Yes. The DJI Mavic 3 Pro has omnidirectional obstacle sensing: pairs of vision cameras look forward, backward, left, right, up and down, with an infrared sensor underneath. Set Obstacle Avoidance to Bypass or Brake in DJI Fly and the drone will steer around or stop for obstacles in Normal and Cine modes. It doesn't work in Sport mode, in the dark, or for thin wires and branches.
How far it sees
From DJI's specifications:
| Direction | Measurement range | Works up to |
|---|---|---|
| Forward | 0.5–20 m (detects to 200 m) | 15 m/s |
| Backward | 0.5–16 m | 12 m/s |
| Lateral | 0.5–25 m | 15 m/s |
| Upward | 0.2–10 m | 6 m/s |
| Downward | 0.3–18 m | 6 m/s |
The long forward detection range also helps Smart RTH plan a safer route home. DJI says the Mavic 3 series senses up to 200 m ahead during RTH, compared with 20 m on earlier drones.
Bypass, Brake or Off
In DJI Fly, open Settings > Safety and choose the Obstacle Avoidance Action:
- Bypass (APAS): the drone keeps following your stick input and flies over, under or around obstacles. Choose Normal or Nifty. Nifty reacts later and flies closer to obstacles for smoother footage, but DJI warns the crash risk goes up.
- Brake: the drone stops and hovers in front of an obstacle. The safest choice near trees and buildings.
- Off: no avoidance. Only for experienced pilots in open space.
With Bypass or Brake set, Landing Protection also checks the ground as you descend. If the surface looks unsuitable, the drone hovers at about 0.8 m until you hold the stick down for five seconds.
When obstacle avoidance won't save you
DJI's manual lists the conditions where vision sensing fails. The main ones:
- Sport mode. Sensing is disabled, and top speed rises to 21 m/s (47 mph).
- Low light. Below about 15 lux the cameras can't see. There's no LiDAR on the Mavic 3 Pro, so night flights have no obstacle sensing.
- Thin or framed objects. Branches, power lines, cranes, transmission towers and suspension bridges.
- Plain, shiny or moving surfaces. Water, glass, mirrors, blank walls, snow.
- Rain, fog and poor visibility under 100 m.
- Dirty sensors. Wipe the glass with a soft cloth before each flight. Don't use alcohol cleaners.
FocusTrack modes still avoid obstacles when the vision system works, but DJI says the drone can't avoid moving subjects like people, animals or vehicles.
Tips for safer flights
- Leave Obstacle Avoidance on Brake near anything solid.
- Set your RTH altitude above the tallest obstacle nearby.
- Turn on the radar map display in DJI Fly to see warnings.
- Fly slowly sideways and backward. Sensing ranges and speeds are shorter there.
- At dusk, assume you have no sensing at all.
Want sensing at night? The Mavic 4 Pro obstacle avoidance adds forward LiDAR that works in near-darkness. For wind and weather limits, see Mavic 3 Pro wind resistance, and if something goes wrong, our repair desk can help.
Shopping? See the DJI Mavic 3 Pro.
Related guides
- Does the DJI Mavic 4 Pro have obstacle avoidance?
- Does the DJI Mavic 3 Classic have obstacle avoidance?
- Does the DJI Mavic 3 Pro have Remote ID? Serial number and FAA registration
- Does the DJI Mini 4 Pro have obstacle avoidance?
- Does the DJI Mini 5 Pro have obstacle avoidance? Settings explained
- Best DJI Mavic 3 Pro accessories worth buying
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