The DJI Air 3S has three kinds of built-in lights: a bottom auxiliary light that helps the downward sensors in low light, front LEDs, and aircraft status indicators. It has no anti-collision strobe and no spotlight. For night flights you'll want an add-on strobe; for lighting a subject, a third-party spotlight is possible but costs flight time.
Built-in lights
| Light | What it does |
|---|---|
| Auxiliary light (bottom) | Helps the downward vision system in low light. Turns on automatically below about 5 m |
| Front LEDs | Show the drone's orientation; solid green when powered on before motors start, blinking green in flight |
| Aircraft status indicators | Show GPS, vision and warning status |
Auxiliary light: it's on Auto by default and turns on in low-light conditions when the drone is under about 5 m after takeoff. You can switch it on or off in DJI Fly, but it returns to Auto every time the drone restarts. If it seems "not working", it's usually because you're above 5 m or it's not dark enough.
Front LEDs: set to Auto in DJI Fly, they switch off while taking photos or video so they don't flare into your shot.
Spotlights
DJI doesn't make a spotlight for the Air 3S. Third-party clip-on lights exist. Before buying one, consider:
- Weight. Extra grams shorten flights and reduce wind margin.
- Sensors. A mount must not block the vision sensors or the forward LiDAR on the nose.
- Balance and props. Keep cables and arms clear of the propellers.
- Warranty. Damage caused by accessories may not be covered.
For most night shots, a higher ISO and the Air 3S's 1-inch wide camera do better than a small spotlight from 100 ft away.
Strobes for night flying
US rules for flying at night:
- Part 107: current training plus anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles.
- Recreational: lighting that shows the drone's location and orientation at all times.
The Air 3S's own LEDs don't meet the Part 107 strobe requirement, so add a small, light strobe on the top shell, away from the upward sensors. See can you fly a drone at night.
LiDAR: night sensing without light
The Air 3S's forward-facing LiDAR senses obstacles ahead in very dark conditions, below 1 lux, where the vision cameras stop working. It doesn't need any light from the drone. It's also used during Smart RTH at night: if vision sensing isn't working, the LiDAR detects obstacles ahead and the drone climbs to avoid them. It can't see objects with very low reflectivity or glass, so keep the LiDAR window clean and fly with care. See Air 3S night mode.
Rules current as of October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
Planning night shoots? The DJI Air 3S is the strongest low-light camera in the Air line. Compare with the Air 3 lights setup.
Related guides
- DJI Air 3 lights: auxiliary light, LEDs and anti-collision strobes
- DJI Mini 5 Pro lights: anti-collision strobes and light kits
- DJI Neo lights: anti-collision strobes and light kits
- DJI Mavic 4 Pro lights: anti-collision strobes and built-in LEDs
- DJI Mini 4 Pro lights: auxiliary light, status LEDs and strobes
- DJI Air 3S night mode and low-light video: what to expect
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