Is a Phantom 4 Pro my best choice?

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Hi everyone

I've managed to secure some funds from work to purchase a quadcopter - enough for either a P4P or an Inspire 1 (V2) - plus PfCO training.

I work in nature conservation and the intention is to utilise it to acquire data to assist in my work. I've utilised fixed wing UAVs a fair bit in the last few years, mainly for aerial survey in RGB and NIR, with the data ending up within ArcMap.

I'm hoping to have access to AgiSoft Photoscan for post-processing and I'm hoping my choice of quadcopter will allow me to capture images which can be used to create orthomosaics and individual geo-referenced images; again for use in ArcMap. I'd also be hoping to use it to acquire images of breeding bird nest density in colonies without disturbing the species involved. From reading around a bit it would appear that the P4P has better optics than the I1, and also possesses more up to date attributes to assist with flying and obstacle avoidance.

My main concern, however, is that sometimes I'll be operating over cliffs, inland and estuarine waters, and areas that may generate increased wind speeds or gusts. I don't have any figures but I've been led to believe the I1 can operate in much higher wind speeds than the P4P? My dilemma therefore is whether I go for better optics or performance.

I appreciate that this is a P4P forum but it looks like quite a number of people own I1s too so I'm hoping someone with hands-on experience can pass on some advice. If anyone out there utilises them for conservation I'd be especially happy to make your acquaintance!

Thanks in advance

Bob
 
From reading around a bit it would appear that the P4P has better optics than the I1, and also possesses more up to date attributes to assist with flying and obstacle avoidance.

My main concern, however, is that sometimes I'll be operating over cliffs, inland and estuarine waters, and areas that may generate increased wind speeds or gusts. I don't have any figures but I've been led to believe the I1 can operate in much higher wind speeds than the P4P? My dilemma therefore is whether I go for better optics or performance.

Welcome, Bob.
Both the Inspire 1 and Phantom 4 Pro airframes are excellent. The P4P has closed the big gap that used to exist with the Inspire and P3 in regards to operating in wind. I've been flying my P4P in higher winds daily and it performs MUCH better than my P3P ever did. The Inspire 1 will handle a little more wind, but not as well as you might think. Above a certain MPH, especially with gusting conditions, ALL airframes will be tossed around enough to ruin footage. How that affects your operations is a decision you will have to make, but I can share that the small advantage of the Inspire 1 in this category is offset by other important considerations -
  1. Portability - The P4P will be MUCH easier for you to operate on a daily basis based on size and all of the extra necessities you will need to move from one launch location to the next. The Inspire 1 is an awesome bird, but I know of many that are leaving them sit on their shelves collecting dust as they opt for the P4P. Lugging around the I-1 case with batteries, etc versus the P4P is night and day.
  2. Optics - You will need to invest in an Inspire 1 Pro with the X-5 camera to compare to the P4P in imagery output. I'm not going to spend much time on this topic because it's been thoroughly hashed over many times. The cost comparison today makes this a tough decision. The stock X-3 camera falls short. Then you have to consider the amount of money tied-up in the equipment that you're putting in the air.
  3. Maneuverability - hands down, the Phantom is the go to choice when operating in tight conditions (dense forests or tree cover, obstacles, etc.) In this case, smaller IS better and the Phantom shines. The Inspire 1 is simply a bigger bird with larger mass. Yes, it provides more power, but that does not replace being nimble when it counts.
Ultimately, the decision is yours to make. These are just a few of the major things to compare in the process. For what you sound to be doing and the budget you seem to have, the P4P is my recommendation.
 
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DJI rates the wind resistance at 10m/sec on both P4P and Inspire 1, but given the bigger aircraft the Inspire 1 will most likely be more stable in high winds. But don't forget about the flight time. Inspire 1 will manage 15-18 min with the X3 and the P4P about 25-28 min. Thats a important factor if you plan to use it for mapping.
 
I know little about the Inspire options for camera and lens, but the P4P probably won't get you close enough for detail shots of bird nesting without disturbing the birds...IMHO.
 
Hi all again

First - thank you for your answers thus far - this is exactly the kind of information gained from experience I was hoping for. I appreciate you all taking the time to set out some good points for consideration.

All in all I think I will go for the P4P - now I've just got to figure out a tablet to match it with and which software to get to fly it!

I have seen a report of a Phantom being used to count gull nests on an estuary in the north of England so it is possible that the small size of it and the height flown (390 ft) means disturbance is low - certainly the images in the report appear to be sitting birds. I intend to follow this up first though before attempting this myself (as I'm meant to be looking after them rather than driving them away!)

Thanks again

Bob
 

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