Astro Base Industrial Drone with Mapping Payload & Pilot Pro Controller Review
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Our editorial take on the Astro Base Industrial Drone with Mapping Payload & Pilot Pro Controller
The Freefly Astro platform solidifies its position as a premier industrial drone for enterprise users, particularly those requiring U.S.-made, secure hardware. Its full Blue-NDAA certification is not just a footnote; it is a core feature that opens doors to government and sensitive commercial work. The system is built around a concept of modularity and versatility, moving beyond a single-purpose tool. With a well-developed ecosystem that includes the Pilot Pro Controller and integrated software, the Astro is presented as a complete professional package, not just a standalone aircraft.
The real strength of the Astro lies in its adaptable payload system. While it excels at industrial tasks like mapping and inspection, its ability to carry high-resolution cameras such as the 60-megapixel Sony a7R IV gives it intriguing, if secondary, appeal for high-end aerial imaging. The introduction of the Astro Max variant, which boasts double the payload capacity and a significant thrust increase, demonstrates a clear roadmap for handling more demanding missions. This is not a drone for the casual flyer or aspiring filmmaker. It is a robust, high-performance workhorse designed for organizations that need a reliable and scalable aerial solution.
- Fully Blue-NDAA Certified and made in the USA
- Versatile payload system supports mapping, inspection, and high-res cameras
- Rugged industrial design built for professional use
- High-performance 'Max' version available for heavier payloads
- Comprehensive ecosystem with controller and software integration
- Primarily focused on industrial and commercial applications
- Complexity and feature set may be overwhelming for non-professionals
- High price point implied by enterprise-grade features
Synthesized by Geared editors from early expert reviews.
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Freefly Systems has announced the Astro, a new quadcopter designed for industrial use, highlighting its mapping payload and compatibility with the Pilot Pro Controller. The company also hinted at a new 4K camera.
The Astro is a rugged mid-range commercial quadcopter drone platform, primarily aimed at non-filmmaking professional applications, but also interesting for independent filmmakers due to the 60 megapixel Sony a7R IV camera.
Astro Max is Freefly's latest industrial drone, built for performance with double the payload capacity and 60% more thrust.
Fujifilm’s new X Half camera is quirky, limited, and kind of fascinating. It ditches modern features like RAW, EVF and stabilization in favor of film-like charm, a small 1-inch sensor, built-in filters, and a digital “film advance” lever.
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About this product
The Freefly Astro Base Industrial Drone with Mapping Payload & Pilot Pro Controller is a customizable aerial platform designed for professional and industrial applications. It includes a mapping payload featuring a 61MP Sony a7R IVA camera with a Sigma 24mm f/3.5 lens and is controlled by the Pilot Pro controller with an 8" tablet display.
Specs
- Weight
- 14.694 lb / 6.665 kg (with Maximum Payload)
- Remote ID
- No
- Photo Modes
- Interval, Single Shot
- Battery Type
- Built-In Lithium-Ion Polymer (LiPo) (4950 mAh)
- GNSS Support
- GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo
- Night Vision
- No
- Camera System
- Gimbal Camera; 61 MP, Full-Frame CMOS Sensor with 24mm-Equivalent, f/3.5 Lens (84.1° FoV)
- Diagonal Size
- 36.1" / 917 mm (Without Propellers); 55.4" / 1407 mm (Including Propellers)
- Shutter Speed
- 1/8000 to 30 Seconds (Photo); 1/8000 to 1/4 Second (Video)
- Control Method
- Included Transmitter
- Package Weight
- 67 lb
- Propeller Size
- 21"x7"
- Transmitter I/O
- 1x Micro-HDMI (Video)
- Built-In Display
- 8" (1920 x 1080) Touchscreen LCD
- Internal Storage
- In Remote/Transmitter 64 GB
- Maximum Flight Time
- 32 Minutes
- Rotor Configuration
- Quadcopter
- Still Image Support
- Up to 61 MP (Raw / JPEG)
- Transmission System
- Proprietary; 900 MHz / 2.4 GHz
- Operating Conditions
- 12 to 82°F / -20 to 50°C
- Flight Battery Weight
- 2.25 lb / 1.02 kg
- Gimbal Number Of Axes
- Three: Pitch (Tilt) / Roll / Yaw (Pan)
- ISO Sensitivity Range
- Photo: 100 to 32,000 (Extended: 50 to 102,400); Video: 100 to 32,000 in Manual Mode; Video: 100 to 12,800 in Auto Mode
- Mobile App Compatible
- No
- Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
- 33.25 x 26 x 25.5"
- Media/Memory Card Slot
- In Gimbal SD/SDHC/SDXC; In Remote/Transmitter microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC
- Minimum Focus Distance
- 4.3" / 109.2 mm
- Flight Battery Capacity
- 7300 mAh / 157 Wh
- Flight Battery Chemistry
- Lithium-Ion
- Maximum Video Resolution
- Up to UHD 4K at 30 fps
- Maximum Operating Distance
- 1.24 Miles / 2.00 km
- Flight Battery Configuration
- 6 S / 21.6 V
- Remote Controller Dimensions
- 13.1 x 10.3 x 7.9" / 332 x 262 x 200 mm (Antennas Unfolded); 8.5 x 10.3 x 3.1" / 216 x 262 x 79 mm (Antennas Folded)
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