Go professional GPC Inspire 1 Travel Mode Case Review

Go Professional GPC-INSPIRE-1T Travel Mode Case

Type: Travel Mode
Weight: 26.9 lb / 12.2 kg
Ext Dimensions: 31.5 x 20.8 x 12.5″ / 80.1 x 52.9 x 31.8 cm
Price: $429 from B&H Photo

The Go Professional Inspire 1 travel mode case features a water-jet cut custom foam interior and a water-tight and impact resistant outer shell. In addition to the aircraft the case will hold two transmitters (radio controllers), six flight batteries and one charger, two monitors with a screen up to 10″, and features three cavities for miscellaneous items such as spare props, cables, and other items.

Compared to the standard Inspire 1 case and the HPRC 2730 this one is a bit of monster. Although not quite as tall as the HPRC it’s just as deep and 7 inches wider. It also weighs in at a whopping 12.2KG (26.9 lb)

The construction of the Go Professional (GPC) case is again a very rugged shell with latches and bracing. This style of case has stood the test of time and looking at the GPC case I have no reason to think this will fare any worse. The case features a long handle on the front, given the size this may prove useful for two handed lifts.

The latches on the GPC case use a spring loaded lever mechanism whereby you just push them down in one movement to close them but in order to release them a small button must be pushed in on the back of the lever. The latches are protected by bracings running the length of the latch. The case features three latches on the front and one each side.

Two locking points are included on the case and these feature a metal reinforcement.

The three hinges look substantial and include heavy duty bracing for protection and strength. The case also includes a pressure equalisation valve.

The case is fitted with four inline skate type wheels, these make for a really smooth ride and work well on many surfaces. It may seem like a small thing but having this type of wheel can do a lot to protect your gear from unwanted vibrations and jolts.

Unfortunately the pull out handle on the case does require two handed operation but once extended it seems to work well.

Looking inside the case reveals the nicely finished water cut foam finished with a blue surface layer. Unlike the HPRC case this one is all one piece and finishes flush with the foam in the lid to stop any items coming in to contact with each other.

While the controllers and batteries do fit in to the slots provided I would have liked to have seen these designed to grip the items a little more. Neither the controllers or the batteries fit snuggly in to the provided spaces and there’s room for them to wobble around. The battery slots especially could have been designed better, the slots don’t grip the batteries at all and they sit proud on the foam. Given that the foam in the lid will be pressing against the power buttons on the batteries I wonder if there’s a chance they could be activated in the case.

The camera case fit’s nicely and there’s plenty of room for iPads, chargers and other accessories on the right side of the case. It’s nice that the iPads are well protected in this case and not susceptible to damage from other items.

The Inspire itself fits nicely in to the case and it’s nice to see that it sinks down low enough inside the foam. Each motor boom slot on the sides has a foam block position at the bottom to support each boom. Although the arms themselves are not supported this looks to offer plenty of support for the Inspire.

Conclusion

While being on the large side I’d definitely trust The Go Professional travel mode case to protect my Inspire to baggage handlers. The case itself is very heavy at 12KG but it’s contents are relatively lightweight and fully packed the case should still be less than 20KG which is both manageable and meets most airlines weight limits for hold luggage.

While great for travel, the case is probably a bit big and heavy for day to day use, you certainly wouldn’t want to have to carry it very far! I do think the batteries could have been handled better but as a protective case it performs very well indeed.

Find out more about the GPC Travel Mode case at B&H Photo

Click here for more Inspire 1 Case Reviews.
Inspire 1 Cases – Overview