Phantom 4

[Soul Patch Films]

DJI announced Phantom 4 today. I have to say that the spec's are pretty impressive.

PHANTOM 4 - DJI’s smartest flying camera ever.

 

[pyrate]

Lets see how they do in the wild.
Cant wait to see someone test that avoidance the way they presented it in the video.

The post will read, I lost LOS and ran right into a cliff wall. Why didn't object avoidance prevent that.
And DJI support will say.... well we know that story.

The one thing I did like, was flight time if it holds out

 

[Lars Malm]

Look at the horizon in the second half of there promotion film. On my Solo the horizon is straight.
Seams to be a general problem whit all Phantom and Inspire.

 

[twitchyzero]

there's aleady a hands-on

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i think it's very impressive

you'd only get a solo for the multi-point cable cam or if you're banking on the accessory bay upgrades...or customer service. or looks (but personally find a black quad harder to locate in the sky vs a white one)

Otherwise it murders Solo's "smart drone" mantra in terms of features and polish. Which is to be expected...I mean we're comparing a multi-billion leading company R&D who's expanded into DSLR stabilization rigs to a fairly recent startup.

I wanna say tracking is more useful than even follow-free look (no mobile device ncessary on subject)...and that ~25 min flight time will obliterate Solo's ~15 min. Don't forget the advertised 3mi skybridge range...

 

[Dash Hewes]

and why are we talking Phantom? Is the grass greener on the white side?
Not for me and dedicated SOLO owners.

 

[Maddog]

The video didn't say if they ever fixed the "fly away" problem or brought their tech support into the 21st century.

 

[Soul Patch Films]

Don't get me wrong, I love my Solo, and I'm hoping to be a Solo owner for quite some time. I have also been a DJI 550 owner for years, and what got me into the 550 was the fact that I was able to purchase all the parts and build it myself, the ability to change or upgrade parts like flight controller, gimbal, telemetry components. I enjoyed putting it together, and it is fun to fly.

 

[Jubalr]

This is a pretty dangerous quote when dealing with newbies "With Obstacle Sensing Systems you can watch it fly without worry." There will be a few crashes and the newbs will be using that to scream warranty.

 

[SteveReno]

there's aleady a hands-on

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i think it's very impressive

you'd only get a solo for the multi-point cable cam or if you're banking on the accessory bay upgrades...or customer service. or looks (but personally find a black quad harder to locate in the sky vs a white one)

Otherwise it murders Solo's "smart drone" mantra in terms of features and polish. Which is to be expected...I mean we're comparing a multi-billion leading company R&D who's expanded into DSLR stabilization rigs to a fairly recent startup.

I wanna say tracking is more useful than even follow-free look (no mobile device ncessary on subject)...and that ~25 min flight time will obliterate Solo's ~15 min. Don't forget the advertised 3mi skybridge range...

Jamie, shows the follow me mode tracking didn't work twice! This tell us that, whatever their using as a CPU, it isn't fast enough & may not be fast enough for the avoidance system also.

You sound like a DJI fan, but before you buy this, I would wait awhile & see is other's having the same problem's as Jamie.

 

[blumoon]

Does the Phantom adjust the gimbal with changes in altitude, like you can with the solo in smart shot mode?

 

[Adimuzio513]

Doesnt seem to be that bad, I personally don't think I need one though. I still like my p2 for playing around, but I'm suprised how little has changed cosmetically. I get that it's not a huge deal for a lot of people and it's their "proven" design, but come on dji have some creativity already.

Maybe it shouldn't matter to me as much as it does, but I want my new near 2000 dollar purchase to look new and exciting like solo did. I didn't love the mix and match diy look of quads years ago, but at least they all looked unique.

Sorry it just bugs me that they put very little effort into designing a nice sleek new multi and people seem fine with buying the same quad with a few upgrades over and over again. Even if I love my car and decide to get the same model I still want it to look like a new car, not a 96 civic with Bluetooth and an engine upgrade.

Just my opinion,but they made the inspires look appealing why the phantom still looks like a toy even if it does have some cool options on it is beyond me. I have to think it's costing them customers with other guys putting effort into new innovative designs. I wouldn't mind an inspire actually, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy something year after year that looks just like what I already have, even if it is improved in performance.

 

[twitchyzero]

you guys are hilarious...I've never owned DJI product in my life and i'm LITERALLY typing this as I'm wearing a 3DR shirt i got from a drone fair and having just purchased my 5th solo battery.

Credit where due...DJI just one upped last year's Solo "smart drone" tagline. If you wanna spew blind fanboy-ism that's fine..but to suggest we cannot discuss DJI related product on this forum is ludicrous. I'm a fan of 3DR but also a fan of quadcopter innovation and for DJI to bring out crash avoidance in a RTF for $1400 is a feat. Remember when just few days ago when the Solo was this price sans a camera?

I for one hope 3DR is true to their words and don't release a gen 2 this year or the next and just release worthy accessories/upgrades.

 

[twitchyzero]

What? P4 features a redesign...it got fatter but looks a bit more grown up
re: design ethos...look at Porsche...general design unchanged in 50 years...don't fix what aint broken.
I would WANT a new car to look 96 EK...clean, simple, compact slim pillars unlike the massive boats from mars with ridiculous rear overhangs that's named 2016 Civic.

I will agree that Solo looks miles better than Phantoms....but from the sides it looks like a flying table.

All is moot because I think multirotor innovation >>>> aesthetics. Features over form. Function over form.

Doesnt seem to be that bad, I personally don't think I need one though. I still like my p2 for playing around, but I'm suprised how little has changed cosmetically. I get that it's not a huge deal for a lot of people and it's their "proven" design, but come on dji have some creativity already.

Maybe it shouldn't matter to me as much as it does, but I want my new near 2000 dollar purchase to look new and exciting like solo did. I didn't love the mix and match diy look of quads years ago, but at least they all looked unique.

Sorry it just bugs me that they put very little effort into designing a nice sleek new multi and people seem fine with buying the same quad with a few upgrades over and over again. Even if I love my car and decide to get the same model I still want it to look like a new car, not a 96 civic with Bluetooth and an engine upgrade.

Just my opinion,but they made the inspires look appealing why the phantom still looks like a toy even if it does have some cool options on it is beyond me. I have to think it's costing them customers with other guys putting effort into new innovative designs. I wouldn't mind an inspire actually, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy something year after year that looks just like what I already have, even if it is improved in performance.

 

[Lance]

Sorry, but I'm buying it when it becomes available in Canada. March 15th I believe and will prepay this weekend. My solo has been nothing but problems and so has support. I can't see the Phantom 4 being any worse. I'll rebuild my solo and either sell or give it to my kid.

 

[PdxSteve]

I for one hope 3DR is true to their words and don't release a gen 2 this year or the next and just release worthy accessories/upgrades.

I don't believe that's exactly what they said, and they apparently do have a new heavy lift quad supposed to be released soon - based on solo - but aimed at a more pro crowd. It probably will be announced at NAB, along with new Solo products. I believe what they've stated regarding Solo is you won't have to buy a new quad every year to do things like upgrade the camera, or add new features like lidar via the accessory bay. I never expected 3DR to not come out with new products to widen their product range. Solo is perfectly capable of doing these additional tasks that the P4 can do, with addons - not an entirely new quad.

 

[twitchyzero]

i'm cool with a Solo Pro with more lift if it comes out...it'll be gunning for Inspire market anyways. I meant the ~$1K consumer market. I hope the GoPro Karma doesn't shake up the industry too much....forcing 3DR to come out with Solo 2 sooner than planned.

 

[Adimuzio513]

True features are more important, but if you don't think at least a bit of redesign is in order when spending a grand or two on phantoms in order than your kidding yourself. Thing with how similar Porsche is today from early on is it was always an eye catching sleek design, mine and everyone elses phantoms look more like a civic or ford escort from long ago. This isn't a Porsche or Ferrari of drones it's a budget bird where it's look is important cause the features will be on every other multi as well thus year.

I'm actually intrigued by the flight time and avoidance and can admit it's not a terrible design, I just think dji could have done a bit more to make it look like a photography platform not a toy.

Experienced pilots down to little kids that compare my two birds get a chuckle when doing so. Personally I wish they'd put some of their ridiculous money into a redesign and if they don't they will lose customers. Drones aren't toys any more they're tools and should look that way if they want adults to not look like kids playing with a toy.

With an overhaul if it is truly better I'd maybe consider another purchase, but acting like cosmetics aren't important in today's society is hilarious. I enjoy both birds I own, but still plan to keep backing solo this year at very least. Looking like a pro in the field goes a ways to comforting the masses scared of these things as well, just my take though I'm sure it'll be a nice bird until the next one drops its value to nothing again and again.

 

[Adimuzio513]

It's great that all these folks are competing, I guess I expected more from the leader than just a couple options on basically the same birds all. The more each does the better for us all. I hope they keep pushing things and don't just do the same old thing I guess is what I'm hoping for.

 

[Lance]

I'm going to need a second job

 

[twitchyzero]

you think Phantoms are not sleek. I agree with you. But those are just that, opinions. I still don't understand your post, it IS a redesign. just not a drastic one..but the most drastic one since the original Phantom.

cost is irrelevant to aesthetics. The guy who buys a $200k Porsche likely won't complain that its exterior isn't a completely new design from ground-up. Neither are the people that's gonna buy the new Deloreans with the fully intact 80's design. Neither are the guys who bought a $600 PlayStation 3 with the same controller design from 15 years ago. Why mess with a winning formula? It's selling like hot cakes, it's doing something right.

I never said aesthetics are not important...I just said it's simply not a priority for most shopping for a $1K RTF quad. Which ever takes the best photos/videos and is easy to fly wins. It's hardly a beauty contest.

Those uneducated and scared of flying cameras will be scared regardless of it looking more pro or more like a toy. You think something straight out of Portal that looks like it's out to kill you like the Inspire 1 instills more confidence in the public?