buy the Phantom 4 pro now or wait

[lolo780]

I just picked up a used P4A. Same camera as the Pro, and I linked the Pro GL300F to it. Seems like a bargain if you just want the 20mp camera.

 

[drvrbobob]

Well i just ordered my p4p friday, cant wait to get it!

 

[Kristina Fowler]

Well i just ordered my p4p friday, cant wait to get it!

I think you made a wise buy. There will always be some "new and improved" version coming out, but the P4P is a great choice. It's so versatile and follows instructions very well.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I am really wanting a drone and looks like in 2 weeks I will get a paycheck and I will be able to buy one. Should I wait for the phantom 5, or just buy the 4 pro? Any rumors of dates or anything like that when the phantom 5 might be coming out?

What Phantom 5?

 

[vertrider01]

I have flown the Mavic Pro for a couple Months in the Alps and recently upgraded to P4P. I don’t regret the change to P4P a single second. It’s a completely different machine, much more powerful, stable at high winds, super reliable, excellent to fly, and the video and image quality is just excellent. as well as the quality in general.

It still smokes Mavic Air and Pro / Platinum in the pipe - easily.

Only 2 things missing for the 4 Pro: foldable and less noise.

So, if a P5P comes out this summer, fine, going to upgrade to that after they edged out the bugs, and keep P4P as B-camera.

Cheers

Ps: A friend is flying the Air. It’s a nice toy with a good camera, but without ocusync it’s a mess in the mountains.

 

[MSUDawg]

Any new DJI drone that's released will have issues that will take months to resolve. That's the pattern we've seen for years and I expect no change in this pattern anytime soon. That's exactly why I waited 6mos after P4P was released before I bought mine. The P4P is a good solid drone that has a 4+mile range and a great camera. Nothing else comes close to that.

You might wait for the Mavic2 to be released ONLY to see if it affects the P4P pricing. DJI has a pattern of lowering price on old models when new models are released. If the Mavic2 does in fact rival P4P camera-wise, I would expect the price on P4P to be lowered a little. However, we really don't know when Mavic2 will be announced. March is the rumor, but it's only a rumor at this point.

The two main issues I will have with the Mavic Pro II, assuming if the rumors are true, are the lack of a mechanical shutter and the lack of aperture control. The P4P camera might still be the best available till the P5.

 

[GadgetGuy]

The two main issues I will have with the Mavic Pro II, assuming if the rumors are true, are the lack of a mechanical shutter and the lack of aperture control. The P4P camera might still be the best available till the P5.

I'm waiting for the P6!

 

[John Locke]

I'm waiting for the P6!

Yeah, when the P6 is released the P5 will be cheap. But that's likely 2020.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Yeah, when the P6 is released the P5 will be cheap. But that's likely 2020.

The P6 will come with a mandatory 400 foot tether to make sure it stays within VLOS and never exceeds 400' AGL. However, it will boast a 10 mile range and a two hour battery life!

 

[John Locke]

The P6 will come with a mandatory 400 foot tether to make sure it stays within VLOS and never exceeds 400' AGL. However, it will boast a 10 mile range and a two hour battery life!

A 400' AGL tether may not be far fetched, but I would assume DJI would make this optional to enable, useful only in some cases. If the tablet has an internet connection, Google offers a free API that will provide the MSL elevation of any set of LAT LON coordinates. This means:
1. The craft can log the actual ground MSL elevation before takeoff.
2. After launching, the craft can determine ground MSL elevation for anywhere it flies over, using it's real-time GPS coordinates, sent to the RC, and calculated with Google MSL data via internet.
3. Using the craft's barometer, it could calculate a relatively accurate AGL altitude, not only from take off point (like today), but also the actual AGL anywhere it flies, in real time.

This software addition to the GO4 would be simple if DJI wanted to do it. Calculations wouldn't be absolute real-time of course, there would likely be a 3-5 second delay, but that's good enough for our purposes of maintaining a safe AGL altitude with reasonable accuracy.

 

[GadgetGuy]

A 400' AGL tether may not be far fetched, but I would assume DJI would make this optional to enable, useful only in some cases. If the tablet has an internet connection, Google offers and free API that will provide the MSL elevation of any set of LAT LON coordinates. This means:
1. The craft can log the actual ground MSL elevation before takeoff.
2. After launching, the craft can determine ground MSL elevation for anywhere it flies over, using it's real-time GPS coordinates, sent to the RC, and calculated with Google MSL data via internet.
3. Using the craft's barometer, it could calculate a relatively accurate AGL altitude, not only from take off point (like today), but also the actual AGL anywhere it flies, in real time.

This software addition to the GO4 would be simple if DJI wanted to do it. Calculations wouldn't be absolute real-time of course, there would likely be a 3-5 second delay, but that's good enough for our purposes of maintaining a safe AGL altitude with reasonable accuracy.

The P6 tether is not an AGL tether, but a 400' tether in all directions. It is a 400' wire. Limiting all flight to a physically tethered 400 feet will mean the displayed 400 height, based solely upon elevation above the Home Point will be accurate AGL without any further modifications!

That being said, I like your idea, but DJI will want to enforce VLOS, while still touting a 10 mile range and a two hour battery life, so you will have a signal to wipe out every Wifi in the neighborhood, and the battery life to keep it up, while annoying every neighbor within the 400' tether with the noise overhead!

 

[John Locke]

The P6 tether is not an AGL tether, but a 400' tether in all directions.

This won't happen. DJI's isn't in the habit of reducing their sales, and this would do it.

 

[GadgetGuy]

This won't happen. DJI's isn't in the habit of reducing their sales, and this would do it.

The FAA can dream, can't they?

 

[John Locke]

The FAA can dream, can't they?

Well, I'm not sure they dream that. I personally believe they see integrating drones into the NAS as job security and justification to grow their department, which I think is a worthy consideration. With LANNC going nationwide this year, they have a lot of work going on. I cheer this effort to help safe flight near airports.

I think it's evident that drones will be operating beyond VLOS to deliver packages, that's the direction things are going, maybe in the next 5yrs, that's debatable. I think FAA's job is to figure out how to mitigate risk and introduce rules and/or licensing for beyond VLOS flying. I think that's their marching orders to help commerce and increase the utility of the technology, as long as it can be proven safe. If they can accomplish that, they will be heroes to a lot of organizations, sans any catastrophe during and after the process.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Well, I'm not sure they dream that. I personally believe they see integrating drones into the NAS as job security and justification to grow their department, which I think is a worthy consideration. With LANNC going nationwide this year, they have a lot of work going on. I cheer this effort to help safe flight near airports.

I think it's evident that drones will be operating beyond VLOS to deliver packages, that's the direction things are going, maybe in the next 5yrs, that's debatable. I think FAA's job is to figure out how to mitigate risk and introduce rules and/or licensing for beyond VLOS flying. I think that's their marching orders to help commerce and increase the utility of the technology, as long as it can be proven safe. If they can accomplish that, they will be heroes to a lot of organizations, sans any catastrophe during and after the process.

It sure would help them locate the pilot!

 

[ravedog]

Buy on your needs now not on future things otherwise you’ll never buy. Always something better comes tomorrow. Do you want to start flying? Then buy now. I guarantee that even if new one comes soon you won’t want to be a beta tester as Mr Locke mentioned. Besides. You can get some great use out of the current model while you wait for the mythical unicorn known as the V. When you’re ready and it’s proven then sell yours and upgrade. The waiting game will drive you nuts.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Buy on your needs now not on future things otherwise you’ll never buy. Always something better comes tomorrow. Do you want to start flying? Then buy now. I guarantee that even if new one comes soon you won’t want to be a beta tester as Mr Locke mentioned. Besides. You can get some great use out of the current model while you wait for the mythical unicorn known as the V. When you’re ready and it’s proven then sell yours and upgrade. The waiting game will drive you nuts.

I think he should wait for the mythical unicorn.
Less drones to run into in the sky when I am flying!

 

[DKG13CC]

If the Mavic 2 specs are correct, there won't be much point in buying a P4P. Hopefully find out this month.

I dont like that the M2 has proposed no mechanical shutter. And all I’ve seen says 1” CMOS, doesnt say the MP. Im betting they wont let the camera surpass the current Phantom model.