New Member Introduction

[Noble 1]

Hello my name is Chris. I am so glad I found you guys. This is a great forum.

I am really looking forward to meeting you all and sticking around for the next several years. This is my new home and I feel really comfortable here already.

A little about myself:
I am graduating medical school in 3 months and will be a doctor starting internship at that time. I work hard and play harder. RC tech and FPV is my hobby of choice and I like to do extreme sports... all of them. Unfortunately medical school is expensive (like $250k) and I am in debt but I still need to have fun to dissipate some of that anxiety and stress in my free time...

I am an extreme sports enthusiast and have always been fascinated by aerial photography and videography and have struggled for decades to find reliable platforms and camera men for action shots. I am planning to buy a reliable platform at discount/used price and I think DJI P3P is basically the most up to date and reliable platform with the best forums and 3rd party support. If you guys have advice or have a setup you want to sell pm me pics and a price and I'll get back to you right away. I plan to pull the trigger and dump $ this weekend. I am taking my son to the mountain and I would like to record him and make him a movie. My other drone's gimbal (DYS alexmos) just died so I need something soon.

I hope to hear from you soon! Feel free to PM me or tell me anything you like, even if its a "DJI is best!" like it!

Chris

This is my home mountainMT ASHLAND, OR

 

[msinger]

Welcome to Phantom Pilots! There are some pretty good P3P deals on Amazon right now. Amazon also has fast shipping, is tax-free for most people, and has a 30-day money back guarantee when you buy Amazon Prime items. It's a great place to buy from when the price is right.

 

[Noble 1]

Thanks! Are you recommending I not buy used from a member here?

 

[msinger]

Ah, well, if you want to go used, then certainly check out the classified section here.

 

[jryser]

Welcome Noble 1! Unfortunately u will likely spend a few bucks but in our field having fun keeps us fresh! I specialize in pain and addiction. THIS hobby is indeed addictive and sometimes a pain, but there are some awesome people here that have helped me many times. Best of luck and we look forward to seeing your videos!


Sent from my PT beating heart

 

[Noble 1]

Is there a huge difference between used and new? All I can tell is 1.) new is new with warranty and less risk of dud 2.) replacement if failure. In m experience the discount on Used is usually greater than the risk of a failure... just my 2 cents. I am super careful with my toys and also am a sucker for extended warranty which NEVER get used... lol... How many charges do you get out of a stock OEM p3p battery before it needs to be replaced? Theres a great deal on a used P3P with extra batteries but they all have 25 charges on them... seems like they might be worn out even if they still charge 100%?

 

[jryser]

The lipos are claimed to go up to 200+ charges. Many folks are going to baby theirs and some will abuse them! Some may have accidents or move to another bird. Personally I have bought both of mine new. Crashed one into a pond and had it repaired. Oddly that one is my main bird and I've had well over 100 flights on it.


Sent from my PT beating heart

 

[msinger]

Is there a huge difference between used and new?

It depends what the previous owner did with the Phantom. If you trust the seller, then go for it.

 

[Noble 1]

Thanks Msinger and Jryser. I haven't found a forum this nice before. Its a bit of a new experience. Very nice members and user friendly. I understand I'll be spending some serious $ but its better than gambling and better than fueling addiction with drugs or some other mind numbing waste of resources. I'm looking for a P3P with upgrades like the dbs range mod, extra batteries, case/backpack, etc...

SSE sells this on amazon new P3P with ups for 1550.
of note: 2 extra batteries, a new backpack, a "multibattery charging board" (for 3x bat)
oem batteries are 150 new = 300
mannfroto backpack = 200
charging board??? = $50ish?
So thats a deal right?


Amazon.com : DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter w/ 4K Camera, 3-Axis Gimbal & Manufacturer Accessories + 2 Extra DJI Batteries + Manfrotto MB BP-D1 DJI Professional Video Equipment Cases Drone Backpack + MORE : Camera & Photo
Additional Accessories Include:
2 Intelligent Flight Batteries
Multi-Battery Charging Board for DJI Phantom 3
Manfrotto MB BP-D1 DJI Professional Video Equipment Cases Drone Backpack
SanDisk Extreme 32GB UHS-I/U3 Micro SDHC Memory Card
SSE Quick-Release Snap On/Off Prop Guards (Set of 4)
SSE Transmitter Lanyard
Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

 

[msinger]

Yep. That's not a bad deal.

 

[Noble 1]

My alternative is this guy: FLytod asking $1100 shipped for P3P plus 3 battery plus extra carbon fiber props and will include the original box within a box. Seems like a deal! But this member only has 5 posts and who knows who he really is? And i still need a case and a backpack and want a DBS range mod. If I buy this used I can add a backpack for around $100 and a range mod $100 and get all this stuff together for around 1300. Not bad deal? (versus new gonna cost me 1550 plus the $100 mod and a $100 case = 1750. Is new worth $400?

Phantom 3 Pro for sale | DJI Phantom Forum

PM:
Hi Chris,

I purchased September 9, 2015 through Camrise, who is authorized retailer. My understanding is warranty is good for one year.
I have updated firmware, but have not updated the very latest version. I was going to allow someone to decide for themselves. If you want it updated, very easy to do.
The ribbed motor arms were a stronger version of the original design, the plastic under the motor is ribbed for strength. I would search the forum, more people know more about it than I do.
I have three batteries with about 18-22 flights each, so about 60 flights. Not sure how that converts to hours.
Its not the original version, but it DOESN'T have the new motors, but DOES have the ribbed motor frame improvement, larger vents, etc.
It's actually a remote upgrade, the plastic holder is replaced with the Inspire metal mount holder(part that holds iPad). No other mods to remote controller.
It's original 8GB card, they are inexpensive.
Prop guards attached with screws provided, DJI prop guards.

Hope this helps!!

Thanks,

Todd

 

[normr]

Best Buy has DJI Phantom 3 batteries on sale for $124.99 with free shipping, you can also buy them in the store


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[Noble 1]

Thank you very much Normr!!!

 

[Noble 1]

Best buy also has a sweet backpack, I think it looks 100x better than competition and will fit the P3P without removing props. I don't know if that is recommended or not. Any advice on that issue with props?

 

[msinger]

will fit the P3P without removing props. I don't know if that is recommended or not

Should be fine as long as you can guarantee nothing is going to apply pressure to the props in storage. That might be tough to do with a backpack.

It's usually safest to remove them after flying. It'll also save you time since you'll want to remove them in order to fully inspect the inside of the hubs for damage before each flight.

 

[Noble 1]

amazon prime has the lopro cs 400 backpack for $20 less... looks like the only benefit of bestbuy at this point is the sale on P3P oem batteries.

DroneGuard CS 400 Camera bags, backpacks and rolling cases
Amazon.com : Lowepro DroneGuard CS 400 Quadcopter Drone Protective Case : Camera & Photo