The Best Cinematography Drone - DJI Inspire 3
The Inspire 2 set a new standard for drone cinematography when it was launched in 2016, and it’s been the choice for many professional operators ever since. But technology has progressed and expectations have risen, so a refresh has been overdue. Fortunately, it doesn’t disappoint, and the 3rd generation Inspire retains the title of best cinematography drone in 2023.
It may be beyond the budget of many drone operators, but the Inspire 3 really is in a different class. For general work like aerial photography, surveying and inspection work there are plenty of alternatives more than capable of the job. The Mavic 3 - in particular the Mavic 3 Cine - is a superb camera drone, but when you compare the spec of the Inspire 3 you can see why this will be so popular for film and television work.
The integrated camera is a match for the best digital cameras available today with its full-frame sensor capturing stills at 44.7 megapixels and 8K video recording. For the latter, the Inspire 3 can record in CinemaDNG as well as Apple’s ProRes RAW format. There are Slow and Quick modes for fluid slow-motion and cinematic fast-motion sequences recording up to 4K/120p uncropped in ProRes RAW. The ISO capability is best in class with a dynamic range of 14 stops. There’s no doubt the spec meets the demands of commercial film and television productions.
The aircraft itself benefits from a new design and state-of-the-art technology. The Inspire 3’s body is 20% more aerodynamic than the previous model meaning it can hit a top speed of 54mph. Battery life is up to 28 minutes - impressive for any drone, let alone an aircraft of this size and weight. Nine sensors enable omnidirectional obstacle detection and avoidance, and this is the first drone to offer options to enable and disable sensing in any direction.
RTK Technology
Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) technology makes this an ideal drone for surveying work with centimeter level accuracy. The Inspire 3 offers Waypoint Pro with customisable shot planning and the option to record exactly the same scene over and over again. This is an ideal feature for the construction industry, allowing capture of progress through the life of a project.
With filmmakers in mind, the upgraded dual control capability means that the pilot and gimbal operator can be located at different locations on the production set. Even with its advanced safety features, the potential for the camera op to focus on capturing the action while the pilot controls the drone is a massive plus.
The Inspire 3 is a significant improvement on the previous version and raises the bar for commercial drones. If you’re looking for the best cinematography drone, look no further.
Drone Safe Store have the Inspire 3 available to pre-order and we expect shipping at the end of May. If you want to find out more or discuss your specific needs, our experts are on hand to help.
