Thanks to PRGALLERIA , I recently had the opportunity to tryout the LACIE DJI COPILOT - BOSS (Backup On Set Solution) Series Hard Drive.
I received the COPILOT just in time for my Bali - Komodo Photography trip. With this amazing device I could easily backup up my images captured WITHOUT the need of a computer or my trusty Macbook Pro.
So just what is the LACIE DJI COPILOT ? , well .....
1. it is a RUGGED 2TB BACKUP device that can be used WITHOUT the need of a laptop
2. it is an external USB-C storage drive when plugged into a computer
3. it can also be a powerbank to charge a mobile phone
4. it can be used to transfer images to my smartphone or tablets with the DJI COPILOT Applet
COMPATIBILITY
1. it is compatible with both IOS & Android phones and tablet
2. it can be used with both Mac & Windows computers
3. it is fully compatible with DJI drones , most DSLR camera , action cameras and card readers
4. it works with the iPad PRO too
RUGGED ?
Well this chunky storage device is
1. splash resistant
2. dust resistant
3. drop resistant
This images below show the LACIE DJI COPILOT (Gray device at the bottom) in contrast to the LACIE RUGGED 1TB USB-C portable Drive (Orange)
The LACIE DJI COPILOT (Gray) is definitely thicker and chunkier protected by this smooth yet thick gray rubber on all sides of the device.
There is also a rubber cover that protects all the different device interface slots
With the rubber protection cover removed , you can see an SD card slot. There are also slots to interface with USB-A and USB-C devices like drone , DSLRs or card readers including XQD card readers.
Physically it is a device with a very simple interface. It just has an ACTION button & a STATUS screen that shows the battery life , storage left and alerts when file transfers (backups) are done.
Shots above show some of the screen alerts and the ACTION button.
What's in the Box ?
Other than those shown in the image below , there is also that all important 2TB of storage
For this blog , I decided to do a series of video clips to show how easy it was to use the LACIE DJI COPILOT to file transfer (RAW Files) from a drone and XQD Card Reader. I know you may not have all the time to watch all the clips in one sitting but please do NOT skip the 3rd clip which shows the strongest capability of the COPILOT.
1. OUT IN THE FIELD in KOMODO National Park , Indonesia
Here's a short video clip (2:25s) to show how I file transferred images directly from a DJI MAVIC PRO Drone to the DJI COPILOT while on a speedboat.
YES , I was on a speedboat heading from KELOR Island back to Labuab Bajo after a short drone photography session. I connected the DJI MAVIC PRO Drone directly to the DJI COPILOT BOSS without any issues and worked on the very first try !
Location : on a speedboat somewhere between KELOR Island and Labuan Bajo
2. Transferring RAW FILES from XQD Card Reader to the DJI COPILOT
A longer video clip (4:10s) to show how easy it was to transfer 830 RAW full resolution NEF files from the Nikon Z 6 to the DJI COPILOT without the need of a computer AND it could be done in about 3 minutes (which was why i did NOT shorten or censor transfer process of the video clip). In fact , transferring 830+ RAW files in about 3 minutes was really pretty fast and most importantly it was completed in a single try.
Location : BINTANG FLORES Hotel room , Labuan Bajo , Indonesia
3. Managing image files AND transferring image files to my mobile device
To me , this was my absolute FAVORITE capability of the LACIE DJI COPILOT. Any product that has the capability to manage the files transferred AND the ability to transfer images to my IOS smartphone (you know how difficult that can be sometimes with the iPhones !) is a huge PLUS for me.
The best thing was that I could now handle my Nikon Z 6 RAW files WITHOUT the use of a computer or laptop AND still get them onto my mobile which I can then edit with Lightroom & share them on all my social media platforms in a very simple & intuitive manner. Really useful , time saving AND cool !!!
Be Patient & Enjoy this 5:27s clip to see how easy things can be done all with an iPhone with the DJI COPILOT applet and the DJI COPILOT drive.
IN SUMMARY
I am all excited & in awe with this product !
This is definitely one product that EVERY photographer should own. This device allows the photographer to BACKUP precious images captured while out in the field without the need of a laptop. Imagine that you are on a wildlife safari shoot with thousands of images from just a single game drive or staying on a boat out in the wilds of the Borneo jungle with no access to a computer to backup all those precious images , the DJI COPILOT becomes a real saviour in such situations.
For me , having the DJI COPILOT working so smoothly with my DJI Drone , XQD card reader AND my IOS mobile devices is a blessing and so important to me.
The ability to work with RAW files was another very strong point & together with the extreme ruggedness built around this product , it instilled lots of confidence that it would work in the harshest environments that a photographer could be faced with.
My sincere apologies in advance for the quality of the video clips (all done by hand - was travelling light ha ha) but I just had to get the message out there. I will definitely follow up in the very near term with a second blog that would show a much more professional video on the DJI COPILOT's capabilities , till then take care and KEEP the PASSION GOING !
Cheers,
Andrew