Would you upgrade to a new phantom, **P4**?

[Mario_SB]

The new Phantom 4 will debut in an Advance, Pro and Anniversary editions and will include built-in GPS tracking, an obstacle avoidance system, a new desktop app for setting up way points with live Lightbridge feed, 30 minute flight times, higher accuracy on the Vision Position System with "Hover Mode" and a smarter RTH.

 

[Cale262]

I have really enjoyed the P3A...my first UAV. I would go for the P4 if it had extended flight time (30 minutes or better), and active collision avoidance.

This is where I am at, I have no real brand loyalty to DJI (they need to work harder to earn that) but my next unit I buy will have "active collision avoidance"(ACA)...if a P4 offers this I may go that way. Ideally a P4 that utilizes the P3 batteries and offers ACA with 4K+ video. A quick change camera unit much like the Inspire would be nice also.



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[RadRich]

They are basically a phantom standard with a 4K camera.

I wish people would stop saying that. It's incorrect. It's like saying the Advance is a Pro with a 2.7k camera; It's not. The difference between the Advanced and Pro are almost on part with the difference between the Standard and 4k. The bottom line is that they are all Phantom 3 models.

 

[QC-pilot]

If DJI will stick to that Geofence "crap" I will never buy a new Phantom.
I,m very satisfied with my P3P, so it,s a shame I think.
I really don,t need Geofencing here in Sweden.

 

[With The Birds]

I decided to go a whole new direction just before the New Year & am actually going back to my roots. What I want to be doing, more 3D flying, and less cruising for pics and video. ;-)
Flying this awesome camera platform is nice, but it also distracts me from my other photography, where my Nikon D800 is concerned...,
The Phantom 3 Pro' of mine is great, for what it is, and I am grateful mine as been trouble and blemish free.
It just lacks some maneuvers & moves I enjoy... ;-)

RedHotPoker

I watched that twice.... awesome! I can imagine the posts on here if the phantom flew like that... lol

 

[With The Birds]

You need a voting option for "no idea, depends on what specs it has".. if your doing research for DJI tell them i want a hydrogen fuel cell....

 

[John Locke]

While at CES this week only one of the booth employees would say anything about a possible P4 or Inspire2 release schedule. And all he would say is that he would expect a P4 to be released before an Inspire2. That's all he would say, and I think that's all he could say because he just didn't know much. It appears they are very tight lipped about that within the company.

After seeing the new $1799 Yuneec Typhoon H Hexacopter with collision avoidance (CA), retracks, and 360 camera like Inspire, the competition is on. DJI has got to release something like this in the next year with Lightbridge. Strange thing was nobody in the Yuneec booth could confirm it could limp back and RTH on 5 motors, if one motor happen to fail. The Intel booth was demonstrating their "Real Sense" technology for CA using the Typhoon H. But I learned Yuneec only has CA implemented on the front of the craft. It needs to be on all 4 sides IMHO. It also won't detect power wires or tree limbs, too small. I'm not sure how important CA is, given these limitations.

 

[John Locke]

If DJI will stick to that Geofence "crap" I will never buy a new Phantom.
I,m very satisfied with my P3P, so it,s a shame I think.
I really don,t need Geofencing here in Sweden.

After listening to Marke Gibson today at the AMA show in Ontario, CA, the senior adviser to the FAA for UAS, it won't be long before Geo is on every craft. It will be a way of life on RTF craft in this class of craft. Here's a video of him speaking today, kinda long.

 

[RedHotPoker]

I watched that twice.... awesome! I can imagine the posts on here if the phantom flew like that... lol

I know, eh? Hahaha
Perhaps if the camera could be removed and turn off its GPS & other ability hardware... ;-)

I realize the Phantom 3 is a very first RC anything, for some folks here. Ah, so I can understand their sheer excitement and wonder of it all. But having experienced it, leaves a bit to be desired for me. Wish they could be flown in unison, and one recording the others acrobatics. Hehe

RedHotPoker

 

[QC-pilot]

After listening to Marke Gibson today at the AMA show in Ontario, CA, the senior adviser to the FAA for UAS, it won't be long before Geo is on every craft. It will be a way of life on RTF craft in this class of craft.

You are probably right. But i hope it will take a while before FAA have jurisdiction in Sweden.

 

[With The Birds]

I know, eh? Hahaha
Perhaps if the camera could be removed and turn off its GPS & other ability hardware... ;-)

I realize the Phantom 3 is a very first RC anything, for some folks here. Ah, so I can understand their sheer excitement and wonder of it all. But having experienced it, leaves a bit to be desired for me. Wish they could be flown in unison, and one recording the others acrobatics. Hehe

RedHotPoker

I dont want to think about how much i spent on CP heli's, crashing hard is normal.... but flying is addictive. Every flight is an adrenaline rush. Im looking at fpv 3d quad options now to get my fix. The phantom is awesome for what its designed for though.

 

[Meta4]

After seeing the new $1799 Yuneec Typhoon H Hexacopter with collision avoidance (CA), retracks, and 360 camera like Inspire, the competition is on. ... Strange thing was nobody in the Yuneec booth could confirm it could limp back and RTH on 5 motors, if one motor happen to fail. The Intel booth was demonstrating their "Real Sense" technology for CA using the Typhoon H. But I learned Yuneec only has CA implemented on the front of the craft. It needs to be on all 4 sides IMHO. It also won't detect power wires or tree limbs, too small. I'm not sure how important CA is, given these limitations.

Given the low speed and range of the Yuneec I'd say it's interesting but not serious competition.
The collision avoidance too is interesting but not at a practical stage yet.
I was surprised that despite all the new drones, DJI are still ahead of the rest with the Inspire (1 year old) and P3 (9 months old)
No other manufacturer has anything like Lightbridge.
They are all still back in the past trying to make clones of the P2.

 

[With The Birds]

I wasnt joking about the hydrogen fuel cell, as market leader im hoping DJI is spending some r&d dollars... At least one other company is working on it now, claiming 4 hours flight time.

 

[John Locke]

Given the low speed and range of the Yuneec I'd say it's interesting but not serious competition.
The collision avoidance too is interesting but not at a practical stage yet.
I was surprised that despite all the new drones, DJI are still ahead of the rest with the Inspire (1 year old) and P3 (9 months old)
No other manufacturer has anything like Lightbridge.
They are all still back in the past trying to make clones of the P2.

I agree, Lightbridge by itself is worth A LOT. I spoke with Broadcom at CES about their new DRONE module. It's suppose to be have all the navigation, IMU and sensory circuitry into one little module with a high speed processor. They are making moves to be a leader in drone electronics. When I ask him if he knew what Lightbridge was, he was clueless. So it appears a big company like Broadcomm has overlooked DJI's key advantage. What's strange is he told me Broadcom invests in DJI, yet he didn't know what Lightbridge was. Hmm.

Yuneec said their Typhoon H will do 22mph. LOL.

 

[deuter]

The new Phantom 4 will debut in an Advance, Pro and Anniversary editions and will include built-in GPS tracking, an obstacle avoidance system, a new desktop app for setting up way points with live Lightbridge feed, 30 minute flight times, higher accuracy on the Vision Position System with "Hover Mode" and a smarter RTH.

At least 40 mins battery, should look more cool


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[Wibble]

What restrictive laws in the US? Registration?

How about not being allowed to fly in a million acre national park in the middle of nowhere?

 

[Cale262]

I wasnt joking about the hydrogen fuel cell, as market leader im hoping DJI is spending some r&d dollars... At least one other company is working on it now, claiming 4 hours flight time.

Maybe they should talk to DJI and make a deal for lightbridge, there's no fun in four hours of flight time if you can't get more than 500M without loosing VTX...

 

[snerd]

So far almost half say they won't upgrade. Not surprising, as we have a lot of coin tied up in this P3 so far, at least I do. I'm good for another version or two.

 

[Noble 1]

To me it depends what features the P4 has. I feel very strongly that the P3P has done a major leap of technological advance from its predecessors and the competition. I am excited DJI released the SDK and the new firmware to allow new features. The advances I foresee are mostly with battery life and safety, for example as mentioned before, 60 minute flight time, and countermeasures and failsafes to keep our investments from falling into the water or being destroyed from a fall that was not operator error in origin. Possible RF shielding to the board may help prevent malfunctions from interference. Someone also mentioned a collision detection sensor. This should be standard and it appears the Karma is already doing this with a 3D mapping engine and a simple AI programing, no GPS needed.

60 min flight
longer range
collision detection
failsafes to keep from hitting water or becoming unstable and crashing to death
more autonomous
less bugs
rf shieldings
a built in GPS tracking module (optional add on for those of you who don't risk privacy) instead of needing to buy a pet tracker or TK102 with sim card...

I'd upgrade. If its marginal benefit I'll stay with P3P until price drop or a sale or wait for one of those "I thought I wanted to fly drones but changed my mind my loss is your gain" used advertisements...

 

[Cale262]

I have allot invested into my P3P with batteries, accessories and upgrades but I certainly wouldn't hesitate to buy again but only if the value is there (& it's not there in the Inspire). When I purchased my P3P I bought a flying camera, it does a great job performing the duty in which it was intended for...If I want to fly fast and crazy I have a nice FPV 250 racing quad that fulfils that need.