DJI announces Inspire 3 cinema drone

Six years after its predecessor the Inspire 2 was launched, DJI has announced the Inspire 3, a new drone that the Shenzen-based company describes as a streamlined, precise, full-frame 8K 75fps cinema drone aimed at meeting the needs of top-level movie productions. 

The Inspire 3 is DJI’s only cinema-grade drone, and according to the company, its latest iteration has been completely redesigned with a focus on integration and portability, and is built around DJI's Zenmuse X9-8K Air Gimbal Camera.

The build

The Inspire 3's FPV camera, visual sensors, positioning antennas, and storage card slot are integrated into the airframe, and  new 'hot-swappable' TB51 batteries provide the Inspire with a flight time of up to 28 minutes. In addition, it has a maximum flight speed of up to 94km/h, 8m/s ascent and descent speed and dive speed up to 10m/s.

The design supports a newly added Tilt Boost mode as well as 360° Pan modes. When the landing gear is lowered, the gimbal supports obstruction-free 80° upward-angle shooting, enabling cinematographers to capture unique images.

The camera

The Inspire 3 is equipped with what DJI says is the lightest ever full-frame Zenmuse X9-8K Air Gimbal Camera, which features DJI’s latest image processing system, CineCore 3.0, supporting internal recording of up to 8K/25fps CinemaDNG video as well as 8K/75fps Apple ProRes RAW video.

In S&Q mode, X9-8K Air supports internal recording of up to full-frame 4K/120fps ProRes RAW video without cropping.

The X9-8K supports dual native ISO, and at full-frame 30fps and below, it offers EI 800/4000, supporting the 24fps commonly seen in film productions and the 25fps used in commercial and television productions. At above 30fps, EI 320/1600 is available. This delivers ultra-clear footage for low-light scenes with rich details.

Additionally, the X9-8K Air covers 14+ stops of dynamic range.

The X9-8K Air is compatible with an additional 18 mm F2.8 full-frame ultra-wide lens and a new telephoto lens specially made for 8K aerial cinematography as well as full-frame 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm lenses.

Finally, the included DJI PROSSD 1TB offers up to 1100MBps write speed and up to 900MBps read speed and can be connected directly to a computer via USB-C.

Flight modes

Inspire 3 integrates high-precision RTK positioning technology which will, according to the company, deliver centimeter-level accuracy. RTK not only makes flying more stable, but also flight-route planning more accurate.

The integrated 3 GNSS System (GPS + Galileo + BeiDou) is powered by built-in ceramic RTK antennas. These also provide the Inspire 3 with internal orientation, eliminating the need for compass calibration in most scenarios. 

Additionally, the GNSS system drives DJI's new Waypoint Pro function which opens up a number of new modes, including Repeatable Routes, which allows for precisely repeatable flight routes and maintains all preset parameters such as altitude, speed, gimbal angle, and camera settings.

This feature would allow a cinematographer to, for example, fly at different times in the same place and create long-duration timelapses that capture transitions such as day to night or season to season.

In addition, the Waypoint Pro function can also simulate a crane, cable cam, or a dolly while going far beyond the limitations of those devices. In theory it would allow for an aerial motion path where the pilot can move back and forward along the path with adjustable speed and full gimbal control according to the needs of the shot. 

Finally, the new Spotlight Pro feature is based on machine-learning algorithms and offers pilots single-object recognition and tracking, which allows users to entirely focus on the flight while the gimbal camera stays automatically focused on the subject. This mode will, again according to DJI, allow for complex shots even in single-pilot mode.

The Inspire 3 is equipped with nine visual sensors, which provide an omnidirectional sensing system that can detect obstacles in all directions and provide 'comprehensive' protection for flying. 

In addition, the Inspire 3 features a new customizable function to help ensure greater flight safety and more creative freedom. Horizontal, upward, and downward obstacle sensing can be enabled or disabled independently, and an obstacle alert range can be set manually to suit different scenarios. 

The Inspire 3 offers a new 161° FOV ultra wide-angle FPV lens. This has a 1/1.8-inch night-vision sensor with 3μm pixel size and up to 1080p/60fps live feed.

The Inspire 3’s new O3 Pro Transmission enables a transmission range of up to 15 km with one controller and up to 12 km in dual-control mode. For the first time, the 4K/30fps live feeds are also supported with a reduced 5km transmission range.

In addition, with the dual-control mode, two remote controllers can now receive transmission and control links from the drone independently, so the pilot and gimbal operator can be at different positions on set.

Pricing and availability

The DJI Inspire 3 is priced at an eye-watering $21,000 and will be available for purchase from store.dji.com and authorised retail partners by the end of June.

In addition, DJI Care Pro, DJI's insurance scheme, will be offered for the Inspire 3. This provides an unlimited number of free repairs within the coverage limit for water damage, drop damage, improper use, and other accidents, together with two free replacements for new batteries each year and Flyaway coverage.

A 1-Year Plan will set you back a whopping $2,099 USD ($3,131 AUD) and offers a coverage limit of USD 12,000 for one year. You can find out more at dji.com/au/service/djicare-pro.