Potensic Atom 3 review: The affordable 4K drone that gets surprisingly close to DJI

Credit where it’s due – Potensic is arguably the sole remaining consumer camera drone manufacturer with enough clout and expertise to regularly take on the might of DJI.

Yes, there’s also Autel (who now appear to be concentrating on the commercial market) and, of course, HoverAir and its small but perfectly-formed fleet of excellent follow-me models.

I’m also fully aware that Amazon is filled with a wide range of cheap-as-chips ‘4K UHD’ camera drones with prices too low to be believable, but we’ve given up looking at them because they’re almost universally awful in every conceivable respect.

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Shenzhen-based Potensic, on the other hand, has continued to innovate since its inception in 2014, and you don’t survive that long against a reliable, premium brand like DJI unless you consistently provide products people want at a price that undercuts at least some of the competition. That’s the Atom 3 in a nutshell.

Potensic Atom 3 review

Price and availability

The Potensic Atom 3 is available across the UK and much of Europe, with launch stock appearing through Potensic and selected retailers like Amazon. In the UK, pricing starts at around £329.99 for the Standard Kit, rising to around £579 for the Fly More Combo with the new RC PTD 2 controller we’re reviewing here. European pricing ranges between €359 and €659, depending on bundle configuration.

As with DJI, US buyers may not get the chance to fly this little tyke because it’s unavailable as of writing, though Potensic does list a US price of $679.99.

Specifications

• Dimensions (L×W×H): 236 x 168 x 63mm (unfolded), 91 x 148 x 62mm (folded)
• Weight: 249 grams
• Flight time: 40 mins
• Max transmission range: 16 km‌
• Max flight speed (Sport mode): 35mph / 58km/h
• Max Wind Speed Resistance: 24mph / 38.5km/h (Level 5)
• Built-in GPS: Yes
• Intelligent QuickShot modes: Multiple
• Tracking: Yes – AI Visual Tracking
• Internal storage: No
• Sensor: 1/1.3-inch CMOS image sensor
• FOV: 84˚
• Max aperture: f2.8
• Max photo resolution: 50MP JPG
• Max video resolution: 4K (3840×2160) @ 60fps (horizontal shooting); 2.7K (2704X1520) @ 60fps; FHD: 1920x1080 @ up to 60fps
• Slow motion: 1080p - 4, 5, 6, 7x
• Image stabilisation: 3-axis mechanical gimbal (tilt, roll, pan)
• Connectivity: WiFi / Bluetooth

Design and build quality

The new Atom 3 is a major upgrade over its Potensic Atom 2 predecessor, specifically in the camera department. While the Atom 3 remains just one gram under the CAA’s sub-250g drone category for hassle-free flying without having to meet a surfeit of aeronautical legalities, it’s actually a few centimetres larger in stature than the Atom 2 and equipped with a much better camera. I’m not sure how Potensic’s designers managed that, but a tip of the hat to them.

At 91 x 148 x 62mm when folded and 236 x 168 x 63mm (excluding props) when unfolded, the Atom 3 comes in a more rounded fuselage that looks a little more premium even though you won’t notice this once it’s in flight.

The main takeaway here is that it is still compact enough to slip into a backpack, shoulder bag (as supplied with the Fly More bundle I'm reviewing here) or even a roomy jacket pocket.

Also, it’s refreshingly quick to deploy and pack away since it comes with a well-designed gimbal and props protector that is much easier to fit than the DJI Mini 4 Pro’s one-direction-only plastic arrangement that somehow never seems to fit without a degree of faffing.

Let’s skip straight to the camera since that is the Atom 3’s most promising new facet. At 1/1.3-inches, its new CMOS sensor is the same size as that fitted to the DJI Mini 4 Pro and capable of capturing 50MP stills and recording 4K video at up to 60fps, which immediately puts it in more serious company than most entry-level rivals.

While its maximum aperture of f2.8 is mysteriously smaller than the Atom 2’s f1.8, its all-new AI Night Mode makes a very good fist of boosting image clarity and brightness while reducing excessive noise in low-light conditions. The camera can be used in both horizontal and vertical formats.

The Atom 3 also supports RAW image capture, HDR and a P-Log profile for those who like grading footage afterwards, while the bitrate tops out at a healthy 120Mbps.

I also rate the digital Medium Tele mode, which functions as a 2x mid-telephoto crop that utilises the drone's 50MP sensor and AI image optimisation to retain very decent clarity. However, while the tele mode adds a touch of cinematic compression to your shots and is equally useful when using the Atom 3’s Dolly Zoom feature, it does have its limits.

Also, I’m surprised Potensic still continues to omit any onboard storage, as I discovered on arrival at my test site. Thankfully I was within walking distance of home to retrieve a MicroSD, but had I been out in the sticks I would have been really miffed. After all, every other decent drone comes with onboard storage as a basic requirement.

Another possibly very important element that this drone lacks is obstacle avoidance. If your flying style involves threading through trees, skimming buildings or generally relying on electronic safety nets, this might not be the drone for you.

Personally, I’ve rarely needed the obstacle avoidance system on my Mini 4 Pro because I prefer to keep visual contact and avoid risky manoeuvres altogether, but different pilots fly in different ways.

On the plus side, the Atom 3 comes with three speed modes. Video mode prioritises gentle movement for cleaner footage while Normal mode strikes a good balance between agility and control.

However, switch it into Sport mode, and the Atom 3 becomes noticeably more responsive, accelerating briskly and covering a huge amount of ground surprisingly quickly for its size. In Sport mode, the Atom 3’s top speed is a very respectable 35mph.

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Now here’s the really good bit. The Atom 3 Fly More bundle I received ships with Potensic’s new RC PTD 2 screen controller, and it’s refreshingly practical with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 900 nits of brightness and 5.5 inches of screen estate that makes on-screen flight monitoring an unbridled joy.

You get a dedicated Return to Home button, a gimbal adjustment wheel, zoom control and a single shutter/record button that adapts depending on the selected shooting mode. Most importantly, there’s a physical flight mode switch – just like DJI’s controllers – for jumping between Video, Normal and Sport modes. This immediate access to Sport mode can be invaluable when a strengthening headwind suddenly turns the return journey into a battle of wits.

The controller also features Potensic’s PixSync 5.0 transmission system, offering a quoted maximum range of up to 16km – considerably further than most drone regulations would ever permit. Its integrated 5,000mAh battery, meanwhile, delivers up to four hours of operation and supports USB-C charging at up to 18W.

Flight performance

Like any DJI drone, the Potensic Atom 3 immediately puts any nerves at ease the moment it takes to the air. The controls are perfectly dialled for butter-smooth input without any sudden lurching, so I can’t see novices having any issues in this department.

Setup is refreshingly quick, too. Simply unfold the arms, power up the drone and controller, and you’re generally airborne within a minute or two. Granted, GPS lock isn’t the fastest I’ve seen, but the whole process feels streamlined rather than fiddly, especially when used with the all-in-one PTD 2 controller my press sample came with.

Once in the air, the Atom 3 delivers impressively stable performance for a lightweight sub-250g model (it features Level 5 wind resistance, which is good for wind speeds up to 24mph). The drone’s positional hold, too, is exceptional, even when there’s a stiff breeze.

If the noise of a drone troubles you, you’ll be pleased to learn that this one is among the quietest I’ve ever reviewed. Its gentle hum is far removed from the frenetic swarm-like screech of the DJI Avata 360 and HoverAir Aqua.

I personally haven’t been able to detect any major differences between this drone and any from the DJI stable when flying it. It does exactly what you want it to do with no nasty surprises like transmission dropouts, lag, or any unusual behaviour traits. It just flies as you would expect of any modern drone, and that’s testament to great design, well-crafted flight controllers and reliable software.

Camera performance

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For a drone that sits firmly in the affordable, sub-250g category, the Potensic Atom 3’s camera performance is surprisingly accomplished and a significant step forward over the previous Atom 2.

While it’s not attempting to dethrone premium aerial platforms or even the similarly sized DJI Mini 4 Pro and DJI Mini 5 Pro, the Atom 3’s little camera delivers footage with enough sharpness, colour accuracy and dynamic range to satisfy everyone from casual flyers to content creators looking for quick, polished results without the need for much colour grading. However, it’s not without some anomalies.

I noticed that it did tend to overexpose shots much more than most DJI models when taken facing the sun so you’re advised to tap on an appropriate area of the display screen before shooting to properly set exposure, or you may end up with an image with blown highlights which is very difficult to fix in post-production.

This is most noticeable when shooting with a lot of sky in the frame. When the footage was viewed on a MacBook Air, I also noticed more banding in some sky shots than I would consider acceptable. And while it features an AI-generated night mode, I wouldn’t say it’s as dynamic as the DJI Mini 4 Pro, which has a much larger aperture.

On the plus side, I’ve been impressed by the Atom 3’s mechanical 3-axis gimbal, which helps produce footage that stays level and smooth, even during directional changes or in breezy conditions. Likewise, this drone’s AI tracking is a marked improvement over the Atom 2 and locks on to a subject with great accuracy and with very little drifting, even when using the Circle QuickShot feature and the subject is moving.

Autonomous QuickShots

The Potensic Atom 3 comes loaded with a tranche of AI QuickShot modes, several of which can be seen in the accompanying video above. Simply draw a box around yourself or your chosen subject, select an autonomous flight function and let the drone do the rest.

Alongside familiar options like Circle, Pull Away, Spiral, Rocket, Boomerang, Drift and CineRoll (a 360˚ horizon spin), there’s also AI-enhanced subject tracking – including side tracking at head height – and a very effective Dolly Zoom mode that creates that distinctive cinematic Hitchcock-style effect where the subject remains the same size in the frame while the background appears to stretch or compress dramatically behind it.

You can also select four levels of slow motion (4x, 5x, 6x and 7x) and a handy Waypoints function which follows a pre-programmed flight path replete with different elevations and camera angles.

Verdict

The Potensic Atom 3 delivers a surprisingly mature flying and imaging experience for not too much wonga. Its new PTD 2 controller makes it quick to set up and easy to control, while its updated camera and refined 3-axis gimbal produce acceptably sharp and stable footage.

While it can’t match DJI’s more expensive Mini 4 Pro for outright image depth and sharpness, it gets close enough in my opinion, and that makes it a perfect choice for budgeteers looking for a camera drone that doesn’t feel like a compromise.