The end of the road comes for Sony's expensive AirPeak S1 drone.
Three years after its launch, Sony has announced that it will cease production of the expensive AirPeak S1 drone next year.
Sony has decided to discontinue the production of the AirPeak S1 drone next year, three years after it began accepting orders for this remote-controlled flying equipment. In a statement posted on its Japanese website, the company announced that it will cease sales of the drone and most of its related products by the end of March 2025. However, batteries for the AirPeak will remain available until March 2026, and repair and software maintenance services will be offered until March 2030.
The reason behind this decision is attributed to "changes in the business environment," a phrase that could be interpreted as a subtle reference to sales not meeting expectations. Sony launched the AirPeak S1 in 2021 as a bold move to compete with DJI, the sector giant, targeting professionals in filmmaking and photography by offering a system that allowed the use of their high-end mirrorless cameras. However, the $9,000 price tag for the drone was considerable and likely contributed to its market failure.
Launched with high hopes, the AirPeak S1 promised a maximum speed of 55 mph and a dual operation mode allowing one person to fly the drone while another controlled the camera. It could also remain stable in winds of up to 44.7 mph, ideal for cinematic shots in adverse conditions. However, a notable critique of the equipment was quite negative, accusing it of having a complicated setup process, poor performance, issues with camera transmission, and limitations in the app, describing it as "a total failure for Sony."
Despite the company implementing improvements through software updates, these efforts could not salvage the device. So far, Sony has not announced any other drones in its extensive product range, suggesting that this situation will not change in the near future.
