Some technology can be difficult to get your head around. Much like learning to play an instrument, learning to use a piece of technology can be unnerving at times, particularly if it’s expensive and there’s a risk of breaking, or even crashing.
For many, drones might fit into this category. The risk of a crash means the risk of a broken gadget, thanks in part to propellers, lightweight construction, and just that overwhelming niggling feeling that the thing will run out of battery just as it makes its way back from being over water. Good luck blocking out the part of your brain that just expects it to come crashing into the sea.
Fortunately, drone makers are beginning to think of this type of person, also known as the drone newbie or beginner drone operator.
This week, DJI has launched a couple of highly portable entry-level drones that beginners can get into using, flying using their phone and then packing into their luggage.
The DJI Lito series takes the company’s rough 20 year history building drones and packages it into compact models designed to be inexpensive. They’ll start with the Lito 1, a small drone featuring a 48 megapixel 1/2-inch sensor with an F1.8 aperture, a combination able to capture 4K video and 8K photos.
Meanwhile, the Lito X1 takes the same style of hardware, but matches a bigger sensor and slightly wider lens, supporting an F1.7 aperture and a 1/1.3-inch sensor similar to the Insta360 Link 2 Pro. A combination of a bigger sensor and a wider lens means you’ll get more light into the camera, helped in part with HDR video supported here.
Both the Lito models apparently include some features designed to put some of the drone fears at ease, with omnidirectional vision to avoid walls, with LiDAR sensors like on the iPhone range to understand depth as the drone is flying. There’s also up to 36 minutes of battery time, though the batteries can be replaced to give you a little bit more.
Like other DJI models, they can be controlled using a remote control, but also handled using your phone, with support for automatic camera moves to let newbies control a drone with a little more professional-grade accuracy.
The price could be the most compelling part, with the Lito 1 starting at $539, while the Lito X1 will sell for a little more, priced in Australia from $619. Both are set to available shortly in Australia and across the world.
