DJI has done it. I've been eyeballing quadcopters since the early phantoms and finally took the plunge with the DJI Phantom 3 Pro. It's easy to fly, and doing so has become a favorite activity for my son (age 10) and I. He flies it like a pro, with marked improvement each time he pilots it. I created a playlist on YouTube with instructional and review videos, and we watched them before our first flight (**See Below). We are having a lot of fun spending time together, learning and looking at the world from such unique perspectives.
The aircraft itself is extremely well built, though it is evident upon inspection that the weak part of this setup (and by weak I mean 'delicate'), is the camera and gimbal. As such, I have added two items (see list below), the Gimbal Saver and the Gimbal Guard to protect this incredible unit. I have also added propeller guards to protect the props themselves, but more importantly...people, houses, animals, etc. The power of these new motors combined with the construction of the props will result in horrific lacerations to flesh and considerable damage to wood or other soft structures. Other items to consider are a USB sync cable (1 foot), a sun visor for your remote control interface device (not listed below), a high speed (class 10, 95MB/smicroSDHC flash card, such as the Lexar noted below (32GB should suffice in most cases). I recommend getting a UHS-1/U3 flash card with 95MB/s Read. USB 3.0 wouldn't hurt if your PC or Mac is setup for it. One final item I have yet to install and test on the Phantom 3 is the camera filter set designed for the Phantom 3. There is a polarizer, an ND-2 and an ND-3 lens for different lighting conditions. Reviews are mixed on this product, but as my flight skills develop, I want the flexibility to enhance my videography and photography results based on weather, light and location conditions.
Gimbal Saver for DJI Phantom 3 Ribbon Cable Protection Fix by RC Killer
SKYREAT Gimbal Guard for DJI Phantom 3 -Protects Gimbal & Camera
Perfect Size for DJI Inspire 1& Phantom 3 Remote Control with iPad Air / Mini, Cambond® 1feet / 0.3Meters Element Series 8-pin USB SYNC Cable Charger Cord ( Solid Gold / 1 Feet )
Genuine DJI Phantom 3 Prop Guard Part #2 Propeller Guards For Professional Advanced
Lexar High-Performance MicroSDHC 633x 32GB UHS-I/U3 (Up to 95MB/s Read) w/USB 3.0 Reader Flash Memory Card LSDMI32GBBNL633R
PolarPro DJI Phantom 3 Filter 3-Pack
As a purely theoretical exercise I wrote a web scraper program in Python and collected a ton of web data suggesting more problems interfacing the DJI GO app with Android devices (lockups being chief among the complaints after customer service) than iOS. I normally use Android tablets, and prefer them, but agree that they are more prone to fits than iOS devices. I just can't stomach the idea of this high $$ technology dropping 400 feet out of the sky because Android pharted. As such, an iPad Mini 2 or 3 is on my list, as the larger screen size would make flying via the DJI Go app even more enjoyable, though the iPhone 6 plus is good enough for now. In my experience, which is albeit somewhat limited, iOS simply works with the phantom and the DJI GO app. I have experienced no loss of connection to the aircraft, crazy flight or calibration issues. 720p video is transmitted from the Phantom flawlessly to the iPhone 6 plus via the RC. A careful balance between line of sight and app-based flight/camera control is needed. While basic flight control is a breeze, utilizing this highly agile and advanced flying camera to produce professional quality video and images will take some time and practice.
The 4K video is simply just too much for my laptops' dual-core Intel processor, and playback is jerky when using an i5 quad core Mac. In retrospect, the Phantom 3 advanced with 1080p video recording would have been sufficient...most of the world is not ready for 4K yet, and won't be for a few years. There are multiple video recording quality modes to choose from, and I find that recording at 1080p is producing a video quality that I can barely appreciate on my current monitors. It goes without saying that the quality is excellent. Previous Phantom cameras had a much more noticeable fisheye effect. The Phantom 3 Pro does not share that history.
The remote control (RC) works flawlessly and is a delight with respect to interfacing with my iPhone 6 plus. The controls are well laid out and the handset feels well made. It takes only a few test runs at low altitudes to get the feel for flying. For the iPhone interface, I'm using the iOS DJI Go app, and the firmware version as of 08/21/2015 works flawlessly. I am a cautious new pilot. After two weeks and maybe six flights I've only been able to bring myself to fly at a max altitude of 200 feet. Without question, it can go much higher (know the max altitude allowed and don't exceed it). I have not fully tested the range of the device, but will be gradually extending my flights. I recommend finding a good location, away from airports, buildings, trees, power lines, metal structures, people and animals. A large, wide open space without significant iron deposits is ideal. People and animals will be drawn to you. Sometimes they will be concerned about the video recording capability of the aircraft. But in most cases they have never seen one up close and are simply curious.
My interest in drones has increased dramatically, and while enjoying the personal/hobby use of the Phantom, I must admit that I have investigated the commercial possibilities. Getting an FAA exemption to use the DJI Phantom (some 80% of drones having received FAA exemptions for commercial use have been DJI Phantoms) or other drone is no easy endeavor. Nevertheless, once you've piloted one of these it is difficult to deny that early movers in the drone industry will be well-positioned in future labor markets.
There are other choices out there. Yuneec comes to mind, and I will be watching them closely. Overall though I have to recommend the DJI Phantom 3 Pro 4K. I have not needed DJI customer service, and I hope I never do. There are a lot of complaints about DJI's customer engagement and repair times. As they scale up their company to meet production and R&D goals, they will have to invest some time and resources into building their customer services. They have nailed the technology, and the rest will come with time.
Buy and enjoy!
DJI Phantom 3 Video Playlist
**https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ0BR0YK1d9S8MW5OEVFduHeWqRId6ZFq
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GREAT Drone - Very Stable and SOLID
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Phantom 4 is out! Now what do I do!
So....800lb gorilla in the room, DJI just released the new Phantom 4 on March 1st. I'm going to write this review on the Phantom 3 Professional, then comment on some of the new features offered on the new 4th gen release, and offer some thoughts on why the Phantom 3 is still a good buy.I've been buying and flying quadcopters for two years now. Everything from Hubsan X4s to Cheerson CX 20s (Quanum Nova). The Phantom 3 Professional is simply amazing. Unboxing and set-up was pretty easy. Set up consists of charging the batteries, updating the firmware, installing the props, and calibrating the compass (also the IMU but that's a one time thing). Even if this is your first quadcopter and you don't understand everything I'm writing about, you can set this up and fly it, trust me, and its a blast! Once I got in the air, I couldn't believe how precise the GPS guidance and hold pattern was, it will hover and stay in place exactly where you want it. You can send it straight up, and straight down, and it stays in the same place within inches. Flying it is a dream, it will use GPS to maintain direction and compensate for breezes/wind. I had it out in 15mph winds and it did a fantastic job, I didn't once feel like it was going to blow away or that I didn't have control. If you do get into a sticky situation, it has enough power to overcome 20mph winds as far as I have tested. I would avoid taking any quadcopter out in winds over 20mph. The camera is great, I bought the Professional for the 4k, even though I don't have all the equipment yet to utilize that much information and picture quality, I wanted to do some future proofing. I still film some shots in 1080HD and it looks awesome on our TV! What's cool is in mid flight, you can hover and switch between camera and recording mode, and adjust all settings on the camera while its in the air using the DJI GO app. The app is nice and will install on Apple and Android devices. You have access to live information such as speed, altitude, battery voltage, and much more. I'm running the app on my Nexus 9 tablet and it is true that it has some issues crashing, it seems to crash once in a while when I push the record button to stop recording, but not often enough where its a major concern, and the Phantom will just hover in place until you get the app back up and running. The batteries charge fully within about an hour, as advertised. Be ready to spend $120 for spare batteries, they are pricey and you're at the mercy DJI and just a few knock off companies that make batteries for the Phantom. One of the more difficult parts to flying quads is landing them without tipping over or bouncing too much, as the quad gets caught up in its own draft from the props when close to the ground, causing it to drift erratically. DJI came through big with a solution for this, a three sensor sonar system on the belly of the quad that monitors the ground once you get within about 3 feet of landing. The sensors basically take a picture of the ground below, then overlay that with live motion to hold the quad steady while you finish your decent to land. Its truly amazing, I've had first time flyers land this thing no problem. Now about the customer service, which by large is the reason this product is taking a lot of hits on the ratings. I don't have any service experience with DJI service and sure hope not to, it sounds terrible based on other reviews. The reason I proceeded with my purchase, is that I was confident the quality was there and I could for the most part expect to get one that isn't defective, so far I was right. And while we're talking about "defects" be sure to always calibrate the compass when you change flying/shooting locations, as per DJI instructions. Compasses not being calibrated is a big reason why pilots experience fly away malfunctions. I appreciate the technology built onto the Phantom 3 because prior to this I flew quads in full manual mode with little help from any type of guidance systems. This is an outstanding product for the price and you won't be disappointed!Now the Phantom 4 is out. Having the Phantom 3 Professional for two weeks I still have time to return it and upgrade to the 4th generation. Will I do it? No. For several reasons. First the features. I consider myself an amateur aerial photographer and really enjoy shooting awesome photos and videos. At the same time, I love flying quads and sharpening my piloting skills. One of the major advancements with the Phantom 4 is the collision avoidance system, where it can avoid head on collisions only (no sensors on the sides, back, or top). The technology is totally awesome, but you can still easily crash into tree branches while ascending or back into or fly sideways into something. The only time this feature would be helpful to even the most experienced pilots, is when you go into return to launch mode, it will avoid and adjust for obstacles on the way back if you get in a sticky situation. Another cool feature is on the app, you can select an object on the screen and it will automatically follow that object (person, car), or you can tap on a location on the screen and it will automatically fly to that location, avoiding obstacles on the way, awesome! Final notes, they claim 47mph speed, compared to 35mph for the 3rd generation. Battery life 28 minutes compared to 25 minutes for 3rd generation. Controller (transmitter) remains the same for the 4th generation. Camera on 4th gen can shoot 4k at 30fps over 4k at 24fps on the 3rd gen, it can also shoot 1080HD at 120fps for slow motion footage. Today, the price of the Phantom 3 Professional is $1,000. The 4th gen is going for $1,400. Keep in mind with a Phantom 4, you'll hit $2,000 in no time buying a few spare batteries, a hard shell backpack, and any other accessories you might want. The 4th gen is marginally better in battery life, camera capabilities, and speed, the breakthrough being the collision avoidance and selecting objects to follow and flight destinations on the app screen. If all you want is great aerial photography and have little interested in actually trying to fly a quadcopter, or just want the latest impressive tech, the Phantom 4 is a great buy. If you don't need the latest and greatest and are looking for a value buy, the Phantom 3 Professional is still unmached in my opinion. For those of us that enjoy putting some art into flying and shooting, the 3rd gen is still an excellent choice! It has been out for almost a year now, its features, quality, and firmware are proven. I'll wait and see what DJI comes up with for the 5th or 6th gen. DJI has been releasing new versions of the Phantom faster than Apple has released new iPhones (first generation Phantom was released in 2013). So if you want to keep up with DJI, you'll need to earmark $1,400+accessories every 9 months with the way the last two generations were priced. I'm not trying to sell one generation over the other, just offering my opinion from a standpoint of experience with quads/drones. Finally, regardless of the new tech features and guidance systems, ALWAYS learn how to fly in full manual mode. GPS signals get lost, compasses malfunction or aren't calibrated due to human error, and sometimes there are situations that current technology can't compensate for, when things get real, you want to be able to safely maneuver your quad and get it back. Have fun, and be safe out there!UPDATE: I'm coming up on a year now with my Phantom 3. Still love it! Everything still functions properly and I have yet to crash it. As I predicted above, DJI already launched a new quad since the Phantom 4 called the Mavic Pro. Looks cool and has fold up arms. I ended up going back to school for a masters so I won't be able to purchase new quads for a while. I'm really glad I have the Phantom 3 and flying it hasn't gotten old. I paid over $1,000 a year ago, now you can get it for $800...great deal! Also, the battery prices have been fluctuating. Sometimes you can find genuine DJI Phantom 3 batteries for $110, compared to $130 when it was new.
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I love this Phantom 3 Professional drone from DJI
Reviewed in Canada on August 4, 2016