If you’re in the market for a high-end consumer drone and have some cash to splash, you might want to see what DJI has to say at an upcoming “special announcement” event on November 15.
The company started sending out notices on Wednesday, with TechCrunch adamant the drone maker is about to reveal an all-new version of its top-of-the-range Inspire 1 drone.
“Control/create,” it says on the invite for the LA event, both the wording and location apparently highlighting its continued determination to push the Inspire toward professional filmmakers as well as general consumers with a few bucks to spare.
The original Inspire 1 was received with great enthusiasm when it launched in November 2014, and although it received a minor upgrade at the start of 2016, significant advances in drone technology have finally prompted DJI to revamp the machine.
Expect major improvements on all fronts, including the addition of must-have features missing from the Inspire 1 such as obstacle avoidance capability, as seen with the company’s Phantom 4 bird and its new, foldable Mavic Pro model.
The new Inspire drone could also be sleeker and a little smaller, but is expected to retain some of its distinctive features, including its awesome retractable landing gear that gives it a new shape in the air and greater flexibility for aerial filming.
Whatever you do, though, don’t expect the new Inspire drone to come cheap – DJI’s current camera-equipped model starts at $2,000, topping out at a hefty $6,500 for the Inspire 1 RAW kit.
Aimed at pro filmmakers who don’t have a Hollywood budget to burn, the Inspire is unlikely to be your debut drone. For some ideas on better-priced alternatives for newbies and experienced pilots alike, check out DT’s pick of some of the best drones currently on the market.
