Nathan	Limback,	Los	Alamos	NM - Section	333	Exemption	Petition

April	27,	2015

U.	S.	Department	of	Transportation

Docket	Management	System

1200	New	Jersey	Ave,	SE

Washington,	DC	20590

Re:	Exemption	Request	Section	 333	 of	 the	FAA	Reform	Act	 of	 the	Federal

Aviation	 Regulations	 from	 14	 C.F.R.	 45.23(b);	 14	 C.F.R.	 Part	 21;	 14	 C.F.R.	

61.113(a)&(b);	 91.7(a);	 91.9(b)	 (2);	 91.103(b);	 91.109;	 119.121;	 91.151(a);	

91.203(a)&(b);	91.405(a);	91.407(a)	(1);	91.409(a)	(2);	91.417(a)&(b)

Dear	Sir	or	Madam,

I,	 Nathan	 Limback,	 am	 writing	 pursuant	 to	 the	 FAA	

Modernization	 and	 Reform	 Act	 of	 2012	 and	 the	 procedures	

contained	 within	 14	 C.F.R.	 11,	 to	 request	 that	 I,	 Nathan	

Limback,	an	owner	and	operator	of	small	unmanned	aircraft,	be	

exempted	from	the	Federal	Aviation	Regulations	(“FARs”)	listed	

below	 so	 that	 I,	Nathan	 Limback,	 may	 operate	 my	 small	 ultra	

light	weight	unmanned	aircraft	system	(“UAS”)	commercially	in	

airspace	 regulated	 by	 the	 Federal	 Aviation	 Administration	

(“FAA”).

As	 described	 herein	 I,	Nathan	 Limback,	 am	 a	 licensed	 private	

pilot within	the	State	of	New	Mexico with	a	current	Third	Class	

Medical;	 experienced	 in	 flying	 hobby	 helicopters,	 fixed	 wing	

planes	 and	 quad-copters for	 recreational	 purposes.	 I	 have	

added	 a	 professional grade	 quad-copter UAS	 to	 my	 inventory	

with	intent	 for	aerial	videography/cinematography	 to	enhance	

academic	 community	 awareness	 for	 those	 individuals	 and	

companies	unfamiliar	with	 the	geographical	layout	of	 the	New	

Mexico	area,	and	augment	aerial	pictures	and videos;	following	

exemption	 and	 approval	 by	 the	 FAA.	 Thereby	 enhancing	 their	
academic	 research	 experience	 for	 the	 Northern	 New	 Mexico	

area.

I	 have	 flown	 small	 and	 large-scale RC(Radio	 Control) electric	

helicopters,	 planes	and	 quad-copters for	 over	twenty	 five (25)	

years	without	incident.	Committed	to	safety	with	each	flight.	I,	

Nathan	 Limback’s,	exemption	 request	would	 permit	 operation	

of	ultra	lightweight,	unmanned	(piloted	by	remote	control)	and	

comparatively	 inexpensive	 UAS(s)	 in	 tightly	 controlled	 and	

limited	airspace.	Conducting	predetermined	operation	in	areas	

away	 from	 general	 public,	 airports,	 heliports	 and	 vehicular	

traffic	 for	 community	 videos,	 and	 within	 property	 boundaries	

for	 individual	 homeowner	 real	 estate	 listing	 videos/photos.	

Currently,	 similar	 lightweight,	 remote	 controlled	 UAS's	 are	

legally	 operated	 by	 unmonitored	 amateur	 hobbyists	 with	 no	

safety	 plan	 or	 controls	 in	 place	 to	 prevent	 catastrophe.	 I,	

Nathan	Limback,	have	personally	instilled	 safety	protocols	and	

controls in	 the	 form	 of	 pre-flight	 and	 post-flight	 check	 list to	

avoid	 and	 prevent	 public	 hazard,	 as	 well	 as	 manned	 aircraft	

hazards/catastrophe.	 This	 will	 act	 to	 further	 safety	 protocols	

exclusive	 to	lightweight	UAS's	specific	 to	 real	estate	video	and	

photography	usage	as	I,	Nathan	Limback,	record	flight	data	and	

other	 information	 gained	 through	 permitted	 flight	 operations	

to	 share	 with	 the	 FAA	 through	 any	 required	 FAA	 reports	 to	

assist	with	future	protocol	and	safety	regulation.

Granting	 my,	 Nathan	 Limback’s,	 request	 comports	 with	 the	

Secretary	 of	 Transportation’s (FAA	 Administrator’s)	

responsibilities	 and	 authority	 to	 not	 only	 integrate	 UAS's	 into	

the	national	airspace	 system,	but	 to	“...establish	 requirements	

for	 the	 safe	 operation	 of	 such	 aircraft	 systems	 [UAS's]	 in	 the	

national	 airspace	 system”	 under	 Section	 333(c)	 of	 the	 Reform	

Act	specific	to	the	use	of	UAS's	for	real	estate	purposes.	Further	

I,	 Nathan	 Limback,	 will	 conduct	 my	 operations	 in	 compliance	

with	the	protocols	described	herein	or	as	otherwise	established	

by	 the	 FAA.	 For	 the	 reasons	 stated	 below	 I,	Nathan	 Limback,	
respectfully	 request	 the	grant	of	an exemption	allowing	me	 to	

operate	 ultra	 light	 weight,	 remote	 controlled	 UAS’s	 for	

academic	community	awareness	to	benefit/stimulate	attraction	

to	 the	 New	 Mexico area	 and	 to	 enhance	 real	 estate	 listing	

videos	 for	 homeowners	who	 cannot	afford	expensive	manned	

aircraft	for	the	same	purpose.	Both	of	which	will	promote	local	

economic	 growth	 through	 increased	 employment	 and	

increased	tax	base.	Both	with	public	safety	in	mind	by	keeping	

heavier	manned	 aircraft	 containing	 combustible	 fuel	 that	 that	

poses	potential	public	hazard.

I.	Contact	Information:

Nathan	Limback

50	Obsidian	Loop

Los	Alamos,	NM	87544

Mobile:	(505)	500-2334

Email:	nlimback@gmail.com

II.	 The	 Specific	 Sections	 of	 Title	 14	 of	 the	 Code	 of	 Federal	

Regulations	From	Which	Nathan	Limback Requests	Exemption	

are:

14	CFR	21;

14	C.F.R.	45.23(b);

14	CFR	61.113	(a)	&	(b);

14	C.F.R.	91,	et	seq.;

14	CFR	407	(a)	(1);

14	CFR	409	(a)	(2);	and,

14	CFR	417	(a)	&	(b).

III.	The	Extent	of	relief	Nathan	Limback seeks	and	the	Reason	

He	Seeks	Such	Relief:

I,	Nathan	 Limback,	 submit	 this	 application	 in	 accordance	 with	

the	Reform	Act,	112	P.L.	95	§§	331-334,	seeking	relief	from	any	

currently	 applicable	 FARs	 operating	 to	 prevent	 me,	 Nathan	

Limback,	 contemplated	 commercial	 cinematic,	 academic	 and	
other	flight	operations	within	the	national	airspace	system.	The	

Reform	Act	in	Section	332	provides	for	such	integration	of	civil	

unmanned	aircraft	systems	into	our	national	airspace	system	as	

it	 is	 in	 the	 public’s	 interest	 to	 do	 so.	 My,	 Nathan	 Limback’s,	

ultra	light	weight	UAS	meets	the	definition	of	“small	unmanned	

aircraft”	as	defined	in	Section	331	and	therefore	the	integration	

of	my	 ultra	light	weight	UAS	is	expressly	 contemplated	 by	 the	

Reform	Act.	I	would	like	 to	 operate	my	 ultra	light	weight	UAS	

prior	 to	 the	 time	period	by	which	 the	Reform	Act	 requires	 the	

FAA	 to	 promulgate	 rules	 governing	 such	 craft.	 Thereby,	

providing	direct	experience	and	valuable	information	for	formal	

regulation	that	can	be	administered	uniformly	to	all	real	estate

commercial related	 UAS	 aerial	 video	 and	 photography.	 The	

Reform	 Act	 guides	 the	 Secretary	 in	 determining	 the	 types	 of	

UAS's	that	may	operate	safely	in	our	national	airspace	system.	

Considerations	 include:	 The	 weight,	 size,	 speed	 and	 overall	

capabilities	 of	 the	 UAS's;	 Whether	 the	 UAS	 will	 be	 operated	

near	airports	or	heavily	populated	areas;	and,	Whether	the	UAS	

will	be	operated	by	line	of	sight.	112	P.L.	95	§	333	 (a).	Each	of	

these	 items	 reflect	 in	 favor	 of	 an	 exemption	 for	 me,	 Nathan	

Limback.	 My	 UAS	 utilizes	 four	 (4)	 counter-rotating	 propellers	

for	balance,	control	and	stability.	My	UAS	is	equipped	with	GPS	

and	auto	return	safety	technology.	Weighing	less	than	ten (10)	

pounds	 (far	 below	 the	 maximum	 55	 pound	 limit);	 including	

camera	with	gimbal.

I,	Nathan	Limback,	consider	safety	as	foremost	with	each	flight.	

My	 small	 unmanned	 aircraft	 is	 designed	 to	 hover	 in	 place	 via	

GPS	 and	 operate	 in	 less	 than	 a	 21 knot	 (25 mph)	 wind.	 For	

safety,	 stability	and	 fear	of	 financial	loss	I	will	 not	 fly	in	winds	

exceeding	15	mph.	Built	in	safety	systems	include	a	GPS	mode	

that	allows	my	UAS	 to	 hover	in	 place	when	 radio	 controls	are	

released,	 a	 build	 in	 restricted	 flight	 zone	 limiting	 the	 altitude	

and	 radial	 vicinity	 the	 quad-copter	 can	 fly	 within	 an	 active	

airport.	With three	modes	 to	 choose	 from,	 I	 utilize	 the	 P-GPS	

mode for	 aerial	 videography/photography.	 This	 is	 the	 safest,	
most	reliable	and	stable	mode	to	prevent	accident	and	hazard.	

When	 pilot	 communication	 is	 lost	 this	 UAS	 is	 designed	 slowly	

return to	the	point	 of	take	 off.	I	 do	 not	 operate	my	UAS	 near	

airports,	Hospitals	nor	Police	heliports,	and	do	not	operate	near	

areas	where	general	public	is	within	 fifty (50)	yards	depending	

on	 location,	 conditions	 and	 weather.	 I	 am	 constantly	 on	 alert	

for	 any	 manned	 aircraft	 (Police/Medical	 helicopters,	 etc.)	 and	

prepared	 to	 land/abort	 immediately	 to	 the	 nearest	and	 safest	

ground	point	should	a	manned	aircraft	approach	my	location	or	

I	suspect	manned	aircraft	may	approach	near	my	location.	My	

UAS	 is	 capable	 of	 vertical	 and	 horizontal	 operations,	 and	 are	

flown	only	within	my	line	of	sight	of	me,	as	the	remote	control	

pilot.	 Utilizing	 battery	 power	 rather	 than	 combustible	 fuels,	

flights	 generally	 last	 between	 three	 (3)	 to	 seven	 (7)	 minutes,	

with	 an	 altitude	 under	 two hundred	 (200) feet.	 I,	 Nathan	

Limback,	utilize	a	fresh	fully	charged	battery	with	each	flight	as	

a	 safety	 precaution;	 full	 flight	 time	 limit	 for	 each	 battery	

between fifteen (15)	 to	 twenty	 (20)	minutes.	I	do	not	operate	

my	UAS	at	or	below	manufacture	recommend	minimum	charge	

levels	 for	operation,	I	also	set	safety	alerts	in	the	DJI	Pilot	App	

for	30%	remaining	battery	useful	life	to	allow	sufficient	time	to	

return	to	the	takeoff	location	or	alternate	safe	landing	location;	

preferring	 to	 remain	 well	 within	 a	 safe	 operating	 range	 to	

insure	 adequate	 communication	 between	 radio	 control	 and	

UAS	 to	eliminate	potential	 for	crash,	loss	of	control	or	hazard.	

Reserve	 batteries	 are	 at	 hand	 with	 each	 exercise	 to	 insure	

replacement	 for	 sufficient	 safe	 level	 of	 operation.	 I	 do	 not	

believe	in	 taking	 risk	 that	may	cause	a	crash	 that could	create	

hazard	 to	 the	 public/property/manned	 aircraft,	 and	 have	 no	

desire	to	lose	an	investment.	I	have	clocked	numerous	practice	

flights	in	remote	areas	as	a	hobbyist	simulating	flights	for	future	

commercial	 use	 to	 gain	 familiarization	 with	 the	 characteristics	

of	this	specific	UAS's	performance	under	different	temperature	

and	weather	conditions.	I	also	practice	computerized	simulated	

flights	to maintain	adequate	skills	and	response	reflex	time.	All	

for	the	sake	of	safety.
I,	 Nathan	 Limback,	 am	 extremely	 cautious	 when	 operating	 of	

my	 UAS/ultra	 light	 weight	 unmanned	 aircraft	 and	 will	 not	

“create	a	hazard	to	users	of	the	national	airspace	system	or	the	

public.”	112	P.L.	95	§	333	(b).	Given	the	small	size	and weight	of	

my	UAS	it	falls	well	within	Congress’s	contemplated	safety	zone	

when	 it	 promulgated	 the	 Reform	 Act	 and	 the	 corresponding	

directive	 to	 integrate	UAS's	 into	 the	 national	 airspace	 system.	

Nathan	 Limback’s UAS,	 used	 in	 hobby	 flight,	 has	 a	

demonstrable	 safety	 record	 and	 does	 not	 pose	 any	 threat	 to	

the	general	public	or	national	security. I	currently	have	over	five	

hundred (500)	hours	as	PIC	of	various	sizes	and	types	of	Radio	

Control	(RC)	model	aircraft.	I,	Nathan	Limback	currently	have	a	

Private	 Pilots	 Certificate	 with	 a	 current	 Third	 Class	 Medical.	 I	

also	posses	a	Amateur	Ham	Radio	License	which	allows	me	 to	

have	 the	 background	 and	 understanding	 of	 radio	 frequency	

propagation.	 This	 knowledge	 with	 allows me	 to	 assess and	

mitigate interfering	 geographical	 and	 atmospherically

conditions	 that	 could	 adversely	 affect	 the	 communication	

between	the	UAS	and	Pilot	in	Command	 (PIC).	I	currently	have	

fifteen	(8)	flight	hours	with	the	DJI	Inspire	1	UAS.

IV.	How	Nathan	Limback’s Request	Will	Benefit	the	Public	As	A	

Whole:

Aerial	 videography	 for	 geographical	 awareness	 and	 for	 real	

estate	 marketing	 has	 been	 around	 for	 a	 long	 time	 through	

manned	 fixed	 wing	 aircraft	 and	 helicopters.	 For	 small	 budget	

real	estate	companies	and	average	homeowners	the	expense	of	

such	 aerial	 videography	 is	 cost	 prohibitive.	 Only	 large	

companies	 and	 high	 end	 Realtors	 or	 luxury	 homeowners	 can	

afford	 to	 absorb	 such	 expense.	 Depriving	 non-luxury	

homeowners	 and	 lower	 budget	 Realtors	 from	 a	 valuable	

marketing	 tool.	 Manned	 aircraft	 pose	 a	 threat to	 the	 public	
through	 potential	 catastrophic	 crash.	 My,	 Nathan	 Limback’s,	

UAS	pose	no	such	threat	since	size	and	lack	of	combustible	fuel	

alleviates	 any	 potential	 threat	 to	 the	 public.	 Congress	 has	

already	proclaimed	that	it	is	in	the	public’s	interest	to integrate	

commercially	 flown	 UAS's	 into	 the	 national	 airspace	 system,	

hence	 the	 passing	 of	 the	 Reform	 Act.	 Granting	 my,	 Nathan	

Limback’s,	 exemption	 request	 furthers	 the	 public	 interest	

through	 academic/visual	 awareness	 of	 the	 geographical	

benefits	in	and	around	the	Northern	New	Mexico	area.	My	ultra	

light	weight	UAS	is	 battery	 powered	and	 creates	 no	emissions	

that	 can	 harm	 the	environment.	The	 consequence	 of	my	 ultra	

light	weight	UAS	crashing	is	far	less	than	a	full	size	helicopter	or	

fixed	 wing	 aircraft;	which	 are	 heavy,	 contain	 combustible	 fuel	

and	can	cause	catastrophic	devastation	to	the	public.

The	 public’s	 interest	 is	 furthered	 by	minimizing	ecological	and	

crash	 threat	 by	 permitting	aerial	video/photo	 capture	 through	

my	 battery	 operated	 ultra	 light	 weight	 UAS's.	 Permitting	 me,	

Nathan	 Limback,	 to	 immediately	 fly	 within	 national	 air	 space	

furthers	 economic	 growth.	 Granting	 my	 exemption	 request	

substantially	furthers	the	economic	impact	for	the	New	Mexico

community	 for	 companies	 looking	 to	 relocate	 or	 build	 in	 the	

New	Mexico area	as	well	as	individuals	looking	 to	 relocate	 for	

career	 advancement	 through	 academic	 and	 geographical	

awareness.	 Both	 of	 which	 serve	 as	 a	 stimulus	 to	 the	

community.

V.	 Reasons	 Why	 Nathan	 Limback’s Exemption	 Will	 Not	

Adversely	Affect	Safety	Or	How	The	Exemption	Will	Provide	a	

Level	of	Safety	At	Least	Equal	To	Existing	Rule:

My,	 Nathan	 Limback’s,	 exemption	 will	 not	 adversely	 affect	

safety.	 Quite	 the	 contrary,	 for	 the	 reasons	 stated	 permitting	

me,	Nathan	Limback,	 to	log	more	 flight	 time	in	FAA	controlled	

airspace,	 with	 communication	 with	 the	 FAA,	 will	 allow	 me	 to	

contribute	 to	 the	 innovation	 and	 implementation	 of	 new	 and	
novel,	 as	 of	 yet	 undiscovered	 safety	 protocols	 for	 Aerial	

Photographers that	can	be	embraced	by	the	NAR,	AAR,	and	TAR		

for	 development	 in	 cooperation	 with	 the	 FAA.	 In	 addition	 I,	

Nathan	 Limback,	 submit	 the	 following	 representations	 of	

enhancements	 to	 current	aerial	 videography	and	 photography	

for	commercial	operations:

My	UAS	weighs	less	than	10 pounds	complete	with	a small	ultra	

light	 weight	 high	 quality	 4k	 camera;	 I	 only	 operate	 my	 UAS	

below	200	feet (well	within	the	400	foot	permissible	ceiling	set	

by	 the	 FAA	 Modernization	 and	 Reform	 Act	 of	 2012);	 my	 UAS	

only	operate	for	7-10 minutes	per	flight;	I	land	my	UAS	prior	to	

manufacturer	recommended	minimum	level	of	battery	power;

• I	 pilot	 my	 UAS	 through	 remote	 control	 only	 by	 line	 of	

sight;

• My	 UAS	 has	 GPS	 a	 flight	 safety	 feature	 whereby	 it	

returns	 to	 the	 home	 set	 location	 and lands	 if	

communication	with	the	remote	control	pilot	is	lost;

• I	 actively	 analyze	 flight	 data	 and	 other	 sources	 of	

information	 to	 constantly	 update	 and	 enhance	 safety	

protocols;

• I	check	current	and	future	weather	condition	in	the	area	

where	UAS	flight	will	be	conducted	and	also	monitor	KIndex	values	to ensure	reliable	communication	with	my	

UAS;

• I	 only	 operate	in	 reasonably	 safe	environment	 that	are	

strictly	controlled,	are	away	 from	power	lines,	elevated	

lights,	airports	and	actively	populated	areas;

• I	 conduct	extensive	 pre-flight	inspections	and	 protocol,	

during	which	safety	carries	primary	importance;

• I	 always	 obtains	 all	 necessary	 permissions	 prior	 to	

operation;	and,

• I	have	procedures	in	place	 to	abort	 flights	in	 the	event	

of	safety	breaches	or	potential	danger.
My,	Nathan	Limback,	safety	protocols	provide	a	level	of	safety	

equal	to	or	exceeding	existing	rules.	It	is	important	to	note	that	

absent	 the	 integration	 of	 commercial	 UAS	 into	 our	 national	

airspace	 system,	 helicopters	 are	 the	 primary	 means	 of	 aerial	

video	 and	 photography	 for	 community	 awareness.	 While	 the	

safety	 record	 of	 such	 helicopters	 is	 remarkably	 astounding,	

there	 has	 been	 local	 incident	 involving	 loss	 of	 life	 as	 well	 as	

extensive	property	damage;	it	is	 far	safer	 to	operate	a	battery	

powered	ultra	light	weight	UAS.

First,	the	potential	loss	of	life	is	diminished	because	UAS's	carry	

no	people	on	board	and	I	only	operate my	UAS	in	specific	areas	

away	from	mass	populations.	Second,	there	is	no	fuel	on	board	

a	 UAS	 and	 thus	 the	 potential	 for	 fire	 or	 explosions	 is	 greatly	

diminished.	Third,	 the small	 size	and	extreme	maneuverability	

of	 my	 UAS	 allow	 me	 to	 remotely	 pilot	 away	 from	 and	 avoid	

hazards	 quickly	 and	 safely.	 Lastly,	 given	 its	 small	 size	 and	

weight,	 even	 when	 close	 enough	 to	 capture	 amazing	 images,	

my	UAS	need	not	be	so	close	to	the	objects	they	are	focused	on	

through	 the	 technology	 and	 use	 of	 post	 editing	 software	

allowing	pan	and	zoom.

Accordingly,	 my	 UAS	 has	 been	 experimentally	 operated	 for	

familiarization/competency	and	will	continue	to	operate	at	and	

above	current	safety	levels.

As	 with	 all	 UAS	 operation	 I,	 Nathan	 Limback	 with	 always	

perform	 every	 flight	 with	 a	 safety	 spotter	 familiar	 with	 the	

characteristic	and	 capabilities	 of	 the	DJI	Inspire	 1.	As	 the	 PIC	I	

will,	 before	 every	 flight,	 perform	 preflight	 using	 a	 laminated	

checklist,	 post	 warning	 signs	 in	 the	 close	 vicinity	 to	 warn	

anyone	in	the	close	vicinity	that	aerial	photography	is	currently	

taking	place.

VI.	A	Summary	The	FAA	May	Publish	in	the	Federal	Register:
A.	 14	 C.F.R.	 21	 and	 14	 C.F.R.	 91:	 Airworthiness	 Certificates,	

Manuals	 and	 The	 Like.	 14	 C.F.R.	 21,	 Subpart	 H,	 entitled	

Airworthiness	 Certificates,	 sets	 forth	 requirements	 for	

procurement	of	necessary	airworthiness	certificates	in	relation	

to	 FAR	 §	 91.203(a)(1).	 The	 size,	 weight	 and	 enclosed	

operational	 area	 of	 my,	 Nathan	 Limback,	 UAS	 permits	

exemption	 from	Part	21	because	my	UAS	meets	 (and	exceeds)	

an	 equivalent	 level	 of	 safety	 pursuant	 to	 Section	 333	 of	 the	

Reform	Act.	The	FAA	is	authorized	to	exempt	aircraft	 from	the	

airworthiness	 certificate	 requirement	 under	 both	 the	 Act	 (49	

U.S.C.	 §	 44701	 (f))	 and	 Section	 333	 of	 the	 Reform	 Act.	 Both	

pieces	of	legislation	permit	 the	FAA	 to	exempt	UAS's	 from	 the	

airworthiness	 certificate	 requirement	 in	 consideration	 of	 the	

weight,	 size,	 speed,	 maneuverability	 and	 proximity	 to	 areas	

such	 as	 airports	 and	 dense	 populations.	My,	Nathan	 Limback,	

current	 and	 projected	 UAS's	 meet	 or	 exceed	 each	 of	 the	

elements.

14	C.F.R.	91.7(a)	prohibits	 the	operation	of	an	aircraft	without	

an	 airworthiness	 certificate.	 As	 no	 such	 certificate	 will	 be	

applicable	 in	 the	 form	 contemplated	 by	 the	 FARs,	 this	

Regulation	is	inapplicable.		 14	 C.F.R.	§	 91.9	 (b)	 (2)	 requires	an	

aircraft	 flight	manual	in	 the	aircraft.	As	 there	are	no	on	board	

pilots	 or	 passengers,	 and	 given	 the	 size	 of	 the	 UAS's,	 this	

Regulation	is	inapplicable.	An	equivalent	level	of	safety	will	be	

achieved	 by	 maintaining	 a	 safety/flight	 manual	 delineating	

areas	 of	where	 safety	 can	 be	 defined.	The	 FAA	 has	 previously	

issued	 exemptions	 to	 this	 regulation	 in	 Exemption	 Nos.	 8607,	

8737,	8738,	9299,	9299A,	9565,	9565B,	10167,	10167A,	10602,	

10700	and	32827.	14	C.F.R.	§	91.121	regarding	altimeter	settings	is	

inapplicable	 insofar	 as	 my	 UAS	 utilizes	 electronic	 global	 positioning	

systems	with	a	barometric	sensor.

14	C.F.R.	§	91.203	(a)	and	(b)	provides	for	the	carrying	of	civil	aircraft	

certifications	 and	 registrations.	 They	 are	 inapplicable	 for	 the	 same	

reasons	 described	 above.	 The	 equivalent	 level	 of	 safety	 will	 be	
achieved	 by	 maintaining	 any	 such	 required	 certifications	 and	

registrations	by	me,	Nathan	Limback.

B.	 14	 C.F.R.	 §	 45.23:	 Marking	 of	 The	 Aircraft.	 Applicable	 Codes	 of	

Federal	Regulation	require	aircraft	to	be	marked	according	to	certain	

specifications.	My	UAS	are,	by	definition,	unmanned.	They	therefore	

do	not	have	a	cabin,	cockpit	or	pilot	station	on	which	to	mark	certain	

words	 or	 phrases.	 Further,	 two-inch	 lettering	 is	 difficult	 to	 place	 on	

such	 small	 aircraft	 with	 dimensions	 smaller	 that	 minimal	 lettering	

requirement.	 Regardless,	I	 will	mark	 its	UASs	 in	 the	 largest	 possible	

lettering	 by	 placing	 the	 word “EXPERIMENTAL”	 on	 its	 fuselage	 as	

required	by	14	C.F.R.	§45.29	(f)	so	that	I	the	pilot,	or	anyone	assisting	

me	 as	 a	 spotter	 with	 the	 UAV	 will	 see	 the	 markings.	 The	 FAA	 has	

previously	issued	exemptions	 to	 this	 regulation	 through	Exemptions	

Nos.	8738,	10167,	10167A	and	10700.

C.	 14	 C.F.R.	 §	 61.113:	 Private	 Pilot	 Privileges	 and	 Limitations:	 PIC.	

Pursuant	to	14	C.F.R.	§§	61.113	(a)	&	(b),	private	pilots	are	limited	to	

non-commercial	operations.	I,	Nathan	Limback,	have	a	Private	Pilots	

Certificate	and	current	Third	Class	Medical	Thus,	allowing	me,	Nathan	

Limback,	 to	 operate	 my	 UAS	 exceeding	 the	 current	 safety	 levels	 in	

relation	to	14	C.F.R.	§61.113	(a)	&	(b).

D.	 14	 C.F.R.	 91.119:	 Minimum	 Safe	 Altitudes.	 14	 C.F.R.	 §	 91.119	

prescribes	 safe	 altitudes	 for	 the	 operation	 of	 civil	 aircraft.	 It	 allows	

helicopters	 to	 be	 operated	 at	 lower	 altitudes	 in	 certain	 conditions.	

My	UAS	will	never	operate	at	an	altitude	greater	than	200	AGL;	safely	

below	the	standard	of	400	AGL.	I,

Nathan	 Limback,	 will	 however	 operate	 my	 UAS	 in	 safe	 areas	 away	

from	public	and	traffic,	providing	a	level	of	safety	at	least	equivalent	

to	 or	 below	 those	 in	 relation	 to	 minimum	 safe	 altitudes.	 Given	 the	

size,	weight,	maneuverability	and	speed	of	my	UAS,	an	equivalent	or	

higher	level	of	safety	will	be	achieved.

E.	 14	 C.F.R.	 91.405	 (a);	 407	 (a)	 (1);	 409	 (a)	 (2);	 417(a)	 &	 (b):	

Maintenance	 Inspections.	 The	 above-cited	 Regulations	 require,	

amongst	 other	 things,	 aircraft	 owners	 and	 operators	 to	 “have	 [the]	

aircraft	 inspected	 as	 prescribed	 in	 subpart	 E	 of	 this part	 and	 shall	

between	required	inspections,	except	as	provided	in	paragraph	(c)	of	
this	 section,	 have	 discrepancies	 repaired	as	 prescribed	in	 part	 43	 of	

this	 chapter.	 .	 .	 .”	 These	 Regulations	 only	 apply	 to	 aircraft	 with	 an	

airworthiness	 certificate.	 They will	 not,	 therefore,	 apply	 to	 my,	

Nathan	Limback’s,	UAS.	However,	as	a	safety	precaution	I	inspect	my	

UAS	before	and	after	each	flight.

A	Summary	The	FAA	May	Publish	in	the	Federal	Register:	A.	14	

C.F.R.	21	and	14	C.F.R.	91:	Airworthiness	Certificates,	Manuals	

and	 The	 Like.	 14	 C.F.R.	 21,	 Subpart	 H,	 entitled	 Airworthiness	

Certificates,	 sets	 forth	 requirements	 for	 procurement	 of	

necessary	 airworthiness	 certificates	 in	 relation	 to	 FAR	 §	

91.203(a)(1).	The	size,	weight	and	enclosed	operational	area	of	

my	UAS	 permits	exemption	 from	 Part	 21	 because	my,	Nathan	

Limback’s,	UAS	meets	an	equivalent	level	of	safety	pursuant	to	

Section	333	of	the	Reform	Act.	The	FAA	is	authorized	to	exempt	

aircraft	 from	 the	 airworthiness	 certificate	 requirement	 under	

both	 the	 Act	 (49	 U.S.C.	 §	 44701	 (f))	 and	 Section	 333	 of	 the	

Reform	Act.	Both	pieces	of	legislation	permit	the	FAA	to	exempt	

UAS's	 from	 the	 airworthiness	 certificate	 requirement	 in	

consideration	 of	 the	 weight,	 size,	 speed,	 maneuverability	 and	

proximity	to	areas	such	as	airports	and	dense	populations.	My

UAS	meets	 or	exceeds	each	 of	 the	elements.	 14	 C.F.R.	 91.7(a)	

prohibits	 the	operation	of	an	aircraft	without	an	airworthiness	

certificate.	As	no	such	certificate	will	be	applicable	in	the	form	

contemplated	 by	 the	 FARs,	 this	 Regulation	 is	 inapplicable.	 14	

C.F.R.	 §	 91.9	 (b)	 (2)	 requires	 an	 aircraft	 flight	 manual	 in	 the	

aircraft.	As	there	are	no	pilots	or	passengers,	and	given	the	size	

of	the	UAS's,	this	Regulation	is	inapplicable.	An	equivalent	level	

of	safety	will	be	achieved	by	maintaining	a	manual.	The	FAA	has	

previously	 issued	 exemptions	 to	 this	 regulation	 in	 Exemption	

Nos.	 8607,	 8737,	 8738,	 9299,	 9299A,	 9565,	 9565B,	 10167,	

maintenance	 program	 that	 involves	 regular	 software	 updates	

and	 curative	measures	 for	any	 damaged	 hardware. Therefore,	

an	equivalent	level	of	safety	will	be	achieved.

In	 summary,	 Nathan	 Limback seeks	 an	 exemption	 from	 the	

following
Regulations:

14	C.F.R.	21,	subpart	H;	14	C.F.R.	45.23(b);	14	C.F.R.	§§	61.113	

(a)	&	(b);	14	C.F.R.	§	91.7	(a);	14	C.F.R.	§	91.9	(b)(2);	14	C.F.R.	§	

91.103(b);	 14	 C.F.R.	 §	 91.109;	 14	 C.F.R.	 §	 91.119;	 14	 C.F.R.	 §	

91.121;	14	C.F.R.	§	91.151(a);	14	C.F.R.	§§	91.203(a)	and	(b);	14	

C.F.R.	§	91.405	(a);	14	C.F.R.	§	91.407	(a)(1);	14	C.F.R.	§	91.409	

(a)(2);	14	C.F.R.	§	91.409	(a	)	(2);	and, 14	C.F.R.	§§	91.417	(a)	&	

(b)	 to	 commercially	 operate	 my,	 Nathan	 Limback,	 small	

unmanned	 vehicle/lightweight	 unmanned	 aircraft	 vehicle	 in	

community	 awareness	 and	 real	 estate	 operations,	 and	 to	

develop	 economic	 platforms	 for	 real	 estate and	 other	 aerial	

needs to	enhance	 the	experience	 of	 those	 seeking	 to	 relocate	

to	 the	Northern	 New	Mexico	 Area.	 Currently,	 area	 awareness	

and	aerial	videography/photography	relies	primarily	on	the	use	

of	larger	aircraft	running	on	combustible	 fuel.	Posing	potential	

risk	 to	 the	 public.	Granting	my,	Nathan	 Limback’s,	 request	 for	

exemption	will	 reduce	current	 risk	levels	and	 thereby	enhance	

safety.	My	UAS	craft	do	not	contain	potentially	explosive	fuel,	is	

smaller,	lighter	and	more	maneuverable	than	conventional	real	

estate	 video and	 photographic	 aircraft	 with	 much	 less	 flight	

time.	 Further,	 I	 operate	 at	 lower	 altitudes	 and	 in	 controlled	

airspace	 eliminating	 potential	 public	 risk	 flying	 to	 and	 from	

established	air	 fields.	I,	Nathan	 Limback,	 have	 been	informally	

analyzing	 flight	 information	 and	 will	 compile	 safety	 protocols	

and	the	implementation	of	a	flight	operations	manual	for	usage	

that	 exceeds	 currently	 accepted	 means	 and	 methods	 for	 safe	

flight.	Formal	collection	of	information	shared	with	the	FAA	will	

enhance	 the	 FAA's	 internal	 efforts	 to	 establish	 protocols	 for	

complying	with	the	FAA	Modernization	and	Reform	Act	of	2012.	

There	 are	 no	 personnel	 on	 board	 my,	Nathan	 Limback’s,	 UAS	

and	therefore	the	likelihood	of	death	or	serious	bodily	injury	is	

significantly	diminished.	My,	Nathan	Limback’s,	operation	of	my	

UAS,	 weighing	 less	 than	 10 pounds	 and	 travelling	 at	 lower	

speeds	within	limited	areas	will	 provide	an	equivalent	level	 of	

safety	 as	 that	 achieved	 under	 current	 FARs.	 Accordingly	 I,	
Nathan	 Limback,	 respectfully	 request	 that	 the	 FAA	 grant	 my	

exemption	 request	 and	 am	 willing	 to	 cooperate	 in	 sharing	

information	 to	benefit	 the	FAA,	safety	of	manned	aircraft,	and	

the	general	public	at	large.

Respectfully	submitted,

Nathan	Limback

50	Obsidian	Loop

Los	Alamos,	NM	87544

Mobile:	(505)	500-2334

Email:	nlimback@gmail.com
INSPIRE 1

User Manual

2015.3

V1.2
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 2

Using this manual

Legends

Warning Important Hints and Tips Reference

Before Flight

The following tutorials and manuals have been produced to ensure you to make full use of your Inspire 1.

1.Disclaimer

2.In the Box

3.Inspire 1 Quick Start Guide

4.Safety Guidelines

5. Inspire 1 User

Manual

6. Intelligent Flight Battery Safety

Guidelines

Watching all the tutorial videos and reading the Disclaimer before flight is recommended. Afterwards, 

prepare for your first flight by using the Inspire 1 Quick Start Guide. Refer to this manual for more 

comprehensive information.

Watch the video tutorials

Please watch the tutorial video below to learn how to use Inspire 1 correctly and safely: 

www.dji.com/product/inspire-1/video

Download the DJI Pilot app

Download and install the DJI Pilot app before use. Scan the QR code or visit 

“http://m.dji.net/djipilot” to download the app.

For the best experience, use mobile device with Andriod V 4.1.2 or above. Requires iOS 8.0 or later.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 3

Contents

Using this manual

Legends 2

Watch the video tutorials 2

Product Profile

Feature Highlights 6

Aircraft Diagram 9

Aircraft

Flight Mode 12

Return to Home (RTH) 13

Vision Positioning System 16

Attaching and Detaching the Propellers 17

Remote Controllers

Remote Controller Operations 24

Remote Controller Status LED 31

Remote Controller Compliance Version 33

Camera Profile 35

Before Flight 2

Download the DJI Pilot app 2

Introduction 6

Assemble the Aircraft 7

Remote Controller Diagram 9

Flight Controller 12

Flight Status Indicator 12

Dynamic Home Point 15

Flight Recorder 17

DJI Intelligent Flight Battery 18

Remote Controller Profile 24

Dual Remote Controllers Mode 29
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 4

Linking the Remote Controller 32

Gimbal and Camera

Gimbal 36

Camera 40

Academy 43

Flight
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 5

Flight Environment Requirements 45

Flight Limits and Flight Restriction Area 45

Preflight Checklist 49

Calibrating the Compass 49

Auto Take-off and Auto Landing 50

Starting/Stopping the Motors 51

Flight Test 51

Appendix

Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC) 60

FCC Compliance 62

DJI Pilot App

Map 43

User Center 43

FAQ

Specifications 57

How to Update Firmware 61
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 6

Product Profile

This chapter describes the features of 

Inspire 1, instructs you to assemble the 

aircraft and explains the components on 

the aircraft and remote controllers.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 7

Product 

Profile

Introduction

The Inspire 1 is brand new quadcopter capable of capturing 4K video and transmitting an HD video 

signal (up to 2km) to multiple devices straight out of the box. Equipped with retractable landing gear, it 

can capture an unobstructed 360 degree view from its camera. The built-in camera has an integrated

gimbal to maximize stability and weight efficiency while minimizing space. When no GPS signal is 

available, Vision Positioning technology provides hovering precision.

Feature Highlights

Camera and Gimbal: Up to 4K video recording and 12 megapixel photo capture. Reserved mounting 

space for ND filters for better exposure control. New quick-release mount allows you to remove the 

camera with ease.

HD Video Downlink: Low latency, HD downlink powered by an enhanced version of the DJI Lightbridge 

system. It also provides dual controllers mode.

Landing gear: Retractable landing gear that enables an unobstructed panoramic view from the camera.

DJI Intelligent Flight Battery: 4500 mAh DJI Intelligent Flight Battery employs new battery cells and a 

battery management system.

Flight Controller: The next generation flight controller system provides a more reliable flight experience. 

A new flight recorder stores the flight data from each flight, and Vision Positioning enhances hovering

precision when no GPS is available.

Assemble the Aircraft

Unlocking Travel Mode

The aircraft is in Travel Mode during delivery. Follow these steps to change it to Landing Mode before

your first flight:

1. Insert the Intelligent Flight Battery into the battery compartment.

2. Power on the Remote Controller and the Intelligent Flight Battery.

3. Toggle the Transformation Switch up and down at least four times.

4. Power off the aircraft.

 

Travel Mode Toggle×4 Landing Mode
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 8

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Battery must be fully charged before using it for the first time. Refer to "Charging the Intelligent

Flight Battery" (P21) for more information .

If you have purchased the dual remote controller version, you must use the Master remote 

controller to deactivate Travel Mode. Refer to "Setting Up Dual Remote Controllers Mode" (P30)

section for more infromation about Master remote controller.

Be sure to remove the gimbal from the aircraft before switch from Landing Mode to Travel Mode.

Place the aircraft on the smooth and reflective surface (e.g. table or tile) before switching between 

the travel modes to the landing mode. Do not place the aircraft on the rough and sound-absorbing

surface (e.g. carpet) before switching between the travel modes and landing mode.

Installing Gimbal and Camera

1. Remove Gimbal Cover.

2. Rotate the Gimbal Lock to the unlocked position (to the right when facing the nose of the aircraft).

3. Insert the gimbal by aligning the white mark on the Gimbal.

4. Rotate the Gimbal Lock back into the locked position.

1 Gimbal Cover

3 Gimbal Lock

Mounting Place

Gimbal Connector

2 Locked

Ensure the Micro-SD card is correctly inserted into the camera.

Attaching Propellers

Attach propellers with the black nut onto motors with the black dot and spin counter-clockwise to secure.

Attach propellers with gray nut onto motors without a black dot and spin clockwise to secure.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 9

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Place all propellers onto the correct motor and tighten by hand to ensure security before flight.

Attaching 1345s Quick-Release Propellers

The 1345s Quick-Release propeller is the upgrade version of the propellers that greatly enhance the 

reliability of the propeller during the flight. Following the steps below to attach the 1345s Quick-Release 

propellers.

1. Install the propellers with a white dot onto the mounting plates that have a white dot, and install the 

propellers without a white dot onto the mounting plates that do not have a white dot.

White dot

White dot Without

white dot

Without white dot

2. Align the hook (A) on the propellers with the securing spring (B), then press down the propeller onto 

the mounting plate then rotate the propellers according to the lock direction until it is secured.

Preparing Remote Controller

Tilt the Mobile Device Holder to the desired position then adjust the antenna as shown.

1. Press the button on the side of the Mobile Device Holder to release the clamp, adjust it to fit then attach 

your mobile device.

2. Connect your mobile device to the remote controller with a USB cable.

3. Plug one end of the cable into your mobile device, and the other end into the USB port on the back of 

the remote controller.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 10

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Aircraft Diagram

[1] [1] GPS

[6]

[11]

[7]

[8]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[9]

[10]

[12]

[13]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

Propeller (P17)

Motor

Front LED (P12)

Landing gear

Gimbal and Camera (P35)

Intelligent Flight Battery (P18)

Aircraft Micro-USB Port

Rear LED (P12)

Camera Micro-USB Port

Camera Micro-SD Card Slot (P35)

Vision Positioning Sensors (P16)

Aircraft Status Indicator (P13)

Remote Controller Diagram

[9]

[8]

[7]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[1] Antennas (P29)

Relays aircraft control and video signal.

[2] Mobile Device Holder

Mounting place for your mobile device.

[3] Control Stick

Controls aircraft orientation.

[4] Return Home (RTH) Button (P13)

Press and hold the button to initiate Return to 

Home(RTH).

[5] Transformation Switch (P27)

Toggle the switch up or down to raise or lower 

the landing gear.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 11

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

[6] Battery Level LEDs

Displays the current battery level.

[7] Status LED

Displays the power status.

[8] Power Button

Used to power on or power off the remote controller.

[9] RTH LED

Circular LED around the RTH button displays RTH status.

[10] Camera Settings Dial

Turn the dial to adjust camera settings. 

Only functions when the remote controller is 

connected to a mobile device running the DJI 

Pilot app.

[11] Playback Button

Playback the captured images or videos.

[12] Shutter Button

Press to take a photo. If in burst mode, the 

set number of photos will be taken with one 

press.

[13] Flight Mode Switch

Used to switch between P, A and F mode.

[14] Video Recording Button

Press to start recording video. Press again to 

stop recording.

[15]

[14]

[13]

[16] [17] [18] [19]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[15] Gimbal Dial

Use this dial to control the tilt of the gimbal.

[16] Mini-HDMI Port

Connect an HD compatible monitor to this 

port to get a live HD video preview of what the 

camera sees.

[17] Micro-USB Port

For connecting the remote controller to your

computer.

[20]

[18] CAN Bus Port

Reserved for future use.

[19] USB Port

Connect to mobile device to access all of the 

DJI Pilot app controls and features.

[20] GPS Module

Used to pinpoint the location of the remote 

controller.

[21] Back Left Button

[23]

[22]

[21] Customizable button in DJI Pilot app.

[22] Power Port

Connect to a power source to charge the 

remote controller’s internal battery.

[23] Back Right Button
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 12

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Customizable button in DJI Pilot app.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 11

Aircraft

This chapter describes the features of 

the Flight Controller, Vision Positioning 

System and the Intelligent Flight Battery.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 12

Aircraft

Flight Controller

The Inspire 1’s flight controller is based on DJI flight controller with several enhancements such as new

flight mode and new safe mode. Three safe modes are available: Failsafe, Return Home and Dynamic 

Home Point. These features ensure the safe return of your aircraft if the control signal is lost. A flight 

recorder stores crucial flight data for each flight.

Flight Mode

Three flight modes are available. The details of each flight mode are found in the section below:

P mode (Positioning) : P mode works best when GPS signal is strong. There are three different states of P

mode, which will be automatically selected by the Inspire 1 depending on GPS signal strength and Vision 

Positioning sensors:

P-GPS: GPS and Vision Positioning both are available, and the aircraft is using GPS for positioning.

P-OPTI: Vision Positioning is available but the GPS signal is not. Aircraft is using only Vision 

Positioning for hovering

P-ATTI: Neither GPS or Vision Positioning available, aircraft is using only its barometer for positioning, 

so only altitude is controlled.

A mode (Attitude): The GPS and Vision Positioning System is not used for holding position. The aircraft

only uses its barometer to maintain altitude. If it is still receiving a GPS signal, the aircraft can automatically 

return home if the Remote Controller signal is lost and if the Home Point has been recorded successfully. 

F mode (Function): Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC) is activated in this mode. For more information 

about IOC, refer to the IOC in Appendix.

Use the Flight Controller mode switch to change the flight mode of the aircraft, refer to the “Flight

Mode Switch” on P27 for more information.

Flight Status Indicator

The INSPIRE 1 comes with the Front LED, Rear LED and Aircraft Status Indicator. The positions of these 

LEDs are shown in the figure below:

Front LED Rear LED

Aircraft Status Indicator

The Front and Rear LED show the orientation of the aircraft. The Front LED displays solid red and the 

Rear LED displays solid green.

Aircraft Status Indicator shows the system status of the flight controller. Refer to the table below for more 

information about the Aircraft Status Indicator:
INSPIRE 1 User Manual

© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 13

Aircraft Status Indicator Description

Normal

Alternatively

Red, Green and Yellow Flash Power on and self-check

Green and Yellow Flash Alternatively Aircraft warming up

Green Flashes Slowly Safe to Fly (P mode with GPS and Vision Positioning)

X2 Green Flashes Twice Safe toFly (P modewithVisionPositioning butwithoutGPS)

Warning

Yellow Flashes Slowly Safe to Fly (A mode but No GPS and Vision Positioning)

Fast Yellow Flashing Remote Controller Signal Lost

Slow Red Flashing Low Battery Warning

Fast Red Flashing Critical Low Battery Warning

Red Flashing Alternatively IMU Error

— Solid Red Critical Error

Red and Yellow Flash Alternatively Compass Calibration Required

Return to Home (RTH)

The Return to Home (RTH) brings the aircraft back to the last recorded Home Point. There are three cases

that will trigger RTH procedure; they are Smart RTH, Low Battery RTH and Failsafe RTH.

GPS Description

Home Point

The Home Point is the location at which your aircraft takes off when the 

GPS signal is strong. You can view the GPS signal strength through 

the GPS icon ( ). If you are using the Dynamic Home Point

setting, the Home Point will be updated to your current position as you 

move around and when the Aircraft Status Indicator blinks green.

Smart RTH

Using the RTH button on the remote controller (refer to “RTH button” on P28 for more information) or the 

RTH button in the DJI Pilot app when GPS is available to enables smart RTH. The aircraft return to the 

latest recorded Home Point, you may control the aircraft's orientation to avoid collision during the Smart 

RTH. Press the Smart RTH button once to start the process, press the Smart RTH button again to exit 

Smart RTH and regain the control.
INSPIRE 1 User Manual

© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 14

Low Battery RTH

The low battery level failsafe is triggered when the DJI Intelligent Flight Battery is depleted to a point that 

may affect the safe return of the aircraft. Users are advised to return home or land the aircraft immediately

when these warnings are shown. DJI Pilot app will advise user to return the aircraft to the Home Point 

when low battery warning is triggered. Aircraft will automatically return to the Home Point if no action is 

taken after 10 seconds countdown. User can cancel the RTH by pressing once on the RTH button. The

thresholds for these warnings are automatically determined based on the current aircraft altitude and its 

distance from the Home Point.

Aircraft will land automatically if the current battery level can only support the aircraft to land to the ground

from the current altitude. User can use the remote controller to control the aircraft’s orientation during the 

landing process.

The Battery Level Indicator is displayed in the DJI Pilot app, and is described below

Critical Low battery level 

warning(Red)

Low battery

level warning

Sufficient battery 

level(Green)

Remaining flight time

Power requires

to return home

Battery level indicator

Battery Level 

Warning Remark Aircraft Status Indicator DJI Pilot app Flight Instructions

Low battery

level warning

The battery

power is low. 

Please land the 

aircraft.

Aircraft status 

indicator blinks

REDslowly.

Tap “Go-home” to have 

the aircraft return to the 

Home point and land

automatically, or “Cancel” to 

resume normal flight. If no 

action is taken, the aircraft

will automatically go home

and land after 10 seconds.

Remote controller will sound

an alarm.

Fly the aircraft

back and land

it as soon as 

possible, then 

stop the motors 

and replace the 

battery.

Critical Low 

battery level 

warning

The aircraft

must land

immediately.

Aircraft status 

indicator blinks

RED quickly.

The DJI Pilot app screen will 

flash red and aircraft starts to 

descend. Remote controller

will sound an alarm.

The aircraft

will begin to

descend and land

automatically.

Estimated 

remaining

flight time

Estimated 

remaining flight 

based on current

battery level.

N/A N/A N/A
INSPIRE 1 User Manual

© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 15

When the critical battery level warning activates and the aircraft is descending to land

automatically, you may push the throttle upward to hover the aircraft and navigate it to a more 

appropriate location for landing.

Color zones and markers on the battery level indicator reflect estimated remaining flight time 

and are adjusted automatically, according to the aircraft’s current status.

Failsafe RTH

Failsafe RTH is activated automatically if remote controller signal (including video relay signal) is lost for 

more than 3 seconds provided that Home Point has been successfully recorded and compass is working

normally. Return home process may be interrupted and the operator can regain control over the aircraft if 

a remote controller signal is resumed.

Failsafe Illustration

1 Record Home Point (HP)

Blinking Green

2 Confirm Home Point

Blinking Green

3 Remote Controller Signal Lost

Fast Blinking Yellow

4 Signal Lost Lasts 3secs. 5 Go Home(20m can be set) 6 Landing after Hovering 15secs

20m

Height over HP>20m 

Elevate to 20m

Fast Blinking Yellow

Height over HP<=20m

Fast Blinking Yellow Fast Blinking Yellow

Aircraft cannot avoid obstruction during the Failsafe RTH, therefore it is important to set an 

reasonable Failsafe altitude before each flight. Launch the DJI Pilot app and enter “Camera” 

view and select “MODE” to set the Failsafe altitude.

Aircraft will stop ascending and immediately return to the Home Point if you move the throttle

stick if the aircraft reaches 20 m altitudes or beyond during Failsafe.

Dynamic Home Point

Dynamic home point is useful in situations when you are in motion and require a Home Point that is 

different from the takeoff point. GPS module is located at the position shown in the figure below:

GPS

Ensure the space above the GPS module is not obstructed when using Dynamic Home Point.
INSPIRE 1 User Manual

© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 16

There are two options for Dynamic Home Point.

1. Set the aircraft current coordinate as the new Home Point.

2. Set the remote controller’s coordinate as the new Home Point.

Setting Up Dynamic Home Point

Follow the steps below to setup Dynamic Home Point:

1. Connect to the mobile device and launch the DJI Pilot app and go to the “Camera” page.

2. Tap“ ”and select“ ”, to reset the remote controller’s coordinates as the new Home Point.

3. Tap“ ”and select“ ”, to reset the aircraft’s coordinates as the new Home Point.

4. The aircraft status indicator blinks green to show Home Point is set successfully.

Vision Positioning System

DJI Vision Positioning is a positioning system that uses ultrasonic and image data to help the aircraft

identify its current position. With the help of Vision Positioning, your Inspire 1 can hover in place more 

precisely and fly indoors or in other environments where there is no GPS signal available. The main 

components of DJI Vision Positioning are located on the bottom of your Inspire 1, including [1]two sonar 

sensors and[2]one monocular camera.

[2]

[1]

Using Vision Positioning

Vision Positioning is activated automatically when the Inspire 1 is powered on. No manual action is 

required. Vision Positioning is typically used in the indoor environment where no GPS is available. By 

using the sensors on the Vision Positioning system, Inspire 1 can perform precision hovering even when 

no GPS is available.
INSPIRE 1 User Manual

© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 17

Follow the steps below to use Vision Positioning:

1. Toggle the switch to “P” as shown the figure to the right:

2. Place the Inspire 1 on a flat surface. Notice that the Vision Positioning system 

cannot work properly on surfaces without pattern variations.

3. Power on the Inspire 1. The aircraft status indicator will flash twice in green light, 

which indicates the Vision Positioning system is ready. Gently push the throttle up

to lift off, and the Inspire 1 will hover in place.

The performance of your Inspire 1’s Vision Positioning System is subject to the surface you are 

flying over. The ultrasonic waves may not be able to accurately measure the distance over sound 

absorbing materials, and the camera may not function correctly in suboptimal environments. The 

aircraft will switch from “P” mode to “A” mode automatically if both GPS and Vision Positioning 

System are not available. So operate the aircraft cautiously when in any of the following situations:

Flying over monochrome surfaces (e.g. pure black, pure white, pure red, pure green). 

Flying over a highly reflective surfaces.

Flying at high speeds(over 8m/s at 2 meters or over 4m/s at 1 meter). 

Flying over water or transparent surfaces.

Flying over moving surfaces or objects.

Flying in an area where the lighting changes frequently or drastically. 

Flying over extremely dark (lux < 10) or bright (lux > 10,000) surfaces. 

Flying over surfaces that can absorb sound waves (e.g. thick carpet).

Flying over surfaces without clear patterns or texture.

Flying over surfaces with identical repeating patterns or textures (e.g. tiles with same design).

Flying over inclined surfaces that will deflect sound waves away from the aircraft.

In the event of loss of remote controller’s signal, the aircraft will hover for 8 seconds and then 

auto-land if it is in “P” mode.

Keep the sensors clean at all times. Dirt or other debris may adversely affect the effectiveness 

of the sensors.

The effective hovering altitudes of the aircraft is from 0 to 2.5 meters.

Vision Positioning system may not function properly when the aircraft is flying over water.

Vision Positioning system may not be able to recognize pattern on the ground in low light

conditions (less than 100lux).

Do not use other ultrasonic devices with frequency of 40 KHz when Vision Positioning system is 

in operation.

Vision Positioning system may not be able to stabilize the aircraft when flying close to the 

ground (below 0.5 meters) in fast speed.

Keep the animals away from the aircraft when Vision Positioning system is activated. The sonar 

sensor emits high frequency sound that is only audible to some animals.

Flight Recorder

Flight data is automatically stored in the internal storage device of the aircraft. User can gain access to 

these data through the DJI Pilot app. This includes flight duration, orientation, distance, aircraft status 

information, speed, and other parameters.

Attaching and Detaching the Propellers

Use only DJI approved propellers with your Inspire 1. The grey or black nut on the propeller indicates

the rotation direction of the propeller and where it should be attached. To attach the propellers properly,
INSPIRE 1 User Manual

© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 18

match the nut with the dots on the motors of your Inspire 1:

Propellers Grey cap(1345) Black cap(1345R)

Figure

Attach On Motors without a black dot Motors with a black dot

Legends Lock : Turn the propellers in the indicated direction to mount and tighten

Unlock : Turn the propellers in the indicated direction to loosen and remove

Attaching the Propellers

1. Attach the propellers with a grey nut onto a motor without a black dot and spin the propellers clockwise 

to secure them in place. Attach the propellers with a black nut onto a motor with a black dot and spin

the propellers counter clockwise to secure its position. Be sure to completely tighten each propeller by

hand before flight.

Ensure propellers are attached to its corresponding motors, otherwise the aircraft cannot take off. 

Handling the propellers with care.

Manually tighten each of the propellers on the corresponding motors to ensure it is attached firmly.

Detaching the Propellers

Hold the motor still. Then spin the propeller in the unlock direction indicated on the propeller itself.

Detaching 1345s Quick-Release Propellers

Press the 1345s Quick-Release propellers downward firmly then rotate the propeller in the unlock

direction to unlock the propellers.

Check that the propellers and motors are installed correctly and firmly before every flight. 

Ensure that all propellers are in good condition before each flight. DO NOT use old, chipped, 

or broken propellers.

To avoid injury, STAND CLEAR of and DO NOT touch propellers or motors when they are spinning. 

ONLY use original DJI propellers for a better and safer flight experience.

DJI Intelligent Flight Battery

The DJI Intelligent Flight Battery has a capacity of 4500mAh, voltage of 22.2V, and smart chargedischarge functionality. It can only be charged with an appropriate DJI approved charger.

Intelligent Flight Battery Charger
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Battery must be fully charged before using it for the first time. Refer to "Charging the Intelligent

Flight Battery" P21 for more information .

DJI Intelligent Flight Battery Functions

1. Battery Level Display: LEDs display the current battery level.

2. Battery Life Display: LEDs display the current battery power cycle.

3. Auto-discharging Function: The battery automatically discharges to below 65% of total power when it

is idle (press the power button to check battery level will cause battery to exit idle state) for more than

10 days to prevent swelling. It takes around 2 days to discharge the battery to 65%.It is normal to feel 

moderate heat emitting from the battery during the discharge process. Discharge thresholds can be

set in the DJI Pilot app.

4. Balanced Charging: Automatically balances the voltage of each battery cell when charging.

5. Over charge Protection: Charging automatically stops when the battery is fully charged.

6. Temperature Detection: The battery will only charge when the temperature is between 0 °C(32°F) and

40°C (104°F).

7. Over Current Protection: Battery stops charging when high amperage (more than 10A) is detected.

8. Over Discharge Protection: Discharging automatically stops when the battery voltage reaches 18V to 

prevent over-discharge damage

9. Short Circuit Protection: Automatically cuts the power supply when a short circuit is detected.

10. Battery Cell Damages Protection: DJI Pilot app shows warning message when damaged battery cell

is detected.

11. Battery Information History: Show the last 32 entries of battery information records that include warning

messages and so on.

12. Sleep Mode: Sleep mode is entered after 10 minutes of inactivity to save power.

13. Communication: Battery voltage, capacity, current, and other relevant information is provided to the 

aircraft’s to the main controller.

Refer to Disclaimer and Intelligent Flight Battery Safety Guidelins before use. Users take full 

responsibility for all operations and usage.

Using the Battery

LED4

LED2 LED3

LED1

Power Button 

(Built-in LED)

Powering ON/OFF

Powering On: Press the Power Button once, then press again and hold for 2 seconds to power on. The 

Power LED will turn red and the Battery Level Indicators will display the current battery level.

Powering Off: Press the Power Button once, then press again and hold for 2 seconds to power off.
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Low Temperature Notice:

1. The performance of the intelligent Flight Battery is significantly reduced when flying in a low 

temperature environments (those with air temperatures below 5°C). Ensure that the battery is fully 

charged and the cell voltage is at 4.43 V before each flight.

2. Using the Intelligent Flight Battery in extremely low temperature environments (those with air

temperatures below -10°C) is not recommended. When flying in environments with temperatures 

between 5°C and -10°C, the Intelligent Flight Battery should be able to achieve the appropriate voltage 

levels (above 4.2 V), but it is recommended that you apply the included insulation sticker to the battery 

in order to prevent a rapid drop in temperatures.

3. If the DJI Pilot app displays the “Critical Low Battery Level Warning” when flying in low temperature 

environments, stop flying and land the aircraft immediately. You will still be able to control the aircraft’s 

movement when this warning is triggered.

4. Store the Intelligent Flight Battery in a room temperature environment and ensure that its temperature

exceeds 5°C before using it in the low temperature environment.

5. When using the Inspire 1 in a low temperature environment, begin by allowing the aircraft to hover at a 

low altitude, for approximately one minute, to heat the battery.

6. To ensure optimum performance, keep the Intelligent Flight Battery’s core temperature above 20°C

when in use.

In cold environments, insert the battery into the battery compartment and allow the aircraft to 

warm up for approximately 1-2 minutes before taking off.

Checking the battery level

The Battery Level Indicators display how much remaining power the battery has. When the battery is 

powered off, press the Power Button once. The Battery Level Indicators will light up to display the current 

battery level. See below for details.

The Battery Level Indicators will also show the current battery level during charging and

discharging. The indicators are defined below.

: LED is on. : LED is flashing.

: LED is off.

Battery Level

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Battery Level

87.5%~100%

75%~87.5%

62.5%~75%

50%~62.5%

37.5%~50%

25%~37.5%

12.5%~25%

0%~12.5%

=0%
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Battery life

The battery life indicates how many more times the battery can be discharged and recharged before

it must be replaced. When the battery is powered off, press and hold the Power Button for 5 seconds 

to check the battery life. The Battery Level Indicators will light up and/or blink as described below for 2 

seconds:

Battery Life

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Battery Life

90%~100%

80%~90%

70%~80%

60%~70%

50%~60%

40%~50%

30%~40%

20%~30%

below 20%

When battery life reaches 0%, it can no longer be used.

For more information about the battery, launch DJI Pilot app and check the information under the 

battery tab.

Charging the Intelligent Flight Battery

1. Connect Battery Charger to a power source (100-240V 50/60Hz).

2. Open the Protection Cap and connect the Intelligent Flight Battery to the Battery Charger. If the battery 

level is above 95%, turn on the battery before charging.

3. The Battery Level Indicator will display the current battery level during charging.

4. The Intelligent Flight Battery is fully charged when Battery Level Indicators are all off.

5. Air cool the Intelligent Flight Battery after each flight. Allow its temperature to drop to room temperature 

before storing it for an extended period.

Do not charge the Intelligent Flight Battery and remote controller with standard charger (model:

A14-100P1A) at the same time, otherwise the charger may overheat.

Always turn off the battery before inserting it or removing it from the Inspire 1. Never insert or

remove a battery when it is powered on.

Power Outlet

Intelligent Flight Battery Charger
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Battery Level Indicators while Charging

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Battery Level

0%~25%

25%~50%

50%~75%

75%~100%

Fully Charged

Charging Protection LED Display

The table below shows battery protection mechanisms and corresponding LED patterns.

Battery Level Indicators while Charging

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Blinking Pattern Battery Protection Item

LED2 blinks twice per second Over current detected

LED2 blinks three times per second Short circuit detected

LED3 blinks twice per second Over charge detected

LED3 blinks three times per second Over-voltage charger detected

Charging temperature is too low

LED4 blinks twice per second

LED4 blinks three times per second

(<0°C)

Charging temperature is too high

(>40°C)

After any of the above mentioned protection issues are resolved, press the button to turn off the Battery 

Level Indicator. Unplug the Intelligent Flight Battery from the charger and plug it back in to resume 

charging. Note that you do not need to unplug and plug the charger in the event of a room temperature

error, the charger will resume charging when the temperature falls within the normal range.

DJI does not take any responsibility for damage caused by third-party chargers.

How to discharge your Intelligent Flight Battery:

To effectively calibrate the battery capacity, it is recommended to charge and discharge the 

battery thoroughly for every 10 charge-and-discharge cycle. User should install the battery onto 

the aircraft and then power on the aircraft to initiate the discharge process, discharge the battery 

until the aircraft is powered off automatically. User should then fully charge the battery to ensure 

the battery is working at its optimal.

Slow: Place the Intelligent Flight Battery into the Inspire 1’s Battery Compartment and power it 

on. Leave it on until there is less than 5% of power left, or until the battery can no longer 

be turned on. Launch the DJI Pilot app to check battery level.

Rapid: Fly the Inspire 1 outdoors until there is less than 5% of power left, or until the battery can

no longer be turned on.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 23

Remote Controllers

This chapter describes the features 

of the remote controller that includes

aircraft and remote controller operations

and dual remote controller mode.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 24

Controllers

Remote Controller

Remote Controller Profile

The Inspire 1 Remote Controller is a multi-function wireless communication device that integrates the 

video downlink ground system and aircraft Remote Controller system. The video downlink and aircraft

Remote Controller system operate at 2.4 GHz with maximum transmission distance of 2km. The remote 

controller features a number of camera functions, such as taking and previewing photos and video, and 

controlling gimbal motions. The remote controller is powered by a 2S rechargeable battery. The current

battery level is displayed by LEDs on the front panel of the remote control.

Compliance Version: The Remote Controller is compliant with both CE and FCC regulations.

Operating Mode: Control can be set to Mode 1 , Mode 2.

Mode 1: The right stick serves as the throttle.

Mode 2: The left stick serves as the throttle.

Do not operate more than 3 aircrafts within in the same area (size equivalent to a soccer field) to 

prevent transmission interference.

Remote Controller Operations

Powering On And Off The Remote Controller

The Inspire 1 remote controller is powered by a 2S rechargeable battery with a capacity of 6000mAh. The

battery level is indicated by the Battery Level LEDs on the front panel. Follow the steps below to power on 

your remote controller:

1. When powered off, press the Power Button once and the Battery Level LEDs will display the current 

battery level.

2. Then, press and hold the Power Button to power on the remote controller.

3. The Remote Controller will beep when it powers on. The Status LED will blink green (slave remote 

controller blinks solid purple) rapidly, indicating that the remote controller is linking to the aircraft. The 

Status LED will show a solid green light when linking is completed.

4. Repeat step 2 to power off the remote controller after finish using it.

Charging Remote Controller

Charge the remote controller via supplied charger.
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Controllers

Power Outlet

Charger

Power Button

Controlling Camera

Shoot videos or images and adjust camera settings via the Shutter Button, Camera Settings Dial, Playback 

Button and Video Recording Button on the remote control.

[4]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[1] Camera Settings Dial

Turn the dial to quickly adjust camera settings such as ISO and shutter speed without letting go of the 

remote controller. Move the dial button to left or right to view the pictures or videos in playback mode.

[2] Playback Button

Press to view images or videos that have already been captured.

[3] Shutter Button

Press to take a photo. If burst mode is activated, multiple photos will be taken with a single press.

[4] Recoding Button

Press once to start recording video, then press again to stop recording.

Controlling Aircraft

This section explains how to use the various features of the remote controller. The Remote Controller is set 

to Mode 2 by default.
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Controllers

Stick Neutral/ mid point: Control sticks of the Remote Controller are placed at the central position.

Move the Stick: The control stick is pushed away from the central position.

Remote 

Controller 

(Mode 2)

Aircraft

( indicates nose direction) Remarks

Moving the left stick up and down changes the 

aircraft’s elevation.

Push the stick up to ascend and down to descend.

Push the throttle stick up to takeoff.

When both sticks are centered, the Inspire 1 will 

hover in place.

The more the stick is pushed away from the

center position, the faster the Inspire 1 will change 

elevation. Always push the stick gently to prevent

sudden and unexpected elevation changes.

Moving the left stick to the left or right controls the 

rudder and rotation of the aircraft.

Push the sick left to rotate the aircraft counter

clock-wise, and push the stick right to rotate the 

aircraft clockwise. If the stick is centered, the 

Inspire 1 will stay facing its current direction.

The more the stick is pushed away from the center

position, the faster the Inspire 1 will rotate.

Moving the right stick up and down changes the 

aircraft’s forward and backward pitch.

Push the stick up to fly forward and down to fly

backward. The Inspire 1 will hover in place if the stick

is centered.

Push the stick further away from the center position for

a larger pitch angle (maximum 35 ̊) and faster flight.

Moving the right stick control left and right changes

the aircraft’s left and right pitch.

Push left to fly left and right to fly right. The Inspire 1 

will hover in place if the stick is centered.

Push the stick further away from the center position for

a larger pitch angle (maximum 35 ̊) and faster flight.

Gimbal Dial: Turn the dial to the right, and the 

camera will shift to point upwards. Turn the 

dial to the left, and the camera will shift to point

downwards. The camera will remain in its current

position when dial is static.
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Controllers

Flight Mode Switch

Toggle the switch to select the desired flight mode. 

You may choose between; P mode, F mode and A

mode. F

Figure Flight Mode

F F mode A

A A mode

P P mode P

P mode (Positioning) : P mode works best when GPS signal is strong. There are three different states of P

mode, which will be automatically selected by the Inspire 1 depending on GPS signal strength and Vision 

Positioning sensors:

P-GPS: GPS and Vision Positioning both are available, and the aircraft is using GPS for positioning.

P-OPTI: Vision Positioning is available but the GPS signal is not. Aircraft is using only Vision

Positioning for hovering

P-ATTI: Neither GPS or Vision Positioning available, aircraft is using only its barometer for positioning, 

so only altitude is controlled.

A mode (Attitude): The GPS and Vision Positioning System is not used for holding position. The aircraft

only uses its barometer to maintain altitude. If it is still receiving a GPS signal, the aircraft can automatically 

return home if the Remote Controller signal is lost and if the Home Point has been recorded successfully.

F mode (Function): Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC) is activated in this mode. For more information

about IOC, refer to the IOC in Appendix.

The Flight Mode Switch is locked in P mode by default. To unlock the switch, launch the DJI Pilot app, 

enter the "Camera" page, tap "MODE", and then activate "Multiple Flight Mode" .

Transformation Switch / RTH Button

The Transformation Switch / RTH Button combination serves two functions. Toggle the switch up or down

to raise or lower the landing gear. Or, press the button to activate the Return to Home (RTH) procedure. 

Transformation Switch

This switch has two positions. The effect of toggling the switch to any of these positions is defined below:

Lower Raise

1. Raise: Raise the landing gear to its upper most position.
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Controllers

2. Lower: The landing gear will lower to its lowest position for landing.

Do not raise the landing gear when the aircraft is on the ground. Ensure the landing gear is 

lowered before landing.

RTH button

Press and hold this button to start the Return to Home (RTH) procedure. The LED around the RTH Button 

will blink white to indicate the aircraft is entering RTH mode. The aircraft will then return to the last recorded

Home Point. Press this button again to cancel the RTH procedure and regain the control of the aircraft.

Connecting Mobile Device

Tilt the Mobile Device Holder to the desired position. Press the button on the side of the Mobile Device Holder

to release the clamp, and then place your mobile device into the clamp. Adjust the clamp to secure your 

mobile device. Then connect your mobile device to the remote controller with a USB cable. Plug one end of 

the cable into your mobile device, and the other end into the USB port on the back of the remote controller.
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Controllers

Optimal Transmission Range

The signal transmission between aircraft and remote controller perform best within the range that 

displayed in the picture shown below:

 

 Optimal Transmission Range

Strong Weak

Ensure the aircraft is flying within the optimal transmission range. Adjust the distance and position

between the operator and the aircraft to achieve optimal transmission performance.

Dual Remote Controllers Mode

More than one remote controller can connect to the same aircraft in Dual Remote Controller mode. In 

Dual Controllers mode, the “Master” remote controller operator controls the orientation of the aircraft, while 

the “Slave” remote controller controls the movement of the gimbal and camera operation. When multiple

“slave” remote controllers (max of 6) are connect to the aircraft, only the first connected “slave” remote 

controller is able to control the gimbal, the remaining “slave” remote controller can view the live feed video 

from the aircraft and set the camera parameters, but they cannot control the gimbal.

Master Remote

Controller

Slave Remote

Controller
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Controllers

Use the gimbal dial on the remote controller to control the pitch movement of the camera in the 

single remote controller mode, however, you cannot control the pan movement of the camera.

Setting Up Dual Remote Controllers Mode

Dual Remote Controllers mode is disabled by default. Users must enable this feature on the “Master”

remote controller by through the DJI Pilot app. Follow the steps below for setup:

“Master” Remote Controller:

1. Connect the remote controller to your mobile device and launch the DJI Pilot app.

2. Go to the Camera page, and tap to enter the remote controller settings window.

3. Tap “Set RC Status” to enable Master-and-Slave mode.

4. Select “Master” in the “Set RC Status” section to set the remote controller as “Master” remote controller.

RC Settings

RC Control Settings

Master and Slave

Set RC Status

RC Name T12254 ConnectionPassword 1234

Slave RC List

5. Enter the connection password for the “Slave” remote controller.

“Slave” Remote Controller:

1. Tap “Search for Master Controller” to search the “Master” remote controller.

RC Settings

RC Control Setting

Master and Slave

Set RC Status OFF Master Slave

RC Name S88642

RequestControl

Search for Master Controller

Master RC List
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Controllers

Remote controller cannot link to the aircraft if the remote controller is set as “Slave”. Meanwhile, 

the “Slave” remote controller cannot control the orientation of the aircraft. Reset the remote 

controller to “Master” in DJI Pilot app if you wish to link the remote controller to the aircraft.

2. Search the “Master” remote controller in the surrounding area in the “Request Control” section.

RC Control Settings

Master and Slave

Set RC Status OFF Master Slave

RC Name S88642

RequestControl

Search for Master Controller

Master RC List

T12254

3. Select the “Master” remote controller from the “Master RC List” and input the connection password to 

connect to the desired “Master” remote controller.

T12254 Connection Password 1234

Master RC List

Remote Controller Status LED

The Status LED reflects connection status between Remote Controller and aircraft. The RTH LED shows 

the Return to Home status of the aircraft. The table below contains details on these indicators.

RTH LED

Status LED
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Controllers

Status LED Alarm Remote Controller Status

The remote controller set as "Master" but it is not —Solid Red chime

—Solid Green chime

—Solid Purple D-D-

—Solid Blue D-D- chime

connected with the aircraft.

The remote controller set as "Master" and it is connected 

with the aircraft.

The remote controller set as "Slave" but it is not 

connected with the aircraft.

The remote controller set as "Slave" and it is connected 

with the aircraft.

Slow Blinking Red D-D-D...... Remote controller error.

/

Red and Green/ Red and

Yellow Alternate Blinks

None HD Downlink is disrupted.

RTH LED Sound Remote Controller Status.

—Solid White chime Aircraft is returning home.

Blinking White D . . . Sending Return to Home command to the aircraft.

Blinking White DD .. .. .. Aircraft Return to Home in progress.

The Remote Status Indicator will blink red, sound an alert, when the battery level is critically low.

Linking the Remote Controller

The remote controller is linked to your aircraft before delivery. Linking is only required when using a new 

remote controller for the first time. Follow these steps to link a new remote controller:

1. Power on the remote controller and connect to the mobile device. Launch DJI Pilot app.

2. Power on the Intelligent Flight Battery.

3. Enter “Camera” view and tap on and then tap “Linking Remote Controller” button as shown below.

RC Control Setting

Remote Control Calibration

Stick Mode

Default stick mode is Mode 2, changing stick modes alters the way the aircraft is controlled. 

Do not change unless familiar with your new mode.

C1 Gimbal Pitch/Yaw C2 Reset gimbal yaw

You can customize the C1 and C2 buttons on the back

of the remote controller.

Linking Remote Controller
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Controllers

4. The remote controller is ready to link. The Remote Controller Status Indicator blinks blue and "beep" 

sound is emitted.

RC Control Setting

Remote Control Calibration

Stick Mode

Searching for aircraft frequency,

Default stick mode is Mode 2, changingtismtiecokumt oind5e4s saeltceorsndthse way the aircraft is controlled.

Do not change unless familiar with your new mode.

Press the linking button on the aircraft

to link this remote controller

C1 Gimbal Pitch/Yaw C2 Reset gimbal yaw Cancel C2

You can customize the C1 and C2 buttons on the back

of the remote controller.

Linking Remote Controller

5. Locate the Linking button on the front of the aircraft, as shown in the figure shown below. Press the 

Linking button to start linking. The Remote Controller Status Indicator will display solid green if Link is 

succeed.

Remote controller cannot link to the aircraft if the remote controller is set as “Slave”. Meanwhile, 

the “Slave” remote controller cannot control the orientation of the aircraft. Reset the remote 

controller to “Master” in DJI Pilot app if you wish to link the remote controller to the aircraft.

Remote controller will disconnect from the linked aircraft if a new remote controller is linked to 

the same aircraft.

Remote Controller Compliance Version

The remote controller is compliant with both CE and FCC requirements.
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© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 34

Gimbal and Camera 

This chapter provides the technical

specifications of the camera and explains

the working mode of the gimbal.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 35

Camera

Camera and Gimbal

Camera Profile

The on-board camera supports 4K video capture up to 4096x2160p24 and 12M pixel photos capture by 

using the 1/2.3 inch CMOS sensor. You may export the video in either MOV or MP4 format for editing. 

Available picture shooting modes include burst, continuous, and timer mode. A live preview of what the 

camera is seeing before you shoot videos and pictures is supported through the DJI Pilot App.

Camera Micro-SD Card Slot

To store your photos and videos, plug in the micro-SD card into the slot shown below before powering on 

the Inspire 1. The Inspire 1 comes with a 16GB micro-SD card and supports up to a 64GB micro-SD card.

A UHS-1 type micro-SD card is recommended, because the fast read and write capability of these cards 

enables you to store high-resolution video data.

Do not remove micro-SD card from the Inspire 1 when it is powered on.

Camera Data Port

Power on the Inspire 1 and then connect a USB cable to the Camera Data Port to download photos or 

videos from the camera to your computer.

Power on the aircraft before attempting to download the files.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 36

Camera

Camera Operation

Use the Shutter and Record button on the remote controller to shoot the images or the videos through the 

DJI Pilot app. For more information about how to use these buttons, refer to “Controlling Camera” P25.

ND Filter

Attach an ND filter to the front of the camera to reduce over-exposure and “jello” effect.

Gimbal

Gimbal Profile

The 3-axis Gimbal provides a steady platform for the attached camera, allowing you to capture stabilized 

images and video. The Gimbal can tilt the camera up to 120 degrees and rotate 360 degrees.

+30°

0°

-90° +330°

-330°

Use the gimbal dial on the remote controller to control pitch movement of the camera by default. Note that 

you cannot control the pan motion of the camera by default. Enable the “Master-and-Slave” mode and

set the remote controller to “Slave” state if you wish to control both the pan and pitch movement of the 

camera.

Use the gimbal dial on the remote controller to control the pitch movement of the camera in the 

single remote controller mode, however, you cannot control the pan movement of the camera.

Pan Control

Follow the instructions below to use the gimbal dial to control the pan movement of the gimbal:

1. Power on the aircraft and remote control, launch DJI Pilot app and enter “Camera” page.

2. Tap “RC Control Settings” icon and select either C1 or C2 customizable button as the gimbal pitch/

yaw switching button.

3. Select “Gimbal Pitch/Yaw” from the dropdown list.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 37

Camera

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

RC Control Setting

Remote Control Calibration

Stick Mode

Default stick mode is Mode 2, changing stick modes alters the way the aircraft is controlled. 

Do not change unless familiar with your new mode.

C1 GimbalPitch/Yaw C2 Reset gimbal yaw

You can customize the C1 and C2 buttons on the back

of the remote controller.

Linking Remote Controller

Press C1 or C2 button to switch from pitch mode to yaw mode. You may use the gimbal dial to pan the 

gimbal under yaw mode. Press C1 or C2 again to exit yaw mode.

Using DJI Pilot App to Control Gimbal

Follow the steps below to use DJI Pilot app to control the gimbal orientation:

1. Launch DJI Pilot app, enter “Camera” page.

2. Tap and press on the screen until a blue circle is shown.

3. Slide to control the gimbal orientation within the “Camera” page as shown below.

MODE P-GPS OFF Safe to Fly (GPS)

ISO 100 1/320 EV 0 4821 00:22:16

JPEG 4K 30

H: 2M

V.S

8.3 M/S

D: 39M

H.S

24.2 M/S

1.2M 0 200m
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 38

Camera

Gimbal Operation Modes

Three Gimbal operation modes are available. Switch between the different operation modes on the 

Camera page of the DJI Pilot App. Note that your mobile device must be connected to the remote 

controller for changes to take effect. Refer to the table below for details:

Pitch Pan

The angle between Gimbal’s orientation and aircraft’s nose remains 

constant at all times. One user alone can control the pitch motion of the Follow Mode Gimbal, but a second user is required to control the pan motion using a

second remote controller.

The Gimbal will lock to the movements of the aircraft to provide a First- FPV Mode Person-View flying experience.

The Gimbal’s motion is independent of the aircraft’s orientation. One user 

Free Mode alone can control the pitch motion of the Gimbal, but a second user is

required to control the pan motion using a second remote controller.

Tap to force the Gimbal orientation to re-align with aircraft’s orientation 

Re-alignment by panning from gimbal’s current orientation. Pitch angle will remain

unchanged during the re-alignment.

Gimbal motor error may occur in these situations: (1) Gimbal is placed on uneven ground. (2) 

Gimbal has received an excessive external force, e.g. a collision. Please take off from flat, open 

ground and protect the gimbal after powering up.

Flying in heavy fog or cloud may make the gimbal wet, leading to a temporary failure. The 

gimbal will recover when it dries out.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 39

DJI Pilot App

This chapter describes the four main 

GUI of the DJI Pilot app.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 40

DJI

DJI Pilot App

The DJI Pilot app is a new mobile app designed specifically for the Inspire 1. Use this app to control the 

gimbal, camera and other features of your flight system. The app also comes with Map, Store a User Center, 

for configuring your aircraft and sharing your content with friends. It is recommended that you use a tablet 

for the best experience.

United States

Mountain View Shot with DJI INSPIRE 1

CAMERA MAP ACADEMY USER CENTER

Camera

The Camera page contains a live HD video feed from the Inspire 1’s camera. You can also configure 

various camera parameters from the Camera page.

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

[18] MODE PGPS

CL Safe to Fly (GPS) [9]

ISO 100 1/320 EV 0 4821 00:22:16

JPEG 4K 30

[17]

[16]

[10]

[15]

[14]

[13] H: 2M

V.S

8.3M/S

D: 39M

H.S

24.2 M/S 1.2M

[12]

0 200m
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 41

[11]
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INSPIRE 1 User Manual

DJI

[1] Flight Mode

: The text next to this icon indicates the current flight mode.

Tap to enter MC (Main Controller) settings. Modify flight limits, perform compass calibration, and set 

the gain values on this screen.

[2] GPS Signal Strength

: This icon shows the current strength of GPS signals. Green bars indicates adequate GPS 

strength.

[3] IOC Settings

: This icon shows which IOC setting that the aircraft has entered when in F Mode.

Tap to enter IOC setting menu and select Course Lock, Home Lock or Point of Interest Lock.

[4] System Status

: This icon shows current aircraft system status, such as GPS signal health.

[5] Battery Level Indicator

: The battery level indicator dynamically displays the battery level. The color zones on the 

battery level indicator represent different battery levels.

[6] Remote Controller Signal

: This icon shows the strength of remote controller signal.

[7] HD Video Link Signal Strength

: This icon shows the HD video downlink signal strength between the aircraft and the remote

controller.

[8] Battery Level

: This icon shows the current Intelligent Flight Battery level.

Tap to enter battery information menu, set the various battery warning thresholds and view the battery 

warning history in this page.

[9] General Settings

: Tap this icon to enter General Settings page. Select parameter units, reset the camera, enable 

the quick view feature, adjust the gimbal roll value and toggle flight route display on this page.

[10] Camera Operation Bar

Exposure Lock

: Tap to enable or disable the camera exposure lock.

Function

: Tap to adjust camera settings, such as video format and digital filters.

Shutter

: Tap this button to take a single photo.
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INSPIRE 1 User Manual

DJI

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Record

: Tap once to start recording video, then tap again to stop recording. You can also press the 

Video Recording Button on the remote controller, which has the same function.

Playback

: Tap to enter playback page. You can preview photos and videos as soon as they are captured.

Camera Settings and Shooting Mode

 : Tap to enter the Camera Settings page and switch from camera shooting mode from manual to 

auto.

[11] Map

Display the flight path of the current mission. Tap to switch from the Camera GUI to the Map GUI.

0 200m

[12] Vision Positioning

: This icon shows the distance between the surface and the Vision Positioning System's sensors.

[13] Flight Telemetry

H: 2M D: 39M

V.S

8.3 M/S

H.S

24.2M/S 1.2M

Vision Positioning Status

Icon is highlighted when Vision Positioning is in operation.

Flight attitude is indicated by the flight attitude icon.

(1) The red arrow shows which direction the aircraft is facing.

(2) Light blue and dark blue areas indicate pitch.

(3) Pitching of the boundary between light blue and dark blue area shows roll angle.

[14] Home Point Settings

: Tap this button to reset the current home point. You may choose to set the aircraft take-off 

location, the remote controller’s current position, or the aircraft’s current position as the Home Point.

[15] Return to Home (RTH)

: Initiate RTH home procedure. Tap to have the aircraft return to the latest home point.
INSPIRE 1 User Manual

© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 43

DJI

[16] Gimbal Operation Mode

Refer to "Gimbal Operation Mode" P38 for more information.

[17] Auto Takeoff/Landing

/ : Tap to initiate auto takeoff or landing.

[18] Back

: Tap to return to the main GUI.

Map

User can view the current flight route in a larger map view in this page. You can also perform Auto takeoff and Landing in the page. Ensure your mobile device has access to the Internet. Due to the map data

required, Wi-Fi connection is recommended. Internet access is required to cache the map, if Wi-Fi is 

unavailable, mobile data service is required.

Academy

Download user manual, view online videos. Also you can use the flight simulator to practice your flight 

skills.

User Center

You can sync the picture and videos to the mobile device, view the flight records and check your DJI 

account status in the User Center. Use the DJI registered account to login to the User Center.
INSPIRE 1 User Manual

© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 44

Flight

This chapter describes the flight safety 

and flight restrictions.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 45

Flight

Flight

Once pre-flight preparation is complete, it is recommended to use the flight simulator to learn how to fly 

safely. Ensure that all flights are carried out in a suitable location.

Flight Environment Requirements

1. Do not use the aircraft in severe weather conditions. These include wind speed exceeding 10m/s , 

snow, rain and smog.

2. Only fly in open areas. Tall buildings and steel structures may affect the accuracy of the on-board 

compass and GPS signal.

3. Avoid from obstacles, crowds, high voltage power lines, trees or bodies of water.

4. Minimize electromagnetic interference by not flying in area with high levels of electromagnetism, 

including mobile phone base stations or radio transmission towers.

5. Aircraft and battery performance is subject to environment factor such as air density and temperature.

Be very careful when flying 14700 feet (4500 meters) or more above sea level as battery and aircraft 

performance may be reduced.

6. The Inspire 1 cannot operate within the polar areas in “P” mode.

Flight Limits and Flight Restriction Area

Flight limits on height and distance can be set. The details of these flight limits are described in the following 

section.

All unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operators should abide by all regulations from such organizations as

the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), FAA and their own national airspace regulations. For 

safety reasons, the flight limits function is enabled by default to help users use this product safely and 

legally. The flight limits function includes height limits, distance limits and No Fly Zones.

When operating in P Mode, height, distance limits and No Fly Zones work together to manage flight. In A 

mode only height limits work and flights cannot go higher than 120 meters.

Max Height & Radius Limits

Max Height & Radius limit flying height and distance, and the user may change these settings in the 

DJI Pilot App. Once complete, your Inspire 1 will fly in a restricted cylinder that is determined by these 

settings. The tables below show the details of these limits.

Max Height Max Radius 

Home Point

Height of aircraft

when powered on
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 46

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Flight

GPS Signal Strong Blinking Green

Flight Limits DJI Pilot App Aircraft Status Indicator

Max Height Flight altitude must be under

the set height.

Warning: Height

limit reached. None.

Max Radius Flight distance must be within 

the max radius.

Warning: Distance

limit reached.

Rapid red flashing 

when close to the

max radius limit.

GPS Signal Weak Blinking Yellow

Flight Limits DJI Pilot App Aircraft Status Indicator

Max Height Flight height restricted to 

120m and under.

Warning: Height limit 

reached. None.

Max Radius No limits

If you fly out of the limit, you can still control the Inspire 1, but cannot fly it further.

If the Inspire 1 flies out of the max radius in Ready to Fly (non-GPS) mode, it will fly back within 

range automatically.

No-Fly Zones

All No-Fly Zones are listed on the DJI official website at http://flysafe.dji.com/no-fly. No-Fly Zones are 

divided into Airports and Restricted Areas. Airports include major airports and flying fields where manned 

aircraft operate at low altitudes. Restricted Areas include borders between countries or sensitive sites. 

The details of the No-Fly Zones are explained below:

Airport:

(1) Airport No-Fly Zones are comprised of Takeoff Restricted Zones and Restricted-Altitude Zones. Each 

zone features circles of various size.

(2) R1 depends on the size and shape of the airport, and is an area around the airport that is a Takeoff 

Restricted Zone, inside of which take-off and flight is prevented.

(3) From R1 to R1+1 mile around the airport, the flight altitude is limited on a 15 degree incline, starting at 

65 feet (20 meters) from the edge of airport and radiating outward. The flight altitude is limited to 1640 

feet (500 meters) at R1+1 mile.

(4) When the aircraft is within 320 feet (100 meters) of the No-Fly Zones, a warning message will appear 

in the DJI Pilot app.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 47

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Flight

Airports

1640

feet

66 feet

 1 mile R1

320 feet R2

Restricted Areas:

(1) Restricted Areas do not have a flight altitude restriction.

(2) R around the designated Restricted Area is a Take-off Restricted area. Aircraft cannot takeoff within 

this zone. The value of R varies depending on the definition of the Restricted Area.

(3) A “warning zone” has been set around each Restricted Area. When the aircraft is within 0.6 miles (1

km) of this zone, a warning message will appear in the DJI Pilot app.

Restricted Areas

100m R
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 48

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Flight

GPS Signal Strong Blinking Green

Zone Restriction DJI Pilot App Prompt

Aircraft 

Status 

Indicator

No-fly Zone

Motors will not start. Warning: You are in a No-fly 

zone. Take off prohibited.

Red flashing

If the aircraft enters the 

restricted area in A mode but

P mode activates the aircraft

will automatically descend to 

land then stop its motors after 

landing.

Warning: You are in a No-fly 

zone, automatic landing has 

begun. (If you are within 1.5 mile 

radius)

Restrictedaltitude flight

zone

If the aircraft enters the 

restricted area in A mode but P

mode activates, it will descend 

to a safe altitude and hover 15 

feet below the safe altitude.

Warning: You are in a restricted 

zone. Descending to safe 

altitude. (If you are between the 

range of 1.5 mile and 5 mile 

radius)

Warning: You are in a restricted 

zone. Max flight height restricted 

to between 10.5m and 120m. Fly

Cautiously.

Warning zone No flight restriction applies, but 

there will be warning message.

Warning: You are approaching a 

restricted zone, Fly Cautiously.

Free zone No restrictions. None. None.

Semi-automatic descent: All stick commands are available except the throttle stick command

during the descent and landing process. Motors will stop automatically after landing.

When flying in the safety zone, aircraft status indicator will blink red quickly and continue for 3 

seconds, then switch to indicate current flying status and continue for 5 seconds at which point 

it will switch back to red blinking.

For safety reasons, please do not fly close to airports, highways, railway stations, railway lines, 

city centers and other special areas. Try to ensure the aircraft is visible.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 49

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Flight

Preflight Checklist

1. Remote controller, aircraft battery, and mobile device are fully charged.

2. Propellers are mounted correctly and firmly.

3. Micro-SD card has been inserted if necessary.

4. Gimbal is functioning as normal.

5. Motors can start and are functioning as normal.

6. DJI Pilot app connected to the aircraft.

Calibrating the Compass

IMPORTANT: Make sure to calibrate the compass in every new flight location. The compass is very 

sensitive to electromagnetic interference, which can cause abnormal compass data leading to poor flight 

performance or even failure. Regular calibration is required for optimum performance.

DO NOT calibrate your compass where there is a chance of strong magnetic interference, such 

as magnetite, parking structures, and steel reinforcements underground.

DO NOT carry ferromagnetic materials with you during calibration such as keys or cellular 

phones.

DO NOT calibrate beside massive metal objects.

Calibration Procedures

Choose an open space to carry out the following procedures.

1. Ensure the compass is calibrated. If you did not calibrate the compass in the Checklist, or if you 

have changed your position since last calibrating it, tap “MODE” in the app and select “Compass 

Calibration” to calibrate the compass. Then follow the on-screen instructions.

2. Hold and rotate the aircraft horizontally 360 degrees, and the Aircraft Status Indicator will display a 

solid green light.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 50

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Flight

3. Hold the aircraft vertically with nose pointing downward, and rotate it 360 degrees around the center 

axis. Recalibrate the compass if the Aircraft Status Indicator show solid red.

If the Aircraft Status Indicator blinks red and yellow after the calibration, move your aircraft to a 

different location to carry out compass calibration.

Calibrate the compass before each flight. Launch DJI Pilot App, follow the on-screen instruction 

to calibrate the compass.

When to Recalibrate

1. When compass data is abnormal, and the Aircraft Status Indicator is blinking red and yellow.

2. When flying in a new location, or a location that is different from your last flight.

3. When the mechanical structure of the Inspire 1 has changed, i.e. changed mounting position of the 

compass.

4. When severe drifting occurs in flight, i.e. the Inspire 1 does not fly in straight lines.

Auto Take-off and Auto Landing

Auto Take-off

Use auto take-off to take off your aircraft automatically if the Aircraft Status Indicator displays blinking

green. Follow the steps below to use auto take-off:

1. Launch DJI Pilot app, enter “Camera” page.

2. Ensure the aircraft is in “P” mode.

3. Go through the pre-flight checklist.

4. Tap“ ”, and confirm flight condition. Slide to confirm and take-off.

5. Aircraft takes off and hovers at 1.5 meters above ground.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 51

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Flight

Auto-Landing

Use auto-landing to land your aircraft automatically if the Aircraft Status Indicator displays blinking green.

Follow the steps below to use auto-landing:

1. Ensure the aircraft is in “P” mode.

2. Check the landing area condition before tapping “ ”, to perform landing.

3. Aircraft lowers the landing gear and proceed to land automatically.

Landing gear will automatically raise when the aircraft reaches an altitude of 1.2m for the first 

time, and automatically lower every time it descends to 0.8m. Users can turn this feature ON/OFF 

in the Pilot app.

Starting/Stopping the Motors

Starting Motors

The Combination Stick Command (CSC) listed below are used to start the motors instead of simply pushing the stick up. Ensure that you perform the CSC in one motion.

OR

Stopping Motors

There are two methods to stop the motors.

Method 1: When the Inspire 1 has landed, push the throttle down , then conduct CSC . Motors will stop

immediately. Release both sticks once motors stop.

Method 2: When the aircraft has landed, push the throttle down and hold. The motors will stop after 3 

seconds.

OR

Do not perform CSC when aircraft is in midair, otherwise the motors will be stopped.

Flight Test

Take off/Landing Procedures

1. Place the aircraft on open, flat ground with battery indicators facing towards you.

2. Power on the remote controller and your mobile device, then the Intelligent Flight Battery.

3. Launch the DJI Pilot App and enter the Camera page.

4. Wait until the Aircraft Indicator blinks green. This means the Home Point is recorded and it is safe to fly 

now. If it flashes yellow, it means Home Point is not recorded, and you should not take off.

5. Push the throttle up slowly to take off or using Auto Take-off to take off.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 52

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Flight

6. Shoot photos and videos using the DJI Pilot app.

7. To land, hover over a level surface and gently pull down on the throttle slowly to descend.

8. After landing, execute the CSC command or hold the throttle at its lowest position for 3 seconds or 

more until the motors stop.

9. Turn off the Intelligent Flight Battery first, followed by the Remote Controller.

When the Aircraft Status Indicator blinks yellow rapidly during flight, the aircraft has entered Failsafe 

mode.

A low battery level warning is indicated by the Aircraft Status Indicator blinking red slowly or

rapidly during flight.

Watch video tutorials about flight for more flight information.

Video Suggestions and Tips

1. Work through the checklist before each flight.

2. Select desired gimbal working mode in the DJI Pilot app.

3. Aim to shoot when flying in P mode only.

4. Always fly in good weather, such as sunny or windless days.

5. Change camera settings to suit you. These include photo format and exposure compensation.

6. Perform flight tests to establish flight routes and scenes.

7. Push the sticks gently to make aircraft movements stable and smooth
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 53

INSPIRE 1 User Manual
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 57

Appendix

Specifications

Aircraft

Model T600

Weight (Battery Included) 2935 g

Vertical:0.5m Hovering Accuracy (P Mode)

Max Angular Velocity

Horizontal: 2.5 m 

Pitch: 300°/s 

Yaw: 150°/s

Max Tilt Angle 35°

Max Ascent Speed 5 m/s

Max Descent Speed 4 m/s

Max Speed 22 m/s (ATTI mode, no wind)

Max Flight Altitude 4500 m

Max Wind Speed Resistance 10 m/s

Max Flight Time Approximately 18 minutes

Motor Model DJI 3510

Propeller Model DJI 1345

Indoor Hovering Enabled by default

Operating Temperature Range -10° to 40° C

Diagonal Distance 559 to 581 mm

Dimensions 438x451x301 mm

Gimbal

Model ZENMUSE X3

Output Power (With Camera) Static: 9 W; In Motion: 11 W

Operating Current Station: 750 mA; Motion: 900 mA

Angular Vibration Range ±0.03°

Mounting Detachable

Pitch: -90° to +30°

Controllable Range

Mechanical Range

Max Controllable Speed

Pan: ±320°

Pitch: -125° to +45°

Pan: ±330°

Pitch: 120°/s 

Pan: 180°/s
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 58

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Camera

Name X3

Model FC350

Total Pixels 12.76M

Effective Pixels 12.4M

Image Max Size 4000x3000

ISO Range 100-3200 (video) 100-1600 (photo)

Electronic Shutter Speed 8 s to 1/8000 s

FOV (Field Of View) 94°

CMOS Sony EXMOR 1/2.3”

20mm (35mm format equivalent) f/2.8 focus at )

Lens

Still Photography Modes

Video Recording Modes

9 Elements in 9 groups

Anti-distortion

Single shoot

Burst shooting: 3/5/7 frames

Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB): 3/5 bracketed frames at 

0.7EVBias

Time-lapse

UHD (4K): 4096x2160p24/25, 3840x2160p24/25/30 

FHD: 1920x1080p24/25/30/48/50/60

HD: 1280x720p24/25/30/48/50/60

Max Bitrate Of Video Storage 60 Mbps

FAT32/exFAT

Supported File Formats

Supported SD Card Types

Photo: JPEG, DNG

Video: MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264)

Micro SD

Max capacity: 64 GB. Class 10 or UHS-1 rating required.

Operating Temperature Range 0° to 40° C 

Remote Controller

Name C1

922.7MHz~927.7 MHz (Japan Only) Operating Frequency 5.725~5.825 GHz;2.400~2.483 GHz

Transmitting Distance 2 km (Outdoor And Unobstructed)

EIRP 10dBm@900m, 13dBm@5.8G, 20dBm@2.4G

Video Output Port USB, Mini-HDMI

Power Supply Built-in battery

Charging DJI charger
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 59

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Dual User Capability Host-and-Slave connection
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 60

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Mobile Device Holder Tablet or Smart Phone

Output Power 9 W

Operating Temperature Range -10° to 40° C

Less than 3 months: -20° to 45° C

Storage Temperature Range More than 3 months: 22° to 28° C

Charging Temperature Range 0-40° C

Battery 6000 mAh LiPo 2S

Charger

Model A14-100P1A

Voltage 26.3 V

Rated Power 100 W

Battery (Standard)

Name Intelligent Flight Battery

Model TB47

Capacity 4500 mAh

Voltage 22.2 V

Battery Type LiPo 6S High voltage battery

Energy 99.9 Wh

Net Weight 570 g

Operating Temperature Range -10° to 40° C

Less than 3 months: -20° to 45° C

Storage Temperature Range More than 3 months: 22° C to 28° C

Charging Temperature Range 0° to 40° C

Max Charging Power 180 W

Battery (Optional)

Name Intelligent Flight Battery

Model TB48

Capacity 5700 mAh

Voltage 22.8 V

Battery Type LiPo 6S

Energy 129.96 Wh

Net Weight 670 g

Operating Temperature Range -10 to 40° C

Less than 3 months: -20 to 45° C

Storage Temperature Range More than 3 months: 22° to 28° C
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 61

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Charging Temperature Range 0° to 40° C
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 62

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Max Charging Power 180 W

Vision Positioning

Velocity Range Below 8 m/s (2 m above ground)

Altitude Range 5-500 cm

Operating Environment Brightly lit (lux > 15) patterned surfaces

Operating Range 0-250 cm

DJI Pilot App

Mobile Device System Requirements iOS version 7.1 or later; Android version 4.1.2 or later

* iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5S, iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 

3, iPad Air, iPad Mini 2, iPad 4;* Samsung Note 3, Samsung Supported Mobile Devices S5, Sony Z3 EXPERIA;* Note: It is recommended that you 

use a tablet for the best experience

Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC)

IOC allows users to lock the orientation of aircraft in different fashions. There are three working modes for 

IOC and you may select the desired IOC modes from the DJI Pilot app. IOC only works under F mode, 

and user must toggle the flight mode switch to “F” mode to activate IOC. Refer to the table below:

Course Lock (CL) 

Home Lock (HL)* 

Point of Interest (POI)*

Its forward direction is pointing to the nose direction when recording, which is 

fixed until you re-record it or exit from CL.

Record a Home Point (HP), and push Pitch stick to control the aircraft far from 

or near to the HP.

Point of Interest. Record a point of interest (POI), the aircraft can circle around 

the POI, and the nose always points to the POI.

*Home Lock and Point of Interest feature are coming soon.

Prerequisites of IOC

Use the IOC feature under the following condition:

Modes IOC GPS enabled GPS Flight Distance Limits

Course Lock No None None

Home Lock Yes Aircraft ≥10m Home Point

POI Yes Aircraft 5m~500m Point of Interest

Using IOC

Enable the IOC feature by tapping “Enable IOC” in the setting page of the DJI Pilot app. Toggle the Flight 

Mode Switch to “F” mode and follow the on-screen instruction to use IOC feature.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 63

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

How to Update Firmware

Follow the process described below to upgrade the aircraft, remote controller and battery.

Updating the Aircraft Firmware

Step 1- Check Battery and SD Card Capacity

Ensure the Intelligent Flight Battery has at least 50% power and there is at least 100MB of free space on 

the SD card.

Step 2- Prepare the Firmware Update Package

1. Download the firmware update package from the official DJI website (http://www.dji.com/product/

inspire-1).

2. Insert the SD into your PC. Extract the all downloaded files into the root directory of the SD card.

Remove the SD card from your PC. Ensure the Inspire 1 is powered off then insert the SD card into the 

SD card slot on the Inspire 1 camera.

Step 3- Update the Aircraft

1. Ensure the remote controller is powered off and then power on the aircraft. Upgrade will begin

automatically after aircraft is powered on.

2. It will take approximately 25 minutes to complete the firmware update. The camera will sound a short 

pulse of "D-D-D-D" beeping sound to indicate the upgrade is in progress and sound a “D---DD” 

beeping sound to indicate the update is complete with success.

3. Check the upgrade status by opening the “.txt” file that is automatically generated after the update.

The update is successful if the text “result: successful” is in the document. Try upgrading the firmware 

again if the text “result: failed” is found or the gimbal sound a long beep sound.

Updating the Remote Controller Firmware

Step 1- Check Battery and SD Card Capacity

Remote controller firmware is included in the aircraft firmware update package. Use the same update 

package file that is downloaded from the DJI official website. Ensure the remote controller battery level is 

above 50%.

Step 2- Prepare the Firmware Update Package

1. Extract all downloaded files into the root directory of an SD card or USB thumb drive.

2. Insert the SD card into a SD card reader or the USB disk onto the remote controller USB port when 

remote controller powered off. If you do not have a SD card reader, you may insert the SD card into 

the gimbal and connect the gimbal with remote controller to upgrade the remote controller.

Step 3- Update the Remote Controller

1. Power on the remote controller and wait 60 seconds until the upgrade begins. Do not power off the 

remote controller during the update.

2. It will take approximately 10 minutes to complete the firmware update. The camera will sound a 

beeping sound and the Status LED on the remote controller shows solid blue to indicate the update is 

in progress. The Status LED on remote controller shows solid green and beeping sound will stop if the 

upgrade is completed with success. The Status LED on remote controller shows solid red if upgrade is 

failed. Try upgrade again.
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INSPIRE 1 User Manual

Updating Intelligent Flight Battery Firmware

The Intelligent Flight Battery is upgraded during the aircraft firmware upgrade process. It is recommended 

to keep the upgrade package files in your SD card. The upgrade will start automatically after power 

cycling the aircraft.

Do not perform firmware update while the aircraft is still flying in the air. Only carry out firmware 

update when the aircraft is landed.

Be sure to update the remote controller’s firmware to the latest version after you upgrade the aircraft’s 

firmware.

The remote controller may become unlinked from the aircraft after updating. Re-link the remote

controller and aircraft.

Confirm the update results according to the gimbal sounds. It is normal for the aircraft to sound or the 

LED to blink during the update process.

Ensure there is only one firmware package file stored on your SD card.

Only storage devices that are formatted for FAT32 and exFAT file systems are supported for aircraft 

and remote controller firmware updates.

Delete any automatically generated txt files (xxx_GS.TXT) in the SD card when updating multiple 

remote controllers.

FCC Compliance

FCC Compliance

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and

(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired 

operation.

Changes or modifications not expressly roved by the party responsible for compliance could void the 

user's authority to operate the equipment.

Compliance Information

FCC Warning Message

Any Changes or modifications not expressly roved by the party responsible for compliance could void the 

user’s authority to operate the equipment.

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference 

received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

FCC Radiation Exposure Statement:

This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. 

This equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance 20cm between the radiator& 

your body. This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or 

transmitter.

Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, 

pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against

harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 65

INSPIRE 1 User Manual

frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful 

interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in 

a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, 

which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct 

the interference by one or more of the following measures:

—Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

—Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

—Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

—Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

IC RSS warning

This device complies with Industry Canada licence-exempt RSS standard (s). Operation is subject to the 

following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any 

interference,including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.

Le présent areil est conforme aux CNR d'Industrie Canada licables aux areils radio exempts de licence.

L'exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes:

(1) l'areil ne doit pas produire de brouillage, et

(2) l'utilisateur de l'areil doit accepter tout brouillage radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage est 

susceptible d'en compromettre le fonctionnement.

IC Radiation Exposure Statement:

This equipment complies with IC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. 

This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter. 

This equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance 20cm between the radiator& 

your body.

Any Changes or modifications not expressly roved by the party responsible for compliance could void the 

user’s authority to operate the equipment.

KCC Warning Message

“해당무선설비는 운용 중 전파혼신 가능성이 있으므로 인명안전과 관련된 서비스는 할 수 없습니다 .” 

“해당 무선설비는 운용 중 전파혼신 가능성이 있음”

NCC Warning Message 低功率電波輻射性電機管理辦法 第十二條經型式認證合格之低功率射頻電機,非經許可,公司、商號或使 用者均不得擅自變更頻率、加 大功率或變更原設計之特性及功能。 第十四條低功率射頻電機之使用不得 影響飛航安全及干擾合法通信;經發現有干擾現象時,應改善至無 干擾時方得繼續使用。前項合法通信 ,指依電信法規定作業之無線電通信。低功率射頻電機須忍受合法 通信或工業、科學及醫療用電波輻射性 電機設備之干擾。
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© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.

Inspire 1-Flight Limits and Flight 

Restriction Area

Flight Limits and Flight Restriction Area

Flight limits on height and distance can be set. The details of these flight limits 

are described in the following section. All unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 

operators should abide by all regulations from such organizations as the ICAO 

(International Civil Aviation Organization), FAA and their own national airspace 

regulations. For safety reasons, the flight limits function is enabled by default to 

help users use this product safely and legally. The flight limits function includes 

height limits, distance limits and No Fly Zones. When operating in P Mode, 

height, distance limits and No Fly Zones work together to manage flight. In A 

mode only height limits work and flights cannot go higher than 120 meters.

Max Height & Radius Limits

Max Height & Radius limit flying height and distance, and the user may change 

these settings in the DJI Pilot App. Once complete, your Inspire 1 will fly in a 

restricted cylinder that is determined by these settings. The tables below show 

the details of these limits.
Note:

▪ If you fly out of the limit, you can still control the Inspire 1, but cannot fly it 

further.

▪ If the Inspire 1 flies out of the max radius in Ready to Fly (non-GPS) mode, it 

will fly back within range automatically.

Flight Restriction of Restricted Areas

Restricted areas include airports worldwide. All restricted areas are listed on the 

DJI official website at http://www.dji.com/fly-safe/category-mc. Restricted areas 

are divided into category A and category B. Category A areas cover major 

international airport such as LAX and Heathrow, while category B areas includes 

smaller airports.

Category A Safety Zone

(1) The category A “safety zone” is comprised of a small “no-fly zone” and a 

range of “restricted-altitude zones”. Flight is prevented in the “no-fly zone” but 

can continue with height restrictions in the restricted-altitude zone. (2) 1.5 miles 

(2.4 km) around a designated safety zone is a no-fly zone, inside which takeoff is 

prevented.

(3) 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to 5 miles (8 km) around restricted areas are altitude 

restricted, with maximum altitude going from 35 feet (10.5 m) at 1.5 miles (2.4 

km) to 400 feet (120 m) at 5 miles (8 km).

(4) A “warning zone” has been set around the safety zone. When you fly within 

320 feet (100m) of the safety zone, a warning message will appear on the DJI 

Pilot App.
Category B Safety Zone

(1) Category B “safety zone” is comprised of a “no-fly zone” and a “warning 

zone”.

(2) 0.6 miles (1 km) around the safety zone is a designated “no-fly zone”.

(3) A “warning zone” has been set around the safety zone. When you fly within 

0.6 miles (1Km) of this zone, a warning will appear on the DJI Pilot App.
Reference:

Semi-automatic descent: All stick commands are available except the throttle 

stick command during the descent and landing process. Motors will stop 

automatically after landing.

Note:

▪ When flying in the safety zone, aircraft status indicator will blink red quickly and 

continue for 3 seconds, then switch to indicate current flying status and 

continue for 5 seconds at which point it will switch back to red blinking.

For safety reasons, please do not fly close to airports, highways, railway stations, 

railway lines, city centers and other special areas. Try to ensure the aircraft is 

visible.