By site editor Dan Chung:
Today DJI have unveiled the latest drone in their Phantom 3 range. Costing $799 it has many of the advanced features of the more expensive Phantom 3 Professional and Advanced and puts them into a more affordable package.
The camera built into the drone is DJI’s own. It can record 2.7K (2704 x1520) HD video at 30 fps, 1080P HD video in 24/25/30 fps, and can also shoot 12 megapixel stills. The sensor is 1/2.3” sized but not the same as the ones in the more expensive models. There is also a Log gamma for creating flatter, more gradable imagery. The Three-axis gimbal provides stabilsation but cannot be upgraded to carry other makers cameras.
The lens has a 94 degree field of view and is said to be very low distortion. Control is via DJI Go app and allows the operator to see a near live feed of the camera’s view, as well as control various settings and trigger recordings. Transmission range is limited to about 1km, so if you want to fly at greater distances then you’ll have to step up to the more expensive models.
A number of semi-autonomous features including a follow me mode and waypoint navigation will be available for the drone (as well as the other Phantom 3 models and the Inspire 1). These won’t be available immediately but DJI say they will be coming soon.
Even though this feature set is aimed at beginners I imagine it will also interest some professionals seeking a low cost way to get aerial footage. The 2.7K resolution and log mode might actually be good enough for many productions, although we will have to wait and see exactly how good the images are.
Of course if you are looking to use the drone professionally then all usual caveats about proper training, permissions and safe use still apply.
As the discussions about the use of drones for journalism and commercial work rumble on, DJI have continued to make sophisticated drone technology more attainable. It will be interesting to see if the increased safety features of this latest generation of flying machines will be enough to allay public and political anxieties over use of drones by the public.
Shipping of the Phantom 3 standard is expected by the end of the week.
This from DJI:
DJI Releases Photography and Video Drone Designed for Beginner Pilots
DJI Phantom 3 Standard makes aerial imaging more accessible than ever before
– Includes intelligent flight functions that make cinematic shots easy to capture
– Integrated HD camera records video up to 2.7k
– Available for purchase today at US$799
Shenzhen, August 5, 2015 – DJI, the global leader in innovative aerial robotics, today released the most accessible flying camera (‘drone’) the company has ever created.
Designed specifically for first-time pilots, the DJI Phantom 3 Standard brings DJI’s signature attention to stability, flight, and imaging to make capturing aerial images easier than ever before.
“Based on the remarkable success of the DJI Phantom 3 Professional and Phantom 3 Advanced, we wanted to create a new drone that addresses people who are curious about aerial imaging, but not quite ready to commit to a more professional system,” said Frank Wang, DJI’s CEO and Founder. “The Phantom 3 Standard makes it easy to get into the air to take great photos and videos.”
With a newly designed and integrated camera, the DJI Phantom 3 Standard records up to 2.7k HD video at 30 frames per second using a high-quality 94 degree distortion-free lens. The camera also shoots still images at 12 megapixels in both DNG Raw and JPG formats. Using a standard WiFi connection, the DJI Phantom 3 Standard allows pilots to see what their camera sees in near real time in HD, capture photos, start / stop record for video and adjust camera settings all from the updated DJI Go app.
The remote controller is an updated version of DJI’s previous Phantom 2 Vision+ controller, with an integrated WiFi range extender and wheel to angle the camera.
Based on the Phantom 3 design, the new DJI Phantom 3 Standard includes GPS-based stabilization and flight times up to 25 minutes using DJI’s interchangeable Intelligent Flight Batteries for the Phantom 3 series.
The DJI Phantom 3 Standard will be compatible with intelligent flight features including Follow Me, Waypoint Navigation and Point of Interest flight planning.
Follow Me – The drone intelligently follows the user based on their orientation.
Waypoint Navigation – Allows users to set a multi-point route that the Phantom 3 flies automatically while leaving camera control (pan and tilt) to the user. Users simply have to pull back on their controller and the Phantom will retrace its path to the beginning.
Point of Interest – Lets users define an object that the Phantom will fly around in a circle with the object framed perfectly in the center – capturing a cinematic shot that is otherwise difficult to fly manually.
These intelligent features, originally released for DJI’s professional products, will be available through a firmware upgrade for the rest of the DJI Phantom 3 series and the DJI Inspire 1 in coming weeks. They are also available through SDK apps already developed by third party DJI developers.
The DJI Phantom 3 Standard is available for purchase at US$799* via DJI.com and is scheduled to begin shipping before the end of the week.
