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New Inspire 1 Owner - Why do you fly it?

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I've been having my eye on the Inspire 1 for a few months now and just pulled the trigger yesterday on an Inspire 1 Pro. I love this machine but cant help but think about how old this drone is and having some buyers remorse (remote id compliance, batteries discontinued, outdated tech etc). Any video i search up related to this drone is really old so im wondering what are people still using this bird for? If you're a professional, is it just preference? Are there better tools for the job? My air 2s seems to be able to match what the inspire can do and some features even better. Except for being able to fly in cooler temperatures (14 F vs 32 F), interchangeable lenses and being able to fly straight while recording sideways. And if you fly for fun is it still worth it?

For some context I fly for fun. Got my first dji drone over the summer and been obsessed since. It's a shame the Inspire product line seems dead with no future. So I figured ill just get it as a collector's item and fly it occasionally 🤷‍♂️
 
Greetings from Birmingham Alabama USA, welcome to the forum!

I used my Inspire one for just about everything then upgraded to the I2. However, some of the smaller drones like the Air 2s is more practical for what I do which is mostly Commercial Real Estate. So wound up selling the I2 as well. My largest drone now is the P4P v2 but rarely use it.
 
One of the things I’ve learned about these platforms over the past few years is that these aircraft all have different applications. (Higher end UAVs like the M-30T and M-300 can do more than most, but they still have drawbacks like portability due to size) Think of them like tools in a tool belt. Below are just a few examples of how the various older aircraft are used daily, by no means is this a comprehensive list.

Lots of pilots still use the earlier Phantom Pro platforms to perform detailed surveys and 3D modeling.

Your aircraft the Inspire 1 is still deployed daily by EMS, Police, Fire departments and other various agencies utilizing its thermal camera feature.

The Inspire 2 is a fantastic, fast moving aircraft for shooting high end videos for commercial applications. However it lacks the ability to utilize the Inspire 1’s thermal camera.

The older aircraft in general are able to run 3rd party apps and software that most newer models cannot. (Drone Deploy would be a good example of an application that won’t work on any newer aircraft)

The list goes on and on and on. No matter what aircraft you purchase there are going to be things you want to do with it, that it’s just not going to do. UNLESS you can identify exactly what you’re looking to do with the UAV prior to purchase. Which most of us can’t, myself included.

My advice to any new pilots is to look at each aircraft they buy as an investment in a tool that can handle specific tasks. Try to identify what you’re looking to do with it.

Are you using it for surveying work and 3D modeling?

Are you going to want to run 3rd party software like ATAK, Drone Deploy etc?

Do you need the ability to zoom?

Do you need FLIR/Thermal imaging?

Do you want the ability to interchangeable cameras? (Your I1 is a great example of an aircraft that has the ability to swap out cameras rather than aircraft constantly)

The I1 is a fantastic platform, just might not be the right tool for the job YET. I stress yet because you never know where this journey will take you. You may think “Ahhhh I don’t need thermals.” Then a year later that’s all you’re using.

I hope this helps.
 
I've been having my eye on the Inspire 1 for a few months now and just pulled the trigger yesterday on an Inspire 1 Pro. I love this machine but cant help but think about how old this drone is and having some buyers remorse (remote id compliance, batteries discontinued, outdated tech etc). Any video i search up related to this drone is really old so im wondering what are people still using this bird for? If you're a professional, is it just preference? Are there better tools for the job? My air 2s seems to be able to match what the inspire can do and some features even better. Except for being able to fly in cooler temperatures (14 F vs 32 F), interchangeable lenses and being able to fly straight while recording sideways. And if you fly for fun is it still worth it?

For some context I fly for fun. Got my first dji drone over the summer and been obsessed since. It's a shame the Inspire product line seems dead with no future. So I figured ill just get it as a collector's item and fly it occasionally 🤷‍♂️
You'll get no more cinematic shot than a camera on a 3-axis gimbal and two operators. That is the advantage. If you're shooting pedestrian real-estate or YouTube videos, you probably don't need that level of precision. In addition, the Inspire-1 is the cheapest way to shoot RAW video. It is NOT a good drone for mapping or inspections.

D
 
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why am I using the Inspire 1? Because it has an X5 camera and this one gives me options that are not available to any mavic, including the latest M3. Interchangeable lenses with different focal lengths etc.
Well, batteries are a problem but you can still live with it. You also need to have old software + old versions of DJI GO in the drone for it to work well, but this is only an advantage. Everything works on Ipad Mini 2/3/4.

This drone will give you this:
DJI_0354.jpg

DJI_0401-Pano2.jpg


DJI_0548-HDR-Pano.jpgDJI_0420-HDR-Pano.jpg
 
I sold my I1 years ago after upgrading to an I2. I added a Mavic Air 2S to my kit when it came out. I keep and use the I2 because I have a few regular customers who require CinemaDNG, and because I shoot in some settings that require a long lens and better image quality than DJIs other zooming cameras provide. I also prefer the image quality of the X5S over the Air2S for low light stills. But for almost all of my everyday commercial and personal use I prefer the Air 2S, for its convenience and longer flight times. If the I2 did not continue to bring in thousands of dollars of income per year that I could not earn with a Mavic-class drone, I would sell the I2 for sure.
 
I enjoy the Inspire 1 Pro’s ability to change lenses in the 4/3” format . I especially like the Olympus 14-42mm zoom lens. You can really get close to the action. You get a relaxed looking picture with the X5. You can always tell the difference between a 4/3” sensor and any other. If you’re concerned about battery life you can get this 9000mAh 30-minute Battery Mod For The DJI Inspire 1 Drone Series | Air America Aerial
It gives you the flight time of an I2. It’s the only battery I fly now. Have fun with that great bird!
 
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I enjoy the Inspire 1 Pro’s ability to change lenses in the 4/3” format . I especially like the Olympus 14-42mm zoom lens. You can really get close to the action. You get a relaxed looking picture with the X5. You can always tell the difference between a 4/3” sensor and any other. If you’re concerned about battery life you can get this 9000mAh 30-minute Battery Mod For The DJI Inspire 1 Drone Series | Air America Aerial
It gives you the flight time of an I2. It’s the only battery I fly now. Have fun with that great bird!
This is awesome to hear. I have this same model and took it for my first flight this weekend. It was fun but the lens it came with was a 45mm fixed lens and kind of hard to fly cropped in like that. So i found a used Olympus 14-42mm zoom lens you mentioned so im excited to try that lens. My 6 batteries seem to be in pretty good condition but im willing to sacrifice one to either mod it myself or just pick up one from Air American Aeriel which seems promising.
 
This is awesome to hear. I have this same model and took it for my first flight this weekend. It was fun but the lens it came with was a 45mm fixed lens and kind of hard to fly cropped in like that. So i found a used Olympus 14-42mm zoom lens you mentioned so im excited to try that lens. My 6 batteries seem to be in pretty good condition but im willing to sacrifice one to either mod it myself or just pick up one from Air American Aeriel which seems promising.
One word about that lens. It fits tight onto the X5, and you might see some vibration in your videos. This is what I did to clear some room. Mark where your lens contacts the X5. Use sandpaper to somewhat smooth that area of contact. You don’t have to take much off. It is just a rubbery material. See attached photo. I also use a UV filter to somewhat balance the lens a bit, although I never had a problem with that. This lens is on the recommended lens list for the X5.
 

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why am I using the Inspire 1? Because it has an X5 camera and this one gives me options that are not available to any mavic, including the latest M3. Interchangeable lenses with different focal lengths etc.
Well, batteries are a problem but you can still live with it. You also need to have old software + old versions of DJI GO in the drone for it to work well, but this is only an advantage. Everything works on Ipad Mini 2/3/4.

This drone will give you this:
View attachment 33123

View attachment 33124


View attachment 33125View attachment 33126
These are some beautiful shots and very encouraging for what this machine can do. Which lens do you use? The one i picked up came with a 45mm fixed lens and now waiting on a Olympus 14-42mm zoom lens to try that out.
 
One word about that lens. It fits tight onto the X5, and you might see some vibration in your videos. This is what I did to clear some room. Mark where your lens contacts the X5. Use sandpaper to somewhat smooth that area of contact. You don’t have to take much off. It is just a rubbery material. See attached photo. I also use a UV filter to somewhat balance the lens a bit, although I never had a problem with that. This lens is on the recommended lens list for the X5.
I saw a video discussing tightness around certain lens. Thanks for the feedback. I picked up a balancing ring which someone recommended. ZENMUSE X5 Part 5 Balancing Ring for 01ympus 14-42 f3.5-6.5 EZ LensDefault Title
 
These are some beautiful shots and very encouraging for what this machine can do. Which lens do you use? The one i picked up came with a 45mm fixed lens and now waiting on a Olympus 14-42mm zoom lens to try that out.

night photos were taken with exactly the same. The Olympus 45mm f1.8 is a great lens. I took wide night shots of the DJI 15mm F1.7 but for me it is weak glass, a bit out of focus or I have a weak copy. However, for daytime photos I use the Panasonic 35-100 but there are some problems with this lens, unfortunately. Well, the X5 can be a bit fickle, and so is its compatibility with different lenses.
 

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