Drone Hire in London: Inspire 3 Dry Hire vs Pilot Package
Searching for drone hire in London usually means one of two things: you have a licensed pilot and need a cinema drone, or you need the whole aerial unit, pilot included. At Moonshine Film we offer both, built around the DJI Inspire 3. This guide explains the difference between Inspire 3 dry hire and our drone pilot packages, so TV, film and commercial productions can book the right option first time.
Why the DJI Inspire 3?
The DJI Inspire 3 is DJI’s flagship full-frame cinema drone, designed for high-end film, commercial and broadcast productions. It carries the Zenmuse X9-8K Air camera, capturing 8K RAW and 6K ProRes, with the same colour science used across DJI’s professional cinema line-up.
For productions, the practical advantages are:
- Full-frame image quality with DL-mount full-frame lenses
- Dual-operator mode, so one person flies while another frames the shot
- RTK-powered, centimetre-level positioning for precise, repeatable moves
- 360° obstacle detection and O3 Pro transmission
The Inspire 3 is available two ways: as a dry hire, with no pilot required, or as part of our CAA-licensed drone pilot packages.
Option 1: Inspire 3 dry hire (no pilot required)
Dry hire suits productions that already have a qualified drone pilot, or a drone team that wants to add an Inspire 3 to its own setup. You collect the kit from our base in Millbank, central London, or we deliver it, with same-day delivery across London.
Our Inspire 3 dry hire kit includes:
- Inspire 3 body with ProRes & RAW licence
- 1x DJI RC Plus controller
- X9-8K Air gimbal camera and DJI DL lens set (24, 35 and 50mm)
- 6x TB51 Intelligent Batteries and a TB51 charging hub
- 1x PROSSD 1TB
- 3 pairs of foldable quick-release propellers
- Inspire 3 trolley case, data cables, gimbal dampers and Allen key
A second RC controller, for dual-operator flying, is an add-on hired separately. You can also browse the rest of our drone hire range for Mavic drones and accessories.
With dry hire, the flying is down to your own pilot, who handles the permissions and insurance for the flight. Dry hire clients need to send us proof of insurance before the rental.
Option 2: Inspire 3 drone pilot packages
If you need the aerial unit as well as the drone, our pilot packages put a CAA-licensed, SORA-approved operator on set with the Inspire 3 and everything needed to run it. Our drone crew has over 10 years of experience delivering aerial footage for film, TV and commercials, and works under approved Operational Safety Case (OSC) frameworks.
There are three Inspire 3 crew packages:
- Drone Pilot + Inspire 3: a CAA-licensed and SORA-approved operator, the Inspire 3 combo, a backup Inspire 3, 2x DJI High-Bright remote monitors, Eartec headsets, a MacBook with ShotPut Pro for data wrangling, and our VW Transporter camera unit van with a battery station for the TB51s.
- Drone Pilot + Gimbal Operator: adds a drone gimbal cinematographer, so one crew member flies while the other controls the 360° stabilised camera for parallax and dynamic moves a single operator can’t achieve. Includes a SmallHD Cine 18" 4K monitor and a backup Inspire 3 and Mavic 3 Pro Cine.
- Drone Pilot + Focus Puller + Gimbal Operator: our top aerial package for feature films, high-end commercials and major productions, adding a 1st AC/focus puller, DJI three-channel follow focus, DJI Master Wheels and the DJI RTK Mobile Station.
Dry hire vs pilot package at a glance
| Inspire 3 dry hire | Pilot package | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it suits | Productions with their own qualified pilot or drone team | Productions that need a complete aerial unit |
| What’s included | Inspire 3, X9-8K Air camera, DL lens set, RC Plus, batteries, PROSSD | Inspire 3 combo, backup drone, monitors, comms, data wrangling, camera van |
| Permissions | Handled by your own pilot | Flight planning, permissions and safety handled by our team |
| Insurance | Your pilot handles insurance for the flying. Dry hire clients need to send us proof of insurance before the rental. | Our operation carries £10M public liability |
| Crew | None, no pilot required | Pilot, plus optional gimbal operator and focus puller |
Permissions and flying in London
Filming in London involves complex airspace rules. Our pilots regularly work in flight-restricted zones and handle flight planning, permissions and safety as part of a pilot package.
A good example is our shoot for the launch of the Women’s ICC T20 World Cup, when Waterloo Bridge was closed to traffic and we secured airspace over one of the UK’s most iconic landmarks. Read the full story: We Shut Down Waterloo Bridge.
Repeatable aerial moves with RTK
RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) GPS holds the drone to within centimetres, so a programmed move can be flown identically again and again, like a dolly track in the sky. It’s ideal for matching takes, VFX plates, day-to-night and timelapse passes. Our top Inspire 3 package includes the DJI RTK Mobile Station. See how it works in our RTK drone filming guide, filmed at a cricket ground.
Which option should you book?
Choose dry hire if you already have a qualified pilot and want flagship full-frame aerials in your own workflow. Choose a pilot package if you want permissions, safety and a filmmaking-led aerial crew handled for you, especially for restricted London airspace, complex camera moves or repeatable RTK shots.
Either way, we’re open 7 days, 8am–10pm, and 24/7 with advance notice, and our Best Price Guarantee means that if you’ve received a cheaper quote from another rental house, send it over and we’ll beat the price where possible.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hire a DJI Inspire 3 in London without a pilot?
Yes. The Inspire 3 is available as a dry hire with no pilot required, collected from Millbank or delivered with same-day delivery across London. Your pilot handles permissions and insurance for the flying, and dry hire clients need to send us proof of insurance before the rental.
What’s included in Inspire 3 dry hire?
The Inspire 3 body with ProRes and RAW licence, RC Plus, X9-8K Air gimbal camera with a 24, 35 and 50mm DL lens set, 6 TB51 batteries with a charging hub, a 1TB PROSSD, spare propellers and a trolley case. A second controller is an add-on.
Are your drone pilots licensed and insured?
Yes. Our operators are CAA-licensed and SORA-approved, work under approved OSC frameworks, and we carry £10M public liability.
Can you film in restricted London airspace?
Yes. On pilot packages we regularly work in flight-restricted zones and handle flight planning, permissions and safety.
Can I add a gimbal operator or focus puller?
Yes. Our Inspire 3 packages scale from a single pilot to a pilot plus gimbal operator, up to a pilot, gimbal operator and focus puller with follow focus and RTK.
Book drone hire in London
Tell us about your shoot, location and dates and we’ll recommend the right setup. Contact our team to book your Inspire 3 dry hire or drone pilot package.
