Sony has announced its first drone, the Airpeak S1, and it will out-accelerate the competition by rocketing to 50 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 55.9mph. That makes it the fastest accelerating drone in the industry. It’s not competing with small consumer drones like the DJI Mavic Air 2, however -- this is a large pro-level drone designed to carry a gimbal and a full-size camera, ready for commercial use in the skies. And it costs $9,000.
The Airpeak S1 has a 644mm total span, making it similar in size to the DJI Inspire 2 but far more capable in terms of payload and ability. It's the smallest drone that can carry a full-size mirrorless Sony Alpha camera equipped with interchangeable lenses. It uses five stereo cameras and two infrared cameras along with Sony’s new Vision Sensing Processor, and power is delivered using a new propulsion system using brushless motors, and an internal battery for a flight time of up to 22 minutes. Sony promises excellent stability during windy conditions too, stating it will remain steady even when wind speed reaches 44mph or 20 meters per second.
