Gizcoupon reported on April 15 that DJI has officially launched the Inspire 3 (Wu 3). It is a new aerial filmmaking drone designed for professional visual creators. According to DJI, this is the world’s first integrated 8K full-frame aerial cinema camera. It pushes the image quality and operational efficiency of aerial filmmaking to new heights.
Inspire 3 uses a new spatial deformation design with top-level image specifications of 8K Cinema DNG and PROREAW. This is a 1/1.8 -inch ultra-wide and low-light flight camera. Not only have dual shooting modes with tilt and track but also O3 Pro dual control transmission. As well as centimeter-level RTK positioning, Waypoint Flight Pro, and DJI professional ecosystem compatibility. These features enable the Inspire 3 to reach a new height of body design, images, flight, and transmission control systems.
DJI Zenmuse X9-8K Air Gimbal Camera features
DJI Zenmuse X9-8K Air is currently the lightest full-frame camera. It is custom-made for the Inspire 3 and matched with DJI’s latest image processing platform Cinecore 3.0. It can directly record up to 8K/25fps Cinema DNG 1 video and 8K/75fps Apple ProRes RAW 3 video. That meets the specifications of top-level film and television projects.
The X9-8K Air supports dual native ISO. It has two native EI modes of 800 and 4000 when shooting at 30fps or below in full-frame mode. It can capture clear and pure images, whether shooting at dusk on the beach or at night in the city. The nighttime shooting capabilities are on par with professional ground-based film cameras. The X9-8K Air covers 14+ stops of dynamic range. So that it can capture rich, detailed images in complex lighting scenarios. For example, sunrises and sunsets meet the needs of high-quality post-production.
Continuing the DJI DL mount, the X9-8K Air is compatible with the existing DL24/35/50 mm F2.8 full-frame lens group. And the newly released 18mm F2.8 full-frame ultra-wide-angle lens and the upcoming telephoto lens.
Inspire 3 Cinematic Color System and RTK Positioning System
The Inspire 3 is equipped with the DJI Cinema Color System (DCCS), which incorporates DJI’s years of imaging experience. It helps the X9-8K Air capture natural and true-to-life landscapes and urban colors. And it can accurately reproduce skin tones in different environments and lighting conditions. It can also easily match the DJI Ronin 4D and other ground-based film cameras. So that ensures consistent color style between aerial and ground-based footage. In order to meet the stringent requirements of film and television post-production workflows.
To enhance the level of aerial filming, Inspire 3 integrates RTK high-precision positioning technology in the field of architectural surveying and mapping. Thereby achieving centimeter-level accurate positioning. The aircraft is equipped with a stacked ceramic antenna at the front and rear. That makes it the first aerial drone with a dual RTK antenna design, possessing strong anti-magnetic interference capability. Even in complex magnetic environments, it can still accurately locate and orient.
Waypoint Flight Pro
The newly added Waypoint Flight Pro is designed specifically for film aerial photography and television. It allows the Inspire 3 to plan flight routes and capture actions, achieving autonomous flight. In trajectory playback mode, the Inspire 3 can automatically fly. It can go along the planned route at the preset flight altitude, speed, gimbal angle, and camera settings. By repeating the same flight task, photographers can accomplish challenging one-shot sequences or create time-lapse photography with long time spans, such as day-to-night or seasonal changes.
3D track mode
On film sets, the 3D track mode supports photographers to control the Inspire 3 to fly back and forth manually. And it adjusts the flight speed and gimbal angle flexibly according to the actor’s movements after completing the route design. Compared with traditional shooting tools, the 3D track mode can help film crews overcome space, manpower, and cost limitations. And it also achieves unparalleled visual effects.
The new Focus Pro is an upgrade from the Focus function of the Inspire 2. It can help individual creators further reduce the threshold of creation. With powerful machine learning algorithms, the Inspire 3 can automatically recognize common shooting subjects—for example, people, cars, and ships, with recognition accuracy far exceeding its predecessor.
Inspire 3 Features
The Inspire 3 is a drone equipped with a new 1/1.8-inch sensor and a single pixel size of 3μm. It provides a 161° ultra-wide field of view and maximum transmission of 1080p/60fps high-definition video. The drone also features an all-around visual perception system and customizable obstacle avoidance and warning distances in all directions.
The drone has a new curved design that incorporates cutting-edge aerodynamics to reduce air resistance during flight further. It has a slope descent speed of 10m/s, up from Inspire 2’s 9m/s. Its vertical ascent and descent speeds of 8m/s and 4m/s, respectively, up from Inspire 2’s 6m/s and 4m/s. This provides the drone with a more responsive and delicate control response. And the battery life has been extended to 28 minutes.
In addition to the classic transformable structure of the Inspire series, the Inspire 3 has a new spatial deformation design. It can support 360° panoramic shooting mode and a new upward shooting mode. When the landing gear is lowered, the gimbal camera can be tilted up to 80°. It allows photographers to create more visually stunning creative shots and richer lens language.
The drone comes with the O3 Pro image transmission system. It can transmit video up to 15 kilometers in single-control mode and up to 12 kilometers in dual-control mode. The maximum transmission quality of 1080p/60fps. It can also be used with a 4G module, allowing users to shoot more stable videos in urban areas.
RCPlus professional remote control
The Inspire 3 comes with the RCPlus professional remote control with a built-in screen and HDMI output interface. The remote control provides a variety of customizable shortcut operations with its rich buttons and dials. The built-in battery provides a battery life of about 3.3 hours. When used with the external WB37 battery group, the battery life can be extended to about 6 hours.
DJI Pilot 2 app
The new DJI Pilot 2 app has an updated professional monitoring interface in addition to its classic flight interface. The design is clear and concise, with information on exposure parameters, recording specifications, lens focal length, and gimbal angle. So it is more suitable for the monitoring habits of gimbal operators and photographers.
The Inspire 3 comes with two independent remote controllers that can receive the aircraft’s image transmission signal and control the aircraft independently. This allows the pilot and the gimbal operator to be in different positions for filming. It breaks the limitation of Inspire 2’s master-slave control system. In addition, when the pilot’s remote controller loses signal, the gimbal operator can temporarily take over control of the aircraft. It can initiate a timely return to home or landing to avoid accidents.
The Inspire 3 can be paired with the DJI Bright Monitor to receive the video feed directly. With the Ronin 4D control handle installed, it can also control the gimbal and camera focus at the same time. The DJI Three-channel Follow Focus and Master Wheel can also be used with the Bright Monitor. It achieves more precise focus and gimbal control, meeting the needs of film and television production.
Inspire 3 battery life and DJI PRO SSD 1TB
The Inspire 3 is equipped with a dual-battery system. It can provide a flight time of up to 28 minutes and supports hot-swappable batteries. The battery lock has been redesigned, and the aircraft does not need to be turned off during battery replacement. The new integrated charging hub can install eight batteries at the same time. And in fast-charging mode, two batteries can be charged to 90% in 35 minutes. All eight batteries can be fully charged in just 160 minutes.
The Inspire 3 comes with a DJI PRO SSD 1TB with a read rate of up to 900MBps.Moreover, it can be connected to a computer via USB-C to USB-C cable without a card reader. The newly designed telescopic storage box is equipped with a retractable handle, two handles, and four universal wheels. This design approach accommodates all items needed for flight. The new folding quick disassembly paddle is easy to store. It does not need to be installed one by one before takeoff, and it can fly out of the box.
Inspire 3 price
Gizcoupon has learned that the official price of the DJI Inspire 3 Combo is 79,888 yuan(≈$11680.56), which includes the aircraft, Zenmuse X9-8K Air gimbal camera, RCPlus remote controller, 6 TB51 intelligent batteries, charging hub, PRO SSD 1TB, roller case, 3 pairs of foldable quick-release propellers, gimbal camera case, lens case, remote controller strap, dual-head screwdriver, and other abundant accessories.
In addition, the rich accessories can also be purchased separately, including DJI DL 18 mm F2.8 ASPH lens (new) for 7,999 yuan(≈$1169.55), DJI DL 24/35 mm F2.8 LS ASPH lens for 8,499 yuan, DJI DL 50 mm F2.8 LS ASPH lens for 7,499 yuan(≈$1096.44), DJI RC Plus remote controller for 9,000 yuan(≈$1315.90), DJI TB51 intelligent battery for 1,599 yuan(≈$233.79), and DJI Cellular Module (TD-LTE wireless data terminal) for 699 yuan(≈$102.20). The Cinema DNG and Apple ProRes RAW usage licenses are priced at 5,999 yuan(≈$877.12).
Host kits and related accessories will be available through DJI’s official mall, JD.com, Tmall, and Suning (JD.com, Tmall, and Suning are both large e-commerce platforms in China) and flagship stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and other authorized stores in June 2023.
