So much unhapiness on the P4 forum

[Drone_on]

Makes me glad I didn't pull the trigger too soon on a P4, so many complaints about range, battery life and people returning or trying to return them etc. It's too bad really maybe DJI can improve on this with updates. Time will tell! My P3P will stay for awhile!

 

[jeremiah212]

That's why I didn't buy yet. I knew they would have bugs to work out. I'm am considering an inspire pro tho.


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[flyNfrank]

No doubt revisions can be made with firmware updates. The P3 also had issues right off the get-go when 1st released last year. We actually started off with the exact same firmware that was being used in the Inspire1. Never will forget on my 1st flight I went full throttle for 3-4 seconds and my P3 was at 45mph in no time. Then they had a stable enough update ready and they made appears as though if the update wasn't performed the a/c would not fly. So it turned out just being a trick to get us away from the Inspire1 setup.

 

[alokbhargava]

.......Never will forget on my 1st flight I went full throttle for 3-4 seconds and my P3 was at 45mph in no time...

Wow

 

[Dacon Productions]

Makes me glad I didn't pull the trigger too soon on a P4, so many complaints about range, battery life and people returning or trying to return them etc. It's too bad really maybe DJI can improve on this with updates. Time will tell! My P3P will stay for awhile!

....

 

[alokbhargava]

We should thank those who bought P4 and are giving us it's real perforce numbers.

 

[George Weaver]

Aviation Rule #1: Never by the "A" model.

 

[Fanti]

Yes, the P4 has many serious issues. Never been as UNHAPPY as with the P4!

 

[TheLightSpeedz]

There's more happy with their P4 than not by a significant margin. The P3 forum has far more complainers.

I've had both and I wouldn't trade my P4 for a P3! I went 20,530' last night with rock solid signal on both sides.

It's far superior build quality, and does everything and more of my P3


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[BVC]

I agree there will be issues when you insert new hardware setup.

A few updates and all will be good.


..now my cousin on the other hand - bought a new P3P after checking ours out (P3P & P3A) at the coast in February. He bought one late Feb and in early March went to some 3rd world coastal resort place with his new toy (maybe 5 test flights in prior to his trip).

He flew out a bit over the water and the bird just stopped. Video went black. Signal black. Flight log black. 1k feet out and it just disappeared. DJI isn't being much help.. but still shows that even with old toys they still have new issues!!

 

[flyNfrank]

Well no matter how it gets spun, it should be a no brainer when you can buy TWO P3's for the price of one P4.

OR

Buy a P3 and invest an additional $700 into it and then who wants to talk about...comparison!

 

[Wibble]

There's more happy with their P4 than not by a significant margin. The P3 forum has far more complainers.

I've had both and I wouldn't trade my P4 for a P3! I went 20,530' last night with rock solid signal on both sides.

It's far superior build quality, and does everything and more of my P3


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I assume that was out and back yes?
I have always been able to do that with my P3 with no mods.

 

[TheLightSpeedz]

No buddy that was one way! I could have easily gone to 23k probably. But I was pushing the battery. Go look at the P4 leaderboard! I'm only number 14!

The P4 build quality is like that of a Ferrari, and the P3, is nice and capable, but has way more issues than the P4...

What's the P3's known issues?
1. FRAGILE!
2. Plastic Cracking from stress and poor design
3. Battery fault that caused many to fall out of the sky or "go black" and drop
4. Hard landing? Bend the gimbal! Over needs a new one
5. Exposed gimbal and ribbon cables
6. Lots of fly away's
7. Battery not as advertised
8. Distance not as advertised
9. Gimbal buzz
10. Props in camera view

p4
1. Battery time not as advertised
2. Distance not as advertised
3. Gimbal buzz
4. Props in camera
5. Some batteries won't charge to 100%, but P3 was the same way
6. Prop mount screws loosens up...

Let's really start a list! And a the price isn't a factor because most people that bought a P3 paid the same or similar price when they got it.


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[flyNfrank]

It's very clear based on this post your P3 experience level is on the lower side.

My P3 came from the 1st batch shipped and technically it doesn't fit any of what you listed below.
*Your number (1) entry places you in that lower category right from the start.
*Number (3) entry- Longtime DJI Phantom owners would tell you something like this is to be expected. You just need to be wise ahead of time and not be part of it.
*This is part of auto landing which the operator is most responsible for the flight.
*Number (6)- 98% of P3 flyaways come from operator error.
*Number (10)- Props in Camera view? That's not the A/C fault. Again this falls in line with the operator not flying based on the weather conditions.

At any rate, which ever A/C you own get out have fun with it. The more respect you have for it, the longer it will likely be around.

No buddy that was one way! I could have easily gone to 23k probably. But I was pushing the battery. Go look at the P4 leaderboard! I'm only number 14!

The P4 build quality is like that of a Ferrari, and the P3, is nice and capable, but has way more issues than the P4...

What's the P3's known issues?
1. FRAGILE!
2. Plastic Cracking from stress and poor design
3. Battery fault that caused many to fall out of the sky or "go black" and drop
4. Hard landing? Bend the gimbal! Over needs a new one
5. Exposed gimbal and ribbon cables
6. Lots of fly away's
7. Battery not as advertised
8. Distance not as advertised
9. Gimbal buzz
10. Props in camera view

p4
1. Battery time not as advertised
2. Distance not as advertised
3. Gimbal buzz
4. Props in camera
5. Some batteries won't charge to 100%, but P3 was the same way
6. Prop mount screws loosens up...

Let's really start a list! And a the price isn't a factor because most people that bought a P3 paid the same or similar price when they got it.


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[Meta4]

What's the P3's known issues?
1. FRAGILE!
2. Plastic Cracking from stress and poor design
3. Battery fault that caused many to fall out of the sky or "go black" and drop
4. Hard landing? Bend the gimbal! Over needs a new one
5. Exposed gimbal and ribbon cables
6. Lots of fly away's
7. Battery not as advertised
8. Distance not as advertised
9. Gimbal buzz
10. Props in camera view

A lot of these are inaccurate or exaggerations and should not be taken at face value.
I think most are questionable and do not reflect the true situation.
Here are some comments on just a few:

1. The P3 isn't particularly fragile. If you crash it might break but there are also many accounts of P3s surviving crashes.
2. A small number of early P3s had a problem due to bad materials or moulding but most P3s never developed cracking.
5. Ribbon cables are exposed .. but what's the problem with that?
6. Lots of flyaways??? This is just a myth.
The P3 has remarkably few flyaways. The actual number is very, very small.
8. The P3 range is as advertised and many users have gone even further
10. A quadcopter tilts to fly forward. If you tilt and have your camera facing straight ahead you will see the props unless your drone has the props much further away.​

 

[TheLightSpeedz]

A lot of these are inaccurate or exaggerations and should not be taken at face value.
I think most are questionable and do not reflect the true situation.
Here are some comments on just a few:

1. The P3 isn't particularly fragile. If you crash it might break but there are also many accounts of P3s surviving crashes.
2. A small number of early P3s had a problem due to bad materials or moulding but most P3s never developed cracking.
5. Ribbon cables are exposed .. but what's the problem with that?
6. Lots of flyaways??? This is just a myth.
The P3 has remarkably few flyaways. The actual number is very, very small.
8. The P3 range is as advertised and many users have gone even further
10. A quadcopter tilts to fly forward. If you tilt and have your camera facing straight ahead you will see the props unless your drone has the props much further away.​

Wait... Frank.... You say the battery shutting off mid flight and the P3 crashing to the earth is "what a normal longtime DJI person would tell you is normal?"... I had two P3's and I didn't have lots of these issues I mentioned, in fact I had nothing but luck with my P3, however I did have the battery fault, shut off and come crashing to the earth. DJI replaced etc. but I am glad it didn't kill anyone.


And my list is not an exaggeration. It's based on all the reading we all do on this... Fly Away's are pilot error? Maybe sos... Then why isn't it happening to the same extent with the P4?


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[Gimpster]

I'm glad I went P3 when I purchased mine a couple months ago. It's still pretty "hackable" (ie: battery mods), but I wish it had non-integrated ESC's.

Besides the shear cost of the P4, it just seemed like it checked all the boxes and so far it has.

 

[Meta4]

And my list is not an exaggeration. It's based on all the reading we all do on this... Fly Away's are pilot error? Maybe sos... Then why isn't it happening to the same extent with the P4?

If you get your opinions from reading forum posts you have to exercise caution and filter them to get the truth.
There's a lot of myth and misunderstanding out there and not everyone that posts to a forum really knows what they are talking about.

When it comes to flyaways, although the P4 is very good, my reading of incident reports leads me to believe that there have been a few more for the P4 than the P3.

 

[TheLightSpeedz]

It's very clear based on this post your P3 experience level is on the lower side.

My P3 came from the 1st batch shipped and technically it doesn't fit any of what you listed below.
*Your number (1) entry places you in that lower category right from the start.
*Number (3) entry- Longtime DJI Phantom owners would tell you something like this is to be expected. You just need to be wise ahead of time and not be part of it.
*This is part of auto landing which the operator is most responsible for the flight.
*Number (6)- 98% of P3 flyaways come from operator error.
*Number (10)- Props in Camera view? That's not the A/C fault. Again this falls in line with the operator not flying based on the weather conditions.

At any rate, which ever A/C you own get out have fun with it. The more respect you have for it, the longer it will likely be around.

The truth is this whole post is an exaggeration... There's no denying the overall fit and finish of the P4 is way better.... There's no denying the P3 was revolutionary... But both have some issues... But you can way more everyday for the P3 than the P4... It's a fact go look


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[TheLightSpeedz]

May I?

8. Random smoking


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