DJI Air 3S vs SwellPro SplashDrone 4+
Specs, camera quality, and ratings compared · Updated 2026
The best non-waterproof drone versus the best waterproof drone for filming over and on water. The DJI Air 3S at $1,099 produces far better footage but dies if it touches water.
The SwellPro SplashDrone 4+ at $2,777 survives ocean landings but produces footage a generation behind DJI quality.
This comparison answers whether you need waterproofing or just need to fly carefully.
Pros & Cons
DJI Air 3S
- Dual camera with a 1-inch wide sensor and 3x 70mm telephoto gives you two focal lengths without moving the drone
- LiDAR omnidirectional obstacle sensing detects obstacles down to 1 lux, making night and dusk flights practical
- ActiveTrack 360° with Cycling Mode follows subjects through complex environments while you control the path with a touch wheel
- 45-minute flight time is among the longest in any consumer drone, giving real session length without battery swaps
- 42GB internal storage plus microSD means you won't lose a session to a forgotten card
- DJI O4 transmission holds a stable 1080p feed out to distances you'd never actually need
- Level 5 wind resistance (12 m/s) handles coastal and mountain gusts that would ground a Mini-series drone
- 10-bit D-Log M and HLG color profiles give editors real latitude in post without 8-bit banding
- 724g means FAA registration is required in the US, even for recreational use
- Fixed aperture on both lenses means you need ND filters to control shutter speed in bright conditions
- $1,099 base price, and the total investment with a Fly More Combo hits $1,599
- Bulkier and heavier than the entire Mini series, doesn't fit in a jacket pocket or small bag
- No true vertical video rotation like the Mini 5 Pro. Vertical mode is a crop, which wastes sensor resolution
- Telephoto lens has a smaller 1/1.3-inch sensor, so low-light quality drops noticeably when zoomed in
- US availability is complicated by FCC Covered List restrictions, pushing buyers to third-party retailers
SwellPro SplashDrone 4+
- IP67 waterproof and seawater-proof: can launch from water, land on water, and fly through rain without any housing or accessories
- 48MP Sony sensor with 3-axis gimbal produces usable 4K/60fps footage for marine content, fishing footage, and search-and-rescue documentation
- Floats upright on the water surface and can take off directly from waves, which no DJI drone can do
- 7km range with a touchscreen controller gives real working distance for offshore fishing and marine surveys
- Triple-satellite GPS (GPS + Galileo + BeiDou) holds position in coastal winds where single-GPS drones drift
- 2kg payload capacity supports bait release, underwater sonar modules, and life-saving equipment delivery
- 18 m/s wind resistance (35 knots), well above what any consumer DJI drone tolerates
- Modular camera system lets you swap between the G03H filming camera, night-vision GC2-S, or fixed-angle FAC depending on the mission
- $2,777 for the standard combo costs more than a DJI Mavic 4 Pro and produces significantly worse image quality
- 1/2-inch sensor struggles in low light, and the 48MP count comes from pixel binning, not a large sensor
- No obstacle avoidance of any kind means you need visual line of sight and careful piloting around boats, bridges, and cliffs
- 2.43 kg takeoff weight makes it heavy and bulky with no folding design, requiring a dedicated case for transport
- Customer service has a poor reputation: Trustpilot shows 2.8/5 with reports of warranty denials, slow email support, and missing components
- No follow-me tracking mode, so you cannot use it as an autonomous filming drone for water sports
- Unreliable app and firmware update process compared to DJI Fly or Autel Sky
- $150+ batteries and flight time drops significantly with payload attached from the 30-minute rating
Price Range
The Air 3S costs $1,099 for the standard kit ($1,449 for Fly More Combo). The SplashDrone 4+ costs $2,777 for the standard combo ($3,359 for the Endurance Fly More Combo).
The SplashDrone 4+ costs $1,678 more and produces significantly worse footage. The premium buys you IP67 waterproofing, saltwater resistance, water landing and takeoff, and 2 kg payload capability.
If your drone will not physically contact water, the Air 3S is the better investment at half the price.
Specs Comparison
Swipe to see all columns →
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
4.5 | 3.3 | |
| Camera & Imaging | ||
| Camera | 4K/120fps | 4K/60fps |
| Sensor Size | 1-inch CMOS (wide) + 1/1.3-inch (tele) | 1/2-inch CMOS (Sony) |
| Aperture | f/1.8 (wide), f/2.8 (tele) | f/2.2 |
| Zoom | 3x optical (telephoto lens) | 7x digital |
| HDR | ||
| RAW/DNG | ||
| Flight Performance | ||
| Flight Time | 45 min | 30 min |
| Range | 20 km | 7 km |
| Max Speed | 21 m/s | 10 m/s |
| Gimbal | 3-axis mechanical | 3-axis mechanical + EIS |
| Smart Features | ||
| Obstacle Avoidance | ||
| GPS | ||
| Follow Me | ||
| Return to Home | ||
| Build & Design | ||
| Price | $1099 | $2777 |
| Weight | 724g | 2430g |
| Foldable | ||
| Buy Now | Buy Now | |
Camera and Flight Performance
- Sensor: 1-inch dual camera with 70mm telephoto (Air 3S) vs 1/2-inch Sony single camera (SplashDrone 4+)
- Video: 4K/120fps with 10-bit D-Log M (Air 3S) vs 4K/60fps with no Log profiles (SplashDrone 4+)
- Battery: 45 minutes (Air 3S) vs 30 minutes (SplashDrone 4+)
- Range: 20 km (Air 3S) vs 7 km (SplashDrone 4+)
The Air 3S produces footage that the SplashDrone 4+ cannot approach. The 1-inch sensor, telephoto lens, and 10-bit color give it a full generation of image quality advantage.
Build and Waterproofing
- Weight: 724g foldable (Air 3S) vs 2,430g non-folding (SplashDrone 4+)
- Water protection: none (Air 3S) vs IP67 waterproof (SplashDrone 4+)
- Obstacle avoidance: LiDAR omnidirectional (Air 3S) vs none (SplashDrone 4+)
The SplashDrone 4+ launches from water, lands on water, and carries 2 kg payloads. The Air 3S dies if it touches water. This is the entire reason the SplashDrone 4+ exists at nearly triple the price.
Choose the DJI Air 3S if:
- You want the best possible footage over water and will keep the drone dry
- You film from altitude for coastal properties, water sports, or marine content
- Image quality and 10-bit color grading matter more than waterproofing
- You need LiDAR obstacle avoidance for safe flying near structures
Professional marine content creators almost universally use DJI drones because image quality matters more than waterproofing.
Choose the SwellPro SplashDrone 4+ if:
- The drone must survive water contact (landings, splashdowns, salt spray)
- Marine research, search-and-rescue payload delivery, or fishing operations are your use case
- You need to launch from and land on the water surface
- You need to carry payloads up to 2 kg over water
The footage is functional rather than cinematic, but the SplashDrone 4+ goes where the Air 3S cannot survive.
Our Verdict
The Air 3S at $1,099 for better footage at half the price, as long as the drone stays dry. The SplashDrone 4+ at $2,777 when the drone will physically contact water and waterproofing is not optional. Most people searching for waterproof drones actually need a DJI with careful flying technique, not a waterproof drone with worse camera quality.
DJI Air 3S
4.5/5 overall · $1099
Written by Paul Posea · Reviewed by Sarah Kim · Updated 2026-02-14