DJI Inspire 3: What we know from leaks and rumors so far

The Inspire line has been a powerhouse for DJI. With Inspire 2 continuing to be one of the most popular drones around for aerial cinematography, it’s easy to see why the tech giant has not felt the need to refresh the range sooner. But the Inspire 3 is definitely coming. And it’s hopefully coming soon. Here’s everything we know from rumors and leaks so far.

The Inspire 2 was announced in 2016. By 2018, drawings and possible specs for its successor had started doing the rounds. Insiders expected DJI to announce both the Mavic 3 and Inspire 3 in 2020. But then the pandemic changed the world as we knew it, and tech supply chains have never been the same again.

Related: DJI Mic is now available to buy, but delivery may take almost 2 months

The Mavic 3 finally came out in November 2021. And the progress on Inspire 3 finally seems to be picking up in 2022.

Earlier this year, DJI sent what looks like a product discontinuation notice to its dealers in China. That communication indicated that once the current Inspire 2 inventory is exhausted, new stock would not be provided for sale. The dealers should instead expect a strategy for new product switchover. That rekindled hopes that Inspire 3 was nearing production.

In the meantime, DJI leaker @DealsDrone shared a product launch roadmap that indicated Inspire 3 could be announced in September 2022.

But this week, we have finally stumbled upon the first real evidence that the long-awaited drone is actually in development. A test unit apparently crashed during flight and was picked up by someone other than DJI personnel. From there, it didn’t take long for leakers to get their hands on the pictures of the prototype (above), putting all doubts to rest that DJI had abandoned the Inspire series altogether.

Foldable propellers

The one detail that immediately stands out from the crash photos is that the Inspire 3 drone will come with foldable propellers – a first for this series. The retractable landing gear, meanwhile, has been retained from the earlier generation.

The crashed drone, sadly, wasn’t retrieved with a sensor, but it’s highly likely that the Zenmuse X9 – which was first introduced with DJI Ronin 4D cinema camera – would be compatible with the Inspire 3.

DJI RC Plus compatibility

The RC Plus, as you may recall, is DJI’s new flagship remote controller. It officially supports the DJI Agras T40 and T20P drones as well as the new enterprise offering, the M30. However, if long-time DJI leaker OsitaLV is to be believed, the RC Plus should be compatible with the new Inspire 3 as well.

Meanwhile, here’s DJI in their own words:

The DJI RC Plus Remote Controller with a 7-inch large high-bright screen is designed for industry users and supports Dual Operator mode. Highlights include:

– IP54 rated with protection against extreme environments

– Dual external antennas provide stable image transmission with a maximum flight time of six hours

– 8-core high-performance processor

Possible Inspire 3 specs

In addition to these details, OsitaLV has also shared his predictions for the professional drone. These include:

• New O4 video transmission with dual RC
• CineCore 3.1
• Super 35 or large format CMOS sensor
• 8K 75fps, 6K 100fps, 4K 200fps
• No crop in every framerate
• RAW 12 bit / ProRes 4444XQ / 422HQ
• Time code sync
• Omni-directional obstacle avoidance
• APAS Pro
• High accuracy maneuvering
• Somatosensory gimbal control
• Portable video receiver for director
• Stepless iris adjustment

It’s worth reiterating that these are just probable specs and features. But if OsitaLV’s wish list indeed turns out to be close to the actual specs, it wouldn’t be the first time that that’s happening.

How much will the Inspire 3 cost?

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that this drone will not be cheap. Just look at the price hike on the Mavic 3 series. OsitaLV believes the DJI Inspire 3 will cost at least 1.5 times as much as the Ronin 8K, which can be pre-ordered for $11,499. Other industry experts also agree that the drone can easily stretch past $10,000, depending on the camera payload.

However, this kind of price tag shouldn’t bother professional users for whom this drone is intended. They would likely recover the cost of the product within days of its arrival.

In any case, now that Inspire 3 is out there, being tested in the wild, more leaks are bound to follow. Watch this space for updates!

Read more: Did this police drone crash help DJI improve the M300?

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