P3A/P - is our range crippled now??

Guy bb · Jan 4, 2016

With the release of P3-4K I noticed a change in the specs of the p3a/p on bhphoto. It now states up to 1.2m or 2km. Very very strange. Note specs have not changed on dji site however I couldn't find the specs for the 4k model there so maybe it hasn't updated yet.
Is this the first sign were going to see a firmware range limit soon?

fstoplabs · Jan 4, 2016

There are 4 versions phantom 3, DJI - The World Leader in Camera Drones/Quadcopters for Aerial Photography

Phantom 4k is another line in itself, its a 4k camera on a standard body/electronics/wifi.

Pro/adv will still have lightbridge.

phantomized · Jan 4, 2016

I doubt it. And I certainly hope not, what would be the point to that?

Guy bb · Jan 4, 2016

fstoplabs said:
There are 4 versions phantom 3, DJI - The World Leader in Camera Drones/Quadcopters for Aerial Photography

Phantom 4k is another line in itself, its a 4k camera on a standard body/electronics/wifi.

Pro/adv will still have lightbridge.

True, still lightbridge but for some reason the range is stated as lower now (on bhphoto St least). I agree it doesn't make a lot of sense with the p34k range stated also at 3900' .

RadRich · Jan 4, 2016

I would go by DJI's spec page, not a 3rd party retailer.

DJI spec page for the P3P states:

Max Distance Up to 5 km or 3.1 miles (unobstructed, free of interference) when FCC compliant
Up to 3.5 km or 2.1 miles (unobstructed, free of interference) when CE compliant
Phantom 3 Professional - Specs, FAQ, Tutorials, Downloads and DJI GO | DJI

Meta4 · Jan 4, 2016

Guy bb said:
With the release of P3-4K I noticed a change in the specs of the p3a/p on bhphoto. It now states up to 1.2m or 2km. Very very strange. Note specs have not changed on dji site however I couldn't find the specs for the 4k model there so maybe it hasn't updated yet.
Is this the first sign were going to see a firmware range limit soon?

No your range it isn't crippled now.
Until about 2 months ago DJI showed much more modest operating range specs but they finally got around to updating those to the kind of numbers that the P3 can achieve.
BHPhoto are still using the same text that they've had since the P3 was released.
They have thousands of inventory items and can't be expected to update specs whenever manufacturers do.

Mako79 · Jan 4, 2016

fstoplabs said:
There are 4 versions phantom 3, DJI - The World Leader in Camera Drones/Quadcopters for Aerial Photography

Phantom 4k is another line in itself, its a 4k camera on a standard body/electronics/wifi.

Pro/adv will still have lightbridge.

Wow.
Didn't realise DJI added another line.
So it ranks from highest to lowest..

Pro (FPV up to 10mbs @ HD 720p/5km range/Sony/VPS)
Adv (FPV up to 2mbs @ HD 720p/5km range/Sony/VPS)
4K (FPV up to 2mbs @ SD 480p/1.2km range/Sony/VPS)
STD (FPV up to 2mbs @ HD 720/1km range/Panasonic/ NO VPS)

Funny thing is that the 4K weighs (1280g) the same as the Pro/Adv and yet the 4K has longer flight times of an additional 2 minutes. I wonder if the 4k has newer propulsion??

fstoplabs · Jan 4, 2016

Mako79 said:
Wow.
Didn't realise DJI added another line.
So it ranks from highest to lowest..

Pro (FPV up to 10mbs @ HD 720p/5km range/Sony/VPS)
Adv (FPV up to 2mbs @ HD 720p/5km range/Sony/VPS)
4K (FPV up to 2mbs @ SD 480p/1.2km range/Sony/VPS)
STD (FPV up to 2mbs @ HD 720/1km range/Panasonic/ NO VPS)

Funny thing is that the 4K weighs (1280g) the same as the Pro/Adv and yet the 4K has longer flight times of an additional 2 minutes. I wonder if the 4k has newer propulsion??

Probably no lightbridge, wifi only, SD480 means a lot less processing power, difference ASIC perhaps.

Phantomfreak · Jan 4, 2016

Maybe DJI's attempt to gradually phase Lightbrige out of the Phantom line and exclusive to the Inspire? Then replace it with this improved WiFi instead.. After all the P3P does almost everything the Inspire does at 1/3 the price.. Maybe DJI wants to differentiate between the two more. Or maybe just switch to lower power consuming Wifi to get a 25 flight time. But personally I would rather have double the range than an extra 2 minutes flight time.

Meta4 · Jan 4, 2016

Phantomfreak said:
Maybe DJI's attempt to gradually phase Lightbrige out of the Phantom line and exclusive to the Inspire? Then replace it with this improved WiFi instead.
After all the P3P does almost everything the Inspire does at 1/3 the price.. Maybe DJI wants to differentiate between the two more. Or maybe just switch to lower power consuming Wifi to get a 25 flight time.

That's beyond unlikely.
It's just a new model in the lineup to snag even more buyers.

kphantom · Jan 4, 2016

Mako79 said:
Wow.
Didn't realise DJI added another line.
So it ranks from highest to lowest..

Pro (FPV up to 10mbs @ HD 720p/5km range/Sony/VPS)
Adv (FPV up to 2mbs @ HD 720p/5km range/Sony/VPS)
4K (FPV up to 2mbs @ SD 480p/1.2km range/Sony/VPS)
STD (FPV up to 2mbs @ HD 720/1km range/Panasonic/ NO VPS)

Funny thing is that the 4K weighs (1280g) the same as the Pro/Adv and yet the 4K has longer flight times of an additional 2 minutes. I wonder if the 4k has newer propulsion??

It doesn't have the Lightbridge. The radio takes power to get longer distance links that work.

Mako79 · Jan 4, 2016

kphantom said:
It doesn't have the Lightbridge. The radio takes power to get longer distance links that work.

I think DJI have made a mistake with the flight times. It should read 23min for the 4K and NOT 25 as stated.
As a guestimate, the only reason why the P3 Standard is lighter is that it does not have the VPS module installed and hence the extra 2 minutes. All other 3 have VPS and therefore the weight should be the same.

aka1ceman · Jan 4, 2016

Meta4 said:
No your range it isn't crippled now.
Until about 2 months ago DJI showed much more modest operating range specs but they finally got around to updating those to the kind of numbers that the P3 can achieve.
BHPhoto are still using the same text that they've had since the P3 was released.
They have thousands of inventory items and can't be expected to update specs whenever manufacturers do.

Really? well maybe range were not sure yet, but altitude is for sure. compared to the Pro, 120m from launch instead of 500m?

Meta4 · Jan 5, 2016

aka1ceman said:
Really? well maybe range were not sure yet, but altitude is for sure. compared to the Pro, 120m from launch instead of 500m?

Yes really. Just the same as the Pro and Advanced.
You need to check your facts occasionally

aka1ceman · Jan 5, 2016

Meta4 said:
Yes really. Just the same as the Pro and Advanced.
You need to check your facts occasionally

Facts are 4k is less altitude at 120m while Pro is 500m. Fact is that this cripples the altitude which is distance. Since when is more than 50% reduction not crippling? ?

Meta4 · Jan 5, 2016

aka1ceman said:
Facts are 4k is less altitude at 120m while Pro is 500m. Fact is that this cripples the altitude which is distance. Since when is more than 50% reduction not crippling? ?

No, that's just not true.
The Standard and the new 4K wifi Phantoms have the same altitude range as the Advanced and Pro
ie. They can fly 500 metres above home point

aka1ceman · Jan 5, 2016

Meta4 said:
No, that's just not true.
The Standard and the new 4K wifi Phantoms have the same altitude range as the Advanced and Pro
ie. They can fly 500 metres above home point

No it doesnt have lightbridge, but they didnt put this into print before. Now They actually put it into print so guys like you later can say, "See, DJI never said more than 400ft altitude"

fvader · Jan 5, 2016

Meta4 said:
No, that's just not true.
The Standard and the new 4K wifi Phantoms have the same altitude range as the Advanced and Pro
ie. They can fly 500 metres above home point

if you look at the spec sheet on the 4k wifi it says it's limited to 120m
where as the adv/pro is not.

aka1ceman · Jan 5, 2016

Meta4 said:
No, that's just not true.
The Standard and the new 4K wifi Phantoms have the same altitude range as the Advanced and Pro
ie. They can fly 500 metres above home point

Denial is a sad disease.

Meta4 · Jan 5, 2016

fvader said:
if you look at the spec sheet on the 4k wifi it says it's limited to 120m
where as the adv/pro is not.

aka1ceman said:
Really? well maybe range were not sure yet, but altitude is for sure. compared to the Pro, 120m from launch instead of 500m?

Thankyou for pointing out the spec sheet wording to me.
If you'd read what I wrote you would realise that I am fully aware of the wording there.
If you compared the actual performance that real Standard achieves instead of repeating the badly worded specs over and over you might get closer to making sense.

aka1ceman said:
Denial is a sad disease.

What's really sad is someone who either through ignorance or malice continually distorts facts even when they are pointed out clearly.
As is so often the case AKA, you have no idea what you are on about.
Check your facts instead of making them up to suit your twisted views from the fact-free zone you inhabit.
The Standard and the new 4K wifi Phantoms have the same altitude range as the Advanced and Pro
ie. They can fly up to 500 metres above home point