After the official teaser in CES 2021, Sony has finally unveiled its drone – the Airpeak S1. It is a direct competitor to DJI drones, which has led the drone market for quite some time. So, let’s walk through the specs, features, availability, and expected price of the Sony Airpeak S1 in Nepal.
Sony Airpeak S1 Overview:
Design and Build
The Airpeak S1 is a larger aircraft that resembles the DJI Inspire 2 in size and shape. However, Sony has debuted this beast with greater power for beefier payloads, faster acceleration, and full remote camera control.
The drone is designed to be compatible with Sony mirrorless cameras such as the a7S III, a7R, FX3, and Alpha 1. These cameras will be attached to the Gremsy T3 gimbal, which has been specially built to complement the aircraft. But what’s surprising is that you’re gonna have to buy it separately.
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Top-notch flight
According to Sony, the Airpeak S1 accelerates from 0 to 50 mph in 3.5 seconds. This is 1.5 seconds quicker than the Inspire 2, DJI’s fastest drone. The quadcopter can tilt up to 55º and remain stable in winds of up to 44.7 miles per hour. Similarly, without a payload, it can fly at a speed of 56mph.
The biggest letdown, though, is the short flight duration. It has mere 12 minutes of flight time with a full payload, and 22 minutes when not stuffed. The drone has a number of sensors and an integrated camera that detects and avoids possible obstructions, while the Airpeak Flight app relays the view to your mobile.
Strangely, the app is only available on the iOS platform for now, whereas Sony’s own smartphones run on Android. Meanwhile, the Airpeak Base web app enables the operator to control equipment, make flight plans, and monitor flight logs.
Dual operation mode
Among the main pros of this drone is the dual operator support. It allows one person to operate the drone while the other manages the camera and gimbal motions independently. The camera attached to the Airpeak S1 will have to utilize its own battery and can communicate through USB-C and HDMI ports.
Sony Airpeak S1 Specifications:
- Aircraft Weight: Approx. 2.73 kg
- Dimensions: 20.75(H) x 23.38(W) x 20.25(D) inches (without propellers）
- Gimbal: Gremsy Gimbal GBL-T3
- Image Sensor: 1/4 inch 8.17Mpx CMOS Sensor
- Gimbal Axis: 2 Axises Gimbal (Tilt, Roll)
- Propeller Size: 17 inch
- Flight Time (Max): 12 min (with payload), 22 min (without payload)
- Max Wind Resistance: 20m/s (44.7 mph) without payload
- Max Speed: 25m/s
Sony Airpeak S1 Price in Nepal and Availability
Sony Airpeak S1 will be available from Fall 2021 for USD 9,000, which includes two pairs of propellers, a controller, two batteries, and a charger. With the gimbal and camera included, it ends up costing USD 15,000. We expect the price of the Sony Airpeak S1 in Nepal to be around NPR 1.2 million if and when it launches here.
| Drone | Price in the US | Price in Nepal (Expected) |
| Sony Airpeak S1 | USD 9,000 | NPR 1,200,000 |
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