Sony Airpeak S1 $9,000 Drone Discontinued

Drone News

by Heath McKnightNovember 8^th, 2024

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In an announcement from Sony, the Airpeak S1 professional drone has been discontinued nearly four years after its announcement at CES 2021. The Airpeak S1 made waves as it was the smallest drone that could carry Sony Alpha cameras. It was also the first in the planned Airpeak line of professional drones, but it came with a premium price of $9,000, putting it out of reach for many.

The Sony Airpeak S1 had impressive features but entered a crowded market

Sony teased the Airpeak line of premium drones in late 2020 but was entering a market dominated by DJI and other lower-cost drones. My colleague Olaf von Voss made some excellent points at the time: The new Sony drones needed to be great, not just “decent.” He also said the price really needed to hit the target market, which included indie filmmakers.

The Airpeak S1 featured a Sony-designed and manufactured component and flight control system, a top speed of 55 mph (90 km/h), a maximum tilt angle of 55°, and a maximum angular velocity of 180°/s – plus five built-in stereo cameras (front, back, right, left, and bottom) to help with overall flight stabilization and avoiding objects, and an infrared ranging sensor.

One highlight was being the smallest professional drone that could carry a Sony Alpha or FX 3 camera. It really did have the potential to be a hit for filmmakers, photographers, and others.

Unfortunately, the $9,000 price tag didn’t hit the target market, and reviews were mixed. Additionally, the field is crowded with drones that range from low-cost to premium. DJI has dominated the market since 2006 and has been the go-to drone for filmmakers, video professionals, YouTubers, and others.

When compared to similar drones, the Airpeak S1 is nearly half the price of the DJI Inspire 3 ($16,499). But it’s still pricier than DJI’s popular Mavic 3 Cine ($4,799) or Mavic 3 Pro (starting at $2,149).

Sony announces the end of the Airpeak line

Sony released a statement on its website (translated) at the start of November:

“Due to recent changes in the business environment, Airpeak S1 and related products will be discontinued at the end of March 2025, with the exception of some accessories. Please check the following for a list of products scheduled to be discontinued and details of the planned end of support, including repair services after the end of sales.”

The discontinued products include the Airpeak S1 itself, gimbals, transmitter, battery charger and station, battery backs, RTK kit, and the propeller. Sales of the propeller and battery pack will continue until March 2026; service and inspections continue until March 30, 2030.

Another camera company that entered the drone market late in the game was GoPro. Their cameras had famously been used on third-party drones for years before the Karma hit the scene in October 2016. The company had a tough 2017 and, unfortunately, laid off workers amid lower sales. GoPro discontinued the Karma in January 2018, just 15 months after its splashy debut.

What’s next?

For Sony, they exit the highly competitive drone market dominated by rivals DJI and very few others. The company’s other professional video, cinema, and photography lines are still highly successful, and of course, the company will continue developing those products.

Keep an eye on B&H for potential close-out deals on the Sony Airpeak S1 and accessories.

What do you think of the announcement that Sony is ending the premium Airpeak S1 drone? Have you ever used one with a Sony Alpha Series camera? Let us know in the comments below!