To Solo or not to Solo? That's the question

[petaqui]

Thank you so much for all your kind words, it really helps!

@Oddshot Thank you so much for focusing on my main area of interest. I thought that GP4 Black was able to take RAW shots, not being able to do so its a game changer... I saw pics from the GP4 which are amazing, and the slow shutter speed is far more impressive that what I expected when announced, that's a point that P4 can't match, as I read the slowest speed is 1/30 or so... And for night shots (without wind and being able to have static flight) longer shutter its a plus. Ill check better about that shutter speed to compare...but I think that at the end I'll move to P4 Having decent RAW files helps a lot to recover lights or dark shadows

@Joris Thanks! I'm also taking a look into that model, looks really great and I love the idea of moving the gimbal out of the drone and being able to use by hand; but, the Max speed its quite ridiculous, half of the P4, and the range seems not bad at all, 1.6km but the effective one in areas with WiFi or other signals can decrease a lot the range , or that's what im guessing after reading some posts. I love being able to move the gimball 360, and the moving legs

@Ian [P13] no, it's not. You just need to get the certificate as pilot if you want to use drones commercially, and if you fly as a hobby nothing is needed, just follow the rules.

 

[Don H.]

Something else to keep in mind. If you are at high altitudes the battery life can be significantly less. This holds true no matter what brand you purchase. At sea level I get approximately 15-17 minute flight times on my Solo. This also depends on how you fly it.
At around 7000 feet I get around 8-9 minutes flight time.
Not much you can do about it.

 

[petaqui]

@Don H. Good point, thank you! I didn't took into account that. I live at 850m and move around 800-2500m usually, sometimes more but its not usual (up to 3400m mountains in my area), so I should care about time also.
That's a problem with Solo, last so few O bought a Syma X5C to learn how to fly a drone and the basics, and lasts be tweet 7-9 minutes flying, doing things at both high and low speed... So that's the same time you get from Solo at this altitude..damn doesn't let go further and work so much on the shot from high cliffs. Thank you so much for pointing out that

 

[DroneyMcDroneface]

Get a DJI. 3DR is going out of business and you'll be stuck with a drone and no support if you have a problem

 

[User Name]

Get a DJI. 3DR is going out of business and you'll be stuck with a drone and no support if you have a problem

If you're choice is between a drone that you'll be stuck with no support if you have a problem, and a drone you'll be stuck with no support if you have a problem, I'd take the one with the best features/capabilities, which is still the Solo.

 

[DroneyMcDroneface]

If you're choice is between a drone that you'll be stuck with no support if you have a problem, and a drone you'll be stuck with no support if you have a problem, I'd take the one with the best features/capabilities, which is still the Solo.

And those features are....?
Flight time - No
Collision Avoidance - No
GoPro's are garbage
Range - No
GPS - No

Oh, the software and smart shots? You don't think DJI will catch up with smart shots in a few months?
Please tell me.
Don't streer this guy in the wrong direction just because you have an emotional attachment to the Solo.

 

[DroneyMcDroneface]

Wait for the Karma to be released before you make any decisions. It may be the most badass drone to hit the market, or complete trash. It may drive market prices down too.

 

[User Name]

And those features are....?
Flight time - No
Collision Avoidance - No
GoPro's are garbage
Range - No
GPS - No

Oh, the software and smart shots? You don't think DJI will catch up with smart shots in a few months?
Please tell me.
Don't streer this guy in the wrong direction just because you have an emotional attachment to the Solo.

Why do I get the feeling you're Craig Issod?

Flight time? Irrelevant. I can spend an entire battery setting up the perfect shot, save it, land, change the battery, reload the shot and execute. And I can do that over and over waiting for the perfect conditions, another day, next week or next year.

Collision Avoidance? I do that myself, and the current systems are handy, but not by any means, infallible.

GoPro's are garbage? Ok, and DJI's cameras are the cinematographer's go-to camera... right. And many of us own and use GoPro's for other uses. I throw mine in the housing to use scuba diving, swimming, riding, hiking, etc. To say they're garbage demonstrates your bias.

Range? I've never found a half mile to be restricting, and that's with stock antenna. I could easily buy Alphas or FPVLRs and triple that.

GPS? Ummmm, huh? Both my Solo's have GPS. I'll admit, there were initial issues of slow locks, but these seems to have been resolved with the latest update. My new one locks cold within a minute or so, and immediately on battery changes.

Look, you clearly don't like, own or have any interest in the Solo. So why are you here? Seriously. Get a life, would ya Craig? You joined today and have posted nothing but Solo bashes. So pathetic.

 

[DroneyMcDroneface]

Why do I get the feeling you're Craig Issod?

Flight time? Irrelevant. I can spend an entire battery setting up the perfect shot, save it, land, change the battery, reload the shot and execute. And I can do that over and over waiting for the perfect conditions, another day, next week or next year.

Collision Avoidance? I do that myself, and the current systems are handy, but not by any means, infallible.

GoPro's are garbage? Ok, and DJI's cameras are the cinematographer's go-to camera... right. And many of us own and use GoPro's for other uses. I throw mine in the housing to use scuba diving, swimming, riding, hiking, etc. To say they're garbage demonstrates your bias.

Range? I've never found a half mile to be restricting, and that's with stock antenna. I could easily buy Alphas or FPVLRs and triple that.

GPS? Ummmm, huh? Both my Solo's have GPS. I'll admit, there were initial issues of slow locks, but these seems to have been resolved with the latest update. My new one locks cold within a minute or so, and immediately on battery changes.

Look, you clearly don't like, own or have any interest in the Solo. So why are you here? Seriously. Get a life, would ya Craig? You joined today and have posted nothing but Solo bashes. So pathetic.

Actually, I have a Solo and I'm quite happy with it because I am an experienced pilot who understands the difference between a first time user looking for a starter drone, and someone who is an enthusiast such as ourselves. He's a kid spending his hard earned money and the reality is the DJI is a better option. Even Colin said it in his webinar. "The Solo isn't for everyone. If you're just a casual flyer, the DJI is a great Drone"
There is a reason the DJI is so popular.
There is a difference between being a fanboy and being fair.

 

[DroneyMcDroneface]

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Start at 46:20
This is the Sole reason I believe Solo failed. They narrowed their target market. They could have easily squashed the DJI in every aspect of the needs of the Drone market from first time flyers to professional cinematographers, but they cut some corners.

 

[User Name]

Actually, I have a Solo and I'm quite happy with it because I am an experienced pilot

Really, why does it seem that claim is entirely contradicted by every other post you've made since you joined... earlier today?

Landed my drone yesterday (same problem as previous posts) with RTH feature. It was going to land on the curb, so I moved it back manually and touched down. Solo thought "This isn't where I was supposed to land" and it tried taking off again. I held the stick down and the drone flipped on its top and thrashed my propellers.
I am so done with this thing. I was on a solid surface...nothing got caught.

An experienced pilot such as yourself should have popped it back into Fly or Manual and landed manually if you saw that it was coming down right on a curb.

Why are you guys buying up drones that are no longer going to be supported? 3DR is closing the doors and ending its support of the solo. Now you have a drone with no guarantee on it...

Get a DJI. 3DR is going out of business and you'll be stuck with a drone and no support if you have a problem

All this removes the reasons I got a solo in the first place. So unless some hackers will opensource this for us...3DR will no longer be providing update for these kinds of concerns. It's a step back, not a step forward if you ask me.

Every drone by 2017 will have these cinema shots. You don't think Karma will have these considering how close Colin works with Gopro?

And those features are....?
Flight time - No
Collision Avoidance - No
GoPro's are garbage
Range - No
GPS - No.

You sure sound like someone who's quite happy with your Solo.

 

[DroneyMcDroneface]

Really, why does it seem that claim is entirely contradicted by every other post you've made since you joined... earlier today?



An experienced pilot such as yourself should have popped it back into Fly or Manual and landed manually if you saw that it was coming down right on a curb.

My girlfriend was at the sticks and I told her just back it up a bit. I didn't think the thing would flip.

 

[DroneyMcDroneface]

Everything I've stated is factual. Not opinionated other than the GoPro is garbage. I just hate the camera because it has terrible low light performance, is glitchy as hell, and unless you toss a Paeu lens in, it has terrible distortion. Just because I think the DJI is a better drone, doesn't mean I hate the Solo

I was sitting outside for 12 minutes waiting for Satellites the other day. I was at 70% battery by the time I was in the air and I missed the sunset.
DJI doesn't have that problem. Yes, you can do the GPS fix but not everyone wants to or feels comfortable ripping their drone apart.

This isn't a Solo bashing post, this is a side by side comparison of the two and nothing I said was false. Your needs differ from others as well.

And yes, 3DR is going out of business. They are abandoning solo and it's customers.

 

[PdxSteve]

Oh, the software and smart shots? You don't think DJI will catch up with smart shots in a few months?

Nope, not without a new quad model with a computer that can actually do some calculations and do more than just go from a to b to c. If they could, they would have if it was just software. Solo is almost 2 years old now and DJI still can't compete in this arena using their current top-of-the-line hardware/software - because it just isn't capable of it no matter what software they tweak.

Oh wow, you just joined today only to bash. Hah, ok. Sorry you had to wait 12 minutes. Must be your charming personality.

 

[User Name]

I was sitting outside for 12 minutes waiting for Satellites the other day. I was at 70% battery by the time I was in the air and I missed the sunset..

I thought you were experienced and quite happy with your Solo? If that was the case, wouldn't you have anticipated that the lock might take some time? How about you post up a photo of your scratched up Solo props just to prove that your supposed crash actually happened. If you do, I'll apologize for questioning your story, but since your joining this morning, the myriad of Solo/3DR bashing posts, and your numerous contradictions, it's impossible to not be skeptical.

And yes, 3DR is going out of business. They are abandoning solo and it's customers.

That's a distinct, if not likely, possibility. So what? Does DJI make repair parts available for all their Phantoms going back to the original? No. How difficult is it to get DJI to replace a Phantom that's crashed or flown away? Very. So support wise, both are in pretty much the same boat.