DJI ’s Phantom 2 Vision+really upped the antefor a consumer - friendly all - in - one aerial picture taking drone . It shot upstanding 1080p video , and its establish - in brace television camera kept the iridescent top-notch smooth . Well , the Phantom 3 is here — and while it is n’t sodding , it bollix up the doors off the 2 Vision+ . It ’s a mighty sweet birdie .
What Is It?
It ’s DJI ’s ( that ’s China ’s Da - Jiang Innovations ) modish consumer - face aery photography quadcopter , not to be confused with the more impressive ( and more expensive)prosumer Inspire 1 . It has the same tried and true body as the previous Phantom drones and it does n’t go any faster than the last version . So what ’s the difference ? It ’s right smart more accessible for beginners , and take fashion good video recording . It ’s got a wonderfully sharp , three - axis vertebra gimbal stabilise 4 K UHD camera and vastly improved controls .
https://gizmodo.com/dji-inspire-1-a-badass-drone-that-shoots-lovely-4k-vid-1658076017
Plus a novel lower price , depending on the model . The Phantom 3comes in two styles : the $ 1000 Advanced and the $ 1260 Professional . They ’re very similar but the Professional shoot magnificent 4 thou telecasting at up to 30fps , while the Advanced is limited to 1080p video at 60fps . The Professional rendering is the one we tested and will be writing about here .
Why Does It Matter?
Because they took the best consumer drone and made it significantly better .
Design
At first glance you ’d think the Phantom 3 is just the Phantom 2 Vision+ . Look underneath it , though , and you ’ll see a trio of new sensing element on the tail , which allow the drone see the ground . This means that the dawdler should remain stable , even if it does n’t have GPS lock . Like if you ’re flying it indoors . More on that in a sec .
You ca n’t see it on the outside , but the GPS has also been amend . In addition to standard GPS satellites it now works with GLONASS satellites ( Russia ’s version of GPS ) . More satellite intend flying signal acquisition and that it will more faithfully stay interlace during flying .
And then there ’s the photographic camera . It looks just like the camera on the Phantom 2 Vision+ , but it ai n’t . It ’s now open of fritter 4 K video . The lens is f/2.8 and has a 94 degree field of view , with very little lens straining . It uses the same three - axis gimbal as the previous tv camera . This all adds up to gorgeous video .
Remote for its predecessor , the Phantom 2 Vision+
The grownup and best overhaul , though , is the remote dominance . With the Phantom 2 Vision+ ( above ) you had a very basic remote . In addition to the two principal joysticks , it had a twosome of three - position shift up top , which were confusing to practice unless you learn the minutiae of the ripe section of the instruction manual . You also had an annoying lilliputian box attached to the top , which acted as the wireless bridge between the pilotless aircraft ’s television camera and your phone . You had to link your phone to the box ’s Wi - Fi , which then pulled pic and information from the camera . It was a pain in the fundament .
The Phantom 3 remote ascendance .
The restraint for the Phantom 3 is all integrated . The Wi - Fi stuff is all built in now . You just attach the your phone or tablet at once to the remote via USB . The remote has done off with replaceable batteries , too , and now houses an internal rechargeable barrage fire . The charger that comes with the Phantom 3 allows you to charge the monotone ’s battery and the remote at the same time , and it ’s been upgrade to charge the batteries faster . I was able to get the drone ’s electric battery from 10 per centum back to full in just over an hour .
peradventure the best part , though , is that the remote now has a crew of release that control the camera ’s functionality . You used to have to do everything by tap tiny icons on your phone ’s screen while you were fell . Now there are consecrated buttons for start / lay off recording , a shutter clitoris for hush , and a pair of wheels to aline the camera ’s slant and even the exposure . This is just so much prosperous .
The remote also has a big unexampled button next to the powerfulness button : render to Home . Lose sight of the bourdon , or just want it to occur back and do n’t want to do it yourself ? weightlift and sustain that clit and it will fly over to where you launched it , and then lento descend and land itself . It ’s very commodious . There are also two well approachable gun trigger - style buttons that advanced users can customize to do thing like reset the gimbal angle , switch between map view and camera vista on your screen , exhibit battery information , etc .
Using It
It ’s operose to downplay just how much easier it is to fly and frivol away with the Phantom 3 . The 2 Vision+ was n’t hard , but with the 3 it ’s just so much more intuitive that it removes a layer of stress , and you’re able to bask fly and concentre on what you ’re shooting .
It ’s just so much play to fly . When it takes off near you and you feel this fantastic wind bear on down , you really get a sense of how muscular this drone really easy . And yet , the controls are really pretty round-eyed to instruct . On the left-hand stick , up and down controls your elevation while left and right manipulate your rotation . The right stick moves the drone pipe on the XY axis vertebra — onward , backwards , and side to side . You’l require to set off out flying slowly , because it ’s easy enough to get turn around , but once you ’ve spent some time with it , you ’ll feel surefooted enough to push it to its limits . It ’s generally very substance abuser well-disposed . But be thrifty . This thing moves at fastness of up to 35 Roman mile per hour and those formative propeller blades will slice through a person ’s skin .
The integrated camera ascendency on the controller are fantastic . I really hat accept a hand off the control to knock my phone ’s screenland when I want to get anything done . With the Phantom 3 I can tilt the tv camera up and down , start and stop record , and even line up the vulnerability recompense without ever removing my thumb from the joystick .
So maybe you ’ve seenthat installment of The Big Bang Theorythat makes fun of how hard it is to calibrate a DJI drone ? It used to be on-key . On the older models you had to take the right - hand three - way switch and flip it up and down five metre for put the trailer into calibration modality … nibble up the drone and rotate 360 degrees around one axis … then twist it and rotate it 360 degree around another axis to get GPS to exercise right . This was improbably annoying .
With the Phantom 3 you do n’t have to do that any more . You wrench it on , plug away the remote into your phone or tablet via USB , and you ’re quick to go within seconds . I even fly it a few times without a screen bind and everything still work perfectly . I definitely mark the difference with GLONASS , too . It used to take a minute or so for decorous orbiter accomplishment . With the Phantom 3 it ’s about 5 to 10 seconds . You credibly should still do the eldritch twisty dance just to fine-tune the compass ( which you start within the app ) , and DJI urge it , but honestly , I never did — and the drone never got disorient .
The Return to plate button works like a charm , mostly . On several occasions ( in several unlike environments ) I took it to the very edge of the remote ascendancy ’s range , and then hit the clit . Every time it came back . That allege , it did n’t always follow back incisively to the plaza where it launch . unremarkably it landed within a few substructure of the spot . Other times it landed about 8 feet off . A brace of fourth dimension it was close to 12 or 15 feet . This is exactly why you should n’t found it off a dock ( or a boat ) unless you really jazz what you ’re doing . That enounce , once it commence back within range you’re able to just practice the joysticks and you ’re flying again .
Yesterday I decide to test the Phantom 3 ’s range , which DJI take is 1.2 nautical mile . I was dubitable . So I took it to a large body of water , bring it up to 300 feet , and then hit the gas , sending it flying away . I suffer ocular on it after just a few hundred foot , but I could still see the video provender and the drone ’s aloofness on my attached tab . It was pretty amazing . I was able to send it out 8,000 feet before it lost contact with the remote . 8,000 ! That ’s over 1.5 miles ( or 2.4 kilometers ) . The video feed got jerky at about 6,500 feet , though , which is the 1.2 mile DJI claims .
Once the drone loses link with the remote control ( for whatever reason ) it activates its Failsafe musical mode , which plough it around and shore it at the blot where it first took off . I get hold that this generally work on utterly , except during that 8,000 foot flight . It was on its way back to me when I mark a little planer overhead . I was sure it was a long style off , but just to be good I decided to lower the monotone from 300 feet to 100 feet . Suddenly , queen , no sign . What the hell just happened ? I looked closer at the screen and this is what I saw .
Uhhh , that ’s not beneficial . But fortuitously it was on land ! I was able to use the function view to meander my way over to it , and there it was .
One prop was still spin . Apparently it was still endeavor to eat up its commission . Poor lilliputian guy wire .
Nothing near the crash site was anywhere near 100 feet tall . The signal was n’t the strong on its way back , so perchance as I was bringing it down it became unconnected with the remote control and just keep heading down . Or maybe a seagull swooped and strike hard it out of the sky ? seagull detest this affair . Unfortunately , I was n’t record video , so I ’ll never know what encounter . I picked it up , clean some grass out of the prop , and then zzzzzzp it started up again like nothing had ever happened . This things are really tough . I once crashed the first Phantom 2 Vision into a tree at about 35 feet , and it fell straight to the dry land and hold out .
Anyway , where was I ?
I ca n’t show this because I do n’t have an earlier Phantom with me , but I ’m almost certain that the Phantom 3 is quieter . I ’m not certain if the leaf blade are shaped somewhat other than or what , but it seems to me ( and my friends who have flee a lot of these ) that the Phantom 3 produces lower - pitched whirr sounds than the previous generation , which had a higher whimper . This make it less objectionable to be around . Again , I ca n’t be sure of this , but I think it ’s true . It ’s definitely still plenty loud , but if memory serves it ’s not quite as grate as previous models .
Still image fritter away by the Phantom 3 .
Okay , let ’s blab out image quality : It ’s great . specially on a promising day . The footage I work back from the seashore in Santa Cruz , CA ( see top video ) just blew me away . It was sharp , colors were bold , apparent motion was placid , and the dynamic kitchen stove was very dear . I could n’t conceive that some of that footage had do off this little flying toy thing . It ’s really telling . It does struggle a fleck in downcast light source , however . There ’s a very noticeable coarseness , particularly in the darker portion of the picture . It ’s not a dealbreaker , but if you ’re take at night you might want to regard some serious post - production editing package . For most of us , though , where this affair shinny is when something else is shining for it .
I did a quick compare with a GoPro Hero4 Black , and while the Phantom 3 looks good , I have to say the GoPro looks good . The big difference is that the GoPro just has way more active grasp . point do n’t get lost in the shadows so much and highlights are less likely to blow out . I think colors are a bit more lively on the GoPro , too . That said , when you ’re dash in 4 green on the Hero4 Black you are limited to the tv camera ’s broad theatre of operations of view setting , which is rough 170 degrees . I call back the Phantom ’s 94 level subject area of is unspoilt for aerial photography . Another reward the Phantom has is that it can shoot stills in RAW , so you have a bit more flexibility in post .
So , the Phantom 3 has that trio of ultrasonic sensors so it can fly stably indoors . The first meter I tested it , it really did not go well . It just had all form of gallery , and not just front / back / side / side , but also up and down . sour out this was my fault , because I was flying over carpeting . Ultrasonic sensors necessitate a hard control surface to ping off of — so keep that in creative thinker before you buy it for indoor video . Before I figure that out I crashed it into a wall several time while essay to pilot it down a hallway and thought I broke it . It ended up upside down and I could hear all the engines struggling to move . Then it go mute . I pick it up , not look forward to explaining how I had killed DJI ’s later drone .
Turns out it was just playing possum . I break up it up to switch it off , and the motor roared back to life and took a chunk of my hand as retribution . It was not dead , just pissed off . Lesson learned .
Anyway , over a hardwood floor the drone held very steady . It was really fairly impressive . So yeah , avoid carpeting .
DJI as also redesigned its Pilot app for Mobile River . It finally has the layer of polish that ’s always been drop . There are little bit of animation here and there ( just enough to make it sense fluid ) and they ’ve made it really easy to promptly adjust options . aboveboard , though , most citizenry wo n’t ever want or need to touch that stuff . The canonical controls are very accessible , but if you bug out croak deeper into menus you ’ll wish you had an engineering degree . That ’s part of what makes this drone so compelling , though . Advanced drug user can customize the hell out of it , and beginner can just get up and fly ( and scoot awing television ) without having to mess up with anything .
It does still have advanced midair predilection features like Home Lock and Course Lock , but now you activate them through the app . Home Lock lets you record a home point and then the advancing / back controls will always move the drone further or nearer from it disregarding of what its orientation or perspective is . Course Lock will keep the drone pipe pointed in direction it was front when you set it . course of study ringlet does n’t act with GPS , though , so you have to have to tack the flight controller to the F mode , instead of P ( where the GPS good is ) .
I did have a few compatibility trouble with the Android app . DJI has said that it only supports a handful of twist at this power point . Using an HTC One M9 went flawlessly . Trying to use an LG G4 did n’t work at all for some grounds . Using a Google Nexus 9 tablet was the best . Not only did it make for rapidly ( you just have to release on USB debugging modality ) , but you ’ll really appreciate all that CRT screen substantial - the three estates when you ’re trying to fly by the dawdler ’s point of vista . The iOS version of the app has an incorporate escape simulator , so you may con without dash your actual expensive plaything . beneficial mind , and hopefully it number to Android soon , too .
Like
Image timber is phenomenal as long as there ’s decent light . The Modern outside control is fantastic , peculiarly the television camera control , the integrate wireless radio , and the Return to Home button . Flying this thing is just tiptop fun . Also really like the new beefed - up courser which occupy up the droning ’s stamp battery quicker and charges the remote control at the same clock time . The drone seems quieter and less annoying than previous iterations .
No Like
Low - light still has a ways to go as there ’s a mess of grain and noise . Not being able-bodied to trade battery on the remote control could be tough on tenacious shoot Clarence Day ( after all , you may do it for the drone itself ) . I ’m certain it would be flash , but I kind of wish this matter recorded audio , because while the sound would mostly be galling , I call up sound adds more dimension to a video . peculiarly during a crash .
in conclusion , just remember this thing really is n’t a toy — you could definitely bruise someone with it .
Should You Buy It?
Do you want a picture taking / videography drone that ’s really fun to fly ? Are you unforced to expend $ 1,300 to get it ? Then yes , go for it , because you ’re not start to determine a better lagger for the money . At least not yet . The Phantom 3 Professional just shoots amazing video and it ’s so easy to get it . If you do n’t want / fear about 4 kilobyte telecasting ( it does chew through South Dakota scorecard at around half a gigabyte per minute ) then you could just get the Phantom 3 Advanced for an even $ 1,000 . That ’s really a good deal for a drone that solid , and you could do a lot with 1080p 60 TV . aeriform slow - question surf shots ? Why not .
For me , though , I ’d probably separate over the supererogatory $ 300 for the 4 K camera . It just bet absurdly well at time . You ’ll tally a shot and find yourself dismayed , thinking “ A : I ca n’t conceive that came out of this little drone , and B : I ca n’t believe I actually film that ! ” It gives you such a unique perspective on thing you ’ve seen K of times , and you ’ll be capable to graze in later if you so desire . To me that ’s deserving it .
I ’ll be sending the Phantom 3 back to DJI in a couple days because I ’m done brush up it . ordinarily I ca n’t wait to send back all the digital crap I get . This one I ’ll be sending back begrudgingly . I had so much fun with the Phantom 3 , and I feel like I ’ve barely call off the aerofoil . [ Phantom 3 Professional ]
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