not, customer surveys show an almost complete lack of interest in Active Track in general. Active Track, for most drone hobbyist is something they'll try a couple times but won't use regularly. I've mentioned this before but the main problem you and other reviewers have using Active Track is that it's set for a person but then you get on a bike, One Wheel, skateboard, etc. The algorithm is expecting a human's speed and movements. If you take the Air 3 out for a walk and have it track you, it works well. Same tracking cars or boats. Not so much in mixed scenarios. I'd almost want a way for the customer to choose what type of tracking it will be. If you look closely, you'll realize that the drone has different parameters depending on what it's tracking.
The challenge is that DJI has consistently shown ActiveTrack in their launch video ads using mountain bikers, or running through a dense forest (Air 3). I’m just using it like they say to use it.
@@Dcrainmaker TOTALLY agree with that! What's funny is I've done a run through a dense forest test and the dang drone worked PERFECTLY!!! Seriously weird! There must be a trick to it... It can't see you as a person or something. Not sure. *Edit* I wonder if it was because I was on the bike with the drone on my side and traced me and the bike as the subject? Hmm... DJI will never be a great tracking drone in my opinion. To be honest, tracking yourself is technically illegal here in the states because you're not in control or have the drone in sight at all times. You know? I'm not sure why they even bother except Active Track/ Spotlight Mode works incredibly well if you're using it to track someone else with you on the controls. You can get some awesome shots that way because you don't need to focus on keeping the subject in frame. You can also use Spotlight with Cruise Control to get some great shots.
I was hoping active track 5.0 would be better. I have the air 3 but haven't don't much tracking yet. The DJI release video shows it tracking people through a pretty thick looking forest. I guess that's BS
It's funny, I kept meaning to look at that promo video, and totally forgot till an hour after I published this. In all past historical videos they've shown similiar things, but yeah, totally impossible to do what that promo shows. The drone would instantly be unable to keep up with even runners. Even Skydio would be challenged there, as it requires a 2-meter 'bubble' around it (one meter in every direction) to get by.
Don't get this. That looks not as good as the Mini 3 Pro. If the Mini 3 Pro would have a side sensor it would be really good. I was hoping to get with the AIR 3 more a action oriented Mini 3 Pro but without the 249g limit and an optional one hand controller for tracking . Now we got a lame Mavic 3 lite with a smaller sensor than the nearly identical Mavic 3 classic. There is no Drone vom DJI between 249g and 720g. Why??? A ~450g Drone would be the sweet spot between weight and technical possibilities.
Couldn't this simply be improved by a firmware update? The Air 3 would simply have to follow the remote control for this. It would have to be adjustable: either tracking the remote control or ActiveTrack.
This is the best review ever. I feel like all other reviewers would cut out the fails and just talk up how great the drone is. Instead this is way more nuanced, yes show the beautiful footage but also show it has clear limitations. Thanks!
Thanks - that's my goal, show how things actually work. Cheers!
@@DcrainmakerI watch other reviews for features. I love your reviews to see if those features actually work. I really appreciate the work you do. 👍
omg finally! you are the only youtuber who's doing a real tests for autonomous modes for DJI. thnks!
re beacon, I completely agree, we need something like this to control drone while we are on the move. I was trying to film myself while skiing, placing RC in the pocket, the experience is nightmare, all buttons are so easy to press by accident...
Bringing this along seems like a great way to indroduce a ton of frustration to an otherwise nice ride
The new Air 3 did very well with tracking and avoiding. Great testing, thanks for sharing.
Your reviews are the best man, thank you 🎉. It's unbelievable how far DJI is from the skydio.
Can you do this test again when/if they update the active track to the one in the new mini 4 pro?
Interesting video. Before you got to the end bit about the beacon I was questioning why such a thing wasn't present when it kept losing you. Very odd decision by DJI. I mean if they didn't want to sell you a separate beacon (!!) surely it's something that could be incorporated in the controller which is with you (and activated because it knew it was "in shot" when it was tracking).
It is nice to see that I am not the only one talking to my drone :) Great review. Thanks for producing the video. I am a Skydio 2 user, and bought the drone specifically for its tracking capabilities. With Skydio exiting the consumer market, I am keeping a close eye on DJI's tracking and obstacle avoidance capabilities, as I am sure I will buy a DJI drone once my Skydio 2 is retired.
Thank you! Still sticking with Skydio for tracking. Wishing too.
I appreciate your realism dude, you’ve certainly cost DJI a sale on this one as I wanted it to track me, even from the front view, whilst riding my motorbike through a tightly packed pine forrest, however this baby’s just not up to the task. Also I can’t afford to babysit the thing while I’ve got both hands securing me to my motorbike. Is there a newer version on the horizon?
I’ve clicked the like button for sure, thanks.
Just in general, thank you for the hard work you put into your reviews...I almost ordered a canyon aeroad with a shimano power meter til I saw your tour de France power meter video a few weeks back...went sram instead. Again, thank you sir and keep it up
Wonder if you need to use ‘nifty’ on the tree lined path
I actually tried it with the Mavic 3 when they first introduced it, didn’t seem to make a big difference in that section.
Great video, many thanks. I like your kind of testing because you are really go to the limits, be it with wind or with active track. Helps a lot when using my new Air 3 in the near future …
The Air 3 is a nice 12mp drone, I’m a 2S owner and I’m happy I didn’t sell it, Air 3S I see you in 11 months 😊
I will a) also keep my Air 2S b) see Air 3S/Pro in 11 months and c) fly the hell out of thev10m/s ascend/Descend time that's faster than my Mavic 3 Pro. Also enjoy the Night Mode that is order of magnitude better than any other DJI Drone excepting Mavic 3, the nearly double range and double useable plight times) getting just shy of 40 minutes. Extravagant and excessive? Yeah... I'm not a "wise consumer" but I always get 70%+ return on sales of gently abuses DJI stuff, lol... your choice is absolutely the right one for you... I'm a but of a tech junkie..some people spend money on... other stuff, lol. 😂
It’s 48mp
It’s back illuminated stacked sensor sorry but it doesn’t compare the air 3 crushes the air 2s
YOU ARE RIGHT WITH THE 5.4k though
@@RaniRani-zt2trnope
@RaniRani-zt2tr no it isn't a 48 mega pixel camera it's actually a 12 megapixel camera that use a quad Bayer sensor which uses an algorithm an a different pixel color layout to digitally make it 48 mega pixels but if you put a true 48 megapixel camera an compare it to this camera in 48 mega pixel mode you'll see that is not even close in fact the dji air 2s uses a true 20 megapixel camera that is way better than this camera in 48 mega pixel mode you just think it looks better because of the over sharpening an the huge leap in image technology the brain has alot to do with images as far as color contrast etcetera
Does it have an Australian magpie mode that chases you from behind until very close and then back off again?
Thank you for the review, excellent job. I would like to see a comparison between the RCN-2 and the RC-2 controllers.
DC, can you Amazon link to the controller clip & carabiner setup for the RC 2?
I love how you always have the answer for what I need. 😎 thank you
“Come on crow, I’m not afraid of you” 🤣 👍🏽 from me!
This video saved me money. I was going to get this drone, i might go for the Skydio instead.
Nice video sir.
Could you provide me with the link of the support for the radio control on the handlebars?
Is that what I need
Thank you
Ok so I want to run....will this work???? I'm asking early in the video so I don't know if you're hitting in this question or not but if I leave the remote with the phone....will it follow and how far??
Great video. Can you tell me which bike holder are you using?
Thank you
Great video! How were you able to record your voice while riding your bike and recording?
Appreciate the tips on the Air3 Active Track 5.0 although I don’t have the drone the video was so intuitive! Thanks! Please make more.
Great active track review again. Good Job. Air 3 or Mavic 3 does better? can You make an active track Air 3 vs Mavic 3(the original one)? Active track in Mavic 3 has improved over firmware updates so it may do it better if You try it now than before.
I would love to see the same test I had a Mavic 3 og. The Air 3 is better except for the hassleblad. Just better software obviously the 4/3 is a better camera but that newer one over 1/1.3 being almost perfected stack sensor isn't much of a downgrade from the hassleblad other than the adjustable aperture. Other than that the signs point to the Air 3 being as of now a better product for most unless you're professional filmmaker and need to use ProRes. The whole time I had my Mavic 3 I had pro resin ever needed to use it once. My favorite lens on the Mavic 3 Pro is that middle 70mm telle lens Then again I'm not a photographer for Pro photography or anything. Thank you very much for the video.
And the biggest thing to piss me off about the drone is on the Air 3 you can use all those features quick shots Master shots everything on either lens the middle or the main the Mavic 3 Pro you're limited to mostly just that main lens. Not to mention the compatibility between the Air 3 two lenses is so much better than the compatibility between the three on the pro 3. Especially if you watch somebody color grade something from a Mavic 3 Pro compared to an Air 3.
13:52 When Mavic 3 got the C1 certification the same distance limitation was applied.
Interesting. I guess I’ve by luck managed to stay within range for the few times I’ve used the Mavic 3 for ActiveTrack since then.
Since the Release of the air 3 i wait for this Video 😁👍
About what I expected. Better then the Mavic 3 originally was.
Great review, I learned things about the newest Active Track that I never knew. I didn't see the link for your handlebar mount, can you share that? Couldn't find it in your channel, either.
Hi , what do you think? Is the tracking and obstacle avoidance on air 3 worst or better compare to Dji mini 4 pro? Thanks
Really really wish we get omnidirectional obstacle avoidance and active track 5.0 on the mini 4 pro
Very nice video. Looks like Skydio has nothing to worry about from this drone. Also, don't you think carrying around the whole controller is pretty lame? I appreciate that DJI is trying but doubt they are trying hard enough to succeed even in their next try. It's a REALLY hard problem. I spent some time working with Skydio on what became the 2 and even that model, years ago now, makes this look like a toy. Thanks for your fine reviews.
Yup, totally agree it's annoying. I dive into it the last minute or so over the review. They REALLY need to re-focus on this area.
How I understood Skydio will not be made anymore consumers uses. Only enterprises. And it's not available in Europe.
Edit: misspelling
The Air 3 tracking works best from the rear, it's like a heat seeking missile that is incredibly hard to shake off. The scenarios definitely were quite tough in the trees so that is understandable, but I like how you point out the pros and cons of the tracking.
Got the mini 4 yet my bro? I’m fiending for your active track review.
Kudos for your work and all the effort to put these videos!
So as far as Active Tracking goes is Skydio doing better job in your opinion?
That’s a bummer about Skydio. I’ve been waiting for their next version that’s smaller. I agree DJI needs something. I want to use a drone for mountain biking.
thanks for the review
is it faster than DJI Mavic 3 pro?
Hi, can you use active track for following a (steam) train? No one talk about this subject.
Hey Ray really interesting review there. Very interested in this as i am a cyclist myself and i am looking forward to use this drone for the tracking. Your bug your getting if you go and turn on the drone and controller wait untill it get more them 12 satellites then go and click on dji fly updates this should fix it so i have read. hopefully... again great work ray enjoy the world championship on Sunday if you look at them
Yeah, it was fixed later that day, woot!
Thank you DC rainmaker: I believe there is a fix for the "failed to load dynamic safety data". You need to be on Wi-Fi, also go outside and get at least 16 satellites and then do your check for updates. It just needs good satellite reception to update. Hope this helps. If not i apologizes
Yup, it was fixed later that day for me! Woot!
Great Video thank you very much. Does Active Track works on Both lenses? If yes does it allow D-log 50Fps on both? Thank you very much in advance 🙂
Yes it does on both lenses. I can’t remember offhand if dlog in active track works.
I don't understand why dji use only visual tracking. Even if it was an option. Tracking the remote gps coordinates should be there. And even Can use that combined with the visual tracking in order to archive better shots where you might be behind objects for some seconds and still track you.
And also set the home point dynamically to the remote location. Really usefull for bike rides/ trekking/car/motorcycle Etc when you have to update the home Point.
And of course, cellphone only or gesture flight. My spark can do it perfectly and my Air2S can't.
You're absolutely right. If the Chinese would listen to me they could make a true hiker/biker GPS follow-me drone for $250 that would blow any DJI out of the sky. It won't have obstacle avoidance or a gimbal or 10 km range. But still everybody would want one. Because I know how it should look like. Small to put in your pocket, silent, super quick to launch, small light controller, auto-update-homepoint, compass type follow-me, can use the sticks anytime and put it anywhere you want. And did you know there already is a drone with a perfect GPS follow-me that works better in real life than any DJI active-track? My $130 L109 Pro. I so wish the camera and gimbal were better. I may get myself a DJI Mini 2 with Litchi or Maven. Aren't they compatible with your Air2S?
I noticed a few weeks ago when I used Spotlight mode on my Mini 3 Pro on a kayak race that it put up the boat icon. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t doing that in the spring. But bottom line, how much better is this drone’s active track than the Mini 3 Pro, because I was pretty impressed with the Mini 3 Pro even though it failed me a few times.
Does Air 3 4K60p have any crop? The Air 2S crops at 4k60 and can't use ActiveTrack (no poi, no activetrack, no spot light) at that frame rate which is fairly disappointing for my workflow needs. So I'm considering upgrading to the Air 3 for that reason
when you were active tracking the boat were you in the boat? sounds like before you said you have to have the remote with you like on the bike but I couldn't tell if you were in the boat.
I was not in the boat.
Hi, I've got a question about using Active Track on my Mavic 3 Pro. Is there a minimum altitude required to use active track? I wanted to fly the drone quite low off the ground to track a vehicle but it kept repositioning itself to a higher altitude and angle.
Is this thing capable of following downhill while skiing? I mean, will it be able to keep the difference in height between the subject and him self while the subject is loosing altitude? Because the old mavic 2 pro used to follow you but it was still staying at the same altitude so that the subject becomes smaller and smaller. Thanks for the help and many thanks for the review!
Yup, it'll go downhill and uphill. Albeit, when going uphill it lags a bit on that. And yeah, they changed what you noted after the Mavic 2 Pro, where it basically just stayed the same - was super annoying back then.
When you said it’s still alive unlike all of its siblings I died 🤣🤣
It’s a great drone! The trees was a really tough scenario but without obstructing objects or even using the functions that let you set points on where to go you might have a better result especially if you don’t need too long of a clip
Hi, I think I know what is the problem, you actually do not have to put it into appas mode when you enter active track, the drone will put itself on the appas mode without displaying that in the safety tab.
Does the new DJI A3 have a bigger image sensor than the DJ mavic Air 2?
Not sure why DJI doesn't do some software code so that the controller becomes the beacon?? It's already communicating with it for it's commands, why not use for a beacon?
Biggest letdown of the air2s was only being able to do 30fps while active tracking. Good to see this is improved.
I have a question, that's never mentioned in any active track videos. Does the controller need to be on the subject or thing it's tracking?
That’s a great question. My intel, from watching countless YT videos on this drone, tells me yes and no. It appears he didn’t need it to track the boat but seems he definitely needed it to track himself, for some reason… it’s got me beat!
Conclusion: Yes and No!
I was hoping that because of higher max speeds, the drone should be better in tracking. I wonder if waypoints is a solution here. Like in first scenario, would it be better just the create waypoints route and try to sync your movements with drone flying on the course....
With enough time you can definitely get fancier results with waypoints. It works better in hiking/running where it’s easier to be very exact in point timing while running/walking. Whereas with cycling or other faster sports it’s hard to ensure not only the exact same speed/place each time, but being off by even 1 second means you’re framing is likely dorked up (or out of frame).
Any handle bar mount you can recommend for the rc-n2 controller?
Where did you film the mountain scenes?
Incredible review as always. The amount of effort you put forth is next level. Spending hours upon hours of frustrating testing outdoors for an 18 minute video. Kudos. I have had several DJI drones before (it's been a few years) and reliable Active Tracking was something I'm still waiting for before I buy again. The "follow me" feature is a necessity since few people have a second camera guy handy. Too bad Skydio is giving up on the consumer market because they had figured it out for the most part.
With that said, my rant.... Dear DJI: it's 2023. Your Active Tracking still sucks balls. Slightly improving, but it's still horrible. Watch this video and learn from it. Fix it. It's unbelievable how bad it STILL is. People don't ride bikes or drive cars slowly, and obstacles exist. And why do you STILL not offer a beacon? Clearly your drones need it because they're not smart enough.
Is it possible to use active track without having the controller with you?
Intersting, I have no issues tracking myself with Air 2S even in the harder scenarios.
The Air 2S uses different sensors (vastly different), and a different ActiveTrack and APAS version. That’s both good and bad. The newer sensors mean it’s less likely to hit things (as I showed in my Air 2S review), but at the same time the newer algorithm is more sensitive to objects and has become more cautious than previous.
@@Dcrainmakerthe drone is flying 15 m above the ground and there is nothing to hit and it still loses track
@@bayern1806 It loses track because I go behind something. As I noted in the video, it won't change altitudes to ensure I stay within view. It only changes altitudes when it needs to avoid something. Skydio will change altitudes to ensure I stay in view.
My favourite Diver do Awesome! Test ) Thanks! Good Luck!
Hello. At 12.14 (when you take about sheep) where is it? It looks just like wales. Where I am. Good video.
Down in the French Pyranees. cheers!
Thank you.
Wait so this has upwards obstical avoidance?have u tested it out ?
And where do we find the active track features?
where did you keep the RC ?
To get rid of the bug, connect to at least 10 satellites and then try to update the data base
Amazingly quality video! Great content as always! 👍
How can one see one’s height and distance when running Active track etc
I was hoping that the firmware on the Air 3 made this drone as good as a Skydio, but after watching this video I canceled my order for the Air 3 (thanks for the heads up).
hm.. that boat seemed way more than 15 meters away.. i got the mini 3 pro and have annoying problems with it doing 'orbits' when biking.. it just dont keep up when it gets over my 12 o'clock (if we say 12 is right ahead and 6 is behind me).. i usually loose it when im between 10 - 2.. when it goes 'over' 12 from either sides it just nopes out.. but.. i havent tried in a few months.. maybe an update fixed it (although i doubt it)
50 meters, but yup, I agree. I'm not sure why it didn't trigger on that one (legally I was holding the controller anyway, so it wouldn't have mattered), but yup.
think the minis atleast struggle with meassuring distance and movement when its around water.. guessing the things that control it automatically gets confused.. saw one guy here on the youtubes that flew around a slow moving river surrounded by trees.. he didnt get a good homepoint and the mini3 i think it was, locked onto the water via the downwards facing sensors and it dragged him into a tree after wich it crashed hard.. think he got a new one from dji
The error in the top left can be fixed by connecting the controller to the drone outdoors and using a mobile hotspot to update the Flysafe data. The drone must have contact with GPS satellites.
Yup, was fixed later that afternoon in an update.
There should be an option to import gpx files to DJI drones. This way a better tracking could be implemented.
One mode would allow the drone to follow the imported path, and the second mode: it'd be flying in proximity of a path, following the subject.
I'm kinda baffled DJI haven't done t yet...
How do you switch between controler
It dont work here
As always mate, a great review, thank you. Q. As this would be my 1st drone purchase, would you recommend it for a newby? I'm scared I'll smash it on my 1st fly!! 😆
Learn to fly with a cheap toy, a $15 tiny whoop without camera. No GPS, no optical flow position hold, maybe not even altitude hold. It's much more difficult, but that's the whole point. People who started with a DJI can't fly. The drone does it all for them. Until they do need skills to save their drone. You get better shots shots too if you had practice with a cheap drone.
But if you can afford a $1000 DJI, you have money for something cheaper too. Such as a $120 drone with GPS you can shut off, brushless motors, and 'OK' video that is saved to an SD card. Most cheaper drones these days don't have one. If that is not a problem you can go even cheaper. Right now I'm looking at a ZLL SG105 Max on Banggood. 45 Euro. GPS, brushless, unbelievable. Or how about the SG108 Pro with 2-axis gimbal for 90 Euro?
I myself BTW would get a Mini 3 Pro instead of the Air 3 if I had the cash. It's under 250 grams which means you can legally fly it at more places and don't need remote ID or registration. Trust me, that's a big deal. Only thing it doesn't have is side sensors. Don't fly it near trees using active-track. Unfortunately it is not compatible yet with a third party app like Litchi or Maven. Those apps have GPS follow-me, which in my mind is much easier and reliable, even if you won't have obstacle avoidance. You were born with sensors in your head. Use them.
So that's it. Step by step. Only idiots tell you to start with a $1000 DJI. It all goes well until it goes wrong.What it also does it give you more confidence and courage to fly your fancy DJI later. I've seen many never using their expensive drone to the full, to what it is capable of.
Get this. Eachine E010 Can crash it 1000 times against the wall. Real flying! Takes an hour before you get the hang of it so don't let it put you off. 15 Euro on Banggood.
Then maybe the SG108 Pro with 2-axis gimbal? I wonder if the old version I had was better? I crashed the 2023 model first time. But it was very windy and I didn't charge the batteries first. OK the video isn't DJI quality. But not too bad! I see a black version on Banggood for € 81.40. Really cheap if that is true!! I paid €120. It flies really easy. Don't sell it. Keep it next to your DJI as a 'scout' quad before you send out the DJI on its mission. To see how the shot should look like. The price is the same as a DJI battery.
Or that ZLL SG105 Max with GPS for 45.51 Euro. Don't ask me how good it flies. I do see a GPS button on the controller. So you can shut that off and do some optical flow flying. Usually you have to have a bit more skills in the wind. Good for practice.
I liked the 2 year old SG108 without gimbal a lot. Only it didn't have an SD card slot. So I still had to use the phone to save video and photos. The photos weren't too bad. Now there are a whole bunch of brushless GPS drone under 80 Euro. Don't expect the video to be usable. It's all about practice and getting confidence. But some are bit better if there isn't wind. Watch reviews.
For your sticky messages on the screen , try this , might work . Connect to a hotspot or wifi outside and fly the drone up … then try to update the Flysafe data . Make sure you get enough satellites 📡 12+ .
Yup, it got fixed a few hours after I recorded (hence why some of the footage doesn't have it).
@@Dcrainmaker good !! How did you fix it ?
@@JoshConnectMedia Literally exactly what you said. Basically, it wasn't fixable until a few hours after the product was announced/released.
What about that 'nifty' mode?
can a dji mini 3 do this ?
So is active track better on the mini 3pro?
It's complicated. The Air 3 unquestioanbly has better obstacle avoidance (since the Mini 3 Pro lacks it sideways/upwards). Yet the Mini 3 Pro seems to handle tighter scenarios better, I suspect partially because it doesn't know about the danger around it, and partially because it's a more agile aircraft being smaller/lighter (something we saw as well in the Mavic 3 tests, it just takes a lot longer to slow down/stop).
@@Dcrainmaker thanks for the reply.
I don´t have the bug on the screen.. I live on a high hill. So I turned it on with wifi on the remote. When it has sufficient satelites it comes up with an update.. And now no error :)
Yup, it was fixed later that same day.
nice Tourmalet view !
Thanks!
Why can’t it use the controller to find you if it gets lost? Like a beacon?
I wonder when will DJI going to use voice control. It isn't a new tech, its ald years since voice control been used in some of tech.
For example during action, we could just said 'follow me behind' or side... For easier change on how we predict where the obstacle is too much for the drone to handle. Many other function could hv been easier controlled by voice... I hope DJI will upgrade their product. For now im not interested buying one after i crash my AIR last 2 years... Huhuhu
Does the sport mode make a difference in active track? I thought its all the same in tracking? I mean concerning the speed of the drone...
It allows you to go faster than the Normal speed limit.
@@Dcrainmaker are you sure? Max drone speed is 21 (19 in EU) m/s but in active track its 12 m/s according to the manuals. So it should be max 12 m/s no matter the mode or am I wrong?
There is nothing similar to Skydio 2+ for tracking from diferent sides and front at certain speed. I it the only drone in you can trust (althogh it can crash). With a beacon you don't have to worry for the controller an you can pay full atention in your ride. I agree with you. I would pay some extra money for a DJI beacon. I do not undestand why they don't produce it.
Haha you called it! Skydio is done in the consumer market.
One for shed talking but why has DJI not caught up with Skydio
What a cool photage.
To get rid of the message in top left corner update the fly safe while drone is outside and on the ground with at least 10 satellites
I have the air2s, should I sell it and buy the air 3, is it better, do you think?
I own a Skydio 2 so quite curious
Thank you
They had a Beacon/ watch in development but it was scrapped. Believe it or not, customer surveys show an almost complete lack of interest in Active Track in general. Active Track, for most drone hobbyist is something they'll try a couple times but won't use regularly. I've mentioned this before but the main problem you and other reviewers have using Active Track is that it's set for a person but then you get on a bike, One Wheel, skateboard, etc. The algorithm is expecting a human's speed and movements. If you take the Air 3 out for a walk and have it track you, it works well. Same tracking cars or boats. Not so much in mixed scenarios. I'd almost want a way for the customer to choose what type of tracking it will be. If you look closely, you'll realize that the drone has different parameters depending on what it's tracking.
The challenge is that DJI has consistently shown ActiveTrack in their launch video ads using mountain bikers, or running through a dense forest (Air 3). I’m just using it like they say to use it.
@@Dcrainmaker TOTALLY agree with that! What's funny is I've done a run through a dense forest test and the dang drone worked PERFECTLY!!! Seriously weird! There must be a trick to it... It can't see you as a person or something. Not sure.
*Edit* I wonder if it was because I was on the bike with the drone on my side and traced me and the bike as the subject? Hmm...
DJI will never be a great tracking drone in my opinion. To be honest, tracking yourself is technically illegal here in the states because you're not in control or have the drone in sight at all times. You know? I'm not sure why they even bother except Active Track/ Spotlight Mode works incredibly well if you're using it to track someone else with you on the controls. You can get some awesome shots that way because you don't need to focus on keeping the subject in frame. You can also use Spotlight with Cruise Control to get some great shots.
Dji needs to develop a tracker beacon👍
Update fly safe data outside with satalite connection and wifi connection an it will go away
I was hoping active track 5.0 would be better. I have the air 3 but haven't don't much tracking yet. The DJI release video shows it tracking people through a pretty thick looking forest. I guess that's BS
It's funny, I kept meaning to look at that promo video, and totally forgot till an hour after I published this. In all past historical videos they've shown similiar things, but yeah, totally impossible to do what that promo shows. The drone would instantly be unable to keep up with even runners. Even Skydio would be challenged there, as it requires a 2-meter 'bubble' around it (one meter in every direction) to get by.
Don't get this. That looks not as good as the Mini 3 Pro. If the Mini 3 Pro would have a side sensor it would be really good. I was hoping to get with the AIR 3 more a action oriented Mini 3 Pro but without the 249g limit and an optional one hand controller for tracking . Now we got a lame Mavic 3 lite with a smaller sensor than the nearly identical Mavic 3 classic. There is no Drone vom DJI between 249g and 720g. Why??? A ~450g Drone would be the sweet spot between weight and technical possibilities.
Couldn't this simply be improved by a firmware update? The Air 3 would simply have to follow the remote control for this. It would have to be adjustable: either tracking the remote control or ActiveTrack.
Pls can u do it in that course 😂 every dji fall to the water 😂 and where is ur skydio 2 😢