Autel X-Star Premium getting obstacle avoidance and more...

[we_lexplore]

When deciding which drone to purchase, my decision was between the P4 and the Autel X-Star Premium. I had already liked the orange, and the Customer Service was off the charts as they answered my questions (even before purchasing) all day and within a few minutes after each email sent.

We opted for the P4 as it was the neat black edition and the obstacle detection was the big seller.

I just checked out the Autel website, (it's like going back on Craigslist after you already bought a car!) and now they have made added some neat updates to the X-Star Premium including obstacle avoidance.

Then I saw this page from someone who has good sources that the P4 will be getting a firmware update with some neat features too? Have you seen this?

Mavic and P4P Features Coming to the Phantom 4


I really am excited about the great Customer Service Autel offers and when I brought this up to DJI this was their answer,

"We totally understand where you're coming from. We're working on improving our customer service experience. We know that even though our technology greatly surpasses other manufacturers', customer support is just as important."

 

[m0j0]

That is awesome


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[ftttu]

I don't just welcome competition, I demand it as a consumer. DJI, Autel, Yuneec, etc, after my first drone investment, I demand these and other manufacturers to release overall better products. Nothing new here.

Better materials, better technology - both hardware and software, better range, better customer service, are just some of those demands.

Even though the P4 fulfilled my desire at the time, it's cracking airframe, on-going horizon problems, buggy software and updates, gimbal malfunction, limited range, props, prop shadows and landing gear in camera frame, are issues I don't want to have to deal with in my future drones.

I'm just a hobbyist, but for those who use them commercially and for community service, I'm sure you have similar and steeper demands. From locating missing persons to being able to send your children off to college, prosumer drones users demand the very best.

 

[AnchorageAk]

That is awesome


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I agree with you. I will be watching this company.

 

[John Locke]

I agree with you. I will be watching this company.

Yeah, me too. The retracting landing gear with 360 camera and 1" camera sensor is pretty cool stuff. It should definitely give Phantom a challenge, unless P5 "one ups" those features. Timing is everything, and we all know what happened with the Karma announcement from GoPro. Just a couple weeks later we had a Mavic announcement. Stand by for an interesting 2017.

 

[m0j0]

So here is my question. Is this going to be an entirely new bird or upgrades to the "modular" design. I imagine the camera will be interchangeable but the other stuff will be on a new bird? I bought an XSP when they went on sale. Very nice bird with a few noticeable issues but it would be a plus if I could add the new cam etc without buying a new bird.


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[m0j0]

Yeah, me too. The retracting landing gear with 360 camera and 1" camera sensor is pretty cool stuff. It should definitely give Phantom a challenge, unless P5 "one ups" those features. Timing is everything, and we all know what happened with the Karma announcement from GoPro. Just a couple weeks later we had a Mavic announcement. Stand by for an interesting 2017.

View attachment 74005

Yeah the Mavic announcement was definitely a beatdown for GoPro. I was sold on the Karma because I'm pretty invested in GoPro cameras but the Mavic was an incredible jump in tech. Cancelled Karma, was one of the lucky ones that got one early .. have been flying Mavic almost exclusively now. Phantom's, TH and Autel on the shelf. Typhoon is on its way out.


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[AnchorageAk]

They seem to be priced right. I wonder what this will sell for, and when available?

 

[jakobe75]

Yeah, me too. The retracting landing gear with 360 camera and 1" camera sensor is pretty cool stuff. It should definitely give Phantom a challenge, unless P5 "one ups" those features. Timing is everything, and we all know what happened with the Karma announcement from GoPro. Just a couple weeks later we had a Mavic announcement. Stand by for an interesting 2017.

View attachment 74005

that folding screen looks nice.

 

[m0j0]

They seem to be priced right. I wonder what this will sell for, and when available?

They price for the XSP has dropped like a lead balloon. They were over 1k. I would expect that any new product would be priced just under DJIs newest release.


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[John Locke]

that folding screen looks nice.

Here's a close up of the Autel controller.

 

[m0j0]

That is pretty sweet. So not sure P5 or new XSP


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[DronerRene]

How much for the " Autel "bird ??


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[we_lexplore]

How much for the " Autel "bird ??


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The current one is $750-$799, not sure what the new one will cost.

 

[ftttu]

I know there have been demands for retractable landing gear and 360 deg cameras for future DJI models and now Autel models, but trying to manipulate the camera while flying another direction is just too hard for me to juggle. If those two co-features become reality on an Autel or DJI product in the future, they won't be setting points for me...unless the retractible landing gear stays clear of the camera so no props, prop shadows or landing gear get in the shot under easy or moderately aggressive flying.

I welcome the new features and technology, but it is just that they don't push my buttons like they do for others. I'm on-board with the Mavic Pro style form factor being the future of DJI if they will just run with it. IMHO, a camera forward, top mounted and folding arm design for their larger prosumer drones, is the way to go forward. As much as I like Autel, even with a retractable landing gear and rotating camera, it is still basically a Phantom 3 design with upgrades.

 

[Jussaguy]

When deciding which drone to purchase, my decision was between the P4 and the Autel X-Star Premium. I had already liked the orange, and the Customer Service was off the charts as they answered my questions (even before purchasing) all day and within a few minutes after each email sent.

We opted for the P4 as it was the neat black edition and the obstacle detection was the big seller.

I just checked out the Autel website, (it's like going back on Craigslist after you already bought a car!) and now they have made added some neat updates to the X-Star Premium including obstacle avoidance.

Then I saw this page from someone who has good sources that the P4 will be getting a firmware update with some neat features too? Have you seen this?

Mavic and P4P Features Coming to the Phantom 4


I really am excited about the great Customer Service Autel offers and when I brought this up to DJI this was their answer,

"We totally understand where you're coming from. We're working on improving our customer service experience. We know that even though our technology greatly surpasses other manufacturers', customer support is just as important."

Well they certainly are the best at marketing! I want one after that video.

I hav to agree with ftttu though in that I am not that bothered about retractable landing gear (in fact, whenever I fly my Typhoon H which isn't often) I feel like I am just exposing the camera should something happen. I also am not impressed by rotating gimbals as I would rather rotate the bird. I have never seen a camera on the ground that rotates on the pivot of the camera, it rotates the whole mechanism on a platform, much the same way our P4, P3s, Mavics, etc do. It's usefulness only comes when there are two people flying it and even then, not sure what the great benefit is. It is certainly answering the calls of the public but at the end of the day, Autel is working off of the innovations of DJI because there is I think literally zero IP laws in China and it's made it's way to the US. I am not sure how DJI and Yuneec for that matter haven't pounced on Autel for patent infringement and the fear of that happening would also keep me away from them.

They say in their video "this is only after one year" which is not completely true for the reasons I stated above. They would not be where they are if it wasn't for a decade of innovation by DJI and them completely ripping them off in not only form factor but in actual electronics. I do like it being modular and I wish DJI would make their enthusiast gear modular as it should be. It sucks being locked to one camera.

 

[John Locke]

I also am not impressed by rotating gimbals as I would rather rotate the bird.

I think the primary benefit of a rotating gimbal like Inspire is the refinement of cinematic shots when you need to pan the camera smoothly. With Phantom, yawing left or right takes a skill set to develop for a smooth pan to get a smooth pan motion by the camera. Sometimes the flight controller acts erratic and does strange things when yawing in a hover, resulting in a "not so smooth" pan. It's not reliably smooth, and very touchy. However, if you add any wind to that equation it's pretty much impossible to have a smooth yaw for a consistent camera pan rate. That's where Inspire can excel, especially with two operator. Yes, it does take a lot to learn how to make the separate moves of camera pan and navigation of the craft as a single operator, but the end result is more consistent pans, looking more professional. Nothing keep you from flying an Inspire like a phantom either, instead of panning using the camera gimbal, just yaw the craft, if that's the way you want to fly a particular shot.

The new I2 with a second pilot camera is will help when capturing video sideways. You can still see where you're flying at the same time. I'm not sure if that works P in P on one controller, or if you need two person setup with separate video feeds to each RC.

 

[AnchorageAk]

Doesn't that type of landing gear use more of the battery?

 

[rocketflyer]

With Phantom, yawing left or right takes a skill set to develop for a smooth pan to get a smooth pan motion by the camera.

Yes, I find an orbit to be one of the hardest moves to pull off manually. Easier to cheat by programming it into litchi!

 

[Jussaguy]

I think the primary benefit of a rotating gimbal like Inspire is the refinement of cinematic shots when you need to pan the camera smoothly. With Phantom, yawing left or right takes a skill set to develop for a smooth pan to get a smooth pan motion by the camera. Sometimes the flight controller acts erratic and does strange things when yawing in a hover, resulting in a "not so smooth" pan. It's not reliably smooth, and very touchy. However, if you add any wind to that equation it's pretty much impossible to have a smooth yaw for a consistent camera pan rate. That's where Inspire can excel, especially with two operator. Yes, it does take a lot to learn how to make the separate moves of camera pan and navigation of the craft as a single operator, but the end result is more consistent pans, looking more professional. Nothing keep you from flying an Inspire like a phantom either, instead of panning using the camera gimbal, just yaw the craft, if that's the way you want to fly a particular shot.

The new I2 with a second pilot camera is will help when capturing video sideways. You can still see where you're flying at the same time. I'm not sure if that works P in P on one controller, or if you need two person setup with separate video feeds to each RC.

Exactly. It's the Phantom that can't get the correct yaw when pivoting. But rotating the camera and the bird is goofy and panning the camera instead of the bird is only jerky on the Phantom but not on the Inspire. Not on the I1 and I'll have an I2 soon and let you know.

I can tell you that my S1000 and any DIY octo with whatever camera is necessary can capture a pan rotation better than any circulating camera. I again use the example of a rotating camera on the ground doesn't rotate on its center pivot, the whole platform pivots by the AC literally turning it.

At the end of the day, it comes down to whatever is the preference of the operator(s).

I'll show you some footage I shot with my S1000 and a Red Scarlet W and I think you will be impressed.

I will also show you some footage shot with the I1 and I think it will make my point.

There is no right or wrong. Whatever works but I have never seen the need to pan using the camera even with the Inspire and I have a Typhoon H and feel the same.

You are correct though that you get jerky movement when panning on the H, and I would imagine if the Phantom could it would to but I think that's just down to bitrate and not mechanics.

I am just waiting to pull the trigger on a decked out I2 and maybe I'll be rotating the cam like a mad man! Can't wait for it though! I think it's finally the all in one DJI pro option. The x5S stands up to all the tests I've seen compared to 40k cams. Excited! Sorry, tangent.