Last Updated on January 13, 2019
Phantom 3 4K
Thanks to DJI, pilots were given devices that are capable of taking aerial video straight out of the box. In particular, the Phantom 2 Vision+ drone was among the first in the realm of ready-to-fly quadcopters. The Phantom series of DJI is also partly responsible for the increased awareness people have regarding drones. Two new members were added to the Phantom family: the Phantom 3 Professional and the Phantom 3 Advanced.
So, what exactly is needed with the latest additions and which one suits you better?
A Comparison
Before, the Phantom device you get is just a base model – no cameras included. Meaning, you had to buy one yourself and attach it to the drone. Then again, you can always go for the Vision line which has a built-in camera but costs a whole lot more.
DJI is sticking with the latter for the Phantom 3. Both drones, by default, come built in with a camera and gimbal (stabilizer). Another change made by DJI is with the Vision brand as that has been replaced by Professional and Advanced, specifically.
Here’s an overview of what you get from each quadcopter:
- Professional – 4K (30fps) / 12 MP
- Advanced – 1080p (up to 60fps) / 12 MP
The Features
The motors of the Phantom 3 have been upgraded to be more powerful. In other words, the drones can accelerate and decelerate much faster than their predecessor, the Phantom 3.
That said, the specifications show that the latest Phantom is just as quick as the one that came before it: 36 mph with a maximum ascent speed of 13 mph and a maximum descent speed of 4 mph. The newest Phantom also weighs just as much as the Phantom 3 but has a smaller battery (4480mAh vs 5200 mAh) and can produce the same 23-minute flight time.
While the camera may be the highlight for the drone, there are other interesting features as well. For example, it’s been upgraded to include indoor positioning sensors, which is similar to the Inspire 1. With this feature, the drone is less likely to crash when filming inside.
Another improved feature is the GPS. It now includes support for GLONASS. In addition, the Phantom 3 inherits certain features from the Inspire as well like the auto take-off and landing which are greatly beneficial to beginner pilots.
With the Vision drones, pilots were introduced to a feature that sent a live feed – albeit in low quality – from the camera to a phone that needed a WiFi booster attached to the controller. This has been scrapped in the Phantom 3 and replaced with the “lightbridge” technology of DJI. This simply means that there will no longer be a WiFi dongle attached to the controller.
Users can even use their own phone or tablet, be it Android or iOS, to connect to the drone. Through this, users can get a 720p HD live feed from their aerial device delivered straight to a mobile device.
The fun just doesn’t stop there either. Other than broadcasting a live feed to just a user’s phone, the drone can use the data connection of a mobile device to stream Phantom 3 images directly to YouTube.
Despite several internal upgrades, the look of the Phantom remains the same.
The Verdict
Both drones, more or less, offer the same features with minor differences. That is, if you want 4K video, then your best bet is with the Professional model. On the other hand, if you can handle not shooting in 4K, the Advanced model will do just fine.
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