Sony has announced that it is discontinuing the Sony Airpeak S1 drone. The company first revealed the drone at CES in January 2021.
Sony Airpeak S1
Sony launched the Airpeak S1 in the second half of 2021 with a $9,000 premium price tag. The drone was designed to work with Sony’s mirrorless cameras. It also promised advanced features such a maximum speed of 55.9mph and the ability to fly in winds over 44 mph. However, flight times were limited to only 12 minutes with a gimbal and camera attached. In addition, the Airpeak S1 received poor reviews and struggled to compete with drones from DJI and other competitors.
What has Sony announced?
Sony posted a notice to its Japanese website at the beginning of November. In the notice, the company confirmed that it will stop selling the Airpeak S1 on March 31st, 2025. The statement simply said the drone is being axed “Due to recent changes in the business environment.” No further explanation was given.
The move was somewhat unexpected as Sony had launched new add-ons for the drone as recently as last year. These accessories included a new lighter gimbal and an enhanced battery for longer flight times.
What next?
As well as discontinuing the Airpeak S1, Sony is stopping the supplies of accessories for the drone. You won’t be able to buy the gimbal, battery charger or remote control after the end of March 2025. However, you will have an extra year until March 31, 2026, to pick up replacement batteries and propellers.
In addition, Sony has committed to offering inspections, repairs and software maintenance for five years, ending after March 2030. At the time of writing, the retailer B&H is still listing the Airpeak S1 as available, but on Special Order only.
What we think
When it was first announced, the Sony Airpeak S1 was an exciting prospect. Unfortunately, the drone never lived up to those early expectations. Sony responded to the initial poor reviews with improved software and accessories. However, the slow progress with updates and the hefty price limited the sales of the drone. In addition, when Sony launched its ILX-LR1 full frame box camera specifically designed for drones last year, somewhat bizarrely it wasn’t compatible with the Airpeak S1. It seems that the writing had been on the wall for the Sony Airpeak S1 for some time.
