NEWS: DJI & Freefly NAB 2017 Final Day Roundup

As NAB 2017 draws to a close, Heliguy Insider is here to round up the products that might have slipped under your radar - we've reported on the Ronin 2, DJI Goggles, Cendence RC, CrystalSky Monitors and Tracktenna from DJI but both they, and fellow UAV market leaders Freefly proved that they're still able to surprise us. Read on to find out what you might have missed and why you should be paying attention to what these two companies are up to. This is especially true of DJI who have already announced plans for a late May (24th) event to unveil yet another new product.

DJI: Hasselblad, Seagate & No-Fly-Zone News

There's plenty to talk about from DJI's appearance so let's dive right in.  

DJI Matrice 600 Pro & Hasselblad H6D Bundle

After their first attempt to release a professional bundle featuring the original Matrice 600 and the Hasselblad A5D was quietly withdrawn, we've been waiting to see what would come of the partnership between DJI and the highly regarded Swedish camera expert.

  Now we have our answer, utilising the upgraded M600 Pro and a newer version of the Hasselblad camera range, DJI is hoping to snag professional photographers who are willing to put down £30k for an admittedly impressive 100MP aerial image capture setup. As described on our product page: "The DJI M600 Pro drone, the Ronin-MX gimbal and the Hasselblad H6D-100c camera combine each company’s unparalleled technological expertise to create an unprecedented tool for precise, detailed and accurate aerial imaging. Professional drone users can continuously control camera operations in flight using the DJI GO app, in order to provide rich imagery for landscape and fine-art photography, robust data for surveying and mapmaking, and endless possibilities for future professional applications." You can learn more about this bundle HERE.

Seagate Release DJI Branded Hard Drive For Drone Users

In another interesting turn of events this week, digital storage pioneers, Seagate, announced the DJI Fly Drive. Since the announcement at CES in January 2017 that the two companies would be collaborating there has been radio silence on what this could mean. The result of their partnership is now out in the open, a DJI branded portable hard drive with up to 2TB of storage and including a USB-C cable to cater for drone users on the go. What sets it apart from similar units, however, is the inclusion of an integrated microSD card slot.

This is great news for those out on long shoots as the compatibility of microSDs into the drive means that you're able to rapidly transfer footage in-the-field. Designed for cards with speeds of up to UHS-II, your high-capacity SDs will function smoothly with Seagate's new addition to the DJI accessory range. As it's designed for use on the go, the unit has been constructed with a 'protective bumper' which houses the USB-C cable and ensures that the inevitable knocks and bumps it will endure won't cause your day's work to corrupt and vanish. Key Features

• Up to 2TB Capacity: This means that the highest capacity Fly Drive can store over 60 hours of 4K 30fps footage.

• MicroSD Card Slot: An integrated UHS-II-rated hub means you can focus on being more effective in the field, giving you the ability to quickly drag and drop 4K files from a microSD card to the Fly Drive.

• Protective Bumper: Seagate has designed the Fly Drive with a protective bumper that offers shock resistance against the hard knocks of packing and travelling.

• USB 3.1 Interface: Compatible with both Mac and Windows, Fly Drive’s USB 3.1 Type-C interface allows for fast file transfers with the latest generation Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1 computers.

DJI Adds Parts of Iraq & Syria to No-Fly-Zone List

While everyone has been distracted by the shiny new products being unveiled by DJI, they've also quietly been doing their bit to help prevent their drones being used by malicious parties in conflict zones. As first reported by The Register, DJI's GO apps have now been updated with these new restrictions.

The Shenzhen-based market leader in drone manufacture had this to say on the subject of these amendments to their no-fly-zones: “DJI makes products purely for peaceful purposes, which is how the overwhelming majority of pilots use them, and we deplore any use of our drones to bring harm to anyone. Our geofencing system is designed to advise pilots of airspace restrictions and was never intended to enforce laws or thwart people who want to misuse our products. Certain areas vital for aviation safety or national security are marked as restricted in our geofencing system, and we are constantly adjusting those areas to account for temporary conditions that create special restrictions, such as wildfires and major public events.” DJI's new no-fly zones include the majority of the northern half of both countries (including Mosul). Heliguy Insider will be following this story and will update our readers of any significant developments.  

Freefly: MoVI Carbon & Freefly Pilot

Adding to their already impressive product range, Freefly has given fans plenty to get excited about at this NAB show. Here's what they unveiled this week.  

The MoVI Carbon 5-Axis Gimbal

The MoVI Carbon is the world’s first handheld and drone mountable 5-axis camera stabiliser. This new gimbal features 2 inner-axes which keep the camera perfectly stable in even the most demanding conditions at a full 240mm zoom.

This new MoVI unit comes with an a7S II and Sony 24-240mm lens integrated into the gimbal. Freefly has miniaturised, optimised, and cut every gram of weight of the 5-axis design so that you can get it into the world’s most interesting places. MoVI Carbon will enable shots such as:

• Natural history shot while moving freely from 24-240mm

• Sporting events covered while moving at any focal range

• Low-level dynamic drone shots from focal ranges no other system can achieve

• Lightweight vehicle mounted shots (car, motorcycle, bike) with the ability to move the camera in or through scenes all while zooming, framing as the operator sees fit.

Please Note: We strongly recommend that you research local regulations and consult the necessary authorities before attempting these shots.

This is the first in Freefly’s upcoming line of 5 axis gimbals featuring the smallest cinema quality package with an impressive zoom range. Experience the power of a7S III and Sony 24-240mm lens. It’s compact, dynamic, sensitive, and extremely capable. These specs make it a perfect addition to the Freefly ALTA series, lining up superb aerial shots and making the most of the technology.  

The Freefly Pilot

Freefly's Pilot is built to integrate tightly with RED, ARRI, Sony, Phantom, and LANC cameras. With RED RCP support, you can have complete control of your RED camera from 600+ feet away. See below for a list of cameras and the control Pilot offers:

• RED: Full camera control via RCP

• ARRI: Start/Stop

• Sony: LANC/Multi Terminal

• Canon: LANC

• Phantom: Start/Stop

The Freefly Pilot was designed to integrate seamlessly with the MoVI Pro ecosystem. It gives users the ability to adjust key MōVI parameters and get real-time feedback from the MoVI from 600+ feet away. It's built on the same core frequency hopping spread spectrum 2.4Ghz link that is found in the MoVI Pro.

This product can control both the MoVI and F/I/Z outputs using Freefly’s patented MIMIC technology. Users can move the Pilot controller to control camera pointing, as well as Focus, Iris, or Zoom. It also features a 75mm soft touch focus knob with adjustable damping and a high-resolution 16bit encoder to give users precise real-time control of Focus / Iris / Zoom or any axes of MoVI Control and can quickly mount to just about anything including:

• Tripod

• MoVI Handles

• ¼ 20 Mount

• 25mm tube

• Rosette Mounts

20mm Rosettes allow the Pilot Focus and Iris blocks to mount to just about anything. Freefly has developed a variety of Rosette mounts that allow you to mount these blocks to the entire product ecosystem, these include:

• 25mm Tube Mount

• 30mm Tube Mount

• ¼ 20 to Rosette Mount

• Freefly Pilot Handlebar

• Freefly Pilot Modular

• Choose Your Grip

  Pilot offers three grip options for users as well as the info to build your own:

• Walnut wood grip

• Rubber grip

• 3D print your own (coming soon)

  It also gives the ability to define and assign specific controls to separate and independent units. You can give Iris control to one person while retaining focus and zoom on a separate unit. Each unit has its own internal battery and communicates wirelessly to the MoVI from 600+ ft.  

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Keep checking back to Heliguy's Insider Blog for more product launch announcements, DJI & Freefly insights and, of course, the latest news from the drone industry.