18kg Multicopter Swans In – Freefly Alta 8 Announced

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by Tim FokMarch 23^rd, 2016

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Freefly has announced a new multicopter, the Alta 8 comes arrives with all the neat features of the Alta 6 including Synapse brain, top/bottom loading and 45 degree angle operation, but adds two more arms increasing it’s payload to an impressive 18kg.

So, another Freefly promo video. They makes them nice, don’t they? Any form of filmmaker would probably have the same feelings as me after that video, Want and Need (before realising I’m not a pilot and would likely crash it the minute I’d set my hands on that lovely flashy controller).

Those that are pilots and perhaps looking to upgrade to a larger system will appreciate the Alta 8 in a more practical fashion. The payload gets increased to 18kg (5 more than the Alta 6) giving the multicopter a hefty 11.9 working payload (6.2kg of the 18 taken up by the weight of the aircraft).

Despite the extra 2 arms and increased payload, the Alta 8 out performs its smaller 6-legged brother in reducing down to 50% of it’s ready-to-fly size down to packed away state.

The Alta is 640mm in diameter packed down (littler larger than the Alta 6 at 590mm) but is actually has a smaller wingspan at 1296mm.

Just like the Alta 6, the Alta 8 utilizes Freeflys quick release toad in the hole system to quickly switch between a conventional underslung configuration to SkyView, where the camera sits above the rotors for any up tilted shots.

The great feature of Alta systems (despite not being new) is the Alta App. I have vast experience with the Movi app which is both very quick & easy to use, whilst also complex in the amount of adjustments you can make throughout. Observing the Alta App, you get the same impression and coupled with the Synapse brain you’ve access to a host of graphical and numeric information to ensure your setup is calibrated on point.

The Alta 8 maintains agility with 45 degrees of operation (tilt of copter whilst keeping camera straight), features velocity clamps for control of repeat camera moves and silent drive motors that Freefly bill as being optimized for speed, reliability, and robustness.

The Freefly Alta 8 will start shipping immediately, starting at $17,495.