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DJI Mavic 3 Thermal review
The drone that made compact thermal mainstream. Discontinued; the Matrice 4T replaced it. Best for: buyers comfortable buying used who want DJI thermal for less than a Matrice 4T.
Discontinued; retailers list the Matrice 4T as its replacement. Only used and leftover units remain.
Replaced by the DJI Matrice 4T. Same 640×512 thermal resolution and NETD class, longer flight time, and sold new in the US. Read the DJI Matrice 4T review.
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Discontinued: no new units from authorized sellers. See what replaced it below.
Mavic 3T specs, from DJI
| Thermal resolution | 640×512source |
|---|---|
| Thermal sensitivity (NETD) | ≤50 mK @ f/1.0source |
| Thermal frame rate | 30 Hzsource |
| Thermal lens | 40 mm equivalent, 61° DFOV, 28× digital zoomsource |
| Sensor | Uncooled VOx microbolometer, 12 µm pixel pitchsource |
| Radiometric | Yes: −20 to 150 °C (high gain), 0 to 500 °C (low gain)source |
| Palettes | White Hot, Black Hot, Tint, Iron Red, Hot Iron, Arctic, Medical, Fulgurite, Rainbow 1, Rainbow 2source |
| Visual cameras | Wide 48 MP 1/2″ + tele camera with 56× hybrid zoomsource |
| Flight time | 45 minsource |
| Wind resistance | 12 m/s (takeoff and landing)source |
| Transmission | 15 km (FCC)source |
| Weight | 920 gsource |
| Weather (IP rating) | DJI publishes no IP rating for the Mavic 3T |
| Operating temperature | −10 to 40 °Csource |
“Not published” means DJI’s own pages don’t give the figure. “Not confirmed” means it appears only in a seller listing. Every spec for every drone: thermal drone spec comparison.
Spec score
Not scored: it’s discontinued, so the value part of the score has no meaning.
Where the Mavic 3T is strong
- 640×512, ≤50 mK and 45 minutes in a 920 g drone
- Large used market and accessory supply
What to watch for
- Discontinued: no new units from authorized sellers
- No IP rating
- Check firmware and battery health on any used unit
DJI Mavic 3 Thermal: what it was, and why it’s gone
The DJI Mavic 3 Thermal (M3T) launched in 2022 as part of the Mavic 3 Enterprise series. It put a 640×512 radiometric thermal camera, a 48 MP wide camera and a zoom camera into a 920 g folding drone with 45 minutes of flight, and it became the default thermal drone for deer recovery, small SAR teams and roof inspectors. DJI replaced the Mavic 3 Enterprise series with the Matrice 4 series in 2025, and US retailers now list the Mavic 3T as discontinued with the Matrice 4T as its replacement.
DJI Mavic 3 Thermal price, new and used
New units from authorized sellers are gone; any “new” listing now is old stock or a grey-market import, so check the seller. Used units trade below Matrice 4T money. Before buying used: confirm the battery cycle counts, look for dead thermal pixels against a blank wall, make sure the drone isn’t bound to a previous owner’s account, and check that the firmware is current. A dealer’s certified used stock is worth paying a little more for. See thermal drone prices by tier.
Mavic 3T thermal footage: what to expect
Thermal video from the M3T is 640×512 at 30 Hz, with ten palettes and 28× digital zoom on the thermal view. Deer at 200 ft read as clear shapes in White Hot; small game needs lower flights. The visual tele camera (56× hybrid) is what you use to confirm a find. Like every 640 thermal camera, the image looks soft next to the 48 MP visual feed.
Who should buy it
Buyers comfortable buying used who want DJI thermal for less than a Matrice 4T.
Main use: best thermal drones. Full lineup: DJI thermal drones.
Video reviews
Independent third-party videos; we don’t make or sponsor them.
Video review by Drone Nerds (not affiliated with this site). Watch on YouTube
The palettes you’ll see on screen
A palette only changes how temperatures are coloured; it never adds detail. Names vary by maker: DJI calls Iron “Iron Red” and “Hot Iron”.
- White HotDefault for spotting people and animals: warm targets glow white against a dark scene.
- Black HotEasier on the eyes for long night searches; many SAR pilots prefer it.
- IronInspection reports: small temperature steps on roofs and panels read clearly.
- RainbowHighest contrast between close temperatures, such as moisture under a membrane roof.
- LavaSeparates the hottest objects while keeping cool background detail.
- ArcticHighlights hot spots in gold over a blue scene: electrical and solar faults.
Questions people ask
Does the dji mavic 3 have thermal camera?
Only the Mavic 3 Thermal (M3T). The consumer Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Classic, Mavic 3 Cine and Mavic 3 Pro have no thermal camera.
Does mavic 3 have thermal camera?
The standard Mavic 3 doesn’t; the enterprise Mavic 3 Thermal does (640×512, ≤50 mK).
Does mavic 3 pro have thermal imaging?
No. The Mavic 3 Pro’s three cameras are all visual. For thermal you need the Mavic 3 Thermal or, today, the Matrice 4T.
Where to buy dji mavic 3 thermal?
New authorized stock has ended. Try certified used units from DJI Enterprise dealers, or buy the Matrice 4T that replaced it.