Going from PV2 to P3. I have questions! :)

[moswissa]

hello guys !

Today was an exciting day because someone finally bought my phantom 2 vision non plus with an extra battery and RE700 for 575$ on ebay! I thought that was a deal, now its possible to buy my P3 advanced after throwing an extra 450 or so. My wife thinks im getting the P3 for 450$ shhhhh I just purchased the P3 adv for 989$ on amazon about 3.6 seconds after my P2V sold on ebay

I had over 200 successful flights with my previous phantom and it was ALWAYS reliable (except when my ******* mistook my craft for a seagull and went chasing after it thinking it was flying away)

So will this phantom 3 be the same way? It looks easier because of Lightbridge, better GPS, and no range extender to bind. I know ill have to update it when I receive it and do a compass calibration.

RANGE
What amazes me is the FPV streaming at 720p up to 1.5 miles away!! WOW!
I fly my drone in the suburbs/city, I doubt ill get that much range but how is the range??

CAMERA DURABILITY
So I hear that these cameras are expensive as heck. what are you doing to protect it aside from crashing it? I hear there are aftermarket stuff you can buy too add protection


TRAVELING WITH THE DRONE ON A PLACE
ok for my final question. Im middle eastern and hairy. Im flying to Hawaii from LA in 2 weeks and im going to bring my phantom with me as a carry on. will TSA go crazy especially because im arab and hairy? I searched everywhere and the only guideline I see is not to carry your LIPO in the luggage because it may catch fire.

thanks so much!!!

EXCITED !

 

[Meta4]

I had over 200 successful flights with my previous phantom and it was ALWAYS reliable.
So will this phantom 3 be the same way? It looks easier because of Lightbridge, better GPS, and no range extender to bind.
RANGE
What amazes me is the FPV streaming at 720p up to 1.5 miles away!! WOW!
I fly my drone in the suburbs/city, I doubt ill get that much range but how is the range??

You'll love it. The P3 is a gigantic tech leap beyond the P2 series.
Instant connection, no losing radio signal when you get out 1800 ft or when you rotate the Phantom and smooth video on your tablet.
Your range will be much more than you are used to.

CAMERA DURABILITY
So I hear that these cameras are expensive as heck. what are you doing to protect it aside from crashing it? I hear there are aftermarket stuff you can buy too add protection

The camera is/was cheaper than a replacement was for the P2V+ and the gimbal is about as fragile .. perhaps a little stronger.
The cheapest and most effective protection for the camera is: Don't crash and hand catch.

TRAVELING WITH THE DRONE ON A PLANE
Im middle eastern and hairy. I'm flying to Hawaii from LA in 2 weeks and im going to bring my phantom with me as a carry on. will TSA go crazy especially because im arab and hairy? I searched everywhere and the only guideline I see is not to carry your LIPO in the luggage because it may catch fire.

They see Phantoms all the time at airports and pay very little attention to them.
Hard to say how the TSA will welcome you. Say hello to the nice TSA man and see what happens.

 

[moswissa]

You'll love it. The P3 is a gigantic tech leap beyond the P2 series.
Instant connection, no losing radio signal when you get out 1800 ft or when you rotate the Phantom and smooth video on your tablet.
Your range will be much more than you are used to.

The camera is/was cheaper than a replacement was for the P2V+ and the gimbal is about as fragile .. perhaps a little stronger.
The cheapest and most effective protection for the camera is: Don't crash and hand catch.

They see Phantoms all the time at airports and pay very little attention to them.
Hard to say how the TSA will welcome you. Say hello to the nice TSA man and see what happens.

YES! I hated losing connection on my P2! 1800ft? Pshhh! more like 1100 ft for me and that is flying out sideways so I wont lose antenna orientation. so the P3 doesn't mind when you rotate its direction? what is your record range in a city like area?
thanks !!!

 

[Meta4]

YES! I hated losing connection on my P2! 1800ft? Pshhh! more like 1100 ft for me and that is flying out sideways so I wont lose antenna orientation. so the P3 doesn't mind when you rotate its direction? what is your record range in a city like area?
thanks !!!

Yeah ... I was thinking best case scenario when I said 1800 ft.
I hated losing signal partway through a big panorama and having the P2V+ start coming home.
The P3 has 4 antennas - one in each leg and maintains contact much better.
Turn it anyway you like and it's rock solid and at much greater distances.

 

[PilotHarry]

YES! I hated losing connection on my P2! 1800ft? Pshhh! more like 1100 ft for me and that is flying out sideways so I wont lose antenna orientation. so the P3 doesn't mind when you rotate its direction? what is your record range in a city like area?
thanks !!!

My record range in the city (Miami) was 6000 feet, all stock except the little "Windsurfer" on the antennas (Ebay <$30). Turned around because I got scared!

Without the windsurfer I see about 1800-2300 feet, but I live pretty urban so theres a lot of interference.

 

[moswissa]

My record range in the city (Miami) was 6000 feet, all stock except the little "Windsurfer" on the antennas (Ebay <$30). Turned around because I got scared!

Without the windsurfer I see about 1800-2300 feet, but I live pretty urban so theres a lot of interference.

And 6000 feet is a lot especially for an urban area! But 1800ft is not very impressive considering DJI claims 1.5 miles lol well it looks like I'll be getting that wind surfer. Won't hurt. Are a lot of people doing it ?

 

[moswissa]

Another question!

Are their still flyaways or are they less common?

I'm still reading horror stories of expert pilots losing their crafts mysteriously. Some claiming they drop out of the sky like a rock.

It sucks because I'm making a big purchase on another bird that will be new to me and have that attachment to it.

 

[4wd]

They can always drop like a rock, but the P3 is better than the Vision Plus in every way
The main thing I noticed was the almost inch perfect precision response when it's close at hand.
The FPV and live map display gives you great confidence as to where it is exactly, and you'll soon feel happy going twice as far out as with the Plus.
Really useful having all your maintenance from the app rather than needing to connect to a computer.
Only the firmware update by SD card is still a bit nerve wracking.

 

[PilotHarry]

And 6000 feet is a lot especially for an urban area! But 1800ft is not very impressive considering DJI claims 1.5 miles lol well it looks like I'll be getting that wind surfer. Won't hurt. Are a lot of people doing it ?

DJI claims 1.2 miles in "test conditions", basically over an open hay field with no trees, power lines, or other forms of interference.

Lot of people get the windsurfer- I reccomend the solid aluminum one from eBay. US seller, high quality, fits in the stock DJI hard case.

 

[Meta4]

Another question!
Are their still flyaways or are they less common?
I'm still reading horror stories of expert pilots losing their crafts mysteriously. Some claiming they drop out of the sky like a rock.

As someone that reads a lot of threads here, the P3 doesn't belong in the same sentence as the word flyaway.
This is another area where the P3 is in a different league from the P2 series.
There are very few cases .. and most reports are just people not knowing how RTH works.

 

[Vanjo Grale]

It is a big step up - decent control and flying in general is better. Controls are less twitchy, making video smoother. App is incredible, and seeing things clearly on a bigger screen is so nice.

Biggest headache out of the box is horizon being out of level, but plenty of vids out there showing how to fix with IMU calibration and other steps.

After only five flights, I'm already as confident as I was after hundreds on the P2V+ - no signal dropouts, no app crashes, and super fast GPS lock. I don't know if I'm ever going to fly my P2 again!

 

[Jeriami]

hello guys !
Snip

As far as your amazon purchase, a few things to keep in mind is who the drone is sold by, not shipped by... i purchased mine from Amazon as well, but Drones Ect. was the seller & amazon was the suppler, make sure whoever you bought from was on DJI's approved distributor list, or DJI will NOT honor your warranty. Also, some sellers are shipping the outdated phantoms with the old style frames & motors, when i got mine from Drones Ect. a week or so ago, i had the newer motors, & the newer body & main board. Just keep in mind there are P3's cracking from stress on the the outdated motors, its a game of chance when ordering, unless you can find a way to ask the seller if you are getting a newer or older model first!

The gimbal, if i were you i would get a Carbon Fiber gimbal guard & an aluminum gimbal saver, i got this Gimbal saver - Gimbal Saver for DJI Phantom 3 Ribbon Cable Protection Fix - its super light & not as expensive as the rest, someone on this forum crashed just the other day, only a few feet like 8-10 feet & the gimbal separated & may have caused damage to the ribbon cable, having that $20 part may have saved him, it may save you too, in the case where you crash & its your fault & DJI wont repair, its better safe then sorry as that part may save your gimbal!

I live in an area where it is very congested, with row homes back to back & everyone has Wifi, and my first few flights i stayed close by, but my most recent ones i made it about 8000 ft with windsurfers & the channel changing config, with still full signal.

 

[moswissa]

As far as your amazon purchase, a few things to keep in mind is who the drone is sold by, not shipped by... i purchased mine from Amazon as well, but Drones Ect. was the seller & amazon was the suppler, make sure whoever you bought from was on DJI's approved distributor list, or DJI will NOT honor your warranty. Also, some sellers are shipping the outdated phantoms with the old style frames & motors, when i got mine from Drones Ect. a week or so ago, i had the newer motors, & the newer body & main board. Just keep in mind there are P3's cracking from stress on the the outdated motors, its a game of chance when ordering, unless you can find a way to ask the seller if you are getting a newer or older model first!

The gimbal, if i were you i would get a Carbon Fiber gimbal guard & an aluminum gimbal saver, i got this Gimbal saver - Gimbal Saver for DJI Phantom 3 Ribbon Cable Protection Fix - its super light & not as expensive as the rest, someone on this forum crashed just the other day, only a few feet like 8-10 feet & the gimbal separated & may have caused damage to the ribbon cable, having that $20 part may have saved him, it may save you too, in the case where you crash & its your fault & DJI wont repair, its better safe then sorry as that part may save your gimbal!

I live in an area where it is very congested, with row homes back to back & everyone has Wifi, and my first few flights i stayed close by, but my most recent ones i made it about 8000 ft with windsurfers & the channel changing config, with still full signal.

Wow thanks for the advice!

I noticed many different sellers, I picked one in Washington called coptershop. They have a really good rating but not sure if they are an authorized seller. I will definitely report back here once I have the quad. Is there anyway of finding out if it's the newest version based on the s/n?

What kind of wind surfer do you have? Is it all aluminum or does it contain plastic? I'm going to buy that for sure. 8000ft is more than I need but wow !

Thanks again

 

[Vanjo Grale]

Wow thanks for the advice!

I noticed many different sellers, I picked one in Washington called coptershop. They have a really good rating but not sure if they are an authorized seller. I will definitely report back here once I have the quad. Is there anyway of finding out if it's the newest version based on the s/n?

What kind of wind surfer do you have? Is it all aluminum or does it contain plastic? I'm going to buy that for sure. 8000ft is more than I need but wow !

Thanks again

I think you have to look at the underside of the motors - but I think you can also tell by larger vents of the new version - ordered it from Drones Etc via Amazon about two weeks ago as well. I have noticed that not all authorized dealers on Amazon are actually listed on the DJI site, but you might want to check before you open your bird's box - definitely worth getting the warranty in effect by buying from an authorized dealer.

I think I'm going to buy that windsurfer mod - I need to go look up the threads on it. Just got a camera cap / gimbal lock off ebay for $20 as the stock one is junk - slips off too easily, actually arrived with the gimbal at a 45 angle out of the box.

 

[Jeriami]

I think you have to look at the underside of the motors - but I think you can also tell by larger vents of the new version - ordered it from Drones Etc via Amazon about two weeks ago as well. I have noticed that not all authorized dealers on Amazon are actually listed on the DJI site, but you might want to check before you open your bird's box - definitely worth getting the warranty in effect by buying from an authorized dealer.

I think I'm going to buy that windsurfer mod - I need to go look up the threads on it. Just got a camera cap / gimbal lock off ebay for $20 as the stock one is junk - slips off too easily, actually arrived with the gimbal at a 45 angle out of the box.

Did you confirm yours is actually the updated version as well? When i ordered from them, my tablet/phone holder was actually malfunctioning out of the box, the bottom which locks it in place is stuck pushed in so nothing will fit in the holder, they shipped me a new one for free.

Wow thanks for the advice!

I noticed many different sellers, I picked one in Washington called coptershop. They have a really good rating but not sure if they are an authorized seller. I will definitely report back here once I have the quad. Is there anyway of finding out if it's the newest version based on the s/n?

What kind of wind surfer do you have? Is it all aluminum or does it contain plastic? I'm going to buy that for sure. 8000ft is more than I need but wow !

Thanks again

I actually made my windsurfer from 2x toilet paper rolls & about 4 layers of silver aluminum foil reflective tape, along with the clear CD spacers (2x clear CD spacers needed for 2x wind surfers), if you do a quick you tube search & search for DiY Windsurfer, you will find a guy who made them from CD casing material & CD spacers, the same rules apply for the toiler paper rolls. If you feel comfortable enough taking on a small project, you will save yourself some money, you can also use aluminum foil & glue, it all works the same, i just happened to have foil tape, which made it easier.

The easiest way to tell if you have the updated version if looking at the top of the motors, look @ a comparison photo in the forum to find out if you have the A version of motors, and a comparison of the old & new body, & see if you have the larger vent holes. There is no need to take off the motors $ look.

Fortunately enough for you, coptershop.com is an authorized seller!

 

[Wibble]

I have far more confidence in my P3 than my p2V+. I fly so much further now - was afraid to let it out of my sight before now I fly it like as if I am on board just using the screen to see where I am going.
20 Satellites on GPS almost all the time - totally different to the P2.

 

[moswissa]

I have far more confidence in my P3 than my p2V+. I fly so much further now - was afraid to let it out of my sight before now I fly it like as if I am on board just using the screen to see where I am going.
20 Satellites on GPS almost all the time - totally different to the P2.

Great! My p2 was a good craft and was reliable but I feel the same way as you do. It never looked over 13 sats.

So let me understand one thing, when you lose FPV video feed, does the live map still function so that you can navigate back ?

 

[moswissa]

Did you confirm yours is actually the updated version as well? When i ordered from them, my tablet/phone holder was actually malfunctioning out of the box, the bottom which locks it in place is stuck pushed in so nothing will fit in the holder, they shipped me a new one for free.


I actually made my windsurfer from 2x toilet paper rolls & about 4 layers of silver aluminum foil reflective tape, along with the clear CD spacers (2x clear CD spacers needed for 2x wind surfers), if you do a quick you tube search & search for DiY Windsurfer, you will find a guy who made them from CD casing material & CD spacers, the same rules apply for the toiler paper rolls. If you feel comfortable enough taking on a small project, you will save yourself some money, you can also use aluminum foil & glue, it all works the same, i just happened to have foil tape, which made it easier.

The easiest way to tell if you have the updated version if looking at the top of the motors, look @ a comparison photo in the forum to find out if you have the A version of motors, and a comparison of the old & new body, & see if you have the larger vent holes. There is no need to take off the motors $ look.

Fortunately enough for you, coptershop.com is an authorized seller!

Awesome! I just emailed them asking them what version it is. I'll have to do research about how the motors look in order to compare the two.

Another question, when I connect my drone to the app, do I just update it from there or will I need to connect it to a computer? I want to make sure the controller is up to date as well.

And does the phantom start in NAZA M mode or do you have to activate it just like the p2? Thanks

 

[Jeriami]

Awesome! I just emailed them asking them what version it is. I'll have to do research about how the motors look in order to compare the two.

Another question, when I connect my drone to the app, do I just update it from there or will I need to connect it to a computer? I want to make sure the controller is up to date as well.

And does the phantom start in NAZA M mode or do you have to activate it just like the p2? Thanks

The P3 will start in P-GPS mode (what you want it in), also beginner mode will be on, & distance & height will be limited, change these as you feel comfortable with the copter, you will have to calibrate compass, and check/calibrate IMU if needed (check first), & calibrate gimbal.

The controller can be updated from your phone, the copter you will need to remove the SD, connect it to PC & upload the file to the root of the SD (unzip first), start the copter & wait in least a half hour, probably don't need to wait this long but i do just in case), once done turn off copter, put in spare battery if you have one, if you don't have another battery after update turn off copter, remove SD & delete the update file from SD, all done!

 

[Vanjo Grale]

Did you confirm yours is actually the updated version as well? When i ordered from them, my tablet/phone holder was actually malfunctioning out of the box, the bottom which locks it in place is stuck pushed in so nothing will fit in the holder, they shipped me a new one for free.

Nope, old version, at least the motors are. I knew I should have waited another week!