Is $200 good for a P3S?

[sgarrand]

Interesting that the thread is at 20 posts and not one word about the fact that the entire DC area is in a no fly zone. If he didn't happen to mention that, I would consider it a red flag. You're gonna have to drive out at least 15 miles from the center of DC to start the motors, although you should be able to at least boot up the AC and test the FPV and what-not.

Good luck.

This is going to be in Eastern MD. I generalized too much with the DC/MD area designation. I'll be headed to Gaithersburg once I hopefully buy this drone. On B4UFLY it does not appear to be a problem, a few small private air strips miles away. I just want to test functionality.

 

[Mark The Droner]

Roger that. You're outside the DC FRZ but inside the DC SFRA. I'm not sure how the DJI Go / P3 firmware deals with that - I only have the P2 series. I know you can fly in Gaithersburg, but I'm not sure what kind of hoops you might have to jump through to make it work. Regardless, you're required to contact the Montgomery County Airpark small airport there if you're within five miles.

There's another small airport (Davis) a bit north in Laytonsville.

Here's the DJI map for P3 and P4:

DJI - Fly Safe: No Fly Zones

Good luck.

 

[Olroy]

Even in a no fly zone won't it at least start up and let you hover it?


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[Mark The Droner]

Nope. It'll boot up, but when it gets 6 sats and acquires a GPS home point, instead of flashing green 20x it flashes red 20x. And then the motors won't start. At least that's how it is on my P2V.

 

[Olroy]

Only asking because I thought someone did that close to an major airport here probably within 10miles and it hovered but I guess it said restricted area and automatic landed itself...think he had it no more than 10' off the ground
It was a P4

But to the OP hope you come out with a good deal and a great P3

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[kirk2579]

Interesting that the thread is at 20 posts and not one word about the fact that the entire DC area is in a no fly zone. If he didn't happen to mention that, I would consider it a red flag. You're gonna have to drive out at least 15 miles from the center of DC to start the motors, although you should be able to at least boot up the AC and test the FPV and what-not.

OTOH, it could be they "couldn't figure out how to operate it" because they are in a DJI no fly zone.

Good luck.

I wondered about that,
the DC no fly zone would make it hard to figure it out maybe

 

[kirk2579]

Depending on when I get to his area, it will either be at a park near his house or at his work. I'm not too concerned about my safety or him as a person but I want to make sure this thing works. I truly believe he just doesn't know its value.

you will know pretty quickly if you meet and fly it.

If you know what you are doing and are happy , buy it
the battery is worth 80-100 itself....

parts alone worth 200.00

 

[tightlines]

did you buy it,

 

[DaveD]

Yes, please update!

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[sgarrand]

UPDATE:

I met the guy in an empty YMCA parking lot at 4:30 am on Wednesday morning. It was as advertised, brand new, never flown. I set it up and flew it a bit in the parking lot. I have flown it several times since then. It works great. Bought two additional batteries from a guy on these forums for $150 (both under 5 charges). Grabbed a case at Best Buy for carrying and the trip home. I'll probably buy a different case on Amazon and return this Lowepro case.

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. It is a great piece of equipment at a great price. It's all updated (by me) and working great. Have not crashed it yet.

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[DaveD]

Nice! Great deal!

 

[lilewis]

You may have lucked out and got a great deal, but there's no way in the world I'd meet a Craigslist seller in a YMCA parking lot at 4:30am.

 

[Pharm]

Could be legit but why, when you offered $300, would he drop it to $200? The box isn't worth $100!

Maybe he doesn't understand negotiating.

Seller: I'm asking $500.
Buyer: Would you take $450?
Seller: Um....I don't think so. Give me $200 and it's yours.

Like I said, it could be legit but I'm suspicious. My son, who is a MASTER negotiator, said he'd walk away from that deal. He'd be too worried it was stolen. (He made that mistake once with an ATV. Great deal , nice guy, even got a bill of sale. It was stolen. My son's mistake was that he never checked the guy's ID. The name on the BOS was fake. I pity the poor guy if my son ever sees him again. ).

 

[Tony Clixby]

I paid 250. We got a good deal

 

[sgarrand]

Could be legit but why, when you offered $300, would he drop it to $200? The box isn't worth $100!

Maybe he doesn't understand negotiating.

Seller: I'm asking $500.
Buyer: Would you take $450?
Seller: Um....I don't think so. Give me $200 and it's yours.

Like I said, it could be legit but I'm suspicious. My son, who is a MASTER negotiator, said he'd walk away from that deal. He'd be too worried it was stolen. (He made that mistake once with an ATV. Great deal , nice guy, even got a bill of sale. It was stolen. My son's mistake was that he never checked the guy's ID. The name on the BOS was fake. I pity the poor guy if my son ever sees him again. ).

I offered 300 for one new in a box. He and his father in law had gotten them at the same time. He sold the new in box one and offered the second one for 200 without the box.

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[pe9999]

All he needs is power up in a parking lot, press the take off. if it hover for a minute or so without drifting, it is good for $200.

 

[NHIngy]

I bought mine off letgo. If it flies like it should, then no problems. I'm watching Craigslist for my next one and will do a flight test before I pay.


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