P3P owner in need to be talked in to a P4

[phantom3menace]

I have a P3P that flys great but something has me itching for a P4. I bought my P3P roughly 10 days ago so I'm well within my return period at Best Buy. The two main things that attract me from the P4 is the active track feature and (this might sound dumb but its) the included carrying case. I hear some people say the P4 doesn't have the same range as the P3Ps do but that's not a deal breaker for me. I can barely get to 2800' before my signal goes out. I don't know if it's because I fly in a somewhat RF interfered area with a good amount of trees even though I always fly high enough to be above the trees.

So someone convince me to spend the extra $400 on a P4 to help me make up my mind.

 

[msinger]

Per DJI's specs, the P3P and P4 have the same range.

 

[phantom3menace]

Per DJI's specs, the P3P and P4 have the same range.

Yeah, I know that DJI makes that claim but I've seen many posts on this forum that beg to differ. I'm hoping I can hear from people that have (or had) both that can comment on real life experience.

 

[msinger]

And, other people beg to differ with those that are begging to differ

I don't do any kind of long distance flying, but I haven't noticed a different in range when flying my P3P and P4.

 

[JWarren]

I went out over 10,000 ft with a windsurfer and my P4 without any signal loss or weakness at all. I know that's nothing to a lot of guys, but coming from a PV2+ 2 years ago that would only go 1500 on a good day, that is quite a feeling to me.

 

[Jeremiah Nelson]

Yeah, I know that DJI makes that claim but I've seen many posts on this forum that beg to differ. I'm hoping I can hear from people that have (or had) both that can comment on real life experience.

Better rang with the p4

 

[Tripc]

P4 all day long. Built better, flies better, more features etc. Etc. P3 is great but not P4

 

[John Locke]

Per DJI's specs, the P3P and P4 have the same range.

DJI specs also says 28min flight time. Don't believe DJI, it's simply not true. The P4 doesn't goes as far as P3P in stock form, reliably. And I have confirmed why, the RC for the P4 is the weakest radio DJI has produced.
If I was you I'd wait for P5 next year and cross your fingers. I have both P3P and P4, I fly the P3P the most because I trust it, and it behaves better IMO. As for the case, it's Styrofoam! Spend $40 and you can have a Chinese Cheapy that holds more and it's a backpack, carry-on legal for airline travel. I've used my Chinese cheapy for almost a year. It's not the best, but it's better than that DJI Styrofoam beer cooler. Also, since you're new, if you crash you'll be glad you ruined $1000 craft versus $1400 craft. The P4 still has the 8' yoyo effect that you have to deal with, it's not fixed yet, and I'm skeptical if it will ever be fixed. I think it's a mechanical issue that can't be fixed with firmware, a vortex vacuum being created around the bottom vents, playing havoc with the barometer.

I have a P3P ........ I can barely get to 2800' before my signal goes out.

On your new P3P, select custom channel 21 (or the most quiet channel) and then set the transmission quality to 4mbps, then slip on a $15 windsurfer on the antennas. You'll get over 2mi in most cases.

 

[John Locke]

I went out over 10,000 ft with a windsurfer and my P4 without any signal loss or weakness at all. I know that's nothing to a lot of guys, but coming from a PV2+ 2 years ago that would only go 1500 on a good day, that is quite a feeling to me.

Yes, I've gone over 15,000 with windsurfer with my P4, however it's not reliable. Other days I'll lose control signal at 3000 or 4000' with my P4 in remote areas I fly all the time with my P3P that I have no issues, 2+ miles.

After all this disappointment I swapped my P4 RC with an Inspire RC and now I can fly my P4 with the same reliability of my P3P. Problem solved. The P4 RC is just weak, the measurements I've taken prove it.

 

[Dacon Productions]

Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4. Sell P3P buy P4.
Motivated now?

 

[JWarren]

Yes, I've gone over 15,000 with windsurfer with my P4, however it's not reliable. Other days I'll lose control signal at 3000 or 4000' with my P4 in remote areas I fly all the time with my P3P that I have no issues, 2+ miles.

After all this disappointment I swapped my P4 RC with an Inspire RC and now I can fly my P4 with the same reliability of my P3P. Problem solved. The P4 RC is just weak, the measurements I've taken prove it.

That's strange, I've never have lost signal once or had a weak signal except the time I forgot to point the windsurfer up. (Knock on wood)

 

[Wibble]

Better rang with the p4

Do you have the proof of that? I am also considering a P4 but I get 14,000' range with my P3P totally standard no windsurfers or anything.

 

[ringolong]

I get better image quality from my p4 than I did with my p3p, and it is faster than the p3p. I would trade up.

 

[msinger]

DJI specs also says 28min flight time. Don't believe DJI, it's simply not true.

This can be argued about any Phantom model. It's a well known fact that DJI always lists the maximum flight time in the most ideal conditions. The actual flight time will vary since no outdoor conditions are as controlled and reproducible.

 

[phantom13flyer]

My p4 has better range than my p3 because I can go a little further with the extra few minutes . It's not 28 mins but more like 23-24 mins which is still a lot better than 18-19 mins of my p3 pro. You will love the p4!

 

[Jeremiah Nelson]

Do you have the proof of that? I am also considering a P4 but I get 14,000' range with my P3P totally standard no windsurfers or anything.

Do you have the proof of that? I am also considering a P4 but I get 14,000' range with my P3P totally standard no windsurfers or anything.[/QUOT
No proof. I've flown my p3 for a solid year traveling out as far as I possibly could go. When I got the p4 I was able to go further than I ever have with the p3. 24,000ft with 60ft of extension to my antennas with the p4 easily.

 

[finalfantasyfan]

Why not just buy a P4? Compare it yourself at your location.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[Wibble]

60ft aerials????????

 

[phantom3menace]

Why not just buy a P4? Compare it yourself at your location.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

I just bought one and I flew it for the first time. Let's just say it didn't "wow" me in the least bit. The throttle response seemed very sluggish compared to my P3P. It also didn't seem as precise in movement commands compared to my P3P.

Any ideas as to why?

 

[Jeremiah Nelson]

I just bought one and I flew it for the first time. Let's just say it didn't "wow" me in the least bit. The throttle response seemed very sluggish compared to my P3P. It also didn't seem as precise in movement commands compared to my P3P.

Any ideas as to why?

turn off obstacle avoidance