P4 chased by Solo

EyeWingsuit · Mar 20, 2016

I received my Phantom 4 yesterday and couldn't wait to take it out for an initial flight. The P3 had some challenges so I chased the P4 with the Solo.

Stimmy · Mar 20, 2016

EyeWingsuit said:
I received my Phantom 4 yesterday and couldn't wait to take it out for an initial flight. The P3 had some challenges so I chased the P4 with the Solo.

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As a drone enthusiast, I love seeing things like this.
Absolutely excellent work my friend.

pyrate · Mar 20, 2016

nice shots

Jubalr · Mar 20, 2016

Congrats on the new machine! Looks like both were taking decent video. Looks like southern Nevada or NE AZ.

Rich · Mar 21, 2016

Did you try the new collision avoidance yet? How does it work, as well as the other new features?

Chuck · Mar 21, 2016

Nice job. I really liked looking straight down on the P4. When the P4 wasn't in frame, I kept looking for it, like I was playing "Where's Waldo". Thanks for sharing.

Drone Canada · Mar 21, 2016

Was that landing pad the top of a camping table?

pyrate · Mar 21, 2016

someone pasted a picture of the p4 on FB and it looked like p4 s were more of an H configuration than an X
but here it looks like the same old X
is it still an X or have they moved to H

EyeWingsuit · Mar 21, 2016

It's still the X config.
The landing pad is an old camping table we found on-site. My nylon landing pad wouldn't work: couldn't pound the stakes into the ground and it was windy (winds in the 15-20 gusting. The shots switch back and forth between the GoPro/Solo and the P4. It offers an opportunity to show which is more stable and which offers the best "out of the box" color, amongst other things. Nice to see how well it flew in high wind. Solo is unquestionably more stable.
The attached image demonstrates the angle of most of the flight.
Same winds, the Solo isn't quite as tilted, and obviously working less hard.
The obstacle avoidance system was a serious PITA when trying to land in a marginally tight area (approx 4'x4')

Review to come shortly.

RichWest · Mar 21, 2016

@EyeWingsuit I thought it was an interesting comparison, I appreciate you sharing. Wasn't sure if you made a slight of hand, but the color from the GP looked vivid and the image was sharper.

SPP · Mar 21, 2016

Eye said :
"Solo is unquestionably more stable."
No wonder during my only and 1st flight I found my Solo way more stable than what I can recall of P1, if P4 itself itself is not as stable as Solo.

EyeWingsuit · Mar 21, 2016

RichWest said:
@EyeWingsuit I thought it was an interesting comparison, I appreciate you sharing. Wasn't sure if you made a slight of hand, but the color from the GP looked vivid and the image was sharper.

As the video titling indicates, there is no C/C applied to either camera. Agreed, the GP is more vivid, if not a touch too blue. I'd normally have corrected to cut the blue a tad. And yes, it's sharper.

Today, I did switch the P4 out of 1080/120 mode (default) and shot in 2K mode so it is more straight across compared. Still the same result; P4 is overall soft.
The two things I really like about the P4; the screen interface is VERY sweet. It is RTF within seconds of powering up. It does offer a longer flight time than does the Solo. Second charge battery on Solo gave me 23 mins; P4 gave me an additional six minutes.

RichWest · Mar 21, 2016

EyeWingsuit said:
Second charge battery on Solo gave me 23 mins; P4 gave me an additional six minutes.

Not calling you a liar, but wow either would be amazing if it is true. The best I've gotten is 18min with Solo, with an average around 16 min.

I've read that the P4 on average has been around the 20 min mark from 4 separate batteries. But then that was the only results I read and possibly from a hater trying to discredit the P4. The review was over at PhantomPilots forum....

EyeWingsuit · Mar 21, 2016

RichWest said:
Not calling you a liar, but wow either would be amazing if it is true. The best I've gotten is 18min with Solo, with an average around 16 min.

I've read that the P4 on average has been around the 20 min mark from 4 separate batteries. But then that was the only results I read and possibly from a hater trying to discredit the P4. The review was over at PhantomPilots forum....

Rich, for both there are seconds of sitting on the ground; I'm measuring time from the length of the video file start to finish. To call it all "air time" would be a mis-statement.

RichWest · Mar 21, 2016

EyeWingsuit said:
Rich, for both there are seconds of sitting on the ground; I'm measuring time from the length of the video file start to finish. To call it all "air time" would be a mis-statement.

Understood, does make a difference. I typically start video after take off and off when landing, I appreciate your clarification.

I went back to find the thread on the P4 (GadgetGuy), he's saying 18 minute flight times.

I couldn't own a DJI after reading comments over there... Solo people appear more civilized in comparison.

EyeWingsuit · Mar 21, 2016

RichWest said:
I couldn't own a DJI after reading comments over there... Solo people appear more civilized in comparison.

There is no comparison. People bragging about flying near helicopters, flying at 5,000, telling each other to Fu** off in several posts, it's unfortunate the teen mentality affects even older men.

Solo costs a bit more, and I do feel that separates the wheat from the chaff a bit. Curiously enough, the people in the Cinestar fora say much about other mid-level UAV owners.

pyrate · Mar 21, 2016

well with most of these things people see the marketing, and think well all I have to do is buy one of those and I can make beautiful movies.
Well I drank some budwiser and no pretty women came over, so that did not work out like the commercials.

I don't care if you fly an Inspire P# insert whatever number is relevant, or solo
You have to work at good video. Solo helped me solve the flying thing, so I could focus on video