This report will discuss the data protocol and format for the DJI Inspire 2 unmanned aerial system (UAS).  This small multirotor is setting the standard for professional grade filming from a stable UAS platform.  The system is equipped with multiple sensors which are used specifically for flying the vehicle and avoiding obstacles (DJI, 2017).  These sensors include a downward vision system, upward infrared (IR) sensor, and a forward vision system.  Each of these are used to alert the operator or flight management computer of an impending obstacle allowing the system to put in the needed control inputs (DJI, 2017).  The data from these sensors has no need to be stored as it is used by the vehicle immediately upon reception.  Recalling the data is not something the designers thought the Inspire 2 needed. 

 

Figure 1. Inspire 2 Obstacle Avoidance Sensors (DJI, 2017)

            There is a sensor on-board the Inspire 2 which produces the data the operators are very concerned with recalling.  That would be the video data from the gimbal mounted camera mounted on the underbelly of the vehicle.  There are multiple camera options for the Inspire 2, but this work is going to focus on the absolute best camera the vehicle can handle.  That would be the Zenmuse X5S (DJI, 2017).  The camera is able to be equipped with any Micro 4/3 lenses, can take quality video up to 5.2K at 30FPS, 20.8 MP still pictures, and even a 20 FPS continuous burst (DJI, 2017). 

Figure 2. Inspire 2 Equipped with X5S Camera (DJI, 2017)

All of this is amazing, but useless unless the data is stored efficiently and in a format useful to professional filmmakers.  The Inspire is equipped to store video data in CinemaDNG and Apple ProRes 5.2K with H.265 and H.264 codec support (DJI, 2017).  The recorded video is stored using a FAT32/exFAT file system simultaneously on a DJI CINESSD or a Micro-SD card.  A DJI CINESSD is a DJI designed storage media using NVMe logical device interface.  The card comes in 120 and 480 GB capacities. The still shots are stored using a standard JPEG/DNG/JPEG+DNG formats.  All of these formats make the processing of such data simpler. 

Figure 3. Inspire 2 Sensor Data Protocol (DJI, 2017)

            The Inspire 2 is already an amazing piece of unmanned technology.  There are not many features which an operator could ask for which the Inspire 2 does not already have.  With all the pros in flight management, sensor ability, and data treatment there is only one con which I have for the system as a whole.  That would be the on-board storage devices in the Micro SSD or the DJI CINESSD.  I understand that both of these components were chosen/designed for the specific reason of size and functionality, however, I believe the Micro SSD is too small to be tracked easily.  That is simply this author’s opinion, but all of the other systems which I have used utilizing Micro SSD have all received the same review.  The CINESSD also hurts the budget with the 480GB costing $900.  I would like to see the data stored on something physically larger like a normal SD card or even USB drive.  Neither require much more room than the Micro SSD or CINESSD.  It is bigger.  It is heavier.  It is easier to keep track of and the weight/size cost is surpassed by this increase in convenience; at least for me. 

References

DJI. (2017, November 7). Inspire 2. Retrieved from DJI: http://www.dji.com/inspire-2?site=brandsite&from=nav