Hi all Have a few questions and would appreciate some advice. I've been dabbling with quadcopters and an ready to move up to a larger quad with gimbal & camera for non-professional use and fun. Was leaning towards the DJI with its more sophisticated functions and interfaces but the Yelp dealer reviews in my area (San Francisco bay area) are spotty at best with numerous very negative reviews. I'm concerned that if I buy it through a remote dealer, there is no going to the shop to visit, ask questions and learn. Service and assistance is going to be long distance and expensive. Blade has an advantage with a strong local dealer network and is much more highly regarded than DJI for direct support and help. Any thoughts?
Well.....DJI has actually been improving in the customer service realm...but the real kicker here is your wanting a gimbal machine - in other words, you want to take stable video. I think that leaves you these choices in those brand names Phantom Vision 2+ Blade - BUT, they have a brand new machine pre-order only - http://www.bladehelis.com/350QX3/ In terms of proven performance, the DJI wins hands down. Blade had a lot of problems with the 350 along the way - which is why they keep introducing new models. On the other hand, Blade's are more fun if you are just doing "sport" flying. Most of us end up getting our support online from other users in most cases. It's really a question of exactly what you want to use the quad for. A Phantom Vision 2+ is really only for taking pics and video - you aren't going to just fly it around for fun and to hone your skills. In general, unless you crash, you shouldn't have technical problems. But gimbals and cameras (replacements) are very expensive. Some folks claimed they were able to buy squaretrade warranties for their Vision 2+ quads. That could be a good deal if you don't relish spending $700 to replace the gimbal and camera (if you crash it). Here is another option. You could go 1/2 way for now and buy a older model (new) of the Blade and fly it around just for fun and practice and hook various cameras to it. Then, when you are ready for another step up, you can sell it for close to what you paid.... Here is an example deal on a Blade 350qx older model: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blade-BLH7880A-350-QX-BNF-Quadcopter-with-Firmware-2-0-SAFE-Technology-/360909731091?pt=Radio_Control_Vehicles&hash=item5407e57513 There are others on eBay als0- all new, and I assume warranted by Blade. I don't currently have a gimbal model in my stable...simply because I don't have an ongoing need to take a bunch of video. Stills can be taken very well from quads without gimbals. Good luck with whatever you decide!
