When DJI released the inspired one in 2014, it was an instant hit. For the first time, filmmakers had a professional cinematography drone ready to fly straight out of the box. But that was almost six years ago. In 2017, the company was back with a new and improved version, the DJI Inspire 2.
In this article, we will be giving you a detailed review of the DJI Inspire 2. If you do not have time to go in-depth, you can skip ahead to the pros and cons section for a quick informative review.
Table of Contents
Our Verdict
- Efficient workflow
- Sense and avoid
- Spotlight Pro; Compatible with 5.2K Gimbal Cameras
The DJI Inspire 2 is everything cinematographers, and videographers look for in a drone. It is expensive, no doubt, but investing in it is worth the cost if you regularly shoot high definition video footage. It has many great features, which make it easy for the user to concentrate either on video quality or flight, depending on their preference.
It has better cameras, additional batters, IMU sensors, barometers for a smooth flight and powerful propellers, which ease flight and make it able to keep up with high speed moving footage without compromising on video quality. It can be seen as excessive for hobbyists looking for just a drone, as it is designed to appeal to cinematographers and videographers.
Design
What sets the DJI Inspire 2 from the other drones that DJI has released previously is that it has two of everything. It has two batteries; it has two cameras, the camera you shoot with, and an FPV or first-person view camera. It also has two IMU sensors or inertial motion units. It also has two barometers, multiple processors.
The base model of this drone does not come with a camera. But if you want one or both cameras, the price substantially increases. There are many things to like about the DJI Inspire 2. The increased IMU sensors and barometers create a dual redundancy, giving accurate flight data.
The superior propellors allow it to thrust into speed from 0 to 50 mph in just 5 seconds and fly at a maximum altitude angle of 40 degrees. It can also seamlessly transmit videos up to a maximum distance of 4.3 miles. It has two controllers, which can be used up to 100 meters apart without any dip in quality. It has a ‘Smart Return to Home’ system.
How it works is that if the drone loses signal, the drone will return to home or the original point using the same route while simultaneously looking for the transmission signal to reconnect. It also has a ‘Spotlight Pro’ system, where it can focus and spot on a particular object and track it on video. It also has 360 degrees rotating gimbal and a 4k camera.
Flight
Since DJI Inspire 2 has many great processing abilities, DJI has built in a few more smart, intelligent flying modes. This allows you to focus less on flying the drone itself and where you are heading and focus more on what you are shooting, which is fantastic. It used to be that if you wanted to capture good looking drone footage, you probably needed to use two pilots.
You would have one person control the drone, and the other person worries about what was on the camera. But when you get all of these extra smart sensors on the drone itself, it allows you to step back from worrying about controlling the drone and focus on the camera or do it in the opposite fashion where you can let the drone take care of the camera work whereas you worry about its flying.
And that opens up a bunch of different possibilities. For what you can do with it. It is also quick enough that it can keep up with the vehicle speed going on a highway for the first time. Other drones would usually slow down a little, so they can only hit about 45 miles an hour.
Camera Quality
A good example of the superior camera quality of the DJI Inspire 2 is taking it out and going for a car review. Using the DJI Inspire 2’s active track system to lock the camera onto the car and fly the drone, dodge trees, and it would keep the car perfectly in the frame.
You can fly it wherever you wanted 360 degrees and not have to worry about keeping it in the frame or keeping the light levels correct or anything like that. The drone can take care of it. The other great thing is that if you do want to worry about the camera and have the drone fly itself, it has this great system where there are two cameras to look at.
So you can split your screen on your tablet, so the main picture is what you are shooting, and there is also an FPV camera on the front that allows you to see the drone’s movements. So you can have a picture in picture screen on your tablet and monitor both of those things at once.
This makes it possible to multitask while you fly. So you can keep an eye on what the drone is flying into and keep an eye on what the camera is shooting and whether or not the shot looks good.
Build Quality
One of the best things about the DJI Inspire 2 is that it feels exactly like every other DJI drone right out of the box. It is a little bit heavier in the air because it is heavier due to the multiple sensors, batteries, cameras, processors, etc., so it is going to feel a little bit heavier in the air, so it is not going to slow down as quickly, and it is not going to turn immediately like some other drones.
But in terms of responsiveness, it is the same as every other DJI drone. So even if you have never flown this particular drone before and flown drone by other manufacturers, you can pick up this bigger, nicer drone and feel right at home.
Battery
As mentioned before, the DJI Inspire 2 has two batteries. The benefit of having two batteries is that not only does it give you more time to fly around and capture great footage, but also it can power more processors. And power more sensors, which makes the drone smarter overall. The dual battery allows for an additional flight time up to a maximum of 27 minutes.
It also has a self-healing technology, which allows it to fly even in low temperatures. It has a 4280mAh battery, which can withstand a temperature of -4 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The remorse controller inbuilt battery is of 6000 mAH capacity and can also operate between -4 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Storage
The DJI Inspire 2 does image processing and storage at 6K RAW @ 4.4 Gbps video recording. It has an all-new CineCore 2.1 with integrated DJI CINESSD. It saves video files in FAT32/exFAT format. You can store the video footage in the DJI CINESSD or can use an SD memory card.
Pros And Cons
If you are reading this section, you have either gone through the whole article so far or are in a hurry and want a quick list of the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing a potentially expensive drone. Either way, we have you covered. In this section, we will be discussing the pros and cons of using the DJI Inspire 2.
- Dual cameras, one for shooting and the other are FPV to monitor drone movements.
- Dual battery, giving more power and longer life.
- Optional accessories to upgrade the drone.
- Increased IMU and barometer, which translates to better reliability.
- High speed and flight performance.
- Video transmission to the tablet.
- Slightly heavier than a standard drone.
- Without upgrades, it is a standard drone without cameras.
- Upgrades and accessories are expensive.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t necessarily something that hobbyists are going to pick up. But if you are looking for a professional aerial videography drone that works right out of the box, the DJI Inspire 2 should be on your radar.
We strongly advise readers to use the DJI Inspire 2only for its intended use. We do not recommend the drone for any illicit surveillance, illegal photography or videography, or any other related activities.
DJI Inspire 2
Summary
The DJI Inspire 2 is everything cinematographers, and videographers look for in a drone. It is expensive, no doubt, but investing in it is worth the cost if you regularly shoot high definition video footage. It has many great features, which make it easy for the user to concentrate either on video quality or flight, depending on their preference.