The Netflix-approved drone: why the Inspire 3 belongs on your production

TV & Film
Written By Tim Boydell

In 2025, Netflix did something it had never done before: it added a drone to its approved camera list for 4K Originals. The DJI Inspire 3, with its Zenmuse X9-8K Air camera, became the first aircraft to make the list. That puts it alongside the cinema cameras you'd expect to see on a Netflix set.

We've flown the Inspire 3 year round on UK television drama since it launched, so this didn't surprise us. But it does change the conversation with producers, and here's why.

What Netflix approval actually means

Netflix asks that at least 90% of a programme's runtime is shot on cameras from its approved list. Before the Inspire 3, aerials had to come from somewhere else in the budget, or squeeze into the remaining 10%.

Now Inspire 3 footage counts towards the 90%. In plain terms, your aerials are treated as first-class footage, not B-roll that needs special permission.

Why it earned the approval

  • A full-frame sensor. The X9-8K Air records up to 8K, so it sits comfortably next to the main unit in the grade.

  • RAW recording in the aircraft. CinemaDNG and Apple ProRes RAW give the colourist the same flexibility they'd expect from the A camera.

  • Proper lenses. The DJI DL set (18, 24, 35, 50, 75 and 90mm). We can also fly anamorphic and vintage glass on request.

  • Built for crews. A dedicated pilot camera means one person flies while the camera operator frames. That's how high-end aerials are shot.

What it means for your production

For producers, the Inspire 3 has always come down to three things: safety, reliability and price. Netflix approval adds a fourth: confidence that the footage will pass delivery.

It's also quick. We're out of the van and flying in five minutes, which matters when the light is going and the cast are waiting.

On a recent UKTV drama shoot in Devon, we flew at dawn straight into the sun. The director watched the flares come through on the monitor and was stunned. That's the camera Netflix approved.

Flying it for you

We fly the Inspire 3 single or dual operator, across Cornwall, Devon, the UK and abroad, with crewed day rates from £1,520.

See our DJI Inspire 3 page → Check availability →

Source: Netflix Partner Help Center, Approved Cameras list, and DJI's Inspire 3 camera production guide.

Tim Boydell
Next

Drone Cornwall