Pilots who are looking to move up in the world of unmanned aerial vehicles might want to have a look at the DJI S1000, and, implicitly, our DJI S1000 review.
While you might have to register it in certain jurisdictions, it’s a great drone to purchase after you’ve gotten some experience under your belt, because of its sheer lifting power.
DJI Spreading Wings S1000 is a drone for advanced users, designed for highly professional aerial photography and cinematography.
Read on our DJI S1000 drone review to learn more about DJI S1000 features, frame, flight time, accessories, assembly, and more.
DJI S1000 Drone Main Specs
| Drone Name | Camera Type | Video Resolution | Number of Rotors | Flight Time | Remote Control Type | Amazon Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not Included | 11 kilos max. takeoff weight | Outdoor | 15 mins. | 2.4 GHz transmitter | 3.5 stars | 3.6 stars |
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Here are the main specs that we covered in our DJI S1000 review.
The S1000 octocopters are technological marvels in many ways. They have a massive carrying capacity with a strong and sturdy frame, not to mention the fact that they look like some sort of futuristic cyborg insect.
The DJI S1000 frame also provides a convenient stand for the drone, so you won’t have to worry about propping it up once you land it.
Other features of the DJI Spreading Wings S1000 include a Zenmuse Z15-5D gimbal, retractable landing gear, a spark-proof plug, and an innovative frame arm design.
You can learn more about the Spreading Wings S1000 from the manufacturer’s video presentation.
Flying the DJI S1000 Drone
While it might be theoretically possible to fly the S1000 indoors, this is mostly an outdoor drone that needs a lot of space to fly. We know, we tested for this DJI S1000 review.
You can usually fly the DJI Spreading Wings S1000 in light wind currents, and the onboard navigation system takes care of most of the heavy lifting when it comes to the flight. The DJI S1000 flight time is of up to 15 minutes.
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An improved power distribution system keeps all the cables tucked in during flights. You shouldn’t have any come loose even if the inertial dampers get overloaded.
These dampers help to separate the main airframe from the gimbal bracket, which makes the vehicle more stable overall.
With the DJI S1000 drone, you will no longer have to worry about weight limits, and will be able to fly with heavy DSLR cameras.
DJI S1000 Drone Remote Control & Accessories
The DJI S1000’s remote control is very heavy, and it features two twin joysticks that feel more like those on classic remote control monster trucks than those on a drone.
You won’t have to worry about dropping this beast, but some users with small hands complain that it’s difficult to hold.
It comes complete with an included LCD screen to tell you all of your drone’s vitals at a glance.
The standard DJI S1000 kit comes complete with the following:
- DJI S1000 octocopter;
- Carbon fiber gears;
- Charger;
- Remote control unit;
- Charge cable;
- Battery pack;
- Eight propellers;
- Propeller tool;
Each component is well-built, and the carbon fiber accessories make the drone pretty resilient in case something were to happen. This shouldn’t be an issue with most users.
But it’s nice to know if something did happen that the drone could handle it. The charger’s plug should be resistant to electric arcs as well.
You can find the DJI S1000 assembly instructions in this YouTube video.
DJI S1000 Drone – Our Verdict
What We Like
There are certain things that we like about this DJI drone. Here’s what makes it stand out in this DJI S1000 review.
While it doesn’t come with a camera, the S1000 can mount nearly anything that fits. You’ll need to buy a camera separately, but you can easily install something like a Sony A6000 or Nex7. The manufacturer originally tested it with the 5D Mark III.
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Users who want to modify the mount can do so. This means that it will look much more attractive to those who have a specialty camera that won’t fit on other drones.
Eight propellers give the octocopter more than enough lifting power to ensure that this additional load won’t bog the drone down at all.
What We Don’t Like
It’s easy to single out the DJI S1000 price as biggest drawback of the drone. Many users won’t be able to consider it a serious option because of the enormous DJI S1000 price tag.
The relatively short battery life of DJI S1000 is also a major issue considering how much you’d have to pay to get your hands on one of these drones.
Some users have complained of various manufacturing irregularities as well, which is unfortunate when they have to pay this high a price for their drone.
New pilots might also get confused by the fact that DJI offers so many kits with the S1000. All of them have differing accessories.
What Users Say
Pilots have consistently praised the frame, which should be able to hold up no matter what kind of abuse it gets put through.
This is one area where pretty much every review seems to agree that the S1000 DJI has no issues.
Some have criticized the firmware, which has caused the GPS subsystem to malfunction at times.
Even though this might be a consistent issue relating to manufacturing irregularities, other users have been very happy with the set since they get everything that they need in the DJI S1000 kit, except a camera.
Conclusion
Overall, we sought to cover all the main parts of this high-end drone in our DJI S1000 review. What we can say is that DJI clearly aimed the S1000 at the high-end market.
But it’s still easy enough to fly, so some beginner pilots might like it too. The fact that it doesn’t come with a camera means users will have to provide their own.
This could be a good thing for professional photographers. If you have any experience flying it or wanted to ask any of our experts a question, then we’d love to hear from you.
Leave all your questions or suggestions on our DJI S1000 review in the comments section belo