Sony Airpeak

Sony has revealed their UAV in the CES 2021

Finally Sony has showcased and revealed their UAV during the CES 2021. It is a quadcopter capable of carrying its Alpha Range of cameras. Like the Inspire 2, it carries 2 batteries for redundancy and safety purpose.

Although Sony has not release the specs of the drone, it is likely to have a flight time of 15-20mins based on the payload and size of the batteries. It should also be capable of flying at least 70-80km/h. This drone also allows dual pilot system where one person controls the flight the other controls the main camera gimbal.

As for the price range, it should be around the price of the Inspire 2 Advance Kit. My guess will be about US$9500 if it is released. It will be interesting to see what kind of lens can fit onto the gimbal.

So where does this drone fits into the industry? In my opinion, Airpeak tries to hit one level above the Inspire 2 series like the m600, but with a smaller footprint and a lower cost. As an aerial videographer, I often received request to film footages using the same camera as the ground shots. With only Inspire 2, Phantom 4 pro and Mavic 2 Pro in our inventory, we are unable to provide that service. Technically, we can deploy the m600, but the size and high maintenance cost makes it not practical. I am excited to see how the Airpeak can bridge that gap, and at what cost?