Still Debating

[Gervin]

Hi , im new to the forum so if i am asking a dumb question im sorry. I have been debating on buying a phantom 2 vision for the last few weeks i have been saving for awhile. i am a professional firefighter in a small dept and extra money isnt easy to come by. So my question is , has anyone came across someone on the forum who had bought one and got bored with it quickly, I have been playing with a small quad copter and im really enjoying it (little cheap one with a camera) but when i look at the p2v it seems incredible and i have read everything i can find on it and looked at hours of video. I think i would enjoy it even more then this little syma x5c i have bought to learn a little on. Since this is a rather unusual thing for me to spend money on i am just looking for a little reassurance before i buy. From what i have read it seems dfi has discontinued the pv2 and i need to make up my mind soon because i imagine once all the stock stores have is gone ill have a really hard time finding one. Thanks in advance for any input. i finally have the money saved and ready to pull the trigger.

 

[general01]

I bought my phantoms used
I wanted the vision model(it was around the time the vision plus was just out) after seeing it on my local news show

Needless to say I love mine and for the price I find it worth it new or used(the phantom vision)

The vision plus is nice you just have to be careful with the gimbal(which will sustain damage in a crash)

One thing I like about them is the battery life(it's better then any of the smaller quads by a long shot)

I wouldn't worry about dji discontinuing the non plus vision as a lot of the parts(minus the camera and gimbal) are interchangible(including the batteries)

I did have a phantom fc40(bought new) but didn't like the camera so I sold it

 

[Gervin]

Thanks for the reply, i have been seeing them all over for pretty much the same price . now ill have to decide where i am going to buy it from amazon seems to have good reviews .

 

[general01]

If you want a new one amazons customer service is hard to beat if you want to return it

I have bought many items through them and have only had to return one and that was only because I wasn't happy with it

I would set the limits(in the pc software) so it only will go a certain distence or hight(recommended limit is 400 feet hight) to be safe(really helps if you practice flying fpv)

Pretty much all the parts can be bought online(props, batteries) for resionible prices

You will love it once you fly it
I started out with smaller quads and I was hooked now I have two phantoms

 

[Gervin]

Thanks again general01 i really appreciate the info. i think ill be ordering it in the next couple days .

 

[RCRookie]

Hi , im new to the forum so if i am asking a dumb question im sorry. I have been debating on buying a phantom 2 vision for the last few weeks i have been saving for awhile. i am a professional firefighter in a small dept and extra money isnt easy to come by. So my question is , has anyone came across someone on the forum who had bought one and got bored with it quickly, I have been playing with a small quad copter and im really enjoying it (little cheap one with a camera) but when i look at the p2v it seems incredible and i have read everything i can find on it and looked at hours of video. I think i would enjoy it even more then this little syma x5c i have bought to learn a little on. Since this is a rather unusual thing for me to spend money on i am just looking for a little reassurance before i buy. From what i have read it seems dfi has discontinued the pv2 and i need to make up my mind soon because i imagine once all the stock stores have is gone ill have a really hard time finding one. Thanks in advance for any input. i finally have the money saved and ready to pull the trigger.

DJI isn't going anywhere...its a booming industry, they'll be making other Phantom iterations for the foreseeable future I would think. The Phantom Vision is no longer in production, they're clearing stocks, but many parts are interchangeable with the plus.
I bought mine with Real Estate work in mind. But it looks as though that's not happening anytime soon with the latest FAA rulings on these Hobbyist (light weight) craft. You will enjoy flying and filming...especially if you live near interesting subject material...IE: waterfalls, canyons, mountains etc. They are a blast to fly, but it does take some preparation, reading the manual thru atleast once, and understanding how the controls work and especially how the automatic features work. Like waypoint navigation, RTH, Courselock and Homelock etc.

I Also started with a nano quad...flew in the house and learned the controls...it will help tremendously with your flying confidence. The Phantoms can fly in 10 mph winds....They CAN,...obviously, its much more fun and less stressful at 3 or even 0 Winds. I try not to go out of visual range (1000 feet or so) down range and never very high...especially if windy.

All I can say...if you enjoy flying the little ones...these Phantoms are more fun that those. and more expensive when it goes wrong.... So far, so good, for me. I've owned mine just about a year and I fly once or twice a month in winter...every few days in summer. No crashes so far.

Theres lots of people and lots of videos to learn with here on the forum. So your not having to figure it out alone.
What ever you decide, Good luck and happy hovering.

The Rookie

DJI Phantom 2 Vision
Rotorpixel Gimbal
Vision+ Transmitter
Vision+ RE700 Range Extender

 

[Gervin]

thanks for the words of encouragement RCrookie, I had got my son a tiny quad, intruder i think the name is and i had been playing around with it . I have the syma x5c-1 for myself its fun now that i learned how to control it better, i beat the hell out of it the first day and it took a licking but still works fine. I lost it today it got away from me in the wind and stopped responding to my remote, all i could do was watch it go down . I couldn't see for sure where it landed but i thought for sure it had gone in the bayou , I had a friend jump in his boat and start looking , i was on duty at work so i couldn't leave. luckily he ended up finding it in a yard across the bayou it had made it to the other side (according to google earth about 630 ft from where i took off) i was surprised but happy. I was shell shocked after that and had started rethinking getting a expensive one but then they shouldnt be so easy to lose. (i hope) I immediately wrote my name and phone number on it in case it happens again because if it were not for my friend and had the people found it in their yard they would have had no idea who it belonged to. For a cheap little quad it sure had my adrenaline going and had me depressed when i thought i lost it for good. i did get 2 really nice pictures before i lost contact with it. I live in south Louisiana , lots of swamps and bayous makes for some really pretty pictures and video. I was even thinking this quad could possibly come in handy for search and rescue, sometimes we will get someone we know is missing in a certain area and i was thinking a birds eye view would sure come in handy.

 

[RCRookie]

Seeing how phantoms are more expensive, i think you'll keep it a little closer, i tested my range yesterday in 10-15 mph winds, i still managed to get out 1700 feet. More than enough. Its a speck on the horizon at that distance. The RTH and homelock features are absolutes with this craft. So you'll feel better knowing they work.

I live on a lake, so i understand how it makes you nervous flying over water. Thats something you'll have to decide for yourself. I try and avoid it... But sometimes, you got to get the shot.

Keep the data pins clean on the craft and the pads on the battery, that will help prevent errors or auto land events. Welcome to the forum.

Also, ive got a dropbox account, i can send you all of the Colin Guinn Phantom training videos, they are an invaluable training and learning aid. Just let me know.

The Rookie

 

[Gervin]

thanks RCRookie i appreciate it , i think ill order mine tomorrow or tuesday. I read alot of positive feedback from ordering thru amazon , im gonna give it a shot.
Thanks again

 

[un hombre]

I had a Vision. I got quite quickly annoyed by the non stabilised video from it, any little wind will make the video barely usable.
I bought Phantom 3 Vision+ and would not go back. The gimbal might be delicate but if you crash from heights or over water - it will not make much of a difference...

I'd say save a bit longer and grab a Vision+.

If you practiced on small quad, like myself on Hubsan X4, than you will be fine with either of Phantoms, they are easy to fly.

 

[general01]

I had a Vision. I got quite quickly annoyed by the non stabilised video from it, any little wind will make the video barely usable.
I bought Phantom 3 Vision+ and would not go back. The gimbal might be delicate but if you crash from heights or over water - it will not make much of a difference...

I'd say save a bit longer and grab a Vision+.

If you practiced on small quad, like myself on Hubsan X4, than you will be fine with either of Phantoms, they are easy to fly.

I agree with you there
I just watched videos I recorded with my p2v and compared to my p2v+ it's amazing (super smooth) you can barely tell your moving the bird at all
My mom seen the footage and asked if I was nervous that day haha needless to say I am getting a aftermarket gimbal for my p2v very soon as I want stable footage from both birds

 

[Gervin]

Thanks for all the advice and info . pretty sure i am going to go with the p2v since its whats in my price range thats ready to go with fpv , and camera. i was thinking later on i could add the rotor gimbal after i have it awhile and if i think ill need it . maybe in a few months ill be able to put a little money into it but for now all i can swing is the p2v and i think ill be happy with it for a long time from everything i have read over the past couple weeks. i see theirs new ones coming out but from what i see you cant beat DJI customer base sems like anything you need to know or any problem you have theirs always someone on here who can help you figure it out and get going.

 

[un hombre]

I thought as well that I would add rotorpixel, then upgrade range extender etc, but adding rotorpixel itself increases the price of Vision to more than regular Vision+.

Anyway, I got quite quickly disappointed with it, sold it and bought Vision plus V3.

Rotorpixel is two axis gimbal, VIsion+ is 3 axis.

Anyway, go for it if you made up your mind, just don't have high expectations to the video stability/quality.

 

[Gervin]

thanks,, well havent done it yet,, more to think about . Maybe i will just wait a little longer and save up more for the pv+. The rotorpixil had looked pretty good on the video but i guess they are suppose to look good to get you to buy them lol. i was just wanting to get something i could afford soon and then maybe upgrade later. I know it might seem crazy for me to keep researching and debating but this is a big investment for me.

 

[un hombre]

It is not crazy, I was researching for month before I made up my mind. This year will be very exciting, lots new drones and competition for Dji. It may be worth waiting for Hubsan X4 pro or see what go pro will show, they are supposed to release a drone or at least that is what gossips say.

Decisions, decisions...

 

[general01]

Thanks for all the advice and info . pretty sure i am going to go with the p2v since its whats in my price range thats ready to go with fpv , and camera. i was thinking later on i could add the rotor gimbal after i have it awhile and if i think ill need it . maybe in a few months ill be able to put a little money into it but for now all i can swing is the p2v and i think ill be happy with it for a long time from everything i have read over the past couple weeks. i see theirs new ones coming out but from what i see you cant beat DJI customer base sems like anything you need to know or any problem you have theirs always someone on here who can help you figure it out and get going.

Go with the non plus then get the roterpixal gimbal later on or sell the non plus model at a later time then spring for the plus

 

[Gervin]

Finished debating , found one from thru amazon from a authorized supplier for 759 they were out of stock but should have some in by the 28th hope its some new stock but if not thats fine. i read everything i could read on the site today and looked at loads of videos plus went out and practiced with my symax5c-1. it was a quiet day at the firehouse today .

 

[un hombre]

I seriously doubt seller will provide you one, there do not seem to be new deliveries to dealers for a couple of months now...

 

[R4boat]

I have read a lot about the "learn" to fly thing. Trust me I had a couple of cheap quads, I then had the FC40 which was good, and now the Phantom Vision 2. I taught my wife to fly the Phantom 2 in about 10 mins. And we are not youngsters! The cheaper quads were very touchy to fly and I crashed them a lot, the phantom 2 vision is pretty much autopilot. Read the manual, do the compass calibration every time, stay out of harms way and you cant go wrong with a Phantom! So far no crashes. (knock on wood)

 

[Gervin]

to hombre, you think they are not getting anymore in stock to complete my order or your talking about newer stock, before i ordered they had alot of them left thru amazon