DJI Power 1000 review 

The DJI Power 1000 is a portable power station, which in its simplest form means it’s a battery that you can take with you. Although weighing 13kg, it’s portable insofar as you can pop it into the car or van, or carry it short distances to a shoot, but it’s not something you’d stick in a backpack for all-day backup power. It does, however, offer two large handles, one on each side, which makes it slightly easier to carry than some of the competition.

What this battery has over a simple power bank is both capacity and output. While most, if not all, power banks only offer DC output at around 100W, the Power 1000 is able to output both AC and DC, with AC at up to 2200W and DC at 140W, which is considerable. This essentially means that you’re taking mains power with you, so if your MacBook, drone, gimbal, camera, or kettle need a charge or a boil, you can do it away from the mains. And in true off-grid fashion, you can charge it through solar if you want. I did for the test, although not with the 140W panel supplied; I went full 400W.

It wouldn’t be DJI without the feeling of solid build quality, and the DJI Power 1000 doesn’t disappoint. It’s finished in high-quality plastic with a slightly satin finish rather than the usual matte. This is inevitably done due to the amount of handling that power stations endure and to help avoid obvious marks as the unit gets carried and bashed around. I have several matte finish power stations, and they always start to look incredibly battered after a couple of uses, however good they initially look.

The design of the box is relatively simple, and DJI has opted for a long design. This works well, and the large flat surface on top is a great place for seating cameras when not in use. Annoyingly, the width of the unit needs to be bigger to place a Mavic 3 with arms out or an DJI RS 4 Pro gimbal when setting up, which, to me, would have been an obvious design consideration. While I’m dealing with the top, aside from the logo, there’s nothing else here, unlike some other power stations that add a wireless phone charger to the top.

On the sides are two large handles; these are exceptionally well-designed and provide excellent grip while the power station is being carried. While the power station might not be wide enough to launch a drone from or calibrate a gimbal, it is easy to carry. Along with the handles on both ends are two large vents. These allow plenty of air to flow through as the output or input of the battery increases, say when you’re boiling a kettle.

All connectors and ports are positioned at the front of the unit, making everything nicely accessible. The two AC ports are a decent height up the unit, so it doesn’t matter about the plug style—two will always fit. If you want more AC sockets, then an extension lead can be used with devices that draw up to 2200W. Next to the AC ports are four USB ports—two Type-A and two Type-C—with a large LCD screen above.

Next to this is the AC input with an input switch that enables you to choose between 600W and 1200W. This will be useful if you need to top up the battery quickly; if not, then the lower 600W for a longer charge will suffice most of the time and keep the battery in better long-term shape. In fast charge mode, it can be fully recharged in 70 minutes, with an 80% charge taking 50 minutes. While the input charge is 1200W, as the battery becomes full, the safety features kick in to slow the charge.

Next to the AC socket are the two SDC sockets, which are two-way. If you have a solar panel, you can use these with an adapter to plug into a solar panel with a standard plug up to 400W. As there are two of these SDC ports, you can plug in two 400W panels, giving you 800W and enabling a full charge in 1 hour and 24 minutes.

These ports also serve the DJI drones and gimbals and, again, with the correct adapter, enable direct fast charging. In the case of the Mavic 3, this reduces the charge time from 49 minutes to 30 minutes, something that will definitely be handy out in the field.

Among the features of the DJI Power 1000, the first to be covered is the 1024 Wh capacity. While this is small in terms of capacity, it is the maximum before these units become excessively heavy to move. This makes it a good go-to, especially considering that it is designed specifically for charging DJI drones and gimbals.

The Power 1000 is equipped with multiple ports, including two AC outputs, two USB-C, and two USB-A ports, alongside specific ports for SDC and SDC Lite. The DJI Power 1000 provides comprehensive connectivity. Whether it’s drones, cameras, laptops, or other essential gadgets, there are plenty of options to handle multiple devices simultaneously.

One of the DJI Power 1000’s key advantages is its rapid recharging capability. With the ability to harness 400W solar power input, it offers the fastest solar recharging time of approximately 1.4 hours. If you find yourself constantly on the move, this feature not only saves time but also enhances field adaptability by allowing the use of solar panels to give the cells a power boost.

Output is always a consideration, and here, a maximum continuous output power of 2200W and a peak output of 4400W are impressive. This enables the Power 1000 to handle most household devices, including our 2000W kettle, with an average draw of 1850W.

The Power 1000’s design considers the rugged demands of fieldwork. It has a durable build, and the capacity to operate within a wide range of temperatures from -10° to 45° C. Its relatively quiet operating noise (23-28 dB) ensures that it does not intrude on the working environment, crucial during sound-sensitive shoots.

Safety is paramount in all DJI products, and the Power 1000 is no exception. It utilizes LFP (lithium ferrophosphate) cell chemistry, which is known for its safety and stability. The power station maintains over 80% capacity even after 3000 cycles, representing excellent longevity and reliability over its lifespan.

A built-in UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) feature that switches in just 20 milliseconds is a critical backup during power outages, ensuring that no data is lost and equipment remains operational. Additionally, the inclusion of a storage bag enhances portability and protection.

Over the last couple of years, I have gone from seeing portable power stations as something handy to an essential piece of kit. In terms of capacity, 1TB is usually the absolute base level for photography, with cameras, lights, and computers drawing down the power at an incredible rate.

As such, there is now a good range of power stations that absolutely hit the mark and provide a decent amount of power, capacity and build quality. So, to stand out in a market currently dominated by Jackery, Eco-Flow, UGREEN, and Bluetti, DJI has to do something a little different.

When it comes to those base functions that the other companies do very well—fast charge capability, AC up to 2000W, DC, solar input—the Power 1000 meets all these demands. To test these out one by one, a full charge through mains took just under 70 minutes, and a full charge through one 400W solar panel took five hours (we are in the UK spring, but yesterday was uncharacteristically sunny). MacBook Pro was supplied with enough juice, around 110W through the USB Type-C, and the iPhone took a little juice as well to top up the charge. To test the AC ports, I plugged in a series of standard chargers for Sony, Canon, and ProFoto; they all worked and charged at a standard rate. I then needed a coffee, so I plugged in the 2000W kettle, and it drew 1850W and boiled as if connected to the mains—all standard boxes ticked.

So, what else makes the DJI Power 1000 better or more appealing than the other very decent portable power stations out there?

I decided to focus on three main aspects of this test: portability, fast charging of my Mavic 3, and dual 600W/1200W charging.

The first part of the test was easy as I had to get the power station to the van to start the test; here, the large handles and the 13kg weight are actually relatively well balanced, so while heavy, it isn’t too bad, and the whole thing is easy enough to move and manoeuvre. Again, as I mentioned in the previous section, my only real complaint is that I can’t use it to set up the gimbal or use it as a take-off platform for the drone; it’s just a tad too slim.

The next test is to see how quickly it charges the DJI Mavic 3 batteries; now, this requires an adapter to plug directly into the unit. Once inserted, the battery then starts charging nice and quickly—while the first battery charges, I leave the other two charging normally, and then after 20 minutes, swap the batteries around, eventually having a set of three fully charged batteries in around an hour, not at all bad. However, I now doubt that I’d fully run them all down.

Finally, it was to test the 600W and 1200W options; using either option means that you get a battery that is 100% charged, at least with the age of the battery being new; it will deplete over time. Switching to 1200W, the battery charges in 70 minutes, with the charge rate slowing as it reaches full capacity. On the next charge, at 600W, the battery took over three hours to charge. The reason behind this difference is twofold: firstly, the slower charge is more gentle on the cells in the power station and will mean that it lasts longer; secondly, it’s quieter, so if charged at a fast rate, the fans kick in and are unmistakable!

At the end of the test, I was impressed by the design and durability of the DJI power station—those small added extras, such as the dual solar inputs, do make a difference. However, I would have liked to have had a standard solar plug so that I didn’t need the adapter or two if using two 400W panels.

The big selling point here is the speed charging for drones and accessories, and it is extremely useful. If you use and fly a DJI kit, then the DJI Power 1000 just makes sense. If you use other equipment, then one of the other slightly larger capacity options out there might be a better option.

There’s no doubt that DJI has developed a superb portable power station, one of the first focused on the use of drones and camera equipment. As such, the build is solid and robust, with design refinements that lend themselves to use in the imaging sector, primarily the support for fast-charging DJI drones and accessories.

However, there are a few small issues. The first concerns the design: the large flat top, which is so useful for placing items and cameras out in the field, needs to be bigger to calibrate a gimbal or place a Mavic drone with the arms extended.

Then there’s the need for adapters to use the SDC ports—a handy addition and, in themselves, a great innovation. However, a couple of standard solar inputs wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Other than those rather small issues, the Power 1000 does the job intended and does it extremely well. It looks great and fits in with the whole new DJI ecosystem.

If you use DJI gear, then this is really something you need to get. Otherwise, for everyone else, this is still a solid portable power station and, for the size, one of the more portable ones out there.