DJI Phantom
Video Reviews
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DJI Phantom 4 Review
What's the difference between a
DJI Phantom 3 and DJI Phantom 4?
Phantom 3 vs Phantom 4
Is the DJI Phantom 4 camera better than the DJI Phantom 3?
Does the Phantom 4 fly slower that the Phantom 3?
Also see our Phantom 4 Blog for updates and some downside...
NOTE: Phantom 4 Pro is now released with built in screen & 1" sensor (See here)
This time last year we all thought DJI’s Phantom 3 was pretty much the perfect first flying machine and camera. But it would seem technology is going to stick it to us again as the new Phantom seems to simply blow it out of the sky.
The latest of DJI flying camera quadcopter takes everything we know and love from the Phantom 3 (and it's previous families) and adds new features that mean pretty much anyone can fly one. Not so great, if you were planning to make a living or earn a living
from drone hire or aerial pictures!
It will dodge obstacles, line up your camera shots for you and create truly breathtaking 4K videos in the process. If the Phantom 3 wasnt easy enough .... everything about the Phantom 4 feels even more user-friendly, right down to the box it comes in.
It will arrive in a styrofoam suitcase which has room inside for drone, controller, battery charger and spare propellers, as well as an iPad Mini or tablet.
Competition quadcopters often rely purely on GPS don’t know if they’re about to fly into a tree, DJI has given it's drone a pair of eyes and a brain to stop you crashing. Obstacle Avoidance works a bit like the parking sensors on a modern car.
You will get green, yellow and red indicators onscreen as you get closer to an object, but get too close (six feet) and the Phantom will simply refuse to go any further.
All of the Phantom 3’s intelligent flight modes return, but are now limited to GPS navigation only :(. That means you won't be able to use Obstacle Avoidance with the likes of Waypoint Navigation, Follow Me and Point Of Interest Orbiting and will have to do the spotting yourself instead.
You don’t need to be an expert behind the controls to use a Phantom 4!
Tap-to-take-off and land return, but you can now tap-to-fly too. With TapFly enabled, pressing anywhere on the live view will send the drone in that direction. It’s smart enough to turn smoothly, so your footage looks perfectly stable.
The Phantom 3 was a great machine and still a worthy contender for people entering the market, but DJI has turned things up a notch for the Phantom 4. You’ve now got three speeds, switch on Obstacle Avoidance and you’ll reach 22 miles per hour. In normal mode she happily flys at up to 35mph and in "Sport Mode" you’ll rev out at a terrifying 45mph!!
Flying this baby full noise is nerve racking! And speaking of Noise! This sucker is Noisy!
A lot more audible noise than the Phantom 2 or 3. Everyone nearby will know you're in the air!
The new DJI Phantom 4 batteries are not compatible with the Phantom 3 (Surprise, surprise!) and you can expect around 28 minutes of flight time.
The 12MP camera quality is similar to a top-end smartphone camera, meaning great results in bright light. As with video, though, expect much grainier images when it gets dark.
A polarising filter makes a big difference to your pictures on a DJI Phantom!
The new drone has a whopping transmission range of about 3.5km (in open spaces) before it loses contact with the remote controller, but even if you do let it go that far you won't need to worry about crashing, the Return to Home mode automatically kicks in at that range. I would caution though that the range is DRAMATICALLY cut down with any obstacles, including trees.
So What makes the Phantom 4 camera better?
The Phantom 4 camera has been improved in terms of image quality. Chromatic aberration has been reduced by 56% and lens distortion had been reduced by 36% compared to the Phantom 3 Professional. In addition to lens improvements, camera firmware has been tweaked to enable the camera to capture 120fps video in full 1080p FHD (the camera’s field of view will be reconfigured to 47° when recording in this mode) for smooth slow motion.
(This is what DJI Wrote! We don't think the difference is all that noticable!)
What makes the Phantom 4 gimbal better?
The gimbal and camera system is integrated into the body, bringing it closer to the aircraft’s center of gravity. It is also made of a rigid and strong composite material
What are the major differences between the Phantom 4 and Phantom 3?
The new Push-and-Release propellers are faster to install and more secure than the Self Tightening propellers used previously. This security allows them to handle faster acceleration and harder braking.
Note: If you have all the collision avoidance options turned on, the Phantom 4 is slower than the Phantom 3 (By a lot!) Maximum speed of 22kph!
How many minutes of flight time can Phantom 4 achieve?
At sea level in calm environments when flying in ATTI mode, the Phantom 4 can achieve 28 minute flight times. This will vary due to different flight patterns, weather conditions and altitudes.
What are the major improvements in the Phantom 4 propulsion system?
The motor on the Phantom 4 is designed to work with the latest Push-and-Release Propellers. With this locking mechanism, propellers can withstand drastic changes of motor speed, allowing the aircraft to be more agile and more responsive to the pilot command.
What improvements have been made to the Phantom 4 Vision Positioning Unit?
The Vision Positioning System now uses four sensors to increase hovering accuracy and reliability, creating a more controlled flying experience. Its sonar system has been improved and now functions from up to 10 meters off the ground. In ideal situations, these combine to give the Phantom 4 Vision Positioning System a vertical hover accuracy of +/- 0.1 m and a horizontal hover accuracy of +/- 0.3 m.
What changes were made to the Phantom 4 remote?
The Phantom 4 introduces a Sport mode, accessible through new modes, P, S and A.
P (Position) mode is the standard mode, giving access to normal flight as well as Intelligent Flight Modes, ActiveTrack and TapFly.
S (Sport) Mode unlocks maximum flight speeds of up to 44mph (72kmh)
A (Attitude) Mode remains the same and removes satellite stabilization in flight.
It allows the Phantom to move more smoothly and naturally.
The ‘Playback’ button on the top right of the remote controller has been changed into a ‘Pause’ button that lets you put the Phantom into hover during any Intelligent Flight Mode, ActiveTrack or TapFly with a tap.
What’s the horizontal speed of Phantom 4 in ATTI Mode?
The horizontal speed of the Phantom 4 in ATTI mode is 35.8mph (57.6kph).
How small an object can the Obstacle Sensing System see?
The minimum pixel size that the Obstacle Sensing system can see is 500 pixels.
Check out the latest drones and quadcopters from DJI!