Do any P4 owners regret selling their P3?

I have both the P3P and the P4. My original intention was to sell the P3P to offset the cost of the P4 but I decided to keep both. I love the P4 and all the new features but I also like the P3P for it's range. I really have only done a handful of flights with the P4 but I have seen increased flight times with each flight, maybe the more break in cycles for the battery will increase the flight times. I have not really done any range tests yet but that really doesn't concern me too much at this point, it may in the future. The P3 and the P4 compliment each other but I understand the dilemma if you have to choose one over the other. I hope there are some firmware updates to address some of the issues.


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Well said! I don't regret selling mine. I barely have time to fly one let alone two of them.


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I absolutely love my P4! No regrets at all. This is a hobby,which should=fun. You are always going to hear more from the complainers than the folks just out there having fun. I don't currently fly beyond LOS due to the area which I live. However if I wanted more range I would put an Ielite panel on and forget about it. As so many spend several hundreds on accessories what's another hundred? Clearly battery technology is at the limit or they would be in the air for much longer. People who don't like their P4's should sell them and go back to the P3 forums. I would like to hear constructive information,experiences rather than complaints.
 
Good thread... mostly. Great initial question as I too was wondering. Still I'm not seeing anything impressive about the camera from videographers or folks that know cameras. (Yeah I know... Get an Inspire with the X5) Same sensor. Same 60Mb/s bit rate. Improvements in "sharpness" to the lens. My P3's lens is dialed down to -2 on so lack of sharpness was never an issue. Was really hoping for more wow in the camera of the P4 as I too could care little about "features". It's all about the camera. Had my fingers crossed for 4K 60fps at 100Mbs. Now that's a reason. Thanks all for your input.
 
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So I did a range test today. P3P vs P4. Stock.

I flew almost 2,000 foot further on same route with P4.

Same route.
P3P Range 6,500
P4. Range 8,300

Totally anecdotal and un-standardized, but it's reassuring to me.

I hope this helps!

P3P
ce191deee697ef25c16215a8856f2948.jpg

P4
7019cf1dfcccea0e8bab7081d17417ef.jpg



Thank you for the data. It's super helpful.

P4 vs P3P
From my own testing I've found my data to be convincing to me that the battery life is better by several minutes in any mode, best with no wind and in P mode obviously.

FIRST OFF
DJI lied about P3P flight time! Shocked? Not really.
I consistently get 12-18 minutes on my P3P depending on aggressiveness and conditions. But mostly on the low end!

I answered my own questions about
BATTERY & FLIGHT TIME

Here's my NEW P4 data:

P-mode only:
25 min 25% battery
With CA off and no aggressive flying (full stick in any direction) I got significantly more time in the air at about 25 min 25% battery. I'm sure if I went to 0% I could easily get 28 minutes!

Mixed P and mostly Sport:
20 min 25% battery
I fly mostly aggressive full stick in P mode and sport mode with CA on by default and with windy conditions temp of 50F and total 29,000 ft distance 395 ft altitude with many changes and I got to 20 min and 25% battery and I wasn't even trying to go for time/battery.

ALL SPORT:
16 min 25% battery
Windy conditions, 42 deg F, very aggressive flying 395 ft altitude to ground level several times, and total distance of 27,000 ft.
—---------—
Ultimately, I don't regret selling my original P3P with DBS. It was dialed in... I had all the accessories, extra batteries and mods I wanted. Worst of all... It was the model with the best range watt output from the transmitters. I could have at least kept my P3 transmitter.

But, honestly I wouldn't have time to fly both! And I would have spent weeks and hours trying to mod the P3P to do what the P4 does stock. By the time I nodded my p3 to do what p4 is doing I'm sure battery weight and range would be an issue.

BTW The stock P4 RIPS through the air in sport mode and the obstacle avoidance impressed me every time I test it. My wife even agrees it's a better upgrade from P3P even if others report a loss in range, it's just hands down overall better quality. I am pissed DJI advertised "enhanced lightbidge" but clearly documented the wattage on transmitter is 30% less output...

But anecdotally my personal testing is equal or better range and battery. My wife's opinion matters to me for obvious reasons but she's also an engineer and into aeronautics.

I sincerely Hope this information helps you.

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I am with you... Although a ton of people are going to tell you that we are wrong.



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Was a no-brainer for me. Sports mode gets close enough to P3 top speed, clocked around 44mph...Long range, longer flight time, improved camera optics and FPS 1080 at 120fps (however the quality on that setting is a bit lacking), collision avoidance were enough to convince me to sell my fully loaded barely flown P3. I have an INSPIRE and needed a backup.The intelligent flying modes are GREAT! They even let you toggle backwards tracking (the sensors don't work in that direction) but if you are shooting a scene where someone is walking towards the camera, great feature...
 
Really? One P4 with an over torqued screw. You have to be kidding, right?

Yeah I haven't heard that. I can also attest that the controller is well built too. The last antenna mod I did the thing started crumbling as I put the screws back together! This one didn't! It went back together like a champ!


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Yeah I haven't heard that. I can also attest that the controller is well built too. The last antenna mod I did the thing started crumbling as I put the screws back together! This one didn't! It went back together like a champ!


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There was a picture of the underside of the P4, around a screw away from the motors. Had all of the signs of a screw tightened too much. It did not look like a structural stress point at all. In the meat of the body, nowhere near the torque of the motors.
 
Upgraded a brand new P3P, had to buy a new shell (but would have done that anyway) I also had to buy a new remote to put in the return box as I HD modded original. All that and lost my extra free battery! And still am way happier. I will say this, the one time I used the original Un-modded remote, the fun WAS sucked right out with range (not really because I wouldn't go very far with that remote) but having to constantly adjust and point the remote perfectly to keep signal.
Now I'm pissed off at DJI, for those that bought from them, store credit worth at least half a battery cost. And apple guys getting 50% off batteries, but not me? So, Friday I very well might just take my 32 day old P4 and exchange it for the Yuneec Typhoon H, try doing that at the Apple Store, or DJI!
The battery thing really irks me, and may be the tipping point. It'll be hard to wait for first reviews to come in on the Yuneec, instead of just going and getting one.
The problem is, I just take my P4 out and fly, it's reliable, has lost connection once at over 1/2 mile thru trees and houses, and performed perfectly and reconnected in 30 seconds max.
As far as the P3 vs P4, no comparison, if, IF you have the Itlite antenna that is. If the Yuneec gets reviews that it's a solid 3000ft, no matter where you are, that's good. If it's a mile like some sites say, well then that's awesome. I'd prolly settle for 1km if it's dead solid at all times.


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I know how you feel about getting left out, DJI was giving purchasers a free Hardshell backpack with a P3 purchase if you bought from DJI, I bought mine from Apple, I contacted DJI to see if I would get one too, but was denied by DJI.

This time Apple purchasers got a promotion, but wasn't DJI sending out P4 purchasers a coupon for a free battery or something similar.


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