I am unable to advocate this rugged energy station sufficient to drone customers — now with $340 off for Black Friday!

What is the deal?

There’s at the moment a $340 coupon on Amazon for the DJI Power 1000 energy station.

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The DJI Power 1000 power station is accessible on Amazon for $799 on Amazon. 
• It is a highly effective, premium high quality energy station that is constructed to fulfill the wants {of professional} drone pilots.
• Sadly, there is no storage compartment for the SDC accent cables, neither is there a built-in 12V automotive adapter port.

I’ve examined dozens of energy stations over the previous yr, however there was one that basically piqued my curiosity from the second I first heard about it. DJI, a frontrunner in each drones and action cameras, has used its experience in battery know-how to enter the aggressive world of transportable energy stations. And the corporate made a dramatic entrance into this market with its first providing — the Power 1000.

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For the previous week, I have been testing the Energy 1000, the larger of the 2 energy stations launched by DJI earlier this month. It is certainly one of — if not the primary — energy station available on the market that’s particularly designed to satisfy the wants {of professional} drone pilots. 

DJI Energy 1000 tech specs

• Battery Capability: 1024Wh
• Cell Chemistry: LFP (lithium ferrophosphate)
• Cycle Life: Maintains over 70% capability after 4000 cycles.
• Ports: 2x AC Output, 2x USB-C, 2x USB-A, SDC, SDC Lite, AC Enter
• AC Output: AC 100-120 V, 50/60Hz, max steady output: 2200W, AC 220-240 V, 50/60Hz, max steady output: 2200W, max output: 2400W (whole)
• AC Output (Bypass Mode): AC 100-120 V, 12 A, 1440 W, AC 220-240 V, 10 A, 2200W
• USB-A Output: 5V, 3A, 9V, 2A, 12V, 2A, Max output energy per channel: 24W
• USB–C Output: 5V, 5A, 9V, 5A, 12V, 5A, 15V, 5A, 20V, 5A, 28V, 5A (EPR), Max output energy per channel: 140W
• SDC and SDC Lite Output: SDC: 9-27 V, max present: 10A, max output energy: 240W, SDC Lite: 9-27V, max present: 10A, max output energy: 240W
• Internet Weight: Approx. 13 kg
• Dimensions: 448 × 225 × 230 mm

Notice: The product featured on this overview was examined with UK sockets.

I’ve examined quite a few energy stations within the 1,000Wh vary, and the dimensions and weight of the Energy 1000 align with my expectations. Nonetheless, one side that stood out instantly to me was its strong development: The outer shell is hard, successfully resisting knocks and bumps with out flexing or bowing, which is what an influence station like this – one thing that is been constructed to take out and about — actually wants.

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The “ammo crate” fashion handles facilitate simple motion, whether or not with one hand or two, and they’re clean and comfy to grip, which is unquestionably a bonus since this unit is a considerably weighty little bit of equipment.

The interface of the Energy 1000 is refreshingly easy, that includes just some buttons and switches together with an LCD. It avoids the confusion of tiny, difficult-to-identify “thriller meat” buttons or the necessity to depend on an app for important capabilities. 

I significantly respect the dearth of app dependency for controlling the facility station, though connecting the unit to a pc for firmware updates might be considerably cumbersome. 

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The LED show appears to be a high quality, customized half — a welcome deviation from the lower-quality panels I’ve seen utilized by many different energy station producers. It stays clear even in vibrant daylight, providing an uncluttered view that makes it simple to rapidly soak up all of the vital info on show.

The ports are smart: you might have two AC shops, two USB-C ports supporting 24W output, and a pair of USB-C ports that may ship a full 240W.

I respect the strong port covers on the AC inlet and the DC ports of the Energy 1000. They’re sturdy and do not appear prone to rip or fall off simply, in contrast to some others I’ve seen. Nonetheless, it’s kind of shocking that DJI selected to cowl these ports whereas leaving the AC sockets and USB ports uncovered. Ideally, all ports would have covers to supply some degree of safety from grime and moisture, enhancing the unit’s sturdiness and performance in inclement environments.

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I carried out my standard barrage of assessments on the Energy 1000, which included verifying the unit’s battery capability and cost occasions, checking if the ports ship their rated energy, and testing how the AC shops deal with being overloaded. The Energy 1000 handed all assessments efficiently.

Cost occasions for the Energy 1000 are round 70 to 75 minutes in fast-charge mode and about 130 minutes in customary mode. Whereas the fast-charge choice is handy should you’re in a rush, utilizing customary mode is usually advisable. This slower charging tempo places much less stress on the batteries, doubtlessly extending their lifespan.

And underneath extreme overloading, the unit merely shuts off with none adversarial results, which is a reassuring security function.

In use, the Energy 1000 is quiet, with the cooling fan solely kicking in when wanted, and even then not being all that noticeable, which is useful when utilizing the facility station indoors.

The unit additionally helps photo voltaic charging, however this requires a separate solar power adapter module, and as I used to be not despatched one for testing, I am unable to touch upon this. Nonetheless, I do like this concept of not having to pay for the photo voltaic charging module should you will not ever want photo voltaic charging, as this retains the worth down.

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The SDC ports on the Energy 1000, designed particularly for fast-charging DJI drone batteries, are certainly a considerate and helpful addition for drone pilots. Every port can be utilized to cost one battery at a time, which works effectively should you persistently recharge your batteries instantly after use, slightly than ready till you might have a pile of them.

Nonetheless, to cost your drone batteries you will have bespoke cables, that are offered individually, including to the associated fee. There are cables for the Air 3, Mavic 3, Matrice 30, and Inspire 3 drones. 

It is also barely inconvenient that there isn’t a space for storing for these cables on the unit. As a workaround, I’ve taken to tying them across the handles of the Energy 1000, which, whereas efficient, is not essentially the most elegant resolution. That is one side that might be improved for higher person comfort.

There are additionally cables to rework the SDC ports to a 12 V car adapter outlet and XT60 port. 

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

I used to be impressed with the DJI Power 1000. It has all of the options you’d count on from a normal mid-sized unit, however with the added performance that it has been constructed with drone pilots in thoughts. 

The 1000Wh capability is in regards to the restrict of what you wish to lug about, and it has sufficient ports to distribute this energy in a smart manner. I’ve seen energy stations completely festooned with ports, however two AC, USB-A, and USB-C ports, together with the SBC and SBC Lite ports, is a smart loadout. 

The Power 1000 is priced at $959, which aligns with comparable models available on the market. And for now, you may get $400 on Amazon just by clicking on the coupon.