DJI Inspire 2 VERSUS Inspire 1 PRO & RAW

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1. What's Included? 2. Appearance 3. Performance 4. Battery Life 5. Camera Specs

DJI blew people away with an action packed launch for their new iteration of the Inspire range. Filming a movie-quality scene exclusively with the new quadcopter live, in front of attendees, they were able to showcase the power of the Inspire 2 as a professional filmmaking tool. Now that the dust has settled, it's time to take a look at this new addition to their 'workhorse' range and how it compares to previous models. Check out our comparison graphic to see the key stats for the Inspire 2 and Inspire 1 PRO / RAW:

Gimbal

Camera

Vision Positioning

INSPIRE 2 VS. PRO & RAW: KEY FEATURES

The popularity of the Inspire range made the announcement of an Inspire 2 all but inevitable. Having offered the V2.0, PRO and RAW versions - the next logical step was to collate everything they had learned from the process (as well as taking on board feedback from professionals) to produce the ultimate Inspire. Have they been successful? This comparison seeks to answer that question. This rundown will focus on six key features: what’s included, appearance, performance, camera specs, additional peripherals and battery life.

1. WHAT’S INCLUDED?

Let’s start by looking at what’s included with each of the available top tier Inspire models out of the box to see which most suits your needs. Note: These lists cover what comes with the standard package and don’t take into account the various offers and bundles currently available.

What's Included?

As you can see from reviewing these models alongside each other, the RAW comes with the most gear straight out of the box. With a dual remote set-up to allow for more control over in-flight footage capture and the highly powerful X5R camera, this model is aimed squarely at professionals. The other two models aren’t short of kit, however, with the PRO packing a Zenmuse X5 gimbal, and the new Inspire 2 bringing with it two new camera solutions in the form of the hugely powerful X4S and X5S which are set to revolutionise aerial filmmaking. All members of the Inspire range covered in this rundown also come with carrying cases and camera boxes to protect your valuable gear while you’re on the move.

2. APPEARANCE

3. PERFORMANCE

Every Inspire 1 model comes ready-to-fly (RTF) straight out of the box. This means a pre-bound remote controller is included and that no tricky assembly is required. Setting up the Inspire 1 PRO and RAW for flight is simple, the propellers attach via a simple ‘press down and twist’ motion to lock them into place. When you power up the Inspire 1 outdoors it requires around 60 seconds to achieve a GPS lock. While you are able to fly without GPS using the Inspire 1’s Vision Positioning System, sensors which allow the craft to visually track obstacles, we only recommend this when flying indoors. All three versions of the Inspire 1 are a joy to fly. They’re remarkably steady, simple to get to grips with and capable of high speeds when required (DJI claims a max speed of 50mph). Thankfully, landing is just as easy as take-off. You simply need to reduce the drone’s altitude until it reaches an acceptable height and activate the autonomous landing process. You can stand back and watch as the gear lowers, the Inspire 1 descends to the ground, and the motors power down. Note: The Inspire 1 will automatically enter its landing sequence when the battery life drops to 10%. All of the set-up steps are made easy with the PRO, RAW and Inspire 2’s collaboration with the DJI GO apps (the Inspire 2 requires the more recent GO 4 app). The easy-to-follow steps ensure that everything from positioning to compass calibration is a simple, rapid process. The Inspire 2 features all of this functionality plus a whole lot more. It now has the ability to avoid obstacles both front-facing and upwards which lends itself to interior shoots and adds to the already solid visual positioning system allowing for a truly intelligent flight experience. There's also the addition of DJI's TapFly, ActiveTrack and Sport modes as well as Smart Return to Home providing lots of options for autonomy while you focus on filming or image capture. You can access all of this functionality by attaching your tablet or smartphone to the Inspire 1 (or Inspire 2) remote controller. This allows you to see what your drone is currently viewing from its camera along with vital flight stats. Multiple controllers may also be used in tandem to allow one operator full control over the flight while the other controls the camera, which will be discussed further in Section 5: Camera Specs.

4. BATTERY LIFE

5. CAMERA SPECS

INSPIRE 2 FAQs

Now that we’ve covered what you can expect from DJI’s Inspire 2, here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about this exceptional aircraft.

AIRCRAFT

What is the Inspire 2’s max flight speed?

• Max Ascent Speed: 6m/s (Sport Mode)

• Max Descent Speed: Vertical, 13.1ft/s (4m/s); Tilt, 13.1-29.5ft/s (4-9m/s)

• Default tilt: 13.1ft/s (4m/s)

• Max Speed: 58mph (forward in Sport mode)

What is the Inspire 2’s max flight time?

• Up to 25mins with Zenmuse X5S

• Up to 27mins with Zenmuse X4S

What cameras and gimbals are compatible with the Inspire 2? The Inspire 2 currently supports the Zenmuse X4S and Zenmuse X5S. Does the Inspire 2 have Obstacle Avoidance? It certainly does. The Inspire 2 features a Forward Vision System capable of detecting obstacles up to 30m ahead, whilst upward facing infrared sensors can sense obstacles at 5m. Is the Inspire 1 remote compatible with the Inspire 2? No, an Inspire 2 remote controller is required. Is there support for Master and Slave remote controllers? As with the Inspire 1 range, the Inspire 2 supports M/S controllers. The max distance between the M/S controllers for effective use is 100m, with both controllers receiving the same HD live view.   Does the Inspire 2 come with an SD card? Yes. There's a 16GB Micro SD card included. It's also worth noting that the Inspire 2 supports SD cards up to 128GB. The Micro SD cards which are currently compatible are:

• Sandisk Extreme 32GB UHS-3 V30 MicroSDHC

• Sandisk Extreme 64GB UHS-3 V30 MicroSDXC

• Panasonic 32GB UHS-3 MicroSDHC

• Panasonic 64GB UHS-3 MicroSDXC

• Samsung PRO 32GB UHS-1 MicroSDHC

• Samsung PRO 64GB UHS-3 MicroSDXC

• Samsung PRO 128GB UHS-3 MicroSDXC

What are the dimensions of the Inspire 2? 42.7cm x 31.7cm x 42.5cm without propellers. Has the Inspire 2’s propulsion system been upgraded? It has. The Inspire 2 uses 3512 motors and 1550T propellers, each rotor has a max thrust of up to 2kg. Can I carry the Inspire 2 Intelligent Flight Battery onto a commercial aeroplane? The Inspire 2 Intelligent Flight Battery has a capacity 97.5Wh and most airlines allow batteries below 100Wh in carry-on luggage. However, regulations tend to vary across airlines and regions so contact the airline or relevant regulatory body before travelling.

REMOTE CONTROLLER

How long does it take to charge a remote controller and how long does it last on a full charge? The remote controller is equipped with a 6,000mAh LiPo 2S battery which takes approx 3 hours to fully charge. Once it's powered up, it can be used for approx 4 hours. What is the largest tablet that will fit in the remote controller’s mobile device mount? The mount can support an iPad Air or other similarly-sized tablets up to 170mm tall. What is the maximum control distance between Master remote controller and Slave remote controller? The M/S remote controllers can maintain a connection at distances up to 100m.

BATTERY

How long does it take fully charge the Inspire 2's batteries? When connecting the standard Battery Charger to the Battery Charging Hub, it takes about 90mins to charge 2 batteries and 180mins to charge 4 batteries. Can I use batteries with different charge levels? The Inspire 2 can take off if the power discrepancy of the two batteries is within 13%. If it is unable to take off due to a power discrepancy, the DJI GO 4 app will notify you. What will happen if an error occurs in one battery? The Inspire 2 continuously checks battery status and will notify you via the DJI GO 4 app if a battery malfunctions. If this occurs, we strongly recommend that you land the aircraft immediately.

CAMERAS

Can I use Adobe CinemaDNG and Apple ProRes straight away after purchasing the Zenmuse X5S? No, you will need to purchase a DJI License Key to enable these formats. Does the Zenmuse X4S support the Adobe CinemaDNG and Apple ProRes? No. What is the resolution of Inspire 2’s forward-facing camera? 640 x 480px. Is the pitch of the FPV camera controllable? If you press and hold the C2 button, and at the same time use the left dial, you can control the FPV pitch. The roll axis isn't controllable.

OTHER

Is an SSD (Solid State Drive) included in the box with the Inspire 2? No. You need to purchase the DJI CINESSD and DJI CINESSD Station card reader separately. What capacities is the DJI CINESSD available in? 120GB and 480GB. Does the Inspire 2 have the RTH (Return to Home) function? Yes. During RTH, the Inspire 2 is able to collect information about the environment and automatically plan the best path back home. Being able to detect obstacles 200m away, it also restores communication faster with the remote controller during RTH after losing signal.

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