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DJI Spark Camera Drone – Is it for You?

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Droneflyers.com received a review model of the DJI Spark Camera Drone before the official launch. We therefore have had a few months to put the model through its paces and determine the pros and cons of this ultra-portable quadcopter. Note that we have our initial review in this article as well as a number of Spark videos at our youtube channel. These may answer many of your questions, however the below is a summary of our thoughts at the present time. We will present most of the benefits and features in the beginning of the article and list out the major “cons” (what it doesn’t do, etc.) at the end.

What is Spark and who is it for?

The DJI Spark is the first mass-market ultra-portable drone that still has most of the features of the larger and heavier models. These include a camera gimbal, front and bottom sensors, dual GPS, FPV, an advanced App and an array of photographic and other options. Up until the Spark, the closest model to this ideal was the Parrot BeBop 2 – which has many of the above features, but lacks a gimbal (mechanical camera stabilizer) – instead using Electronic Image Stabilization to remove vibrations and other unwanted movement from the video(s). Most experts will agree that the mechanical (Spark) camera gimbal results in better overall video than EIS.

The DJI Spark is available with or without an option R/C controller. When purchased without the R/C controller, the range is limited and the model must be controlled using “virtual sticks” which are on the screen. Those who have no experience with either virtual or real “sticks” will likely need a lot of practice (and reading) to become familiar with operating the Spark via Mobile Device. Still, in our opinion, the Spark represents a truly useable camera drone/mobile device combo….something that we feel is lacking with most earlier models.

Adding the R/C controller makes the Spark a much more capable device – extending the range, the control “feel” and other options enough to make it a totally different experience. The R/C controller also features a “Sport” mode – which turns the normally tame Spark into a racer/FPV model that you’ll enjoy flying around the local fields. It can also integrate with the DJI Googles – giving you the full FPV experience (our DJI goggle review is here).  [Read more…]

The Drone Report – 2017 #1

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The Drone Report – 2017 #1

Introduction – this article will bring the reader up-to-date (mid-2017) in terms of most facets of the consumer drone (multirotor) business. Please consider it an “Executive Summary” and excuse the lack of detail on each of the many subjects involved. Note – this is also slanted toward the N. American Market.

Basic Index
Drone Hardware – Software – Services – Add-ons

Hardware Overview – 2017 is shaping up very differently than previous years. This is due, in part, to the “winning” of the Consumer Drone Wars by industry leader DJI. At this point we can dispense with the idea that other companies are going to hit the market with competitive products in most of DJI’s price ranges. Here are the big stories involving Hardware (drones) within the civilian consumer camera drone market.

Consumer Models ( <$2,000 ) – Supply has outpaced demand. Consumers are excited about upper-end models such as the DJI Mavic Pro and the (larger sensor) Phantom 4 Professional. Those who want other models have at least a a dozen to choose from – an example of the largest sellers on Amazon is at this link.

Higher end Commercial Drone Example – The DJI Matrice 200 is available in multiple configurations

With the FAA now allowing commercial work, drone makers are starting to produce models designed for industrial or higher end commercial use. Models include the DJI Inspire 2 and the new DJI Matrice M200 series. Yuneec has announced beefed up models of their existing hexacopters which are also designed for heavier-duty use.

In terms of corporations which are succeeding in the business, the list is slim – here is our short take on the state of the major players:

DJI – Prospering – 2017 sales will likely double those of 2016, driven by the Mavic Pro which could sell a million+ units.
Parrot – Layoffs, sharp decline in sales, floundering
Yuneec – Layoffs reported – Treading Water – not gaining the market share they had hoped.
Autel Robotics – Layofsf reported – Reasonable sales volume but with high costs is unlikely to be able to keep up with the current speed of innovation in consumer Drones.
GoPro Karma (Failure to launch – unlikely to be news in the 2017 market). More and more layoffs reported.

As we mentioned in an earlier article, buyers seem willing to spend more on camera drones than in 2015/2016, but they want to get something very advanced (larger sensors, computer vision, portability, etc.) for their money. At the lower end, this means booming sales for models such as the DJI Mavic Pro (small size/weight)  and the Phantom 4 Pro (larger sensor). [Read more…]

Beginner Drone Suggestions for 2017

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Most beginner drone pilots will be best off if they fly one or two “toy grade” models before stepping up to a fancier camera drone or true FPV racer. In the video below I give a quick rundown on some of the current modes that may serve this purpose well.

For various reasons – detailed in this article – we do not suggest the very tiny “nano” sized quadcopters are a learning tool.

Here is a listing and links to the machines discussed in the video – be sure to pick up extra batteries, etc.:

Hubsan H108 – amazon link – http://amzn.to/2luWrV2
The original H107 is also available at about the same price – http://amzn.to/2kL8Qjn

Eachine H6 – The H8 is the newer version – her is Amazon link: http://amzn.to/2maas7w
Here is Banggood Link – available with worldwide shipping – http://bit.ly/2dT59Gf

JJRC JJ1000 – (H22 is an updated version – but you can also find the JJ1000 at some shops) – http://bit.ly/2liF0VF
(worldwide shipping through Banggood)

XK Xk 250 Alien – available at Amazon – http://amzn.to/2kLc6vs

XK 251 – Heavier Duty Brushless Quadcopter (not good for beginners – get it as your 2nd or 3rd machine) – worldwide shipping from Banggood – http://bit.ly/29mUsMY

DJI Mavic Pro (fully loaded Camera Drone shown at end) – this is also not a beginners quadcopter! You can get it direct from DJI at the link below.

728x90mavic-3jpg

Our advice is to not spend too much time wondering about which beginner model to order! Get one and get in the air and flying.

Note – if you like to learn all you can from reading, we feature free eBooks on Getting Started with Hobby Drones at this page.

Consumer Drones Are Nuisances, Not Profits

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At CES, a whole new flock of fly-high, fly-fast, fly-bad drones were introduced and now the category is suddenly destined to be the next monstrous consumer category. Some were so small they fit in the palm of your hand. In fact, I think I stepped on one in the show’s crowded aisles … but it might have been popcorn. I couldn’t see with all the folks mobbing the show floor, but I distinctly heard a crunch. Speaking of crunch, just in case you missed the “hot” news, Bezos’ Amazon drone delivered some guy a box of popcorn and suddenly the postal and every delivery services are facing extinction? [Read more…]

Biggest Drone Stories of 2016

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As 2016 draws to a close, we are presenting our opinion on the biggest drone stories of 2016. Please leave your opinions and comments below the article:

FAA Part 107 and Ramifications for prosumer and light commercial space.

News: FAA moved on both registration…and then commercial use of small uAS (sUAS – also called Drones or Small Unmanned Aerial Systems).

Why we Care: This opens up the door to more uses of “drones for good” and assures that the industry won’t be left in limbo.

Link or Links – Here is our short piece explaining FAA Part 107

Total or Partial Failures in the Industry

News: Total or Partial Failures of most Drone industry would-be competitors – 3D Robotics and GoPro are the most well known, but a number of other efforts have failed completely or largely.

Why we Care: An industry saying goes like this “Drone are Hard” – and this has been proven over and over again by the failure of other companies to deliver successful consumer products. While it would be great to have more competition in the drone industry, most of these failures were due to lack of understanding what is involved. It’s safe to say the Next Big Thing in Drones is not going to come out of Kickstarter or a garage. Large amounts of talent, capital and a long term plan is needed to succeed in this endeavor.

Link or Links – Here is our article on the final failure of 3DR and our article on GoPro (written before their recall of the Karma Drone, but still relevant). [Read more…]

Phantom 4 Professional – 20 Megapixel Prosumer Drone – First Look

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Introduction

DJI’s Phantom line is well known as the standard for consumer level Camera Drones. In our recent “Slugfest” of popular 2016 models we gave it our highest rating – an opinion shared by most experts. However, consumer-level ($400-$1200) Camera Drones have some limitations, especially when it comes to Photo and Video quality. Drones at this price level are closer to “smartphone quality” than the level of what many expect from fancier “prosumer” mirrorless cameras. As an example, my Sony RX-100 takes stunning pictures and videos – so good that many Aerial Photographers have attempted strapping them to drones to get these high quality images from aloft!

DJI has now, in effect, put the Sony RX-100 level imaging into the new Phantom 4 Professional (P4P) model – ($1499) providing an unheard of level of Aerial Photography for a price that won’t break the bank.

Until today, the pilot who needed better quality than the Phantom 4 had to step WAY up in price and size to the DJI Inspire line with the X5 Camera ($3400 plus extra batteries). With the release of the P4P, the price for a somewhat similar setup has now been cut in 1/2 or more – and cut down in size to allow for easier portability.
(Note – DJI also announced a new Inspire 2 today (starting at $2999) – see this link for details)

Larger Camera and Side Obstacle Avoidance System shown above

Larger Camera and Side Obstacle Avoidance System shown above

Sensors, Bitrate and Quality

Hang on, my dear novice friends! You are about to learn something! In general the quality of a video depends on the camera sensor size and type, the lens – AND – even more – by the ability (speed, bitrate) that the camera sensor can send those images into memory (the sd card). After all, 4K video at 30fps (30 frames per second) is a LOT of data (memory, bits and bytes).  All things being equal, the larger the sensor and the faster the rate…the better the potential quality of the final image and/or video. Technology also plays a role here – smaller sensors have gotten better and good results can be gotten from these new marvels by various tuning of both hardware and software.

The bitrate of a video camera is the speed at which it writes data to a storage device (usually an SD or MicroSD card). This is expressed in Mbps or MBits/s – both meaning “millions of bits (1’s or 0’s) per second. Another way to think of it is similar to your internet connection…often called “bandwidth”. This expresses how quickly data can download and upload from the internet to your computer.

Most consumer-level Camera Drones use bitrates of 20-50 Mbps with the Phantom 4 (plain) topping out at 60. Sports cameras such as the GoPro Hero are also in the range of 45-60 Mbps. All of these cameras shoot still photos in the range of 12MP – or 4000 x 3000 resolution.

In contrast, the new P4P features a video bitrate of up to 100 Mbps and a still photo resolution of 20MP. It uses a larger sensor – the well-known Sony Exmor 1″. This sensor is 4X the size (116mm vs. 29mm) of the 1/2.3 sensor used in most other consumer drones (as well as smartphones and GoPro cameras). This means more light hitting the sensor – and a better image quality. The combination of a better sensor and higher bitrate takes the Phantom 4 Pro to another level.

 

Size difference (not to scale) of the new larger P4P sensor as compared to P4 and others.

Size difference (not to scale) of the new larger P4P sensor as compared to P4 and others.

The Basics of the Machine

The improvements in the camera are the primary reason that that Phantom 4 Pro will become an Object of Desire for many photographers. However, DJI added a LOT more to the P4P – making it the most advanced drone – by far – in its class. Here are some of the improvements over the P4:
Longer range – now up to 4.3 miles (7KM).
Longer flight times – up to 30 minutes
Improved Computer Vision System rear and front- more speed, more range, etc.
New TOF Sensing System – Infrared Obstacle Avoidance on left and right side of Phantom
Improved Intelligent Flight Modes and Options!

Note: The physical size and weight are quite similar to the standard Phantom 4.
The camera is slightly larger – but if you didn’t already know this it would be hard for the average person to discern.

P4P Camera (bottom) vs P4 Camera (top)

P4P Camera (bottom) vs P4 Camera (top)

Another difference is the choice of Remote (R/C controllers). DJI offers a package with a built-in device/screen (Android) for those who desire such a setup. This Remote also features a standard HDMI output as well as a GPS, microphone and speaker capabilities. They also offer a more standard R/C controller which accepts a phone or tablet of your choice. The inclusion of a screen is a first for a DJI product and is very important to certain buyers for various reasons.  [Read more…]

Fall 2016 Camera Drone Slugfest – Karma vs. Mavic vs. Phantom 3 & 4 vs. Yuneec

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Fall 2016 Camera Drone Slugfest – GoPro Karma vs. Mavic Pro vs. Phantom 3 & 4 vs. Yuneec

With the recent introduction of the DJI Mavic Pro and GoPro Karma, the 2016 Fall and Holiday Season lineup of consumer camera drones has taken shape. The internet chatter, as usual, has built to a crescendo as to “which is the best drone?” and “which company will bury the others?“. We think it’s time for Dronflyers.com to step into the ring as referee and decide which models are contenders for the crown and which should perhaps be sent back to the gym for some additional work. Put another way – which drone should you buy if you want to have one (or gift one) in the 2016 Holiday season?

Are You Serious?

Two small models, both based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon drone platform, have hit the market recently. These are the Yuneec Breeze and the Zerotech Dobby. Both are quite small and operated from your smartphone. A similar drone, the Wingsland S6, is also slated for release soon. These models – with the needed extra batteries and case – will cost approx. $500. [Read more…]

Getting Started with Quadcopters and Hobby Drones – Table of Contents

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Our Best Selling eBook for Drone Beginners is now free – and available online by using the chapter links below. For the best deals in drones, check out http://www.dronesavings.com

eBook – Getting Started with Hobby Quadcopters and Drones – Table of Contents

1 – http://wp.me/p25InU-1Dtu – Author Page
2 – http://wp.me/p25InU-1Dtw – Introduction
3 – http://wp.me/p25InU-1Dtx – Basics of Operation
4 – http://wp.me/p25InU-1Dty – Short History of Unmanned Flight
5 – http://wp.me/p25InU-1DtA – Buying a Quadcopter
6 – http://wp.me/p25InU-1DtB – Flying a Quadcopter
7 – http://wp.me/p25InU-1DtD – DIY Drone Repair and Upkeep
8 – http://wp.me/p25InU-1DtE – A Primer on Aerial Photography and Video
9 – http://wp.me/p25InU-1DtF – Your Next Quadcopter
10 – http://wp.me/p25InU-1DtG – A Short Course on Drone Batteries
11 – http://wp.me/p25InU-1DvY – Safety Issues and Basic Troubleshooting
12 – – Bonus – The Drone Report 2017

Note – this book can be downloaded complete as a PDF at this page. You can then read it on any device and even email it to your Kindle or Kindle app.
buyandfly

DJI Mavic Pro – A Miracle Machine, but is it for you?

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The DJI Mavic Pro is a miniaturized folding ($1,000 US) camera drone with specifications that beat most other models under $2K.  The Mavic Pro started shipping to consumer in the middle of October and has quickly become the best selling consumer camera drone ever. In this post we will take a first look at this miracle machine and advise our readers as to where it fits into the current consumer drone landscape. This first look will contain information regarding the basics of Mavic Pro and address the subject who should consider buying this drone. Future articles will contain more typical review information such as flight manners, features, operation, links and more.

Nothing Like it in the World

With the introduction of the Mavic Pro, DJI has created an entirely new class of machine. Comparisons such as “Mavic vs. Phantom 4” or “Mavic vs. Yuneec” hold absolutely no weight since the Mavic is unique in most every way.

Size and weight are, of course, the first obvious differences.  To illustrate how vast the difference is, here are the square inches (total cubic size) of 4 well known drone models in their box or backpack:

Mavic Pro – 340 cubic inches (box size) -machine =1.62 lbs
GoPro Karma – 1587 (backpack) – machine = 4.3 lbs
Phantom 4 – 1645 cubic inches (included case size) – 3 lbs
Yuneec H – 3588 cubic inches (included foam packing size) – machine = 4.3 lbs

The Mavic Pro is a mind blowing 10% of the volume of the Yuneec H – yet it outpaces the Typhoon H in specifications such as range, obstacle avoidance, flight time and overall number of features. Of the models listed above it is the only one that is truly portable. If portability and stealth is your #1 concern, you may not have to read any further – the Mavic Pro may be calling your name. However, the purpose of this article is to educate consumers on why they may want – or not want – the Mavic Pro…so read on for more. [Read more…]

How DJI Dominates the world of Drones (Aerial Robotics)

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Why and How DJI Dominates the world of Drones (Aerial Robotics)

Introduction
The Basics of DJI – Founding and History
2006-2011 – Laying the Foundations
2013 – The Rise of DJI
2014 – Mass Market Camera Drones become Affordable
2015 – Competition and Clones
2016 – The Dust Settles and DJI Competes against themselves
Moving Forward – Much More than just Consumer Drones
So you want to start a Drone Company?
Additional DJI Links

Introduction

Consumer drones are hitting their stride this holiday season, with forecasts of the 2016/2017 revenue running into the billions of dollars. Despite the large and rapidly growing market, a single company – DJI – dominates to a degree rarely seen in the consumer technology industry. You can buy great digital cameras from Sony, Nikon, Panasonic, Canon etc. or smartphones from Apple, Samsung, Huawei, Google and dozens more – but you can only buy an advanced, mature and reliable consumer camera drone from one company…DJI.

While the tech world is very familiar with DJI drones, the company itself remains somewhat of a mystery. The Founder and CEO, Frank Tao Wang, is an engineer and workaholic who rarely hobnobs with the Press or at industry confabs. The same is true of many of the core C-Suite office holders, who seem laser focused on R&D, design and production and therefore leave the PR and Marketing to legions of hired surrogates.

It’s no accident that DJI dominates the Camera Drone Market. The company represents a “New Chinese Paradigm” that innovates at a speed that even writers find difficult to keep up with. This makes their story – or at least the parts of it which can be pieced together from the outside – an educational tale for those with interest in business, China, technology and leadership.

The Basics of DJI – Founding and History  [Read more…]