P3P or 3DR Solo? What's the main difference?

[Tony Perry]

It's a totally different sound. I built a Y6 based on the RCTimer Tri-Trooper 750mm. Its spinning 14" props and that thing mostly sounds like a gentle breeze compared to the P3. The Y6 is a LOT faster than than the P3, but the P3 is more fun to fly due to better agility.

 

[John Locke]

Don't forget, you can't buy a no-fisheye camera from GoPro. You have to go to Peau Productions for that. In addition, the customer service at 3DR isn't so great anymore. Just read what people are saying in the 3DR forum. Poor performance, unreliable gimbal and total cost of a Solo with GoPro is expensive, way more than a P4. With the P4 coming next week, I see no way for 3DR to catch up anytime soon. They seem to be moving very slow with their development. It's a sad story of the inability of US engineers failing to execute innovation as well as the Chinese. It's not even a horse race. Embarrassing.

 

[PrecisionAeroworks]

Well, SOLO can do this now. If you've got the money. About the same price as full-blown Pix4dMapper.

Site Scan ™ - 3DR

 

[Tony Perry]

I can't figure out exactly what they are selling there. Is it any different from the multitude of other mapping services available for use with any drone that can run waypoints?

 

[PrecisionAeroworks]

I added the video. Similar to Pix4d, it seems.

 

[Tony Perry]

I added the video. Similar to Pix4d, it seems.

Ahh ok. Pretty cool stuff right there.

 

[PrecisionAeroworks]

What is shown is possible with a P3 using something like DJI Map Pilot (iOS) and Pix4dMapper. I do it all the time. I also use a 3DR Iris+ with a couple of modified GoPros. The P3 is good enough that I haven't felt the need to upgrade my Iris to the SOLO.

It should also be noted that you can set up automated survey grids for the SOLO with the 3DR tower app (free), and process those with the service or software of your choice.

I can see that integration into Autodesk products could be a real selling point for some. I've previously had to use dedicated GIS software like QGIS to convert Pix4D's outputs into formats usable by something like Autodesk Civil 3D.