I feel like I bought too soon, opinions welcome

[awinn17]

Hey guys... Please help (if possible). I bought a Phantom 3 SE 16 days ago I think (past best buy's return policy, though I'm going to call today anyway and explain why I'm pissed). I've been trying to learn how to use it, and using different apps. However, I keep finding that they won't work or work erratically. I thought it was me and that I'd figure it out.

Well, lo-and-behold this morning I find the right questions to ask and found the right answers I think, finally. DJI hasn't released an SDK for the Phantom 3 SE. They have the 4 and 4 Pro, Mavic and Mavic Pro etc all out and all newer and all with SDK's, and I'm wondering if they ever will release an SDK for the SE.

I can't use Litchi, I can't use Drone Pan, I can't use Hangar 360, I had mixed results with Drone Deploy, I can't use Altizure. I can't use any other flight apps reliably besides DJI Go. I've even had the Go app disconnect from a few feet away and nearly crash landing by forced RTH on my patio table- ended up resetting and clearing all app caches and it works better now again... but still. I have had a truly mixed experience.

Now I'm sitting here rage posting and feeling cheated, wondering if I should have bought a newer model instead or something common at least. Does anyone know if this is a niche model that is going to be doomed to reside on DJI's sidelines? Everyone else is showing what they can do with Litchi and waypoint programs and 3D model creations on their normal Phantom 3 Standards, 4K's, Pro's, and I'm sitting here wondering why it keeps saying "not connected".

I'm going to contact Best Buy today and argue that while maybe I should have looked this up, I bought a product from them expecting it to be top quality like all the rest, and it didn't come with a manual or any sort of indication that it was less supported than the ones next to it, and that the two weeks I've spent wasn't me using it and returning it because I'm done, but because I had to figure out for myself that it might be either defective or a poor product, compared to similar products in the price range.

Am I crazy to expect better? I spent $600 on a brand new drone that can't do the same things the cheaper "outdated" Standard version can.

(End, and sorry for rage post). But please help.

 

[GMack]

I wouldn't call, but take it in and maybe you can upgrade to something more current. Manager might be helpful, maybe, but yeah, you should have taken it in sooner or deal with DJI Service now which is spotty at best. DJI isn't known for plu-perfect products and their quality control is pretty awful, imo. I've taken two back to BB within a few days for an exchange for another until I got a reasonably good one and it was painless and quick. Had I waited,might be different story but I also am a Rewards member with their credit card so that might help me a bit...maybe.

Most anything now has the manuals online, especially software. DaVinci Resolve 14 software for video editing - or even their paid one - (One of the premier editing software's too.) owner's manual is online and it's over, 1,300 pages! Same with Adobe. Annoying, but that's the way it is. My new "Made in China" flash units came with zero paper work and had to go online for those plus a firmware flash to them too - and fingers crossed doing that too without bricking them.

Good luck.

 

[Mark The Droner]

The SE is new - it's one of the newest drones released from DJI. It could be that DJI simply hasn't released the SDK because they haven't had a chance. The SE was just released outside of China in August, so it is fairly new. That would be why Litchi hasn't had a chance to release an app for it yet.

 

[awinn17]

Thanks. After about a half an hour of call attempts I finally got through. Apparently both stores nearby share the same call line and one guys handles it all... Nice.

Anyway, I spoke with him and described that I'm one day over the standard return but I haven't used it today... Plus I'm having some issues and I'd like a return please and he spoke with the manager and they agreed to it (with the 15% restocking fee, but I'll eat that as my penalty for not doing more research). It restored a little faith in them for me, at least I can return it, and I've learned a lot of what to look for. Don't buy an almost-done product.

So now I'm going to research what to replace it with. I know it will probably be more expensive just to stay relevant, but at least I'll get better tech with it. I'm currently looking between the Mavic Pro and Phantom 4 Advanced. However, I'm not necessarily tied to DJI. But are they the only company that allows 3rd party app control? I'd really like to use all the features of Litchi and Drone Deploy to the fullest. Will other brands be able to do that, or am I best to stick with a big one like DJI? I can ask a different thread if this isn't the right place.

And thanks for not dousing me after the post. It's not typical of me but I was panicking pretty hard and running on half a night's sleep.

 

[GMack]

As to the P3A SDK kit, they may never produce it either. It's DJI, and they speak before they produce or market something that actually works as claimed or should.

I have the Inspire 2 and they were to make an Osmo hand-held gimbal setup for the Inspire 2 cameras, then it disappeared off their site. Now some sellers say it will come back for the X7 but I'm not holding me breath as it may be more misleading marketing. The main image processor is inside the Inspire 2 drone and it requires some $1,200 license to use it, so the same may happen to the Osmo which would make it prohibitively expensive compared to any other gimbal out there along with an overpriced SSD card. The top flight speed of the Inspire 2 was dramatically reduced too, probably because some motors came off in flight as they are glued on and some breaks are occurring due to poor assembly. I won't get into my camera issues, but it sure is crap for the $1,899 due to tilted sensor (Same as one P4 I returned to BB too.), bad color cast, and parts left over that fell out of it. Even their newer Focus Wheel 2 wouldn't even work new out of the box as the threaded connection was wrong from manufacturing and would not bolt up to the RC right. How they screwed that up is beyond me.

Fwiw, my Inspire 2 is grounded due to the 'shimmy-shake' issue that is also plaguing the Phantom P4 series for the past few months. Ridiculous that DJI leaves bad firmware out there to cripple their products. Once discovered they should pull it immediately rather than still leave it on their servers for months. Almost like they want you to "Send it in for repair for $$$"

 

[Macfawlty]

P4A is what I'd buy.

 

[awinn17]

Well, I ended up exchanging it plus $$ for a new P4P. First one I got was a defective- the gimbal looked a few degrees to the left. Spoke with DJI, exchanged it at Best Buy at no cost. The second one seems good. Took it out for a test flight this weekend. MY GOODNESS they really did upgrade them. I was a little worried about so much extra cost but man they packed features into it. The camera is amazing. I'm happy with the purchase. It was expensive but I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything anymore.

This is a great forum. I've been helped on several posts already, I'll do what I can to haunt here and there and help others. Thanks so much guys!

 

[Numone]

Well, I ended up exchanging it plus $$ for a new P4P. First one I got was a defective- the gimbal looked a few degrees to the left. Spoke with DJI, exchanged it at Best Buy at no cost. The second one seems good. Took it out for a test flight this weekend. MY GOODNESS they really did upgrade them. I was a little worried about so much extra cost but man they packed features into it. The camera is amazing. I'm happy with the purchase. It was expensive but I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything anymore.

This is a great forum. I've been helped on several posts already, I'll do what I can to haunt here and there and help others. Thanks so much guys!

Nice to hear that BB were good enough to ignore the return date and exchange the SE for an upgrade.