Sony‘s new Airpeak S1 was officially unveiled. A drone that as we guessed from the advanced information was going to be destined for the professional sector and it has been. So you can forget to get one unless you want to pay the 9,000 euros it costs, although that does not deprive you of enjoying its technical capabilities.
Airpeak S1
After several busy months in forums for fans of the world of drones and professionals from the audiovisual sector, the wait came to an end. Sony finally unveiled all the details of the Airpeak S1 , its first focused drone and a proposal designed for the most pro sector. This is something that is not only sensed as soon as you know the $ 9,000 it costs, also due to some visible features such as the gimbal and camera that you can use. So from the start it becomes an interesting proposition that will rival the popular and highly rated DJI Inspire 2.
To learn a little more about it, let’s first talk about design. As you can see, it is a device of size, consider it, but still it is according to Sony the smallest with the ability to handle without problems a mirrorless camera with a Full Frame sensor such as, for example, the Sony a7s III that can be seen next to a 24mm f1.4 focal length lens.
I am that it may seem a small thing, it is not, especially if you consider that its most direct rival, which would be the DJI Inspire 2, uses a module with a micro 4/3 sensor. Although the most striking of all are its flight capabilities, as, as they have also published, the AirPeak S1 is capable of maintaining constant speed in flight and greater stability when there are drafts.
The only trade-off for the drone’s own size and those speed and stability characteristics is that the battery would only offer 22 minutes of flight without a load and about 12 minutes when equipped with a Sony a7s III with the 24mm f1.4. Of course, also due to the proposal itself, which should not be a big problem because it would have more batteries and it would not be used for shots that are too long in time.
For the rest, the Airpeak S1 also integrates a matrix of sensors that help to offer assistance in flight to avoid collisions and other types of accidents thanks to the joint use of different algorithms that analyze the entire environment where it is flying.
Control intended for Apple users
This may seem a bit strange to you, especially when Sony itself has mobile devices that it could use to control the flight of its new drone, but at the moment the control application will only be available for iOS and iPadOS users .
That is, only if you have an iPhone or iPad can you use Airpeak Flight. As long as you decide to buy the drone in question beforehand. Although we assume that it will be a matter of time before the Android version is released.
Through this application what you will have is all control of the device and the camera itself with an interface that seems quite well resolved and that in the latest iPad Pro can be very enjoyable, especially in the 12.9-inch model .
Regarding the command, there is little to tell and it seems adequate for the type of flight that would be carried out with this Sony proposal.
Cameras compatible with the AirPeak S1
Finally, the Sony AirPeak S1 is compatible with the following Sony alpha cameras : a1, a9 II, a7s III, a7r IV and FX3. As for lenses, all these models can be used together with lenses that range from 14mm to 85mm.
Price and availability
The drone can already be purchased, but you should know that the gimbal or gimbal must be purchased separately. That means that the $ 9,000 of the drone will have to be added another $ 1,750 plus the camera and lenses that you want to use.
An investment that, as you will see, is valid only for professionals who have very specific needs and where quality is mainly demanded. So start saving if you intend to buy one, until autumn 2021 when it will reach stores and distributors something you can do.
