DJI S1000 Review

DJI S1000 Spreading Wings Review

China-based DJI Innovations has ventured beyond manufacturing quadcopters. One of its recent products is the S1000 octocopter – yes, an unmanned aerial vehicle with eight propellers. According to the company, this is the ideal choice for professional photographers and videographers who want to take their HD and 4K cameras in the air. Does the drone live up to its claims? Let’s find out.

DJI S1000 Octocopter Specifications

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Inside the Box

Unlike most quadcopters that arrive at your doorstep ready-to-fly, the DJI S1000 Spreading Wings requires some assembly. You will find two trays full of all the octocopter’s parts: the landing gear, the ESC, the boom, and everything else in between. The package contains the charger and the battery as well.

The S1000 is one of the newer octocopter models of DJI Innovations. The previous models – Spreading Wings S900 and S800 EVO – have smaller bodies and lower payload capacities. When you compare this to the previous Spreading Wings models from DJI, the S1000 has nearly the same parts. There are only a few differences, such as newer motor mixers, longer diagonal wheelbases, wider frame arms, and slightly larger center frames.

Watch DJI’s introductory video of this drone:

Assembly

It’s easy to set up the S1000 octocopter. There’s little work necessary in building the whole thing. You may have to struggle a little bit with the electrical wiring, but it’s not that big of a deal. Although the end product looks like it’s full of spaghetti junctions, every wire and plug has its rightful place.

Build

Like the previous octocopters from DJI Innovations, the design of the S1000 quadcopter isn’t that impressive. Unlike the sleek forms of the Inspire 1 and the Phantom 2 Vision Plus, this octocopter looks very basic. It has carbon fiber frames that retract, but that’s it. Moreover, depending on your assembly, some retractable parts may scratch or damage the gimbal in the middle.

The good news is that the S1000 spreading wings makes up in performance for what it lacks in aesthetics – and if you ask videographers, that’s the best deal around. Sub-par visual appeal aside, this UAV wins in the sturdiness department. Carbon fiber is durable and lightweight at the same time, which is great for drones. And thanks to its retractable booms and landing gear, it’s easy to disassemble and clean.

Capacity

The true asset of the S1000 Drone is how it can carry a heavy load and still fly for 15 minutes. This new octocopter can carry a total weight of 11 kgs in the air – a far cry from the 8 kgs the S900 and the S800 EVO could take. 

Big cameras like the Canon 5D Mark 3 are not a problem, as this UAV can surely take it to the skies without any issue. As long as what you’re using is attachable to a Zenmuse Gimbal, there’s a good chance the S1000 can fly it.

Navigation

DJI’s design on this drone focuses on handling heavy payload, but that doesn’t mean the company skimped on navigation. Like most quadcopters from this manufacturer, it’s still very easy to fly. In terms of maneuvering, it’s reminiscent of the Phantom 2 Vision+. Even if the weather’s not that good, it’s easy enough to pilot – and this is all thanks to its A2 controller.

Power

Another key advantage of the S1000 is the immense power it puts out to fly. Its flight speed is amazing despite being bulky. This octocopter uses eight DJI 4114 400kv motors, which is why it’s capable of going where the user directs it, even if the weather conditions aren’t that optimal. Even better, it can carry the weight of a full HD or 4K camera under harsh circumstances. 

The Verdict

If you’re a professional photographer or videographer with a serious need for a heavy-duty drone, the S1000 octocopter is for you. DJI Innovations did not skimp on any part of this UAV, so it’s worthy of the investment. With a powerful machine like this, you’ll be able to take your footage to the skies and capture amazing stills and clips without having a hard time flying the drone.