DJI’s newest drone is a $16K model for pro filmmakers
The Inspire 3 combines a full-frame 8K camera with a “highly portable” form factor.
DJI unveiled its latest high-end drone for professional filmmakers today. The Inspire 3 is a full-frame 8K cinema drone in a “highly portable form factor” that can be yours this summer for a mere $16,499.
The DJI Inspire 3 has a Zenmuse X9-8K Air Gimbal Camera with a wide range of dynamic colors and compatibility with various lenses. Its camera system has dual native ISO for clear low-light footage while covering over 14 stops of dynamic range to help capture highlights and shadows in sunrises and sunsets. It has a Tilt Boost and 360-degree Pan structures. Its FPV camera, visual sensors, positioning antennas and storage slot are “seamlessly integrated into the airframe for a minimalist look and modern industrial aesthetics.” It can capture video in various formats, including CinemaDNG and Apple ProRes RAW.
The drone supports RTK-powered Waypoint Pro and omnidirectional sensing for precise flight paths and improved safety. The drone has nine sensors to help detect and avoid obstacles and protect your $16.5K purchase. In addition, you can toggle horizontal, upward and downward obstacle-sensing independently and manually set its obstacle-alert range if the automatic function doesn’t suit your needs. (With active avoidance turned off, the display will still show incoming obstacles and sound an alert if it’s within a set range.) It also has hot-swappable TB51 intelligent dual batteries for up to 28 minutes of flight time and up to 58.4 mph speeds.
It uses DJI’s O3 Pro transmission and control system with a range of up to around 9.2 miles with one controller and up to 7.5 miles in dual-control mode (where one person pilots the drone and a second pilot controls the gimbal). It includes a first-person view (FPV) camera with an ultra-wide 161-degree field of view and night vision. The pilot’s feed has a latency of 90ms in 1080p / 60 fps mode. Additionally, it supports 4K / 30 fps feeds, although that mode reduces the drone’s range to an estimated 3.1 miles.
The DJI Inspire 3 will be available “by the end of June.” If you’re a pro filmmaker with over $16,000 to spare, you’ll get Zenmuse X9-8K Air Gimbal Camera, RC Plus remote controller and other accessories. The company’s DJI Care Pro accidental protection plans are also available for an additional cost.
