Dji Phantom UAVs

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Discussion

marz92

Original Poster:

1,673 posts

236 months

Thursday 13th June 2013
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Anyone with any experience with one of these UAVs? Looking at the business side of using it to take images via a Gopro. I believe the CAA have to be informed and a test taken, can anyone enlighten on this in more detail. Pros and Cons etc. Thanks
P

gazchap

1,523 posts

182 months

Thursday 13th June 2013
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I have one. They're pretty easy to fly provided you know what you're doing, and it's recommended that you keep it in GPS mode so that it'll hover in one spot if there are no control inputs (otherwise it just keeps going in the last direction it was told to go in.)

The only footage I have so far from my GoPro attached to it was from when I stupidly tried to fly it when it wasn't in GPS mode (although I didn't realise this), before I'd learned the ins and outs. It ended up three quarters of a mile away where it crashed into a quarry, but remained remarkably intact and still works fine - albeit with one of the under-lighting bits no longer functional.

To get decent footage from the GoPro in GPS mode, you'll need some sort of anti-vibration mount - you can pick these up on eBay for about £20. I added one to mine the other day and it's made a remarkable difference - the "jello" effect is eliminated entirely, the only thing stopping it from getting smooth footage is more the corrections that the Phantom makes in GPS mode to keep itself in one spot.

Re. the commercial side of things - yes, as far as I know if you want to do commercial work you need to notify the CAA and take some sort of piloting test, but I'm afraid I don't know any more than you on that score. I would certainly recommend that you take out public liability insurance though, as if you do lose control and it causes damage or injury, I wouldn't like to think of the potential legal bills. I was very, very lucky with my little mishap - it came down in an unpopulated area but it flew right over main trunk roads and all sorts of populated places beforehand.

//edit: Here's the footage from my mishap.

marz92

Original Poster:

1,673 posts

236 months

Thursday 13th June 2013
quotequote all
Thanks for that! Useful, but some say it is better to fly it NOT in GPS mode when filming. As in GPS mode it is more likely to be jerky as it is looking for the 'points' all the time!

This is now another reason for me to think hold on - and look at the latest model to come out with it's own camera, the Phantom Vision. Not sure what the roll and pitch would be like when filming - again not sure if the vision has some kind of gimble attached too. Plus I'm waiting to hear on cost as well.

Any body else with info..... do please keep us informed.

I think the Phantom is the one to go for if you are a beginner.

Plus .... early days of training, that GPS could be useful!

Regards
P

moreymach

1,029 posts

265 months

Friday 14th June 2013
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I have one and would agree with Gazchap that they are quite easy to fly so long as you arnt too ham fisted with it. Certainly compared to my previous ( disastrous ) experience of flying rc helis its a piece of cake. So long as its calibrated and the gps has a good lock it does pretty much fly itself.

Also the footage I've had from my Gopro seems good with little of the jello effect some suffer, You are quite right that flying in attitude mode is smoother than gps, in gps the Phantom is constantly twitching and correcting itself and once experienced you had do a smoother job yourself.

Where I do have a gripe is that it does feel like a bit of an early adopters product still.
Various things, the transmitter is incredibly cheaply made, the usb connection when you link it to a pc is unreliable but most frustrating is that is the way its status is communicated via combinations of flashing leds.

Given the importance of only taking off only when the flight system is ready, how hard would it have been to have a small LCD display giving direct info rather than a morse codeish set up via green/red or yellow flashing lights.

It is overly confusing and if you are a bit impatient or haven't read the manuals fully it would be easy to drop a clanger. For example if in gps (beginners) mode you take off before its got a decent gps lock and have a transmitter problem the Phantom will attempt to fly to the last locked location and land, this might be miles away.

Having said all this I do enjoy using the Phantom and so long as you aware of its issues I would thoroughly recommend it smile

You mention the new Vision version which has a Gopro esq camera built in. So far as I know it will be considerably more expensive and I don't think it has a full gamble. just a damping device and up and down panning. DJI are releasing a Zen Muse gimble for the Gopro which should be excellent but they are talking $1000 price tag so not for me.

So far as regs and the CAA go Im afraid I have no info.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rht-QarvEM4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=the7WLKxp28

marz92

Original Poster:

1,673 posts

236 months

Friday 14th June 2013
quotequote all
Cheers Moreymach

The more I look into this the more I'm thinking now on the lines of the Phantom Vision, now they are talking that all though it looks the same, but it will be different, besides it will stay longer in the air with a newer designed battery. I like the fact the camera will do raw and is 14megapixels as to 12 with the Gopro. Plus there are less 'hanging' wires as everything will be 'standard' with it. If I went the Gimble route, I would have to buy another Gopro, this time the Hero 3 because of its 60 fps. So in all, when adding it up, the Vision is the cheaper option and I think better overall value for money. OK the new Gimble is something else but at a £1000? That package with a new Hero 3 and you are starting to price it out of the market! I would welcome all comments. Cheers

marz92

Original Poster:

1,673 posts

236 months

Friday 14th June 2013
quotequote all
Anybody got there's insured by the way. Dare I ask how much? and who and where the best to go. Plus how much is public liability with the Phantom?

Thank you to any one who can answer the questions

gazchap

1,523 posts

182 months

Sunday 16th June 2013
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If you join these guys they give you public liability insurance as part of your membership, so well worth it.

marz92

Original Poster:

1,673 posts

236 months

Sunday 16th June 2013
quotequote all
gazchap said:
If you join these guys they give you public liability insurance as part of your membership, so well worth it.
Thank you for this... Very useful


moreymach

1,029 posts

265 months

Tuesday 18th June 2013
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Just seen this

http://quadcopters.co.uk/dji-zenmuse-h3---2d-z15-f...

You can see from the videos how it moves in relation to the attitude of the Phantom compared to the Vision which as far as I know is just a damped cam with a manual tilt.

At £450 its a lot less than I feared and with a birthday looming Im more than a little tempted. To Me - From me smile

marz92

Original Poster:

1,673 posts

236 months

Tuesday 18th June 2013
quotequote all
moreymach said:
Just seen this

http://quadcopters.co.uk/dji-zenmuse-h3---2d-z15-f...

You can see from the videos how it moves in relation to the attitude of the Phantom compared to the Vision which as far as I know is just a damped cam with a manual tilt.

At £450 its a lot less than I feared and with a birthday looming Im more than a little tempted. To Me - From me smile
Saw this too on phantom pilots forum, looks like it was launched today. Still want to see their Vision complete with their own built in camera before I commit

moreymach

1,029 posts

265 months

Tuesday 18th June 2013
quotequote all
marz92 said:
Saw this too on phantom pilots forum, looks like it was launched today. Still want to see their Vision complete with their own built in camera before I commit
Most sensible. smile

While I feel the Muse will be a good upgrade as I already have the Hero 3 and Phantom the Vision will be cheaper should be a great alternative.

If you go down that route willbe interested to hear the results.

markmullen

15,877 posts

233 months

Wednesday 19th June 2013
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I think I might have to have a vision when they come out.

mattdaniels

7,353 posts

281 months

Monday 13th January 2014
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markmullen said:
I think I might have to have a vision when they come out.
Sorry to resurrect an old thread but did you get a Phantom Vision in the end?
A friend of mine picked up a second hand one and I must say the quality of the video is very impressive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG3YH8ToOdQ&fea...
Thinking of getting one myself, am interested to hear anyone else experience with it.

gazchap

1,523 posts

182 months

Monday 13th January 2014
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I've since bought a Phantom 2 (not the Vision, but the updated Phantom)

It's more or less the same as the Phantom Vision, but doesn't have a camera built in. You can buy it in a bundle with the Zenmuse H3-2D gimbal for £624, which even with the cost of a GoPro on top (which the Zenmuse is designed for) it's largely the same price as the Vision.

To me, the Phantom 2 is the better platform because it's not so limited. Wiht the Vision, you're stuck with the camera on board, and although you can get telemetry data etc. sent to your iPhone, the range is limited compared to the Phantom 2 because it uses wi-fi to send the data back to the phone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KY99op2pfI is the first video I made with the Phantom 2 and gimbal - no stabilisation has been applied to that after recording.

mattdaniels

7,353 posts

281 months

Tuesday 14th January 2014
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Some interesting points - so it's better telemetry / integrated solution verses better range / more flexibility on camera options.

Decisions decisions smile

dxbtiger

4,389 posts

172 months

Tuesday 14th January 2014
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My mate bought himself a Vision the other day, we had a play at my place on Saturday, very cool bit of kit!

gazchap

1,523 posts

182 months

Tuesday 14th January 2014
quotequote all
mattdaniels said:
Some interesting points - so it's better telemetry / integrated solution verses better range / more flexibility on camera options.

Decisions decisions smile
If you go the non-integrated camera route like I did, you can spend some additional cash and get an FPV kit, which beams video from the GoPro to a TV screen or goggles. You can then get an iOSD Mini which overlays various pieces of info (altitude, heading, speed, horizon, battery level etc.) on to the video signal.

RobbieKB

7,715 posts

182 months

Tuesday 14th January 2014
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I badly want one of these even if I can't possibly justify it. hehe

There's a National Geographic photographer who uses something similar with his DSLR attached to take unique landscapes.

mattdaniels

7,353 posts

281 months

Monday 20th January 2014
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Pulled the trigger on a Phantom 2 with gimball mount and Hero cam cool

gazchap

1,523 posts

182 months

Monday 20th January 2014
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Good man! Now spring for a FatShark FPV kit and a plug and play cable with iOSD mini to hook it all up in wink