RotorDrone Magazine May/June Issue

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Now we’re having some fun!
I have to say that this issue was a lot of fun to put together. I started out my adventures by attending the International Drone Day celebration at the Apollo Field in Van Nyes, CA, which drew more than a thousand attendees and operators and companies like 3DR, DJI and Horizon Hobby. Don’t miss our coverage of the “mothership” celebration in Las Vegas and some shots from events around the globe in Aerial Intel this month, and keep spreading the word: Drones are good!


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From there I traveled to an undisclosed remote location in the middle of the desert (an abandoned prison!) with a group of experienced FPV pilots. This was a big thrill for me because I am really getting into FPV racing. The racers made a makeshift racecourse through the old buildings and put on quite a show throughout the day. One day I will give them a run for their money, but for now you can get the inside scoop on FPV racing in our “Speed Freaks” feature article.

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Between those events I assembled and test-flew a couple of very nice multirotors that I’m sure many of you out there will enjoy flying. I really liked the TTRobotix Super Hornet; it’s a well-designed camera platform with retractable landing gear and captured crystal-clear, sharp images.

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And just before this issue went to press, I was fortunate to attend the National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas, NV. This event attracts manufacturers from the film industry, cinematography, radio and television broadcasting, and of the hottest topics at the convention was the unlimited possibilities and use of multirotors for filming, newsgathering and expanding creative filming in cinematography. Get the latest news from the show in my blog at RotorDroneMag/nab.

John Reid
Senior Editor

SOURCE: Rotor Drone – Read entire story here.

Lily Throw And Shoot Camera Drone

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Here’s an interesting drone concept! Check out this press release: Lily is the world’s first throw-and-shoot camera. It lets anyone create cinematic footage previously reserved for professional filmmakers. Lily is waterproof, ultra-portable, and shoots stunning HD pictures and videos.

Tech Specs:
Lily camera:
-Midnight Black Polycarbonate
-Brushed Aluminium

Dimensions & Weight:

10.29in (26.1cm) x 10.29in (26.1cm) x 3.22 in (8.18cm)
2.8lbs (1.3kg)

Battery & Power:

  • Built-in Lithium-Ion Battery
  • 20 min of flight time
  • Charging via 5A charger
  • 2-hour charge time

Waterproofing:

Waterproof rating IP67

Camera:

  • Video Resolution: 1080p 60 fps / 720p 120 fps
  • Video FOV: 94º
  • Video Format: H.264 codec, .mp4 file format
  • Photo Resolution: 12 MP
  • Digital gimballing
  • Image stabilization
  • Fixed focus

Sensors:

  • Accelerometer
  • Three-axis Gyro
  • Magnetometer
  • Barometer
  • GPS
  • Front-facing camera
  • Bottom-facing camera

Memory:

  • 4GB micro SD provided
  • External memory card slot

Lily Companion :App

  • Change camera settings
  • Create custom shots
  • Edit and share content
  • Available on iOS and Android

Tracking Device:

Midnight Black Polycarbonate

Battery & Power Tracking Device:

  • Built-in Lithium-Ion Battery
  • 4-hour battery life
  • Charging via micro USB

Waterproofing (Tracking Device):

  • Water resistant
  • Comes with waterproof wrist case

Sensors (Tracking Device):

  • Accelerometer
  • Barometer
  • GPS
  • Microphone
  • Vibration motor

SOURCE: Rotor Drone – Read entire story here.

MaxAmps.com Battery Upgrade for Parrot Bebob

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Get more flight time with your Parrot Bebop Drone from MaxAmps! Here’s the scoop from Maxamps.com: If you own a Parrot Bebop Drone you know that the one major challenge is the short flight time. MaxAmps just released a high-performance LiPo battery pack upgrade for the Parrot Bebop Drone. This lightweight battery balances 40% more flight time with the agile flight characteristics we have come to love from the Parrot Bebop Drone. With this battery installed you will still be able to complete all the flip options easily. It features a 100C rating for tons of punch and extra power. MaxAmps also offers a battery tray insert to seamlessly replace the stock battery pack. Available in 3 colors: red, blue, or yellow to match your Bebop color scheme.

The battery comes with the correct connector to mate with your stock Parrot Bebop Drone. It also comes with a JST-XH balancing tap pre-installed so you can easily balance charge it with most hobby-grade chargers on the market. The benefit to using one of these chargers instead of the stock charger is that you can now recharge a drained pack in as fast as 15-30 minutes and charge multiple packs at the same time. This means more flying and less charging!

Features:

  • 2000mah capacity lithium polymer cells
  • 3S 11.1 volts
  • True 100C rating
  • Lifetime warranty
  • 5C fast charge capable
  • 100% waterproof
  • Built today with factory fresh cells
  • 68mm x 45mm x 24mm, 145g

Available now at: http://www.maxamps.com/proddetail.php?prod=Lipo-2000-111-Bebop-Pack

SOURCE: Rotor Drone – Read entire story here.

DJI Inspire 1 with Single Remote

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DJI Inspire 1 with Single Remote

The DJI Inspire 1 can accomplish feats previously thought impossible, and it comes with a variety of features and accessories ready to operate as soon as you get your drone.

This drone also comes with a single, rechargeable remote, which takes about six hours to fully charge. When it is fully charged, you will have a full four hours of remote operation. With this amount of time, you can take your drone out on multiple flights without having to worry about recharging your remote anytime soon.

The remote features an HDMI and USB hookup, both of which can transmit video up to 2 km when the function is activated. When you get the handle of your drone, you can mount a mobile device on your remote which will enable you to view the video feed in real time once you connect it to either the HDMI or USB hookup. The Inspire 1 remote can hold any device the same size as or smaller than an iPad air. With the viewing device attached, you will have incredible control of the sights your Inspire 1 views, and you will be able to capture stunning pictures that would never be possible on foot.

Aside from the power button, the single remote controller has several easy-to-use buttons designed to capture photo and video from your soaring drone while you remain safely on the ground. These include video-recording (simply press the button to record video), playback (watch what sights you’ve just captured), and shutter (press to take a photo or capture multiple shots on burst mode) buttons as well as a dial for more specific camera settings. Another dial controls the gimbal to give your camera an unobstructed, 360-degree view. By controlling this gimbal with your remote, you can keep your camera focused on one particular location while also flying your drone in any direction.

Beyond camera control, the single remote also controls every movement the drone makes, mostly through the two toggle sticks on the top surface of the remote. You will control nose direction, forward and backward pitch, and rotation of the drone, among other things. Then, with the transformation switch, you can lower or raise the landing gear. But, by pressing the RTH button on the transformation switch, the drone will return to the last home point automatically without you having to worry about your landing skills. There is also a flight mode switch which puts the Inspire 1 into three different flight modes: F, A, and P modes.

This may seem like a brief overview of a lot of buttons and controls to worry about, but the single remote control is not as complicated as it sounds, and, once you get the hang of it, controlling the remote will become second nature. You can even modify your remote so that it best fits your style of flying.

The DJI Inspire 1 is cutting-edge technology that allows you to soar beyond your grounded reach. With the single remote, you will be amazed by the fact that you are the one in control.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

DJI Inspire 1 with Dual Remotes

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DJI Inspire 1 with Dual Remotes

The DJI Inspire 1, top-of-the-market drone can handle wind speed resistance of up to 10 meters per second, reaching an altitude of 4,500 feet and speeds up 22 meters per second without wind. The DJI Inspire 1 comes with a 4k quality camera and a high-capacity battery that gives you about 18 minutes of airtime, which makes this advanced and lightweight drone efficient, powerful, and productive.

With this much freedom, you will also want precise control. The DJI Inspire 1 comes with a single remote that gives you just that. With this single remote, you can control all aspects of the drone’s movements as well as camera operation. You can control nose direction, forward and backward pitch, and rotation, among other things. And you can take full advantage of the 4k camera by adjusting different settings and choosing which scenes to shoot, all while your drone is in flight.

The single controller gives you everything. So, why would you need or even want a second remote controller? You’re probably thinking that a second remote couldn’t possibly offer any more of an advantage over the Inspire 1. But you might actually find that getting dual remotes is not only necessary but imperative when shooting more complicated shots.

Let’s say you want to get a moving shot of an elusive Ring-Tailed Lemur you see in the jungle. It’s a beautiful creature and you have a beautiful flying camera drone to capture the experience. The only problem is that you don’t have enough fingers or concentration to control both the drone’s flight and the camera features. You may have only a few short minutes before the animal scampers away. Luckily, by getting the DJI Inspire 1 with dual remotes, you can expertly control the drone on your remote while your friend skillfully adjusts the camera on her remote. That way, you won’t miss a single second of the Ring-Tailed Lemur’s travels through the trees.

With these more complicated shots, you’ll be glad you have more than one remote. And, in fact, you can connect several additional remotes to the drone, beyond just the one extra, depending on how many people you need to accomplish your flight endeavors. The first remote is called the master remote while any other remotes connected to the drone are called slave remotes. However, remember that no more than 6 slave remote controllers can be hooked up at the same time.

There is very little difference between the abilities of a master remote and a slave remote. As I implied briefly above, the master remote operates the aircraft’s orientation while the slave remote controls camera and gimbal function. If you do connect more than one slave controller to the drone, only the first will be able to control the gimbal while the other slave remotes can only set camera parameters and view the video feed.

There may be a project that you start where having all six slave controllers is beneficial. But, getting the DJI Inspire with dual remotes should be enough to accomplish any photography or videography endeavor.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

DJI Inspire 1 Price

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DJI Inspire 1 Price

Camera drones are at the cutting edge of new technology. They can reach incredible speeds and altitudes, flying for remarkable lengths of time over oceans, rivers, and an infinite amount of other places that you cannot access on foot—all while capturing breathtaking pictures and video. Some drones have different strengths than others and with so many wonderful drones out there it is sometimes difficult to find the one drone that will best fit your needs. Even when you’ve finally narrowed your search to a few terrific camera drones, you might pass up the drone with fantastic features for the drone that always seems to shake a little when it gets more than five feet off the ground. The influencing factor is generally one thing: price.

The DJI Inspire 1 comes at a price of $2,899. You might look at this price and rub your eye a little before deciding to scroll onward for a cheaper option. It’s true that some drones are much cheaper, but, in purchasing these, you have to be careful that you are not sacrificing quality for price.

The DJI Inspire 1 handles difficult factors with ease. It has a wind speed resistance of 10 m/s, a maximum altitude of 4500 m, and a maximum speed of 22 m/s without wind. It also comes with a remote that gives you limitless control of the drone. The high-capacity 4500 mAh battery brings the entire aircraft to a mere 6.5 lbs or 2.9 kg and gives you about 18 minutes of charged airtime. And let’s not forget the already-installed 4k quality camera that will enable you to take awe-inspiring pictures.

This efficient and powerful camera drone is well worth its price. You can even pay as little as $80 a month if that payment option is more feasible for you. And, when you order a DJI Inspire 1, it will be sent to you the very same day with no shipping costs.

There is also no need to be worried about breaking it soon after buying it either. The Inspire 1 is a safe flyer and is easy to use; with the GPS on, the drone will always know its home point. Due to its smart technology, the Inspire 1 can even fly indoors—which is no easy feat. If your drone does get damaged, there is an entire team of technicians ready to repair it, no matter the damage.

There are other drones on the market that offer the same features but are even pricier. One such example (though it is worth its price) is the Spreading Wings S800 EVO which comes in at over $4,000. And really the DJI Inspire 1 is only slightly more than the DJI Ronin.

When you take other, more expensive drones into consideration, you will find that the DJI Inspire 1 is actually a bargain. Just think about the many years you will have to enjoy using this drone. With all your professional photography ambitions, you can’t afford to get a drone with poorer quality.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

DJI Inspire 1 Battery

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DJI Inspire 1 Battery

If you’re wondering about how much air time the DJI Inspire gets, or you’re worried about your drone quickly running out of juice, you’re going to want to know more about the DJI Inspire 1 battery.

Time to get technical.

The DJI Inspire 1 comes with a high-capacity 4500mAh battery called the DJI Intelligent Flight Battery. It has a voltage of 22.2V. It weighs about 1.3lb or 570g, bringing the entire drone to 6.5lb or 2.9kg, which makes this drone both efficient and powerful.

The battery comes with a number of protections that allow it to function properly. A few of these protections are that the battery will automatically stop charging when it is full; the battery will only charge at suitable temperatures; the power supply will cut off when a short circuit is identified; and an app will indicate if a battery cell becomes damaged.

In order to maximize battery power, the Inspire 1 battery comes with a sleep mode that kicks in after the drone has been inactive for over 10 minutes. Also, there are LED lights located beneath the power button on the outside of the battery that will indicate the current battery level and power cycle. If you need to check the battery level, simply push the power button once while the battery is powered down, and the corresponding LEDs will light up. To check battery power, press the power button and hold it for 5 seconds and the LEDs will once again light up.

Remember that your battery must be fully charged before it can be used for the first time. Charging your battery is simple; it is much like charging any other device. Just plug in the battery to the DJI-approved charger, and then plug that charger into a power outlet. If you try to use a different charger than what is specified, that charger may be in danger of overheating.

The DJI Inspire 1 battery typically gives the drone about 18 minutes of charged airtime. However, the TB48 – 5700mAh extra battery will provide up to 22 minutes. You are probably eager to get in the most flying time you can, and, with the DJI Inspire 1, you get plenty of that. Up to 18 to 20 minutes of flight is perfect for aerial video, animal tracking, and any number of scenic shoots.

Although the Inspire 1 battery offers 18 minutes of flight time, remember that there are other factors that will affect your battery’s capabilities and that may reduce airtime: wind velocity, the net weight of the load a drone is carrying, and the task of the flight. Flying in low temperatures will also significantly reduce battery capacity. Similarly, if you push your drone to its speed limits, the battery will run out of juice much sooner than if you take your drone at a leisurely pace or let it hover—which is most efficient. Make sure you take your drone out in optimum conditions if possible.

If you need more information on your particular battery as it operates, it will be provided to the master controller.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

How to Fly a DJI Inspire 1

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How to Fly a DJI Inspire 1

 

If you are an avid drone flyer, you probably cannot wait to get the DJI Inspire 1 off the ground. While other drones come with varying, impressive features, the Inspire 1 is a dream. When you take it to the skies you will be amazed that you are in control of a craft so powerful and sleek and that can extend your reach beyond anything you’ve thought was possible. It is truly . . . well, inspiring. Not to mention it is extraordinarily easy to fly.

 

The advanced, Inspire 1 system comes with a controller, GPS, gimbal, and top-of-the-line camera. All parts of the drone intelligently communicate with each other to give you a smooth flight. And it arrives ready to fly—no major assembly required! So once you’ve got your Inspire 1, the first order of business is learning how to fly.

 

First, you want to familiarize yourself with the remote control. The single remote controls every movement the drone makes, mostly through the two toggle sticks on the top surface of the remote. You will control nose direction, forward and backward pitch, and rotation of the drone, among other things. Then, with the transformation switch, you can lower or raise the landing gear. But, you don’t have to worry about your landing skills if you just press the RTH button on the transformation switch which will return the drone to the last home point automatically.

 

There is also a flight mode switch which puts the Inspire 1 into three different flight modes. The two you will mostly use are the GPS mode and altitude mode. For your first flight you will want to use GPS mode since this is safer, but, once you get the handle of your drone, you might want to try using altitude mode since this will generally give you a smoother flight.

 

The trickiest part of flying your drone will be coordinating the toggles on your remote controller to adjust flight. To make the drone take off, simply move the toggles to the bottom inside corners. But don’t forget to calibrate your drone before taking off. After that, the left toggle stick will control the throttle and rotation. The right stick will control forward and backward movement as well as side to side.

 

After you familiarize yourself with the remote controller, you want to consider a few factors that will affect how long you have your drone in the air. Generally, a drone’s flight time will depend mostly on battery capabilities. But this will fluctuate depending on wind velocity, the net weight of the load a drone is carrying, and the task of the flight. If you sacrifice one factor for another, you will be able to optimize flight time. Or, similarly, you can increase or decrease flight time by removing or adding troublesome factors.

 

You are probably eager to get in the most flying time you can and, with the DJI Inspire 1, you get up to 18 to 20 minutes of flight, which is perfect for aerial video, animal tracking, and any number of scenic shoots.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

Why is the DJI Inspire 1 the Best Quadcopter?

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Why is the DJI Inspire 1 the Best Quadcopter?

 

There are several great quadcopters on the market. So, what makes the DJI Inspire 1 the best?

 

First of all, the Inspire1 is hands-down one of the most advanced drones out there. Also, many other drones do not always come with all the necessary parts you need—like a camera, gimbal, or GPS. And many of these drones also need to be constructed before you can even think about flying. The Inspire 1 comes ready to fly, and it has everything; you don’t have to purchase a camera or install a gimbal.

 

The Inspire 1 comes at a price of $2,899, making it one of the most expensive drones on the market. But its advanced design and features make it well worth the price. Everything about the Inspire 1—from the camera to the remote control—is high quality, which makes it perfect for any professional endeavor.

 

Another indispensable feature is the craft’s durability. The quadcopter design and smart positioning systems allows the Inspire 1 to be safely flown indoors as well as outdoors without causing damage to itself or its environment. If the drone does get damaged, there is an entire team of technicians ready to repair it, no matter the damage.

 

The DJI Inspire 1 comes with a unique, high-capacity 4500mAh battery called the DJI Intelligent Flight Battery. It has a voltage of 22.2V. It weighs about 1.3lb or 570g, bringing the entire drone to 6.5lb or 2.9kg, which makes this drone both efficient and powerful. With this battery, the drone gets up to 18 minutes of flight time, which is far more time than most other drones offer.

When purchasing many drones you also have to purchase a camera. The Inspire 1 doesn’t just come with a camera; it comes with a really good 4k camera. With the controller, you can capture quality photo and video from your soaring drone while you remain safely on the ground. You can control video-recording, playback, and shutter with a few simple buttons. And a dial allows you to adjust more specific camera settings. Another dial controls the gimbal to give your camera an unobstructed, 360-degree view. By controlling this gimbal with your remote, you can keep your camera focused on one particular location while also flying your drone in any direction.

To help with camera and flight control, you can also add additional remotes so that you don’t have to worry about flying and capturing pictures at the same time. With a friend on a second remote, controlling all camera features, you can worry solely about the drone’s movements.

Beyond battery, camera, and controller capabilities, the Inspire 1 is also designed to be easily upgradeable as the camera and gimbal can be removed without difficulty. That way you can stay on the edge of updated drone technology without buying a new drone every few years.

The DJI Inspire 1 is not just a competitive option when put up against other quadcopters; its impressive technology and features surpass those of any other drone on the market.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

DJI Inspire 1 Battery Charge Time

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DJI Inspire 1 Battery Charge Time

 

When it comes to drone photography, you want to spend most of your time in the air capturing picturesque shots rather than worrying about technical things, like waiting for your battery to charge.

 

The battery that comes with the Inspire 1 is a high-capacity 4500mAh battery called the DJI Intelligent Flight Battery. It is made unique from DJI. It has a voltage of 22.2V and weighs about 1.3lb or 570g, bringing the entire drone to 6.5lb or 2.9kg, which makes this drone both efficient and powerful.

 

Remember that your battery must be fully charged before it can be used for the first time. Charging your battery is simple; it is much like charging any other device. Just plug in the battery to the DJI-approved charger, and then plug that charger into a power outlet. If you try to use a different charger than what is specified, that charger may be in danger of overheating.

The DJI Inspire 1 battery typically gives the drone about 18 minutes of charged airtime. However, the TB48 – 5700mAh extra battery will provide up to 22 minutes. You are probably eager to get in the most flying time you can, and, with the DJI Inspire 1, you get plenty of that. Up to 18 to 20 minutes of flight is perfect for aerial video, animal tracking, and any number of scenic shoots.

Although the Inspire 1 battery offers 18 minutes of flight time, remember that there are other factors that will affect your battery’s capabilities and that may reduce airtime: wind velocity, the net weight of the load a drone is carrying, and the task of the flight. Flying in low temperatures will also significantly reduce battery capacity. Similarly, if you push your drone to its speed limits, the battery will run out of juice much sooner than if you take your drone at a leisurely pace or let it hover—which is most efficient. Make sure you take your drone out in optimum conditions if possible.

The battery comes with a number of protections that allow it to function properly. A few of these protections are that the battery will automatically stop charging when it is full; the battery will only charge at suitable temperatures; the power supply will cut off when a short circuit is identified; and an app will indicate if a battery cell becomes damaged.

In order to maximize battery power, the Inspire 1 battery comes with a sleep mode that kicks in after the drone has been inactive for over 10 minutes. Also, there are LED lights located beneath the power button on the outside of the battery that will indicate the current battery level and power cycle. If you need to check the battery level, simply push the power button once while the battery is powered down, and the corresponding LEDs will light up. To check battery power, press the power button and hold it for 5 seconds and the LEDs will once again light up.

If you need more information on your particular battery as it operates, it will be provided to the master controller.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

Buying the DJI Inspire 1 on B&H

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Buying the DJI Inspire 1 on B&H

 

B&H is a profession photo, video, and audio company. It sells anything you might need to accomplish your photography and videography endeavors. They have standard equipment such as cameras, audio tools, and film, but they also sell a number of other things needed for professional projects, including any set ups you might need for a darkroom. All around, B&H offers competitive prices and quality merchandise that isn’t marred by bad customer service. Providing you with tools for any photography needs, it only makes sense that B&H would also sell a number of quadcopters including Hubsans and Parrots, as well as drones from DJI.

 

You can purchase your drone on B&H through its online store or mobile apps, or you can shop in person at its New York location. When buying the DJI Inspire 1, you’ll find that the price is the same as pretty much everywhere else: $2,899. But there are some perks with buying through B&H that you would not get through another vendor.

 

With B&H you can get free expedited shipping anywhere in the contiguous United States, so you won’t have to pay more or wait any longer than three days for your drone to be delivered. And, if you buy before 4 PM Monday through Thursday or before 11 AM on Fridays, then your product will be shipped the same day. B&H also ships internationally and has multilingual experts available if you need them.

 

It is easy to pay for your Inspire 1 through a variety of options available including Paypal, credit card, Google Wallet, wire transfer, or gift card, among others. And, if you sign up for their newsletter, you will get updates on the latest deals and discounts.

 

Reviews say buying the Inspire on B&H is a great decision because of the helpful customer service that’s available before and after you purchase anything. You can have any of your questions answered not only by going to the store in person or calling customer service, but also through their online chat, if that is more convenient for you. If you need to return your drone for any reason, you can contact B&H and they will helpfully guide you through their return procedure. You can return anything within 30 days if you are dissatisfied, as long as the product is in new condition and still contains all accessories that came with it. The only downside to buying an Inspire 1 on B&H is that they sometimes run out of product, so you may have to wait for them to be restocked. However, they don’t make you pay for the Inspire 1 until they have the product ready.

 

So if you are ready to get your new DJI Inspire 1 but aren’t sure where to get it, buying through B&H is a great option. You won’t lose any of the fantastic features that the Inspire 1 offers. You will still operate the same integrated 4k camera, 3-axis gimbal, and carbon fiber airframe design. Through B&H and the DJI Inspire 1, all of your photography dreams are within your reach.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

What are the DJI Inspire 1 Camera Specs?

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What are the DJI Inspire 1 Camera Specs?

 

You might be thinking about getting the DJI Inspire 1 to capture some great photo shots. With the Inspire 1 you can soar to amazing heights and see views you hadn’t thought you ever would. With this type of reach, the last thing you want is to be limited by your camera. The specs for the DJI Inspire 1 camera show that you will not only be able to fill your photography needs, but you will capture photos every bit as inspiring as your flight.

 

Here are all the camera specs:

 

The DJI Inspire 1 has an X3 camera model FC350. Its total pixel count is 12.76M and effective pixel count is 12.4M. Although higher megapixel shot doesn’t necessarily mean better quality, if you intend to blow up your pictures to larger sizes, you will want a higher megapixel count so that the picture will still look sharp and with this megapixel count, the X3 camera can produce an image max size of about 4000×3000.

 

It has an ISO Range of 100-3200 for video and 100-1600 for photos. The ISO settings on a camera adjust how sensitive it is to light. You should raise the ISO if there isn’t a lot of light or if you need a higher shutter speed. Shutter speed either blurs or freezes motion depending on how you adjust it. The electronic shutter speed for this camera is 8s–1/8000s.

 

The Inspire 1 camera has a field of view (FOV) of 94 degrees. The lens is 20mm (35mm format equivalent) with a f/2.8 focus so it will focus on both horizontal and vertical points at the same time. It also has 9 elements in 9 groups and is anti-distortion.

 

There are several still-photography modes available including time-lapse; Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB): 3/5 bracketed frames at 0.7EV Bias; single shoot; and burst shooting: 3/5/7 frames.

 

Different supported file formats are JPEG and DNG for photo and MP4/MOV for video. The video formatting is especially useful for viewing video on mobile devices. For video storage, the camera has 60Mbps.

 

With the camera, you can use a micro SD card to store all photo and video. It can have a max capacity of 64 GB and must be a class 10 or UHS-1 rating. This means that the transfer rate of video must be at least 10MB per second.

 

The sensors are CMOS Sony EXMOR 1/2.3-inch, which dramatically increase performance by providing signal conversion and noise reduction.

You can only operate your camera in a temperature range of 0 to 40 degrees Celsius. Be careful not to film outside of this temperature range as this could damage your camera. Not to mention, the battery capacity for the Inspire 1 will be greatly reduced when flying in lower temperatures.

The DJI Inspire 1 camera specs show that this is a top-notch 4k camera. Along with the camera, the Inspire 1 also has a 3-axis gimbal that gives your camera an unobstructed, 360-degree view. Of course, any additional information you need for the Inspire 1 camera can be found on DJI’s website.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

Review on the DJI Inspire 1 Camera

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Review on the DJI Inspire 1 Camera

 

I’ve lived off and on in Utah for the past few years in a city where the mountains are so close I could run to the nearest one in only a few hours. Naturally, hiking is a big deal here, and you don’t really live in Utah if you haven’t hiked three mountains in the last month.

 

The only problem is I am terrified of heights. Yeah, common problem. I made the mistake a while back of thinking that if I hiked just one more mountain it wouldn’t be so bad. I spent the entire hike cursing the shrimpy shrubs next to me for not being tall enough to block my view of just how high I was climbing. But when I finally reached our final destination near the top, I looked out at the spectacular view and forgot for just one second that I was trembling from head to foot. It was sunset and a million city lights blinked below us. It was beautiful.

 

I remember thinking that it would be great if I could get that same, breathtaking picture without giving myself a heart attack. Well after doing an intense bit of research, I’ve realized I can!

 

There are a few different drones that could get up that high, or at least make it so that I didn’t have to climb all the way to the top. But the drone is only doing half of the tricks you need and many drones don’t come with cameras. The DJI Inspire 1 can not only reach incredible heights, but it also has a high-quality camera that can capture a picture so stunning you would think you were actually standing on the summit of the mountain.

 

The camera can film 4k video and take 12 megapixel photos. Although a higher megapixel shot doesn’t necessarily mean better quality, if you intend to blow up your pictures to larger sizes, you will want a higher count so that the picture will still look sharp, and, with this amount of megapixels, the X3 camera can produce an image max size of about 4000×3000. The camera lens has 9 elements which work together to give you a clear, undistorted image.

 

Reviewers of the Inspire 1 camera say that it films great and the video is gorgeous. Most people were just blown away by how great and smooth their experience was. One reviewer even said that he almost couldn’t tell if the camera was filming live, because the gimbal kept the camera so steady.

 

With the advanced remote controller, you can control every aspect of your camera’s functions while it’s in the air and you’re on the ground. And you can see everything your camera sees through connecting a tablet to your remote. The buttons are easy to use, and, if you get the dual remotes, you can control either the camera or drone flight (depending on which remote you hold) so that you don’t have to worry about so many things at the same time. No need to multitask if you don’t have to!

 

Really this is a terrific camera. With the DJI Inspire 1, you get an extended reach without sacrificing camera quality.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

Review on the DJI Inspire 1 Controller

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Review on the DJI Inspire 1 Controller

 

After doing so much research, I am kind of obsessed with the DJI Inspire 1. We are talking about seriously cool technology here. Drones themselves are capable of so many things. Photography and videography are the main commercial and personal uses but drones can also help with animal tracking, surveillance, reconnaissance, news in dangerous areas, and maybe soon even delivery of packages.

 

When using any drone I would almost expect it to come to life and try taking over the world, but with the DJI Inspire 1 controller you don’t have to worry about accidentally getting sucked into a real-life second Avengers movie. It’s incredible to think that you have so much power and advanced technology in your hands. With the Inspire 1 controller, you are in control.

 

The Inspire 1 controller gets 5-star ratings from a lot of online reviews. One reviewer, when testing out the DJI Inspire 1 for the first time, was a little skeptical, especially when he had trouble getting the remote to turn on. But when he got the drone going, he was shocked by how smoothly the drone responded to direction from the remote. The remote’s control makes flying the Inspire 1 almost intuitive. Other reviewers commented on how the remote is well weighted, and how it is easy to reach all the switches and buttons. The main issues that people seemed to be having were just with turning on the remote or not having a cable working in the USB port. As far as having your cable work in the USB port, you may need to try another cable if yours isn’t working. Beyond that, it seems like most reviewers have had really positive responses to the DJI Inspire 1 remote.

 

So, here’s a little more info on the remote:

 

The single, rechargeable remote takes about six hours to fully charge, which is definitely above average for most comparable controllers. When it is fully charged, you will have a full four hours of remote operation—plenty of time to take your drone out on multiple flights.

 

When you get the handle of your drone, you should mount a mobile device on your Inspire 1 remote. The remote can hold any device the same size as or smaller than an iPad air. But whatever tablet you use really can’t be wider than 170mm. With the viewing device attached, you will have incredible control of the sights your Inspire 1 views as the tablet will enable you to view the video feed in real time once you connect it to either the HDMI or USB hookup located on the remote. These hookups can transmit video up to 2 km simultaneously when the function is activated.

The single remote controls every camera function as well as every movement the drone makes. Through the two toggle sticks on the top surface of the remote, you will control nose direction, forward and backward pitch, and rotation of the drone, among other things. Then, with the transformation switch, you can lower or raise the landing gear, or, by pressing the RTH button on the transformation switch, you can return the drone to the last home point where it will automatically perform all the landing operations without you having to worry about your skills.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

The Best DJI Inspire 1 Dealers

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The Best DJI Inspire 1 Dealers

 

If you are looking to buy a DJI Inspire 1, you might be wondering where the best place to get it from is. Is one dealer better than another? Is it a good idea to get it straight from DJI? Does it make a difference?

 

First of all, here are a few options I found of where you can purchase a DJI Inspire 1: B&H, Drones Etc., Ritz Camera, Adorama Camera, Hobby King, Amazon, or from DJI itself. There are others but these seemed to be used the most.

 

When choosing where to buy, you want to look most at the price, customer reviews, and what policies and services that company has. All of the companies I mentioned sell the Inspire 1 at $2,899. But if you keep an eye out for different deals and discounts you may be able to get it for less.

 

I’ve found that these companies all offer roughly the same service. But I think the two top dealers are B&H and Drones Etc. because of their customer service and expertise.

 

Most people say that B&H is the best company to buy the Inspire 1 from. With B&H you can get free expedited shipping anywhere in the contiguous United States, and, if you buy before 4 PM Monday through Thursday or before 11 AM on Fridays, then your product will be shipped the same day. B&H also has helpful customer service which is a must with something as advanced as the Inspire 1. If you need to return your drone for any reason, you can contact B&H and they will helpfully guide you through their return procedure. You can return anything within 30 days if you are dissatisfied, as long as the product is in new condition and still contains all accessories that came with it. The only downside to buying an Inspire 1 on B&H is that they sometimes run out of product, so you may have to wait for them to be restocked. However, they don’t make you pay for the Inspire 1 until they have the product ready.

 

Drones Etc. has great customer reviews and its staff has extensive drone experience. It also has free same-day shipping and a great 10-day return policy. There’s also a price match guarantee if you find somewhere that sells the Inspire 1 at a lower price. And they have a team of experts ready to repair your drone if it ever gets damaged. So Drones Etc. is another great option for where you can buy your drone.

 

I would advise that you not buy a drone second hand from anywhere. This is mostly because you never know if some part isn’t working quite right and with an expensive—and very powerful—drone, not knowing if something is damaged could cause even more damage. If you do choose to get a drone second-hand, make sure the dealer you are buying it through has a great return policy so that you aren’t stuck with a defective controller or some similar problem.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

Discounts and Coupons on the DJI Inspire 1

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Discounts and Coupons on the DJI Inspire 1

 

Almost every dealer sells the Inspire 1 for $2,899. So, okay the DJI Inspire 1, while well worth its price, it definitely not cheap. And if you’re like me, you don’t just have thousands of dollars burning a hole in your pocket. You could invest in it with a friend and that way only spend half the regular amount yourself. But, with some discounts and coupons, you may be able to buy it for a little cheaper and keep the drone to yourself.

 

I know valuebasket.com is currently selling the Inspire 1 at a discounted price—$2,679. It has great reviews of customers saying that the transaction was smooth, and they had no problems. The only difference that I can see between this and other dealers is that it seems to take a few more days for the drone to ship to you, but considering that you are saving more than $200, it’s a great discount. Fumfie.com is also selling the Inspire 1 at the same discounted price, but, based on several reviews, it looks like a lot of customers have had difficulties buying through them.

 

If you go to promopro.com, you’ll find a few different discounts and coupons for the Inspire 1. This site will tell you about different coupons available on other sites, and it will tell you if you need a coupon code to get the discount. Right now it shows that there are two coupons that will be available soon; HobbyWOW will soon have a coupon of 42% off the Inspire 1 and DJI will soon have a coupon of $150 off the Inspire 1. Both of these would help the price issue a lot and if you check this site every once in a while, you might find even more deals.

 

Dealtaker.com is another website that regularly offers coupons that people find and collect into one place. I can’t find a lot of info on dealtaker.com itself and some of the coupon codes might be invalid, but this still seems like a great place to look into if you want to save a few bucks.

 

Also, many different dealers have newsletters that will notify you if there are any new deals or sales available. I know both B&H and Drones Etc. have this option. So if there is a particular dealer or two that you know and like and think you would probably buy your drone through them, it’s a good idea to go ahead and sign up for their newsletters.

 

With some companies, you have a few different payment options that let you pay for your drone in more manageable portions. One example is Drones Etc., where you can finance your drone for as little as $80 a month if that is more doable. Drones Etc. also has a price match guarantee, which makes sure you get your drone for the best price out there.

 

It’s a good idea to always keep an eye out for any of the latest deals that a retailer might have to lower the cost of your drone.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

How to Enter Travel Mode on the DJI Inspire 1

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How to Enter Travel Mode on the DJI Inspire 1

 

Do you remember going to the arcade and trying out the driving simulators? You sat in the nasty-smelling driver’s seat and had a blast cruising down narrow, simulated streets in your fancy, fake race car. You might have even tried a flight simulator and thought about how cool it would be to actually fly a real plane or helicopter. Well flying a DJI Inspire 1 is the real deal and twice as thrilling. You can watch your drone zoom over rivers and fields, all while making incredible maneuvers. You can even see what your drone sees from the screen on your mobile device.

 

When I started reading about something called travel mode on the DJI Inspire 1, I thought it would send the craft into some preplanned excursion to find some hidden treasure or something. In reality, travel mode maybe isn’t the coolest feature, but it is still pretty useful.

 

Right out of the box, the Inspire 1 is actually already in travel mode. Taking it out of travel mode or entering travel mode again takes the same steps.

 

To put the Inspire 1 into travel mode, you first need to place the drone on a very flat surface. If it is not on a flat surface, it could go into flight mode instead. If you are out in a remote location where there doesn’t seem to be a flat surface, you may be able to use the outside of the travel case as a flat surface. After you’ve done this, toggle the transformation switch on the remote four times. The main center body of the drone will lower to the ground until it is about 2cm away, where it will stop. In this position, you can store your drone in its case for travel—hence the name. You can also take the battery out at this time if you need to.

 

To take the Inspire 1 back out of flight mode, you do pretty much the same thing. Just toggle the transformation switch on the remote, again four times. The body will rise to the landing mode needed to attach the gimbal and be ready for flight.

 

So travel mode is essentially meant to put the drone into a position where it will fit nicely back into its travel case for safe storage and transport. And it can only fit into the travel case when it is in travel mode. The DJI Inspire 1 travel case can fit the Inspire 1, 2 remote controllers, 6 flight batteries, a charger, and 2 field monitors (as long as they are less than 10in). It even has 3 additional cavities which can hold any miscellaneous items you need it to. It has a closed-cell foam interior as well as an ambient pressure equalization valve that ensures each item in your case is well protected.

 

Knowing how to put the DJI Inspire 1 into travel mode can save you a lot of frustration when trying to pack up your gear and move to a different location.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

Best bundles for the DJI Inspire 1

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Best bundles for the DJI Inspire 1

The DJI Inspire 1 comes with everything you need to get started, but there are other accessories and additions that could really enhance your filming. Some are actually pretty essential. The specialized travel case, for example, doesn’t come with the Inspire 1, but if you want to transport it across any distance without damaging it, or if you want to store it for any amount of time, you really can’t live without the hard case. You also really can’t afford not to get a second remote controller, because controlling the drone’s flight and camera function at the same time is extremely difficult.

 

If you try to get all of these items in addition to getting the Inspire 1, it’s going to cost you a lot more than you were maybe planning on. But getting a bundle can save you a lot of money since certain accessories would be included with the Inspire 1.

 

There are a couple of different bundles available and you can pick which one would be best for your needs.

 

The best bundle I’ve found gets you the Inspire 1 with two remotes. You can buy this bundle through pretty much any dealer at about $3,399, making the price difference between getting the Inspire 1 with dual remotes and getting a second remote separate from the Inspire 1 about $150. And that’s with the second remote on sale. At normal price, you would actually be saving $199. With this bundle, you will be able to film without any troubles. Really, since you have to get the second remote anyway, you might as well save 150 bucks while doing it.

 

A second bundle I found specifically on Adorama gets you the Inspire 1, a remote, and two Intelligent Flight batteries for $3,029. You would be saving about $29 if you got this bundle rather than buying the second battery separately. If you’re wondering if a second battery is really necessary, I would say the answer is yes! With a second battery on hand at your flight site, you would be able to switch out your original battery when it runs out of juice. Putting the second battery in would then give you double the amount of flight time. If you drove quite a ways out to do some filming and cool drone maneuvers, then you really would want to get in as much flight time as possible. And by getting this dual battery bundle, you would be saving money on something you would probably end up investing in anyway.

 

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a bundle that includes dual remotes and dual batteries. But if you’re looking to buy one bundle or the other, I would go with the dual remote bundle since this would save you a lot more. Then you can just buy the second battery separately.

 

Just be aware of different bundles available when you buy your Inspire 1. Even though you may think you’re saving money by just buying the drone, you may actually end up spending more money than you need to later on.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

DJI Inspire 1 Financing

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DJI Inspire 1 Financing

You’ve seen the top-of-the-line DJI Inspire 1. You’ve watched video tutorials about how smooth it flies. You’ve done your research, and you just cannot wait to get that high-tech remote in your hand. But there may be one thing holding you back: the price. You might be thinking do I have to pay that all at once? No, actually. At $2,899, the DJI Inspire 1 isn’t cheap, but you can finance your drone, which will allow you to pay off the price in manageable portions.

 

When I say “finance your drone,” what I mean is that you are essentially being loaned the money by the drone company, and you have to pay off that loan in installments. This does mean that you would be paying interest, but this may be the most efficient payment method for you. Now, not very many companies give financing as an option. Some that I’ve found that do are Drones Etc., DSLR pros, and dronenerds.com.

 

Drones Etc. offers the lowest financing I’ve found of $80 a month for the standard DJI Inspire 1 single remote bundle. For the DJI Inspire 1 dual remotes bundle, you can finance for $93 a month. These are very competitive rates.

 

At DSLR pros, they offer a financing deal of $111 a month for the single remote bundle but they don’t supply the dual remote bundle at all.

 

At dronenerds.com you can also finance your drone for $111 a month for the single remote bundle and $131 for the dual remote bundle.

 

By buying through Adorama, you have the option of using FlexShopper, which will actually lease you the drone. You would pay weekly payments of $115.  To own the Inspire 1, you would simply keep paying this amount until the drone was paid off. Now, FlexShopper says you can only lease to own items that are between $49.95 and $2,500 so the information seems a little contradictory. But I think an exception is made for the Inspire 1.

 

Now, with a lot of different options, it’s easy to get confused about what the best deal actually is. It might be more feasible for you to pay a lower amount each month or it might be better to pay a higher amount and then get your drone paid off faster. A lot of getting the best deal also depends on how much interest you would be paying—which fluctuates. Some companies offer more competitive rates than others, and you would have to ask them what their rates are when you decide to finance your drone.

 

Understand that although financing is a quick way to buy your drone without spending an extravagant amount of money in one go, it may not be the best option for you. If you can buy the Inspire 1 straight out then this would be better, because you would not be paying interest. But if you need your drone asap, and paying the entire price straight up isn’t really an option for you, then go ahead and finance your drone.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

DJI Inspire 1 Ground Station

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DJI Inspire 1 Ground Station

DJI has a fully-featured ground station that is already compatible with the Phantom 2 and can be controlled with an app. But, as far as I can tell, DJI is still working on making an Inspire 1 ground station. The word is that ground station for Inspire 1 will be available in the next few months. Just to get excited about what’s to come and to know more about it, let’s look at what the Phantom 2 Ground Station can do.

 

Ground station makes it possible for you to program your drone and fly it out of sight. Ground station is meant to give drones an autonomous flight option, flying them along a preset course that may be modified during flight. Sort of like putting it on autopilot. You can edit missions, plan flight routes, and display flight status. Ground station also includes a terminal for flight control. With DJI’s ground station, you can get feedback from your flight state in real time, edit waypoints on a 3-D map, and you can enable an auto takeoff and landing sequence.

 

The waypoints are markers for your flight plan as the drone will fly from one scheduled waypoint to the next. By adjusting a waypoint, you will adjust the shape of the flight. To get your drone in the air, just set a waypoint and with a single tap it will set off for its destination.

 

DJI has a user guide that will give you step-by-step instructions on how to use this app.

 

When you purchase the Bluetooth Datalink and Ground Station, you’ll get a few different things in the box: a ground end of the datalink, an air end of the datalink, a BTU module, a CAN-Bus cable, a USB cable, and a DC power cable. After you have connected all of these parts, you will need to install the Ground Station app. You will need to connect the datalink and module to the flight control system. Then, when you run the app it will search your main controller. There will be a FirstUser function that will help you during each subsequent step so that you don’t have to worry about knowing how to operate everything before you even get the app.

 

If you are having issues connecting to the main controller, check to make sure everything else is connected properly, particularly the ground end. If you feel like everything is connected but you’re still having problems, you can contact the dealer and they should be able to walk you through any troubleshooting.

 

After you have set all of this up on your iPad, you can fiddle with functions through the flight simulator. To do some real flights, just disable the flight simulator and power up the flight control system.

 

Now, when you are constructing flights, remember to obey all UAV regulations. Ground station does have an automatic restriction on certain areas so that you will not accidentally schedule your drone to fly too close to an airport or something similar. That could be a disaster!

 

So the Inspire 1 does not have ground station yet. But within just a few months it will have all of the same, awesome features that the Phantom 2 Ground Station has.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

DJI Inspire 1 Errors

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DJI Inspire 1 Errors

Nothing is perfect.

 

I know, I know. The DJI Inspire 1 seems pretty close to perfect. But with so many features and operations, everyone once in a while, you are going to get an error.

 

You might have an error with the mechanics (maybe a propeller isn’t attached correctly), the GPS signal and compass, the controller itself, or any number of other things. Luckily, the Inspire is an advanced drone with few possibilities for error, and DJI is constantly updating the new firmware to weed out any bugs that are likely to occur. If you do run into errors though, there are ways to troubleshoot so that you can get your drone safely back into the air.

 

I’ve found that there are some common problems that people seem to have with the Inspire 1. One problem is with the compass. During some flights, the drone would lose connection with GPS because of a compass error. In these cases, the drone will shift into ATTI flight mode and once GPS is available again, the drone will switch back. The drone will keep flying just fine so you really don’t need to worry about a crash in this case. But if you continue to have problems with your compass, you may want to land it and recalibrate.

 

With most other problems like this, you will be notified of an error. Depending on where the error is coming from, you will be notified through your mobile device, the controller itself, or the body of the drone. And there’s usually a safety feature for every flight aspect to prevent damage.

 

Another issue that has happened with a few people is that a propeller has come loose or come flying off. This is an unlikely problem. But the few times people have had issues with this were probably because the propeller wasn’t on tight enough. To solve this problem, just make sure to tighten your propellers completely. Also, DJI has prop-clips that ensure the propellers won’t come loose.

 

I’ve seen some errors that occurred from the very first flight—like problems with the camera or gimbal—that really can only be resolved by sending the Inspire 1 back. This is rare, but it can happen.

 

Some crashes have simply been from pilot error. The only way to avoid this is to know how to fly your drone and be aware of your surroundings. If you ram into a tree, you’re drone is coming down! And not gracefully either.

 

If you’re having issues but cannot troubleshoot the drone yourself or you can’t seem to fix a problem, you can always call DJI or even a number of drone retailers. They will guide you through each step to figure out what the problem is and how to best fix it. It may be that a part is damaged or that an error caused the drone to crash (yikes!), making it un-flyable. Don’t worry—there is a team of experts ready to fix your drone whatever the damage.

 

Just know that even though these issues do occur, they are unlikely and virtually any error can be resolved.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

DJI Inspire 1 Flight Simulator

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DJI Inspire 1 Flight Simulator

If you’ve never flown a DJI Inspire 1 before—especially if you’ve never flown a quadcopter before, you will want to try out the Inspire 1’s flight simulator that’s built into the app.

 

With the flight simulator, you can control every feature of the drone just as you would in real life. Except you don’t have to worry about novice errors. The flight simulator lets you safely practice every new maneuver before you try it out on the real deal.

 

The only drawback to the simulator is that you have to power on the Inspire 1 in order for it to work. Because of this, it’s a good idea to take off the propellers so that if the Inspire 1 suddenly tries to imitate what you’re doing on the flight simulator, it will just sit there all grumpy because it isn’t the one flying.

 

So, once you’ve powered on the Inspire 1 and opened the app, you can go to the academy tab and start the simulation. Like I said, it has a bunch of great features. It also has a little tutorial box that will show you how to do stuff like make the Inspire 1 take off, how to control the gimbal, etc. It’s a super great reference.

 

When you are familiar with the remote controller, you can use it to pilot your simulated drone. It is remarkably accurate to how the Inspire 1 responds to your command in real life. You can practice adjusting the gimbal while in flight and navigate through different gimbal options such as resetting the gimbal.

 

You can use the radar in the bottom left corner to orient yourself and return back to home. You can also select the return to home sequence and the drone will return and land on its own. Another great thing about the flight simulator is that the remote will also respond as if it is really controlling flight. So, when you put the simulated drone into return to home mode, the remote will start beeping, just as it would in real life. That way you don’t get confused and think that you are being alerted to an error.

 

There is a map in the right left-hand corner that will show you where the drone is and the flight course it has taken. Since you will be stationary while your drone flies around, you will probably lose sight of it and this feature helpfully lets you know where it is at all times. With the map, you can turn on the GPS. Now, this is just a simulator so the GPS isn’t locating a real place but this is here mostly to help you learn how to use the GPS and what to expect from it. When using the GPS, remember that sometimes it can be a little bit off. So be ready to adjust the flight as needed if, for example, the drone is coming in a little to the left when operating the back to home procedure.

 

So, before you take your DJI Inspire 1 to the skies, remember to try out the flight simulator first so that you can be an experienced flyer.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

DJI Inspire 1 First Person View

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DJI Inspire 1 First Person View

If you didn’t already think that the DJI Inspire 1 was from the future, then you will when you hear about the first person view. Seriously, it’s like something straight from Star Trek.

 

Basically, first person view (FPV) lets you see the world through the Inspire 1 camera’s eyes. Yeah, you can see what the camera sees on your mobile device when its hooked up, but I’m talking about the glasses. You put on these high-tech Zeiss Cinemizer OLED glasses and you will suddenly find you are looking at the ocean rushing past beneath you. Or you will see yourself rise above expansive forests, zoom along twisting rivers, or gaze on the top of a skyscraper from a nearby park. It’s like you’re the one flying—not the drone.

 

The glasses work through connecting to the DJI Lightbridge. Lightbridge transmits video up to 2km away straight to your mobile device or Cinemizer glasses. This system will also send you live flight data: altitude, vertical and horizontal speed, GPS heading, signal strength, etc. With the Inspire 1, Lightbridge is actually integrated, meaning you don’t have to buy an additional Lightbridge system and hook it up to anything; your HD video communication system is ready to go. With other drones, you would actually have to attach a Lightbridge transmitter to the body of the drone which would increase the weight and possibly decrease flight time.

 

The FPV bundle is at a special price right now at $1,779 through DJI. Normally, it’s $2,188. This includes both the DJI Lightbridge system as well as the Zeiss Cinemizer OLED glasses (but doesn’t include the Inspire 1). However, like I said before, you don’t need to buy another Lightbridge system for the Inspire 1 in order to use the glasses since Lightbridge is integrated. The Cinemizer glasses should connect to the HDMI output on the remote. In order to allow HDMI output, you need to go to the pilot app and activate the dual output. The glasses are especially great for FPV because sometimes a glare on your iPad from the sun will make it hard to see. But the glasses shade out the sun and give you perfect FPV that is just as amazing as the view you would get from the iPad if you could see it.

 

Through B&H you can actually purchase a bundle that includes the Inspire 1, a remote control, and FPV glasses for $3,725.88.

 

If you are still curious about the glasses themselves, they can connect to even more than just drones. If you wear glasses normally, these glasses should be able to fit over top of the prescription ones if you adjust the setting wheel. And you can even get the eyeshield to go with the glasses which makes them extremely comfortable to wear even if you feel a little ridiculous. You can also connect them to your iPod, iPhone, gaming console, Blue-ray player, and more. Plus they have a rechargeable battery that gives you about 6 hours of viewing time.

 

These glasses and the new Lightbridge technology have reimagined first person view for drones. Just imagine the possibilities!

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.

DJI Inspire 1 Flyaways

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DJI Inspire 1 Flyaways

If you are up-to-date on the latest drone news and concerns, you’ve probably heard of something called flyaways. Flyaways are drones that act without receiving command from the remote controller or that just act contrary to how they’re supposed to. Sound scary? I’m sure the last thing you want your drone to do is take a spectacular dive into the ocean or into your new car for no reason whatsoever. Before you get too nervous about this, understand that this doesn’t happen super often. And most of the supposed “flyaways” are due to poor pilot operation rather than poor construction. Not knowing how to fly your craft can be very dangerous. And expensive!

 

Still, there are reasons why your Inspire 1 could become a flyaway and it is good to be aware that this could happen to you.

 

One thing that could create a flyaway is if the drone suddenly becomes disconnected from the controller. If the drone is too far away to receive the signal, for example, then the drone may become confused and go careening into a tree. Luckily, the Inspire 1 has a feature that will make the drone return to the last home point if it does happen to lose connection with the controller.

 

Another, related issue is if there is a problem with the GPS. You really can’t rely on GPS all of the time because it can be a little off. This is part of the reason why there are different flight modes on the Inspire 1. If you are having trouble getting a GPS signal, you can switch to another flight mode.

 

Weather is another issue. An unexpected gust of wind could blow your drone into the side of your house. But this can’t be blamed on manufacture error or pilot error. Just be smart about taking your drone out into windy conditions and realize that although your drone is pretty cool, it is not impervious to the weather.

 

Another problem is firmware bugs, which do happen. I’ve heard of people having problems with their compass malfunctioning. Other people have had their home point malfunction or auto takeoff. And there are even more. But the odds of your Inspire 1 bugging out are slim and DJI is constantly working on getting all the bugs out and installing more sensors so that every drone will fly with more precision. If you do feel like a feature is bugging out, call the experts and get it figured out. It could be that a part needs to be changed out. Or maybe there’s a simple fix like something needs to be recalibrated.

 

Overall, the best thing is to do your homework on how to fly your drone. Try out the flight simulator until you feel confident enough to take the Inspire 1 to the skies. And remember to calibrate your drone often enough that everything will be synced up and working properly. And if there is a bug, don’t hesitate to get it checked out and fixed by the pros.

SOURCE: Drones Etc. – News – Read entire story here.