I'm currently in Switzerland, I just arrived a few days ago from the UK. I brought my P3 along in the hopes of getting some good footage. The P3 hasn't let me down. Even at 3000m on the side of a mountain, it flew without skipping a beat - I have only done one compass calibration since I got here, and yet it's fine at different altitudes and areas!
But, despite impressing me, the P3 itself is not what I'm reviewing. The DJI hardshell backpack is what really surprised me.
First of all was the airline flight. Everything packed in nicely, and was a snug fit, which gave me confidence that it would protect against impacts and vibrations. No trouble storing in the overhead compartment, and no trouble from security.
Next was travelling/walking around with it. It was very comfortable, and the chest strap was a welcome addition. The outer foam on the back is positioned in such a way so as to allow air to circulate over your back, keeping you cooler. The straps are padded adequately.
Next, I intended to go up a mountain, Klein Matterhorn, and get some footage. It's about 4000m up, with a fantastic view. However, when we reached the summit (by gondola), we discovered the weather was extremely poor. I never intended to bring my poor, fragile Phantom to this hostile environment. It was about -5C, add in the wind chill factor of 120km/h winds and thick snow, bringing it to an estimated -15C (5F). The wind was so strong that the snow actually hurt as it hit your face. It was incredible - you could hardly see 10 steps in front of you! Here's an image of me looking at my phone, wearing the hardshell backpack:
As you can see, not exactly good flying weather. However, not being able to fly was not my biggest concern - I was more worried that the batteries would be getting too cold, and that the snow would melt and penetrate the backpack, leaking all over my gear. For this reason, I didn't stay in that particular area for long - maybe 20 minutes in total, with a further hour of exposure to cold but not windy environments in the rest of my mountain trip. However, when I returned to the gondola, I discovered my batteries were actually room temperature, having been insulated from the cold all this time by the foam in the backpack. In addition, no water had leaked through the seams, keeping my stuff perfectly dry.
On the way back, we got caught in heavy rain for about 15-20 minutes. Despite being drenched by the time I returned, not a single drop of water had penetrated the case.
Today, I took the P3 in my backpack while mountain biking - no bad weather this time, but I was worried the vibrations and the constant jostling would be a problem. I needn't have worried - I opened the case when I got back to the hotel and to my delight, everything is in working order.
Very happy with the case, it's certainly dealt with far more than I intended or wanted to expose it to. In summary, I've tested it in: planes, general walking/travelling, heavy wind + snow, cold weather, heavy rain, and lots of vibrations/jostling. It passed every test in my humble opinion. Of course, do your own research before travelling to a hostile environment. I doubt this case is entirely waterproof, for example. But, it's an excellent protector from the occasional bit of bad weather!
But, despite impressing me, the P3 itself is not what I'm reviewing. The DJI hardshell backpack is what really surprised me.
First of all was the airline flight. Everything packed in nicely, and was a snug fit, which gave me confidence that it would protect against impacts and vibrations. No trouble storing in the overhead compartment, and no trouble from security.
Next was travelling/walking around with it. It was very comfortable, and the chest strap was a welcome addition. The outer foam on the back is positioned in such a way so as to allow air to circulate over your back, keeping you cooler. The straps are padded adequately.
Next, I intended to go up a mountain, Klein Matterhorn, and get some footage. It's about 4000m up, with a fantastic view. However, when we reached the summit (by gondola), we discovered the weather was extremely poor. I never intended to bring my poor, fragile Phantom to this hostile environment. It was about -5C, add in the wind chill factor of 120km/h winds and thick snow, bringing it to an estimated -15C (5F). The wind was so strong that the snow actually hurt as it hit your face. It was incredible - you could hardly see 10 steps in front of you! Here's an image of me looking at my phone, wearing the hardshell backpack:
As you can see, not exactly good flying weather. However, not being able to fly was not my biggest concern - I was more worried that the batteries would be getting too cold, and that the snow would melt and penetrate the backpack, leaking all over my gear. For this reason, I didn't stay in that particular area for long - maybe 20 minutes in total, with a further hour of exposure to cold but not windy environments in the rest of my mountain trip. However, when I returned to the gondola, I discovered my batteries were actually room temperature, having been insulated from the cold all this time by the foam in the backpack. In addition, no water had leaked through the seams, keeping my stuff perfectly dry.
On the way back, we got caught in heavy rain for about 15-20 minutes. Despite being drenched by the time I returned, not a single drop of water had penetrated the case.
Today, I took the P3 in my backpack while mountain biking - no bad weather this time, but I was worried the vibrations and the constant jostling would be a problem. I needn't have worried - I opened the case when I got back to the hotel and to my delight, everything is in working order.
Very happy with the case, it's certainly dealt with far more than I intended or wanted to expose it to. In summary, I've tested it in: planes, general walking/travelling, heavy wind + snow, cold weather, heavy rain, and lots of vibrations/jostling. It passed every test in my humble opinion. Of course, do your own research before travelling to a hostile environment. I doubt this case is entirely waterproof, for example. But, it's an excellent protector from the occasional bit of bad weather!
