Phantom 3 or Solo

[ecolumbia999]

I had a similar decision and I decided on the P3 over the solo.

I've been flying the 3dr iris+ for the past year and I was originally planning on next gettting the solo. However my current thinking is by the time the solo is finalized and all the bugs worked - it will be time to think about the 2016 models.

 

[tcope]

His gimbal has yet to arrive.

I can chalk some of his issues up to the rush to get the SOLO to market.

Look how much we complained because the P3 was missing a few flight modes. Imagine if it had been missing it's gimbal this entire time!

Missing the gimbal.... naw, that's not rushed to the market at all. Solo was way behind even before it was released too soon. I'd think by the time they (might) get 3rd party developers on-board that it will already be over a year old.

 

[BenDronePilot]

I am sure that this topic has been posted before, but I am about to buy my second quad, and I wanted to ask the experts a few questions.

I am currently looking at the Phantom 3 Pro and the 3DR Solo. I have been leaning to the Phantom 3 for a few reasons:
1) I have a Phantom 2 and really like it
2) I like the extended range of bird and the lightbridge technology
3) The Phantom 3 seems to be very good value for the money
4) The remote is well designed and can handle my iPad Air
5) I like the wired attachment for the iPad vs using WiFi
6) My adult son has one, and loves it

On the negative side for the DJI Phantom
1) Poor customer service
2) Not made in the USA
3) Closed architecture
4) Design issues that seems to result in stress cracks. This may or may not have been corrected, depending on who you talk to.

I really like the Solo..
1) Made in USA
2) Supposed to have better customer support. But with the gimbel launch.. That may be debatable.
3) Open design. Much easier to mod as time goes by
4) Very good construction
5) Great flight modes
6) I have a GoPro 4 Black

The biggest issue that I have with the P3 is the stress cracking problem. Is this overblown, or has it been corrected?

Phantom 3 Adv or Pro is the choice hands down for the following reasons

1) Better Value / bang per buck
2) better more stable gimbal
3) No fish eye effect and full 2.7 or 4k video. Video
4) More proven and reliable flight controller. Solo has proven less than reliable.
5) Much Much better range with the Lightbridge system.
6) Visual Position system for more stable and hover when flying low enough and stable indoor flight.


Those are the top things I can think of off of the top of my head. And I'd say any of those reasons is enough to go with Phantom 3 over the initial release of the solo. This opinion may change with a 3DR Solo ver 2 but for now I'd highly advise going with the Phantom 3

P.S.

Things better on the Solo than Phantom 3.

1) No forced Geo Fencing / No Fly Zones.
2) No Forced Altitude Limit
3) More Flexibility in terms of Camera / Gimbal Options.
4) Better support should you loose your quad do to a malfunction or damage do to defect.
5) Easier to upgrade and Repair.
6) Accessory port on the bottom makes future upgrades possible and easy to do.

Even with all of that my decision above still stands. Better gimbal / camera stability and a more reliable flight controller trump the pluses the Solo has over the Phantom 3, not even getting into the better range and reliability of the FPV feed of Lightbridge.

 

[Poundofnuts]

There's honestly no comparison between the two. Solo is a unreliable POS and the Phantom 3 is absolute flawless, a dream to fly compared to a solo. Flew them both, went with P3 hands down.

 

[John Locke]

And did you ever put some thought in the DJI matrice. I am doubting if I go buy the matrice or wait for next year. (inspire 2 or p4 )

I think those are in a complete different price category, not relevant I would expect for the OP. P4 is likely a year away, also not relevant since the OP is in the market to buy now, it's sounds

 

[King Luff]

I bought my P3 6 weeks ago after considering the Solo as well but I just couldn't over the fact that you just get so much more with the phantom, even more so with the new firmware

 

[Flyaware]

Not being made in the USA is really not critical for the rest of us who don't live there. Ingenuity and product perfection is not based on the fact it's made in USA.sorry.

 

[Hottwheells]

Being a soon to be flyer (p3a arrives today) I had to decide between the blade chroma and the phantom, I went with p3a against my local hobby shop recommendation. I don't think I've seen the chroma mentioned once on this forum and I've been reading like a mad man these last few weeks. What is the opinion of the chroma as an option?

 

[John Locke]

Lightbridge rocks, that's all you need to know Hottwheells. Chroma uses Wi-Fi which is old school, less distance, higher latency, longer reconnect times when you reach the edge of the limit. You made the right choice, congrats.

 

[rrmccabe]

I had a Solo. Within a week I had some rxerror issues and drifted into a tree. Returned it and got a P3. So much better and less expensive. The only thing the Solo had going for it was the flight modes and now doesn't even have that.

What are you crazy? Who in their right might talked you into that?

Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk

 

[GoodnNuff]

What are you crazy? Who in their right might talked you into that?

Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk

Must of you been you eh?

 

[rrmccabe]

Must of you been you eh?

Pleading the 5th.

We both have had Solos. I have had two of them actually.

Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk

 

[Prometric]

Do your research.. Solo is made by 3dr a U.S. Based company, but the quad is made in China .they could not compete otherwise.

 

[AlmostTan]

Has anyone watched youtube videos of the new solo gimbal? It's terrible compared to DJI's, and I'm not trying to be a fanboy - actually had a lot of hope for competition via another platform.
- The HDMI cable is shielded and very hard and presses against the gimbal plate causing a lot of shake in the videos
- Props enter the picture way too easily.

 

[rrmccabe]

Has anyone watched youtube videos of the new solo gimbal? It's terrible compared to DJI's, and I'm not trying to be a fanboy - actually had a lot of hope for competition via another platform.
- The HDMI cable is shielded and very hard and presses against the gimbal plate causing a lot of shake in the videos
- Props enter the picture way too easily.

Saying the cable is similar to rebar is a better description. LOL

The SOLO has huge potential. The question in my mind is 3DR capable of getting it right in a timely manner. I am thinking not.

I have not been impressed with the Solo gimbal footage either but saying getting the props in the picture easily is not really fair. You can tip the camera down just like you can the Phantom to remove the props. I am starting to do smart shots with the P3 and have been testing Litchi from Alpha to Beta to final release and I can assure you the Phantom is going to have way more problems getting legs and props in the shots than the Solo. Unless you go really slow with the Phantom its about impossible to do a cable cam shot sideways without seeing the legs. Its going to take some practice on my part to get it right. DJI has no provision to ease in and out of a shot (as far as I know) like 3DR.

I am obviously flying a Phantom P3 and have returned the 3DR stuff so my choice is obvious.

Its not a phantom replacement meaning its not better or worse. It just does different things and IF they resolve all the issues it should be a better cinematography machine than the Phantom. It's just not there yet. May never be there. They are off to a really bad start.