Sony has released some fresh footage shot by its new Airpeak drone.
The gorgeous video (below), shot over Japan’s remote southwestern island of Iriomote, showcases not only the drone but also the company’s full-frame Alpha 7S Mark III and FX3 cameras that the quadcopter is able to carry and the new 14mm f/1.8 GM lens, which was used to capture some of the footage.
Sony unveiled the drone at CES 2021. It said at the time that it was aiming to put the Airpeak on the market in the spring, suggesting an announcement from the Japanese tech giant may be imminent.
Although the Airpeak is pretty big compared to many of the popular consumer drones currently available, Sony claims the Airpeak is actually the smallest quadcopter capable of carrying one of its professional-level Alpha cameras.
The company has spent the last five months listening to feedback from professional drone pilots as part of efforts to refine the hardware and software powering its Airpeak drone.
Indeed, Sony describes the Iriomote drone footage as “field testing,” as the Airpeak team puts the machine through its paces to see how well it handles the Sony cameras and lenses that it’s designed to use when capturing footage.
In January, Sony released the first test footage shot by the drone. The video, which shows off the company’s Vision-S electric car concept, also includes clips of the Airpeak drone itself that allow you to see, for example, how the machine’s legs retract in flight to give it a smaller profile and better balance.
The company has also been keen to demonstrate how well its Airpeak drone can handle difficult conditions such as strong winds — the bane of drone pilots everywhere. A video released in April features impressively steady footage shot by the drone in a wind tunnel kicking up speeds of 45 mph.
If you hadn’t guessed by now, Sony’s Airpeak drone is aimed mainly at professional filmmakers and serious photography enthusiasts. We don’t have full specs or a price for the Airpeak yet, but with the launch announcement expected soon, all should be revealed in the very near future. Be sure to check back for more details.
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