Consider this before buying a vision plus

[skyhighdiver]

Having traded in my vision for a vision plus (and now my second +)
I have to say THIS IS NOT A TRAINER
Not because it is hard to fly but because it is not forgiving of any crash!
If you crash 99% you will lose your camera and gimbal that is a fact!
I think everyone should start on a phantom or a vision and fly for a while then sell it and move up
Yes you will take a couple hundred dollar hit in the sale
BUT it beats a 800.00 gimbal and camera (if they are every readily available) or
$600-$700 repair bill and 75.00 in shipping and 4-6 weeks without your craft
My vision went through many bushes, a tree, my front porch, living room walls and duck. (I like to go fast)
And through all that I spent less than 80.00 in parts and she flew like a dream when I sold her.
Try that with a plus
First things first get rid of the **** prop guards they are a wreck waiting to happen
I have seen guys flying in a hover start to drop out of the sky with those **** things.
They seem like a great idea but they will cost you.
I have 75 flights on my vision + now and had over 40 on my vision before I sold it
And I have never had a vortex ring crash and I descend full down all the time but I keep forward movement And if I don’t I watch for the first sign of wobble and then its hard left .
But after removing the prop guards I have not even seen a wobble yet
Don’t get me wrong I love my plus and the stable camera but I’m glad I started elsewhere and moved up
Remember you don’t give a kid a Ferrari for their first car right.
I mean it drives like every other car
Gas, brakes, steering wheel but there is a big difference in repair costs
So if you ignore this advice don't come on here whining that it broke too easy
I also recommend highly learning to hand catch for landings so easy and way safer for your craft

 

[Birdman]

AMEN!

 

[dannytroy]

Yes, I have to agree 100% on the prop guards. I was getting the VRS and it's gone without them. Also, I was chewing up props with them. If the Phantom tips on landing or takeoff, the first thing that happens is the prop guards bend and hit the props, causing tip damage. If they weren't on, it would tip and hit the dirt or grass and likely do no damage. Other than a grass stain on the prop. Of course flying off a hard surface would cause damage no matter what.

They also might offer a false sense of security to some, and some might feel it's ok to fly indoors with the prop guards on. I don't think so. In case you haven't seen this video, the prop guards were no help at all for this guy......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji3Hii_LZOc

But concerning your original statement, I'm glad I got the Vision+, and so far my camera/gimbal has taken a few mishaps with absolutely no damage. Maybe I'm just lucky. Now I fly with a styro shell around the camera (most of my flying is over water) which protects the Phantom's camera on three sides, and half of the bottom, so I have even more protection. Plus, it's unsinkable.

 

[fastsmiles]

I agree, the V+ is very unforgiving. I use mine only for photography. I will be getting a different quad for fun flying.

 

[CRankin]

I'm not totally convinced that DJI didn't intentionally decide to manufacture and sell a more damage-prone product on purpose. Consider what repairs (and even sales of replacement parts) bring to them in profit. Just like many other things, it's not the initial purchase that makes the most profit over time - it's the continual purchase of "consumables" (props, cameras, gimbals, etc.). Call me a conspiracy theorist, but my business brain smells a bit of a profit motive here...

 

[Dirty Bird]

I'm not totally convinced that DJI didn't intentionally decide to manufacture and sell a more damage-prone product on purpose. Consider what repairs (and even sales of replacement parts) bring to them in profit. Just like many other things, it's not the initial purchase that makes the most profit over time - it's the continual purchase of "consumables" (props, cameras, gimbals, etc.). Call me a conspiracy theorist, but my business brain smells a bit of a profit motive here...

I have to disagree. All that would do is impart a negative image on their product. The fact is gimbals are delicate precision instruments, which are necessarily lightweight and therefore fragile. ALL of these micro-motor gimbals fair poorly in a crash. The original Vision fares better because its single-axis gimbal is relatively simple in design, but the video stability is horrid in comparison to the Vision+.

 

[Birdman]

I'm not totally convinced that DJI didn't intentionally decide to manufacture and sell a more damage-prone product on purpose. Consider what repairs (and even sales of replacement parts) bring to them in profit. Just like many other things, it's not the initial purchase that makes the most profit over time - it's the continual purchase of "consumables" (props, cameras, gimbals, etc.). Call me a conspiracy theorist, but my business brain smells a bit of a profit motive here...

OK, you're a conspiracy theorist. And a cynic. :|

 

[RedRyderMedia]

I'm not totally convinced that DJI didn't intentionally decide to manufacture and sell a more damage-prone product on purpose. Consider what repairs (and even sales of replacement parts) bring to them in profit. Just like many other things, it's not the initial purchase that makes the most profit over time - it's the continual purchase of "consumables" (props, cameras, gimbals, etc.). Call me a conspiracy theorist, but my business brain smells a bit of a profit motive here...

Sorry.....not buying it.

 

[npalen]

Having traded in my vision for a vision plus (and now my second +)
I have to say THIS IS NOT A TRAINER
Not because it is hard to fly but because it is not forgiving of any crash!
If you crash 99% you will lose your camera and gimbal that is a fact!
I think everyone should start on a phantom or a vision and fly for a while then sell it and move up
Yes you will take a couple hundred dollar hit in the sale
BUT it beats a 800.00 gimbal and camera (if they are every readily available) or
$600-$700 repair bill and 75.00 in shipping and 4-6 weeks without your craft
My vision went through many bushes, a tree, my front porch, living room walls and duck. (I like to go fast)
And through all that I spent less than 80.00 in parts and she flew like a dream when I sold her.
Try that with a plus
First things first get rid of the **** prop guards they are a wreck waiting to happen
I have seen guys flying in a hover start to drop out of the sky with those **** things.
They seem like a great idea but they will cost you.
I have 75 flights on my vision + now and had over 40 on my vision before I sold it
And I have never had a vortex ring crash and I descend full down all the time but I keep forward movement And if I don’t I watch for the first sign of wobble and then its hard left .
But after removing the prop guards I have not even seen a wobble yet
Don’t get me wrong I love my plus and the stable camera but I’m glad I started elsewhere and moved up
Remember you don’t give a kid a Ferrari for their first car right.
I mean it drives like every other car
Gas, brakes, steering wheel but there is a big difference in repair costs
So if you ignore this advice don't come on here whining that it broke too easy
I also recommend highly learning to hand catch for landings so easy and way safer for your craft

Are you saying the Vision+ is more difficult to fly than any other Phantom and, if so, why?

 

[N017RW]

I'm not totally convinced that DJI didn't intentionally decide to manufacture and sell a more damage-prone product on purpose. Consider what repairs (and even sales of replacement parts) bring to them in profit. Just like many other things, it's not the initial purchase that makes the most profit over time - it's the continual purchase of "consumables" (props, cameras, gimbals, etc.). Call me a conspiracy theorist, but my business brain smells a bit of a profit motive here...

Props, cameras, gimbals, whatever, are not consumables.

Batteries... maybe.

Everything has a finite lifetime sans errors.

 

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

I don't speak for skyhighdiver but I think I can answer your question, and the answer is NO.
The P2V+ is very easy to fly, however it is also very unforgiving if you have any sort of hard landing or minor crash, I found this out the hard way! My camera/gimbal assembly is toast after a hard landing, ok minor crash. Here's the rub, the camera/gimbal is a unit, and is THE most expensive part on the aircraft. There is a guy on ebay getting $999 for the camera/gimbal unit and he has sold at least 16 of them! I understand there are some advantages with having a camera optimized for the Phantom, (no battery, no mic, etc.), but the disadvantages if anything goes wrong are massive, i.e. you are stuck with paying almost as much to get it repaired as it costs to buy a new one, and you still have a very fragile arrangement.
I am so bummed out by all of this that I am seriously considering getting a P2 with the zenmuse 3d gimbal for $959, and adding the video down link and telemetry and a gopro camera. Yes, more expensive, but at least it is somewhat modular, so I can replace individual components myself and possibly upgrade to the lightbridge if that pans out.

Having traded in my vision for a vision plus (and now my second +)
I have to say THIS IS NOT A TRAINER
Not because it is hard to fly but because it is not forgiving of any crash!
If you crash 99% you will lose your camera and gimbal that is a fact!
I think everyone should start on a phantom or a vision and fly for a while then sell it and move up
Yes you will take a couple hundred dollar hit in the sale
BUT it beats a 800.00 gimbal and camera (if they are every readily available) or
$600-$700 repair bill and 75.00 in shipping and 4-6 weeks without your craft
My vision went through many bushes, a tree, my front porch, living room walls and duck. (I like to go fast)
And through all that I spent less than 80.00 in parts and she flew like a dream when I sold her.
Try that with a plus
First things first get rid of the **** prop guards they are a wreck waiting to happen
I have seen guys flying in a hover start to drop out of the sky with those **** things.
They seem like a great idea but they will cost you.
I have 75 flights on my vision + now and had over 40 on my vision before I sold it
And I have never had a vortex ring crash and I descend full down all the time but I keep forward movement And if I don’t I watch for the first sign of wobble and then its hard left .
But after removing the prop guards I have not even seen a wobble yet
Don’t get me wrong I love my plus and the stable camera but I’m glad I started elsewhere and moved up
Remember you don’t give a kid a Ferrari for their first car right.
I mean it drives like every other car
Gas, brakes, steering wheel but there is a big difference in repair costs
So if you ignore this advice don't come on here whining that it broke too easy
I also recommend highly learning to hand catch for landings so easy and way safer for your craft

Are you saying the Vision+ is more difficult to fly than any other Phantom and, if so, why?

 

[skyhighdiver]

[quote="

Are you saying the Vision+ is more difficult to fly than any other Phantom and, if so, why?[/quote]

If you read the post again you will see

Not because it is hard to fly but because it is not forgiving of any crash!
If you crash 99% you will lose your camera and gimbal that is a fact!

 

[skyhighdiver]

Fred_C_Dobbs"]I I am seriously considering getting a P2 with the zenmuse 3d gimbal for $959, and adding the video down link and telemetry and a gopro camera. Yes, more expensive, but at least it is somewhat modular, so I can replace individual components myself and possibly upgrade to the lightbridge if that pans out.

If I toast this second vision plus Im going that direction as well
Actually even with the add ons needed for same fuctions your really only talking about 250.oo more
and then if one part breaks its easy to replace and readily available

 

[JWDrone]

Having traded in my vision
I also recommend highly learning to hand catch for landings so easy and way safer for your craft

Great post,, This is number one, "learn to hand catch for landings" This is a must for sucessful flying. No matter if you are out on a boat, standing in water, sitting on a 20th floor balcony, beach, etc., bring her home to your hand, easy shut off with your single pull back throttle. save your Phantom for another days flight.

 

[abacus01]

Why would you recommend hand catching. I guess you havent seen the video of a guy trying to do this and severely cutting up his arm where he needed lots of sutures. Just learn to land it correctly dont attempt to hand catch under any circumstances. Crazy

 

[shrill mute]

Having traded in my vision
I also recommend highly learning to hand catch for landings so easy and way safer for your craft

Great post,, This is number one, "learn to hand catch for landings" This is a must for sucessful flying. No matter if you are out on a boat, standing in water, sitting on a 20th floor balcony, beach, etc., bring her home to your hand, easy shut off with your single pull back throttle. save your Phantom for another days flight.

This is pure crap. Hand catching is not a "must for successful flying."

If you actually learn how to fly you can actually land on that boat, beach, balcony, etc.

 

[skyhighdiver]

Why would you recommend hand catching. I guess you havent seen the video of a guy trying to do this and severely cutting up his arm where he needed lots of sutures. Just learn to land it correctly dont attempt to hand catch under any circumstances. Crazy

a part of this message is removed because of not proper language use (Geert - moderator)
I would bet that nearly 80% of all pilots hand catch
for Christ sake my 14 year old daughter does it.
its called hand eye coordination she has like 10 catches on our boat in 3 ft waves
no tip overs on uneven ground , no sand blasted into the motors, or camera
just because you cant walk and chew gum doesn't mean we are all like that

 

[Dirty Bird]

Why would you recommend hand catching. I guess you havent seen the video of a guy trying to do this and severely cutting up his arm where he needed lots of sutures. Just learn to land it correctly dont attempt to hand catch under any circumstances. Crazy

There is a place for hand recovery. Rough terrain, a moving or unstable landing platform. windy day, emergency recovery, etc.. To this day I can't figure out what that guy was trying to do? If he was attempting a hand catch, why was his hand two feet above the landing gear? Was he trying to grab it from above? I don't think he was actually trying to catch the Phantom. I think he just got two close and crashed into himself. The prop guards didn't seem to help him much either.

 

[BlackTracer]

Why would you recommend hand catching. I guess you havent seen the video of a guy trying to do this and severely cutting up his arm where he needed lots of sutures. Just learn to land it correctly dont attempt to hand catch under any circumstances. Crazy

There is a place for hand recovery. Rough terrain, a moving or unstable landing platform. windy day, emergency recovery, etc.. To this day I can't figure out what that guy was trying to do? If he was attempting a hand catch, why was his hand two feet above the landing gear? Was he trying to grab it from above? I don't think he was actually trying to catch the Phantom. I think he just got two close and crashed into himself. The prop guards didn't seem to help him much either.

Dirty Bird can you give me a primer on hand landing? I have not been able to bring myself to do it even though I can have it hover right above my outstretched right arm. Landing on the ground has worked for me up to now. When you grab it does it act as if it is on the ground? Such as the motors return to idle. Then a left stick back and hold until they shut off.

 

[Dirty Bird]

I usually land my Phantom on the ground. In fact, I've become quite proficient at setting it down on the carry case, which always seems to draw "wows" from bystanders. The times I have hand landed, I just bring her down to perhaps 6-7' (stay above yourself), reach up & firmly grasp the BOTTOM of one of the landing skids with my left hand, and then hold the left stick all the way down until the motors shut off. Note I use a neck strap so the controller is firmly attached. I highly recommend a strap when using an RC controller. First, you won't accidentally drop it, It relieves the inevitable tension supporting the controller and, if you get the shakes, you can apply a little forward pressure to eliminate those shakes!