YouTuber Jeven Dovey has made a very educational comparison between Sony Airpeak and the DJI Mavic 3. Although these are completely different drones for different purposes, this comparison highlights the main advantages of Airpeak in order to define its market, and what made Sony develop it. Watch it below.

Sony Airpeak S1: A strange animal?

We’ve covered this drove from the beginning as for us it was a very intriguing innovation by Sony. Why? Because the Airpeak S1 is Sony’s first drone. It has been known that Sony has been trying to infiltrate the drone market, and indeed, the Airpeak has been meticulously developed for quite some time. However, after Airpeak was launched, it was marked by its high price tag as compared to other options in the market. Thus, filmmakers asked themselves about the advantages of this new drone by Sony as compared to other much more affordable options by DJI, for instance. Luckily, YouTuber Jeven Dovey made a very cool and educational video that makes things a lot clearer.

Airpeak vs. Mavik

Jeven has decided to compare the Airpeak to the DJI Mavic 3. Yes, these are wholly different animals. However, this smart comparison sheds more light on the advantages of Airpeak. Sometimes, comparing whole different products can sharpen the understandability, and in that case, it works.

DJI Mavic 3

The Mavic 3 is armed with a  20MP wide-angle Hasselblad camera with 4/3″ CMOS and a 12MP telephoto with 1/2″ CMOS, 4K video, and 28x hybrid zoom. The video quality of the wide-angle Hasselblad on the Mavic 3 o ers up to 5.1K resolution and DCI 4K at 120 fps. The 12.8 stops of dynamic range and an adjustable aperture from f/2.8 to f/11

Key features

1. 3-Axis Gimbal with Dual Cameras
2. 12MP Telephoto with 28x Hybrid Zoom
3. Up to 9.3-Mile Transmission Range
4. 10-Bit D-Log Color Pro le & HNCS
5. 8GB of Storage Space
6. 20MP 5.1K Wide-Angle 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad
   Up to 46 Minutes of Flight Time
7. 360° Obstacle Avoidance System
8. 1080p60 Live View Video Stream
9. RC-N1 OcuSync 2.0 Remote Included
10. Price: $2,200

Sony Airpeak S1

With the Airpeak S1, you can attach a host of Alpha series mirrorless cameras or the FX3 full-frame cinema camera and equip them with your arsenal of lenses. Flights can be piloted via the included controller by a single pilot, dual pilots can split drone and gimbal control with an additional remote, or you can fully automate a repeatable flight plan.

Key Features

1. Use Your Own Camera & Lenses
2. S1 Gimbal Required & Not Included
   Wind Resistance up to 44.7 mph
3. Up to 22 Minutes of Flight Time
4. Create & Fly Automated Flight Plans
5. Supports Alpha Series & FX3 Cameras
   0-50 mph Acceleration in 3.5 Seconds
6. Up to 56 mph Maximum Flight Speed
   5 Cameras & 2 IR Sensor Vision Systems
7. Obstacle Avoidance & Braking Function
8. Price: $9,000

Solo-shooter drones

Both Airpeak and Mavic 3 are designed for solo-shooting, which means, both of them can be operated by one man. One of the main differences is that the Mavic 3 has a fixed camera with limited capabilities regarding image quality, whereas Airpeak can lift any mirrorless cameras including the flagship Alpha 1 for profession grade footage. However, in terms of interface, even Airpeak can be operated by a sole operator. It seems that Sony has given special emphasis on facilitating the user experience when operating heavy lifter drones like Airpeak. For instance, the controller looks very similar. Furthermore, the Airpeak is designed for speed, not just for the flight, but for the pre-flight process. Indeed, it’s one of the friendliest heavy lifters in the market, although the price is not so friendly, especially when compared to the much more affordable Mavic 3. 

Final thoughts

In most cases, drones with a fixed camera can barely satisfy professional content creators. DJI knows that, and thus targets sophisticated hobbyists. Sony Airpeak S1 was designed for professional use, but without a steep learning curve. In fact, it looks like the Airpeak can be ideal for those who flew DJI drones but want something more professional that lifts their own full-frame mirrorless camera and lenses. Nevertheless, the elephant in the room is the price. Airpeak is pretty expensive. Should you get it? Watch the helpful comparison below. It definitely will help you decide: 

Product List

Here’re the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers. 

• Sony Airpeak S1 Professional Drone
  • Buy on B&H
  • BUY on ADORAMA
• DJI Mavic3
  • Buy on B&H
  • BUY on ADORAMA