I'm sorry to say, but,
- Thread starter TheLightSpeedz
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Well it took a while to get though all of the posts in this string and based on the posts I consider credible, that is and for instance dirty birds not light speedz (facts over feelings when it comes to spending $1k +) I'm going to wait on selling my p3a and "upgrading" to a p4. I fly over water more often than not so flight time is very important to me, more so than image quality or range since I often have to reduce the resolution of the videos I upload to you tube and I rarely fly more than 1,000 feet away.
I've had a p1, p2v and now a p3a. The p4 has some nice advanced flight modes that I would like to have when I'm boating but it does feel like I would be getting less (battery) performance at a higher cost than the p3a. Paying more to downgrade just doesn't make any sense too me. If I was buying my first phantom it would be a p4 but I'm not so I will stick with the p3a at least or until dji works out the "bugs" in the p4.
By the way I'm no rookie to rc helis, I started flying nitro powered thunder tiger raptors over 12 years ago and was just getting into acrobatic (fast 3d, backward and sometimes inverted) flight when I got out of the hobby. From that perspective all phantoms are revolutionary helis especially considering that the most advanced electronics on the older rc helis was a gyroscope. Hands free hovering was almost unheard at that time.
I've had a p1, p2v and now a p3a. The p4 has some nice advanced flight modes that I would like to have when I'm boating but it does feel like I would be getting less (battery) performance at a higher cost than the p3a. Paying more to downgrade just doesn't make any sense too me. If I was buying my first phantom it would be a p4 but I'm not so I will stick with the p3a at least or until dji works out the "bugs" in the p4.
By the way I'm no rookie to rc helis, I started flying nitro powered thunder tiger raptors over 12 years ago and was just getting into acrobatic (fast 3d, backward and sometimes inverted) flight when I got out of the hobby. From that perspective all phantoms are revolutionary helis especially considering that the most advanced electronics on the older rc helis was a gyroscope. Hands free hovering was almost unheard at that time.
Its a glitch in the app incorrectly reporting kph. Your speed is actually 50.08mph.
So today it was pretty breezy 80.6 MPH
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I have flown 6 times total on 3 batteries... Shortest time was 20 minutes with nearly 40% battery left and longest was 26 minutes with 2% left. I'm a beginner pilot and haven't ever flown any other Phantoms. From what I read though I don't think any previous generations flew for that amount of time in stock form.
I may be an anomaly but I'll bet there will be many that get similar flight times or better. May be issue with battery or perhaps inaccurate software? I'll be interested to find out.
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I for one will not buy a P4. All the problems with flight times and battery times. I'll keep my money.
John
John
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This argument over what's better, the P4 or P3 is stale... Fly what you like, film with what you like... but seriously, this has got to stop. This forum is being reduced to a bunch of sad whiny old men.
I liked visiting this forum when there was useful info, tips and some sick videos / pics. Every time I visit it's the same sh!t. P4 range sucks, P3 battery is better, DJI is screwing us...
I liked visiting this forum when there was useful info, tips and some sick videos / pics. Every time I visit it's the same sh!t. P4 range sucks, P3 battery is better, DJI is screwing us...
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Good for you, who cares. Now please stay in the P3 discussion and let us P4 users talk like grown ups.
I would venture to say that the flight time was achieved within a circle of 200 meters and maybe even with the sensors on. With the sensors on the craft is limited to 10 meters per second or 22 mph, there are far lesser demands on the motors to increase RPM to maintain altitude. Throw in a couple of shorty, max 300 yards sustained, sport mode runs and voilà, there are your 20 minutes.
Now in my case, the nature of the flight is different. Take off from my house, P mode sensors off, get it up to 400 feet high and head straight for a massive miuntain about 1500 feet away. Then upon reaching it (Phantom never stopping once) begin the climb again to clear the huge pine trees. Keep climbing as I I go up and keep flying above the pines. And keep flying. Battery hits the H on the app, start the full forward speed, full descent back into the valley. Hand catch at anywhere from 25 to 30 percent battery left. With the phantom 3 I had a 13 to 16 minute flight. Phantom 4 gives me the exact same. Maybe a minute less. Though the distances are less due to the phantom 4's limited light bridge capabilities.
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I'm not sure how to post logs but here is a screen shot of my last 3 flights...
As I said, I'm a new flyer and was flying in beginner mode while familiarizing myself with controls etc. I was trying out active track, tap fly and RTH as well. Had my cousin and stepson flying some of the time as well.
Bird was in the air continuously during these flight with 10-15mph steady winds
Two of the flights I landed as soon as it hit 30% battery and one flight soon after it hit 40%. Was it 39 or 38? 37 or 35? Don't know because I was having fun and not paying that much attention. I'll start keeping better track from now on especially as I start using more of the performance available in what I think is an awesome machine.
Brian
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13-16 minutes to 30%, your flight sounds fine. But "20 minutes with 40% left" sounds a little out of the norm. Hence my request for the flight logs to verify the statement.
I just did a battery test the other day. P-mode, CA off, hovered directly above the launch point @ 6-8' with minimal stick input. 24:35 to 0%. Again this was just hovering gong nowhere.
I just did a battery test the other day. P-mode, CA off, hovered directly above the launch point @ 6-8' with minimal stick input. 24:35 to 0%. Again this was just hovering gong nowhere.
First drone... First post. 3rd real flight... I think it had 23 percent left?
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I think a phantom 3 would have gotten the same times as those folks flights up there. My flights, phantom 3 and 4, average about 7 or 8 kilometers total flight mileage. There is a lot faster battery use in that nature of flying. Hence, 13-16 minutes on the phantom 3 and the exact same on the 4. But maybe, just maybe, in slow, not too much distance flying, the phantom 4 might put out better numbers. By maybe a minute or two. One thing I've noticed is that P mode on my phantom 3 gave me an average of 15 meters per second. Plus or minus one meter. Atti yielded 17. 17, plus or minus 1 is what my phantom 4 is averaging in P mode. S is about 20-21. So P mode might be working the motors more on the phantom 4 than the 3. Unless the sensors are on. But with them off, the extra speed might be using up any extra time we would have had at 15 meters per second or 33 mph instead of the solid 38mph P mode puts out on the 4. Of course, that's my bird. Who knows what others are getting.
UPDATE:
Today I went back to the same spot with my P3P -GL300A craft and ran identical route in this rural area. I got past 12,000 with windsurfer installed, and I never dropped a bar or had a glitch in the video feed. I had to turn around because I was running up against a mountain, and I was downwind of about a 5mph breeze or less. So I have finally concluded like others that the P4 Lightbridge is crippled. It's definitely falls short of 50% of my P3P distance under the same circumstances, as I estimated last week. I'm very disappointed in the detuning of Lightbridge. I can live with the battery disappointment, but the range is a major problem for what I need to do. I really wished I bought mine at Apple, I'd be returning it tomorrow. I'll have to take a loss if I sell it. I'll likely wait a month to see what happens from DJI before I try to sell it. Something's definitely wrong with this bird.
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It's what we are all saying, the Phantom 4's range sucks period. DJI screwed us royally. They advertised the same range as phantom 3 advanced and pro and it is not. And not by a hair either. For me to get blackouts at 800 meters at one point today is something I haven't seen since my phantom 2 vision plus days. Nah folks, we spent a lot of money here. We must raise hell. If we hadn't raised hell about the cracked shells DJI would have never started replacing them for free.
I want to test the range with mine. I'm just a little nervous to do so.
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Many are. Don't worry about it. Take off only after making sure you have home lock. Once you have it, take off and go. I suggest flying between 300 and 400 feet. No less. This way you will clear any obstructions on an automated return to home. Push it straight out. Once the FPV cuts out, press the return to home button and keep your radio pointed in the same direction. FPV will come back on your screen. But you don't even have to go that far before you start seeing signs that it's going to go. Believe me, you'll know. On the phantom 3 things are generally pretty solid on the screen until the end. Not on the phantom 4. That thing's FPV starts sputtering sometimes as early as 1200 meters.
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1260 ft is the best i managed. I was standing in my driveway. Surrounded by houses. I'm assuming in an open field, it would be much better.
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