In an announcement from Sony, the Airpeak S1 professional drone has been discontinued nearly four years after its announcement at CES 2021. The Airpeak S1 made waves as it was the smallest drone that could carry Sony Alpha cameras. It was also the first in the planned Airpeak line of professional drones, but came with a premium price of $9,000, putting it out of reach for many. The Sony Airpeak S1 had impressive features, but entered into a crowded market Sony teased the Airpeak line of premium drones in late 2020, but was entering a market dominated by DJI and other, lower-cost drones. My colleague Olaf von Voss made some excellent points at the time: The new Sony drones needed to be great, not just “decent.” He also said the price really needed to hit the target market, which included indie filmmakers. The Airpeak S1 featured Sony-designed and manufactured component and flight control system, a top speed of 55 mph (90 km/h), a maximum tilt angle of 55°, and maximum angular velocity of 180°/s. Plus, five built-in stereo cameras (front, back, right, left, and bottom) to help with overall flight stabilization and avoiding objects, and an infrared ranging sensor. Sony Airpeak S1 Drone. Source: Sony One highlight was being the smallest professional drone that could carry a Sony Alpha or FX 3 camera. It really did have the potential to be a hit for filmmakers, photographers, and others. Unfortunately, the $9,000 price tag didn’t hit the target market and reviews...
Published By: CineD - Friday, 8 November