New P2V+ owner. How long before I buy P3

Hasan Ahmad · May 8, 2015

P2V+ is my 2nd drone after I self trained myself with smaller quadcopter to get the feel of it. I got a pretty good price for it $700. The price for P3 is tempting $700 was the limit for me right now. How long do you think I should wait realistically after people have a number of hours behind P3 flying with all the kinks smoothed out before I sell my P2V+ and get the P3.

Realistically:

- 4K does not matter to me
- Lightbridge is a nice to have but not essential
- Glonass and GPS is a nice to have but not essential
- Landing sensors dont matter to me
- Newer battery gives a couple of minutes so not essential
- New Controller is a nice to have .

Should I wait 3 months? 6 months?

The one thing that really keeps me looking back at P3 is the price to performance ratio is much higher.

bbfpv · May 8, 2015

If none of those things matter to you, don't bother upgrading.

DarylV · May 8, 2015

I'm wondering the same thing as bb

bbfpv said:
If none of those things matter to you, don't bother upgrading.

I'm wondering the exact same thing!

edonovanl · May 8, 2015

Hasan Ahmad said:
P2V+ is my 2nd drone after I self trained myself with smaller quadcopter to get the feel of it. I got a pretty good price for it $700. The price for P3 is tempting $700 was the limit for me right now. How long do you think I should wait realistically after people have a number of hours behind P3 flying with all the kinks smoothed out before I sell my P2V+ and get the P3.

Realistically:

- 4K does not matter to me
- Lightbridge is a nice to have but not essential
- Glonass and GPS is a nice to have but not essential
- Landing sensors dont matter to me
- Newer battery gives a couple of minutes so not essential
- New Controller is a nice to have .

Should I wait 3 months? 6 months?

The one thing that really keeps me looking back at P3 is the price to performance ratio is much higher.

Maybe consider a Syma X5C if none of these things matter, or even a P1? Of course, I'm partly kidding but the P3 is a serious technological improvement over the P2 series...

CPantom59 · May 8, 2015

I look at it this way. I think, $500-$700/year is peanuts for the thrill and excitement you get from flying a Phantom. I plan on selling my old Phantom and buying a new Phantom every June as long as the difference in depreciation and buying new is in that range.

J.James · May 8, 2015

If none of them things on the p3 are essential and if you are already happy with the p2v+ and video you get from it. Then there's really no real need whats so ever to get a p3 right off the bat.

edonovanl · May 8, 2015

CPantom59 said:
I look at it this way. I think, $500-$700/year is peanuts for the thrill and excitement you get from flying a Phantom. I plan on selling my old Phantom and buying a new Phantom every June as long as the difference in depreciation and buying new is in that range.

Please, what is your secret for restricting your spending to $500-$700? Guess my willpower sucks - hard case, extra batteries, props, mods, tracking devices, editing software, SD cards, and seemingly on and on...Finally had to get a job to support my habit..

CPantom59 · May 8, 2015

edonovanl said:
Please, what is your secret for restricting your spending to $500-$700? Guess my willpower sucks - hard case, extra batteries, props, mods, tracking devices, editing software, SD cards, and seemingly on and on...Finally had to get a job to support my habit..

Ed, I do spend but I also sell. I don't fly (in jets) or backpack with my phantom so I don't need a case or pack. I buy one extra battery and sell it with the Phantom. I don't crash so I don't need extra props. I don't modify. I would love telemetry but just don't like opening up the Phantom (warranty). I do have editing software and fortunately, I don't have to buy it every year. I buy a new SD card every other year. I didn't need to get a job to support this habit, I just like to fly the latest and the greatest.
You thought the smart phone race was fast. We are only in the infancy of this technology and the only thing that will slow it down? DA GUVMENT.

mmee1992 · May 8, 2015

Hasan Ahmad said:
P2V+ is my 2nd drone after I self trained myself with smaller quadcopter to get the feel of it. I got a pretty good price for it $700. The price for P3 is tempting $700 was the limit for me right now. How long do you think I should wait realistically after people have a number of hours behind P3 flying with all the kinks smoothed out before I sell my P2V+ and get the P3.

Realistically:

- 4K does not matter to me
- Lightbridge is a nice to have but not essential
- Glonass and GPS is a nice to have but not essential
- Landing sensors dont matter to me
- Newer battery gives a couple of minutes so not essential
- New Controller is a nice to have .

Should I wait 3 months? 6 months?

The one thing that really keeps me looking back at P3 is the price to performance ratio is much higher.

If none of that matters to you spend the difference on batteries or maybe a new iterate antenna.

bbfpv · May 8, 2015

CPantom59 said:
We are only in the infancy of this technology and the only thing that will slow it down? DA GUVMENT.

Lol, you sound like my dad. I bet I can ballpark your age and location.

CPantom59 · May 9, 2015

bbfpv said:
Lol, you sound like my dad. I bet I can ballpark your age and location.

Go for it.

offthefront · May 9, 2015

Hasan Ahmad said:
Should I wait 3 months? 6 months?

or until the P2 Flies away .........

J/K ....

dirtdummy · May 9, 2015

My plan was to wait at least 4 months to let the bugs be worked out. My P3P will be here Monday I have no willpower!!!!!!

ViperNuke · May 9, 2015

Hasan Ahmad said:
P2V+ is my 2nd drone after I self trained myself with smaller quadcopter to get the feel of it. I got a pretty good price for it $700. The price for P3 is tempting $700 was the limit for me right now. How long do you think I should wait realistically after people have a number of hours behind P3 flying with all the kinks smoothed out before I sell my P2V+ and get the P3.

Realistically:

- 4K does not matter to me
- Lightbridge is a nice to have but not essential
- Glonass and GPS is a nice to have but not essential
- Landing sensors dont matter to me
- Newer battery gives a couple of minutes so not essential
- New Controller is a nice to have .

Should I wait 3 months? 6 months?

The one thing that really keeps me looking back at P3 is the price to performance ratio is much higher.

I think one has to consider other things before getting a P3. If you already own a P2V/V+...Do you use features like GS/Follow me alot ?... Have you modded your P2/V/V+ to get better FPV and longer distance??? If so, I think you should wait a few more months before investing in a P3... If all you care about is flying your Phantom with HD FPV, longer distance (prolly achieved with a modded P2/V+ already) and taking perhaps highier resolution video and pictures.. or beta testing software.. Then go ahead and get a P3 Now....

Others things to consider is, if you get the P3 Pro, you are going to need a computer or device than can handle and process the extra load... Or at least a 4K monitor to actually take a advantage of the 4K... Another thing is the App.. Im sure DJI will be adding waypoints and what not in the Future and some may tell you that the SDK is out and that some developers are already working on app to acomplish this and that.. But let me just tell you, that none of this apps are as reliable and stable as the official DJI apps.. Just read the reviews to some of this app and you see what i mean...

I myself got a P3 Pro but my main reason was to be able to shoot 4k and HD FPV and the fact that i was never a fan of autonomous flying and of course the price... You can't beat that....