Droneflyers.com

Quadcopter, Multirotor and Drones Resource Site

DJI Phantom and Drone Section

DJI Phantom 3 Standard Review Part 1 – First Impressions and First Flights

by

FLASH – Please note DJI Black Friday and holiday sales with vast savings! Phantom 3 now starts at $599. Click here for links.
——————

DJI has been setting the standard in the exploding consumer drone market since consumer drones first burst on to the scene about 3 years ago. There is no doubt that DJI is the 800 lb gorilla on this playing field, they have done it better, faster, and cheaper than anyone else out there.The amount of technology packed into their current flagship, the Phantom 3 series, is nothing short of astounding when you consider the price point. That being said however, it’s still not cheap. Getting into the AP/AV game with a Phantom 3 will still cost you upwards of $1000, which while a great value considering all the technology packed into this little drone is still a good chunk of change for the average consumer. And that is exactly who DJI is trying to address with the latest addition to it’s lineup, the Phantom 3 standard.
The standard version comes in at a very reasonable $699, which while still not quite at the level of “impulse buy” should be much more palatable for potential customers who balk at the $1000+ price of the Advanced and Pro versions. There is no free lunch however, and you are giving up some of the cooler advanced technology found in the Advanced and Pro.
So is it worth it? Did DJI Hit the mark, or is it too much for too little? Let’s take a closer look and find out.
[Read more…]

DJI Phantom 3 how to avoid Flyaways and Crashes

by

The new DJI Phantom 3 has instantly become the best-selling quadcopter (drone) in history. However, with tens of thousands of new pilots entering the hobby each month, the inevitable crashes and losses are likely to happen. The good news is that the Phantom 3 is, statistically speaking, less likely to misbehave or crash due to EITHER pilot error or hardware/software malfunction. Still, statistics don’t mean anything to the pilot who loses their bird prematurely. Read on for the the hints and tips which pertain to this exciting new flying camera.
[Read more…]

DJI Phantom 3 Standard discount to $699

by

DJI have today discounted the Phantom 3 Standard model to $699 – a price which is about 1/2 the price of what a similar model (with fewer features) would have sold for last year.

This is truly the best price ever for a Flying Camera of this type. If you are/were on the fence due to budget constraints this may be a good time to consider a purchase.

The basic model for $699 is ready to fly however most hobbyists will pick up at least one extra battery – making the total price about $850.

DJI has a package setup with one extra battery and a backpack (needed if you want to travel, hike, etc. with your Phantom) for $959.

Here are links to these deals at the DJI Store (ships worldwide).
DJI Phantom 3 Standard with single battery – $699
DJI Phantom 3 Standard with two batteries and hardshell backpack – $959

Great Deals for Sure!

Great Deals for Sure!

If you want to buy it at Amazon and get it in a day or two – check out the link below! They also give you the choice of a 2nd battery for $100 extra (usually 150)

X9 (Eachine CG023) Blade Nano QX clone review

by

The Blade Nano QX has always been one of the suggested “toy grade” quadcopters for those who want to fly in smaller spaces and get in some training on the sticks. Earlier in the year we did our own first look and review on the original model Blade nano qx.

A number of clones have hit the market in recent months – promising many of the same features at 25% of the price of the brand name model. This review will look at the Eachine CG023 Nana QX clone. The same machine appears to be sold under various brand names including BAYANGTOYS X9, which appears similar but comes with a different (more compact) Transmitter.

Here is the banggood USA store (quick shipping!) for the model we tested.
Make certain you order “mode 2” which means the TX is setup correctly with the left throttle.
[Read more…]

DJI Announces Phantom 3 Standard at $799 complete

by

A new low! Or, we could say, a new low price…
🙂

DJI has announced a new entry model of the Phantom 3 – at the price of $799 complete with camera, gimbal and battery. This is an unheard-of price for a complete RTF camera unit and should allow many more consumers to buy into this fascinating hobby.
http://click.dji.com/1yk3KUe9TO2kUNTE

What does it have – and what doesn’t it have?

Things are moving so quickly in this hobby that it’s tough to keep up! With the introduction of the P3 Standard, DJI now have 3 models in the Phantom 3 line. The differences are basically as listed below:

P3 Pro – $1259 – 4K Video, Dual GPS, Lightbridge digital video feed to your device, VPS.
P3 Advanced – $999 – HD video, Dual GPS, Lightbridge digital video feed to your device, VPS.
P3 Standard – $799 – HD video, Single band GPS, wifi video feed to your device.

See full story —- [Read more…]

Finding Places to Fly and Photograph with your Drone

by

Finding Places to Fly and Photograph with your Drone.

For some this is very easy – for others a bit more difficult. Here are some hints and tips which may help you find some safe – and photogenic – places to fly!
Note: most of these suggestions assume you know how to take decent pics and videos which you can share with the owners or overseers of the properties.

Learn to use Google, Apple or Bing Satellite Maps to locate large open areas. During a recent trip to Florida, I noticed that a large fairgrounds was just a few blocks away. This area provided a great view of the city and surrounding area and was very safe for flying.

Walking or Biking around an area can often locate some additional places to fly. I founds some large abandoned areas near some railroad tracks which provided an amazing view of a local park as well as the center of town.

Consider your Contacts [Read more…]

Understanding Brushless Camera Gimbals

by

Introduction

At the heart of many modern camera drones is a magical device called a 3-axis Brushless Camera Gimbal. It contains many of the same technologies which are in the drone itself. Here is what they are and how they work – explained in the simplest terms possible.

The word gimbal can be used to describe any adjustable camera or compass holder designed to keep the device level. A more accurate description of the quadcopter gimbal would be a 3 – axis camera stabilization and anti-vibration device. It uses brushless motors (powerful and quiet as well as long lasting) to adjust the position of the camera. 3-axis describes that the camera is adjusted in all directions – up/down, left/right and forward/backward (3 dimensions or, as we call it, the real world).
[Read more…]

DJI Phantom 3 Improvements over Phantom 2 Vision plus

by

Now the the excitement of the initial introduction has passed, it’s time to take a look at the new DJI Phantom 3 (P3) “camera drones” from DJI and see what the actual improvements are over the former Phantom 2 Vision+. Without further ado, here are the major improvements of the P3:

Phantom 2 Vision + (l) and Phantom 3 Pro (r)

Phantom 2 Vision + (l) and Phantom 3 Pro (r)

Note – differences are given in the order of importance – in our humble opinion! This article should be accurate as of May, 2015.

Improvement #1 – Price/Performance/Value
[Read more…]

DJI Phantom 3 and other NAB Annoucements

by

April brings the popular NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) show to Las Vegas. This confab has become a popular showcase for the newest in Camera Drone hardware. The show is April 13-16 (exhibits open), but DJI has jumped the gun by introducing their upgraded Phantom 3 series a week early. Here is what you need to know about the DJI, 3DR and other new models being shown.

[Read more…]

DJI Phantom 2 Vision + Long Term Review #2

by

In part #1 of this long term review, we discussed the basics of getting the P2V+ setup and the first flight(s). As a result, it was time to venture further afield with our test Phantom.

Finding Places to Fly

For some this is very easy – for others a bit more difficult. My current testing grounds in Florida are quite crowded at this time of year – and, frankly, some of the very flat and sparse areas here are not worthy of good photo and video. I looked a google maps and decided to try some tricks to find new flying areas…
1. I put an ad on Craigslist in the photo section – saying I would take some free photos and video for owners of larger property, etc.
2. I contacted the admin of a local botanical park and offered to take video and photos on their 10 acre grounds.

I received replies from both which were promising – the Botanical Garden, Palma Sola Botanical Gardens, was very pleased and invited me up at my leisure to fly on their property! Bingo!
[Read more…]