The maximum height of the quadcopter.

Rumor has it that Apple engineers had a hand in the development of the new DJI Phantom 4. True or not, we do not know, but the fact that the new Phantom is officially sold in the Apple Store already says a lot. With Apple products, the new model really has a lot in common. Starting from thoughtful design and ending with the high manufacturability of the product.

Design

The attention to detail in the new Phantom 4 is felt everywhere. Take at least the box, opening which reveals a case made of gray polystyrene foam with an original rubberized handle, which fits everything you need for flying - the drone itself, the remote control, the charger and all kinds of accessories. There is a section for everything - everything is very convenient. This case can be easily put in a backpack or in the trunk of a car.

Externally, the new Phantom has undergone changes, it has become sleeker, slimmer, smoother lines. The body has become more "chubby". The motors are open, which should prevent overheating and, as a result, an increase in power. The fastening of the propellers to the motors has changed - now the propellers do not need to be tightened, a mount is provided on the electric motors, which allows you to put on and remove the propellers in one motion.

Heavy duty magnesium alloy bottom, chassis, camera and gimbal for maximum camera protection

Below the camera are sonar and visual positioning sensors. In front of the drone, on each leg, at the very base, there are sensors for visual control of obstacles.

Equipment

The kit of the quadcopter is standard, with the exception of one drawback - there is no Lightning cable. Those who plan to use the iPad will have to buy it in addition.

The kit includes:

• Copter
• Remote control with phone/tablet holder
• 2 sets of propellers
• Battery
• Charger
• Charging cable
• Instruction
• USB OTG cable (cable for connecting the device without a computer)
• Micro USD cable
• Micro SD card 16 GB

Remote controller

The Phantom 4 remote has not changed much compared to the third version. Control sticks whose functionality can be customized. There are two wheels on the sides of the remote control, one is responsible for the exposure, the other for turning the camera. The start / stop recording button is also in its place. But the drone operation mode switch is an innovation. There are three modes in total - P, S and A.

1. P - positioning, the quietest mode in which all sensors and sensors work (great for beginners).
2. A - hardcore mode, sensors and sensors are disabled, the device does not hang in the air and does not fly around obstacles (recommended for experienced pilots).
3. S - sport mode. In this mode, the phantom 4 quadcopter develops maximum speed. GPS and visual positioning work, front sensors and stabilization system are disabled.

DJI Lightbridge 2 technology for transferring Full HD video from the on-board camera to a mobile device is a key feature and pride of DJI. Visual control of the camera is carried out through the DJI GO app. There are several innovations in the application of the system - these are new flight modes, displaying the areas of approach of the drone to the object (from the green zone to the red one), the sensor settings menu, etc.

I would like to dwell on the Active Track system. Its essence is in tracking the object. It is enough to poke on the object that you want to track on your mobile device, the system will remember it and follow it. Moreover, the phantom is able to track you in a crowd of people, and even if you “get lost” for a short time, for example, by going under the visor, the system will not lose you.

The larger the object, the easier it is for the device to track it.

Specifications DJI Phantom 4

Flight performance is superior to the third version. The altitude limit is kept at 6 km above sea level, but speeds have increased. In sports mode, the Phantom gains 6 m/s (the third version is 5 m/s) and descends at a speed of 4 m/s (against 3 m/s for its predecessor). The maximum flight speed has been increased to 20 m/s (72 km/h) against 57.6 km/h. Due to the fact that the battery is increased to 5350 mAh (from 4480mA on the 3rd phantom), the copter hangs in the air for 5 minutes more than its predecessor (28 minutes versus 23). New flight characteristics are quite enough for shooting sports events.

Camera

The copter borrowed the camera from its predecessor. 4K 12.4MP camera with 20mm lens and 1/2.3” sensor. However, there are also changes. First of all, the color rendition - it has become better, the colors are more juicy and bright. Significantly added and white balance. The new camera has a Slo-mo mode with a resolution of 720p and a frame rate of 120 fps. The new mode will certainly appeal to fans of shooting dynamic scenes.

Main conclusions

The device has gotten better. The new Phantom 4 is faster, smarter and better to drive. New modes such as Active Track, nice changes in photo and video quality, new Slo-mo mode - everything is interesting and relevant. Should the happy owners of the 3rd phantom run to the store for the 4th? Why not, if funds allow.

• Quadcopter
• Li-ion battery
• Remote Control
• Charger
• Spare blades and bag for them
• Instructions
• USB cable
• Suitcase for transportation

It has already become a good tradition to annually discuss a new model of a quadrocopter from DJI, although every year it seems that they have done everything so that this model will live happily ever after. But every time DJI comes up with features that, once you try them, you can't forget and wonder how we could live without them. DJI impresses me with precisely this - the ability to constantly surprise and entertain, because for many, a quadcopter is a window to the sky, and not at all a professional tool for aerial photography, although the second application has long become routine. Someone considers DJI quadcopters to be expensive toys that do not deserve attention because of the price. Someone, on the contrary, thinks that this is the only choice and there are no alternatives to "wrappers", as their owners call them. It is possible that the truth is somewhere in the middle, but it can definitely be argued that DJI is a pioneer in this market and its technology leader, other companies are guided by what DJI produces and what features it equips its quadcopters with.

For those who are not limited in funds and are ready to purchase an expensive toy or expect to use a quadcopter for professional shooting with a standard camera, and not install another one, the Phantom line is being produced. Since the second generation, I have been using these devices, so when talking about the Quartet, I will involuntarily compare it with the Phantom 3 Professional in order to highlight the differences between them and the changes. It so happened that I have two Phantom 4s, one mine and one sent for testing. Some points are different, however, we will talk about this a little later and in more detail.

What's in the box and how to prepare for your flight

All Phantom models come in white boxes with a photo of the quadcopter and its name written on it. In Phantom 3, inside a beautiful box there was an ordinary cardboard box, where accessories and the quadcopter itself were laid out in compartments. In order to transport the Phantom, it was necessary to buy a case separately. In the fourth version, we decided to eliminate this annoying omission and made the suitcase part of the standard package. Out of the box you already take out a suitcase made of foamed plastic, it is light and durable.

The suitcase even has a locking mechanism so that the doors do not open and you can not only carry it from the car to the house, but also go on a trip over long distances. Separately, I’ll make a reservation that there is a compartment for two additional batteries inside, they are worth buying if you plan to fly a lot and one charge is not enough for you. This will quickly become clear in the process of using a quadcopter, some people think that 20-25 minutes is enough for them, and someone wants to fly for about an hour. It's nice that there is a place for batteries, a standard battery can be transported installed on a quadcopter, but this should only be done if it is discharged. In a charged state, do not take risks, a rag thrown from above pressed the power button a couple of times, and the battery constantly showed the status, although the quadcopter itself did not turn on. Turning on here with foolproofing, pressing once, then pressing again and holding the button for a couple of seconds. This turns on both the quadcopter itself and the remote control for it. It is convenient, and you get used to such a scheme instantly.

In a suitcase, the quadcopter must be transported without blades installed, but installing them is easy, even a child can handle it. Unlike all previous models, the design of the blade holder has changed dramatically. Previously, each blade was wound counterclockwise or clockwise, depending on the color on it, inside the core, and on each engine there was a threaded sleeve, all of which was made of metal. The design is very reliable, but it had a serious flaw: if the propellers collided with an obstacle, you might be so unlucky that it became impossible to remove the blade.

The new design abandoned the metal parts, only plastic is used. There are latches in the blade, and a special design on the engine. Choose the correct color blade and simply turn until it clicks. task for the child. To remove the blade, you need to push and turn in the direction that is drawn on it. Just? Not that word.

Another important point is that they completely changed the camera suspension, although it remained exactly the same as on the Phantom 3, however, it proved to be excellent there. The camera body and suspension elements are now made of lightweight alloy, the cable, which easily broke off in collisions, was additionally protected by inserts. This is a clear work on the mistakes of previous generations, and it has been done with high quality.

But I’ll say special thanks for the camera lock during transportation, before it was a puzzle when it was necessary to catch the camera, correctly snap the plastic casing. Now the design has been changed, and it allows you to fix the camera for transportation in a matter of seconds.

On the case you can see a microSD card slot, as a rule, a memory card is not included in the kit, you will have to buy your own. A few tips. First, you should look at 64 GB memory cards, this is the maximum amount supported by the device. Second, the card must be class 10 or higher (UHS-1). Very often people use their slow memory cards and complain that the 4K picture is broken or the recording fails. It's a map problem.

The weight of the quadcopter with the battery installed is 1380 grams. Despite the design changes and the feeling of being smaller, it is the same size as previous models, diagonally and without propellers it is 350mm. The battery itself weighs 462 grams.

Battery for Phantom 4 - battery life and charging

From generation to generation, DJI has been experimenting with batteries to improve flight performance, the fourth Phantom has had another battery change, connector, weight and dimensions have changed. As before, these are four cells, Li-Pol, capacity 5350 mAh, 15.2 V (81.3 Wh). In the third Phantom, the battery specifications were as follows - 4480 mAh, Li-Pol (4 cells), 15.2 V (68 Wh). On paper, the flight time has increased to 28 minutes versus 23 minutes claimed for the previous generation. Unfortunately, both then and now, these figures reflect ideal conditions when there is no wind, you use simple modes and there are no obstacles between you and your quadcopter, that is, the radio part works at minimum power. It is impossible to achieve this in practice, in my flights the spread is from 15 to 22 minutes, 23.5 minutes can be considered a record. But when compared with the previous Phantom 3 Professional, the difference becomes noticeable, it's a couple of extra minutes.

The connector for charging the battery was placed at the end, it is impossible to miss. A fully discharged battery needs to be charged for a little over an hour. The indicator on the front panel flashes, as soon as the battery is charged, it will turn off. Standard 100W charger included.

Unlike the third Phantom, the battery after the flight is not very hot, if earlier, when trying to immediately start charging, it blinked all the indicators and refused to charge, now this is not observed, almost always it can be started charging immediately after the flight.

The design of the battery is such that you have a power button and four indicators - all this works outside the quadcopter, you can see the battery charge by pressing once, you will be shown indicators, and each of them can glow with a steady light or blink (blinking means the charge is on half or less). It is very easy to assess the battery charge using such an indicator.

When installing the battery, be sure to check that it is fully latched into the housing. Very often this does not happen, this is a defect that, apparently, will be fixed in subsequent versions. Sometimes the latch moves a couple of millimeters, but you can still start the quadcopter.

The charger has a second cord for the remote control. The temptation to charge the battery and the remote at the same time is very strong, but this is strictly prohibited in the instructions. This is worth remembering. The full charge time of the remote control is about 4 hours, but it will last for 4-5 flights with fully charged quadcopter batteries.

Control panel - we understand what and how

They don’t look for good from good, in Professional the remote control was made, if not ideal, then close to it. In fact, it has not changed in any way, only the antennas have been slightly strengthened, which in theory provides better communication, but this is a small improvement that is not typical for a particular model, all such remotes, including older models, received it.

On the back of the remote control there is a metal bracket for which it is convenient to carry it. Rubber inserts were made on the sides and on the back surface, even in wet hands the remote control does not slip. It is interesting that in the hands of both an adult and a child, the remote control sits like a glove, its ergonomics are five plus.

You can control the quadcopter without a connected smartphone and / or tablet, only from the remote control. This is a big plus, as you can start recording video or take photos directly from the buttons located on the case. Another thing is that you will do it blindly, without seeing what exactly you are photographing. However, this is a big step forward.

So, in front of you are two analog levers. The left one is responsible for takeoff and landing (vertical deviation), while its horizontal deviations turn the quadcopter around its axis. So that you do not miss the control, the bow of the vessel is illuminated with red lights, the stickers on the hull were abandoned! During the day, the backlight can be seen quite well at a low altitude, even in bright sunlight.

The right lever moves the drone - vertically forward-backward, horizontally sideways, left-right.

Below there is a power button, it works the same as on the battery - short and long press. On the right is the auto return home button.

Now let's look at the side faces, there is a wheel on the left, you can use it to move the camera on the gimbal, change the viewing angle (vertical). If you want to rotate the camera around the axis, then this will not work, it is assumed that for this you rotate the drone. On the right side, the exposure dial adjusts the exposure (from -2 to +2), useful when shooting a sunset or a sunny day with a lot of brightness.

Separate keys are responsible for shooting videos and photos, playing them on the screen (if a smartphone is connected). There are two separate keys on the back side (C1 and C2), they can be programmed to suit your needs.

The remote control also includes three quadrocopter control modes, we need to deal with them before we go flying. The first mode, also known as the default mode, P-Mode (Positioning), uses both GPS / GLONASS data for flight and the built-in visual positioning system. This mode is enabled by default and should not be disabled unless you know what you are doing. When you turn it on for the first time, you should wait for the indicators on the underside of the quadcopter to turn green, which means that the “Home” GPS point has been determined and the quadcopter will be able to return to it.

In A-mode (Altitude), no GPS or visual system is used, only the barometer is used for flight, it stabilizes the flight. Of the advantages of this mode - a higher rate of climb, landing. In principle, a return to the “Home” point works here if there is a GPS signal.

S-mode turns off all speed limits, squeezes the maximum out of the drone. But be careful, the collision avoidance system is also turned off, more on that below.

The holder on the remote control can be used to fix a smartphone or tablet, in both cases the devices are securely fixed.

Unlike the Phantom 3, the Quartet used a different software and in-flight stabilization system, the company claims to have improved it five times! I cannot say that this is so or not, since I did not carry out any instrumental measurements. But I can say that the "four" holds the point much better in a strong side wind, does not go astray. In a word, the statement of the company, apparently, is not so far from the truth.

Technically, on the underside of the drone, the number of cameras has been doubled, the sonars have been improved, this also affects its stability in flight and when hovering.

Those who have already got their hands on flying the drone can use the sport mode, which turns off the obstacle detection system along the course, but the speed in each of the directions becomes maximum. So, the ascent speed reaches 6 meters per second, the descent - 4 meters per second, and the speed - 72 kilometers per hour. In this mode, flight time is drastically reduced, depending on your control, it can be as little as 15 minutes. But for shooting video, this mode can be indispensable, it conveys the dynamics of movement, which was not the case in previous copters.

Smartphone or tablet connection, software

In order to get maximum pleasure, you should install a smartphone or tablet (Android / iOS) on the remote control, as well as install the appropriate programs. Now it’s worth stopping at DJI Go, this is the main program for controlling a quadrocopter.

This program has the ability to earn money by referring your friends to buy drones from DJI, share photos and sit on the company's forums. Including here there is a tutorial on how to edit photos and videos.

Install the program, connect the device via a USB cable to the connector on the controller (Light Bridge), turn on the quadcopter. And then we see the picture that is transmitted from the camera, we can turn on the camera control. It is best to get comfortable with the controls on the ground, the tips are very simple and clear.

The beauty of the Phantom is that it streams HD quality (720p, 30 frames per second) to your device in real time. But 4K video on the Phantom is recorded in a slot on the body, and everything that is transmitted to the control device is stored on it. The quality, of course, is very different. There is another important point - if the radio signal is lost, the recording, for example, on the tablet is interrupted, but on the quadcopter itself, it continues, and then you can view all the details. Photos are not transmitted in real time, which is also understandable - after all, the video is transmitted so that you can see what your quad sees.

Understanding the software is easy. But if earlier you could control the quadcopter only from the screen, today the remote control takes over most of the functions. On the screen you watch the flight, you can enable advanced features. On the one hand, you can write a lot about software, on the other hand, it is so intuitive that there is no desire to do it.

New flight modes, intelligent drone

Most of the Phantom crashes are related to the first flights, when you have not yet adapted to the controls, you sharply moved the joystick to the side and crashed into a tree, pole or building. Considering the cost of the quadcopter, this is an offensive and unfortunate loss. The Quartet has a pair of front sensors that work like standard parking sensors in cars, they warn of obstacles. Here, on the screen of a connected smartphone or tablet, an obstacle and the distance to it are shown, even if you try to squeeze the joystick all the way and direct the quadcopter to the obstacle, nothing will happen, it will just freeze in place. This is a great feature for beginners that dramatically increases the chances of not losing the quad during the first few days of learning to fly it.

New functions have appeared in the DJI Go menu, for each there is a small tutorial that shows how everything works. Let's start to understand the functions with the TapFly option. On the screen you see various objects and you can simply click on one of them to make the Phantom fly up, the controls are so simple that any child can handle it. You just click and send the drone flying. During the flight, you can cancel this point, take control, in a word, perform standard actions.

In automatic mode, the drone flies only forward, since the cameras are only in the direction of travel, they have an angle of 60 degrees. Do you want to go back? Then do it in manual mode or press the button to automatically return to the starting point.

The next function is called AutoTrack (the prototype was the Follow Me option), you select an object on the screen, for example, a person, a bicycle, a car, a dog, whatever, and then the drone starts to follow the object. Front cameras are also used here, but in this case they build a 3D model of the object and try to follow it. This function works fine, there are no problems.

For those who like to shoot video, this feature offers a circular flight. You fix the object, and then just push the joystick to the side, and the Phantom makes a circular flight. Considering that it is difficult to make such a flyby in manual mode, there are jerky movements, then it turns out almost perfectly. And therefore it is worth using it, but with one caveat, you should not move. If you start moving, then a beautiful picture will not come out.

Finally, one more feature that was there before, but now got a little polish in the software, is route planning. Select points on the map (or do it during the flight), then the Phantom can fly the route you laid out, including without direct control and control using the video on the connected device. Nicely? Not that word.

In your profile for each device, you can see the flight, routes, highlight points and a bunch of other information, this is also very nice and correct.

We take off and fly - flight range and various little things

The flight range of the Quartet is up to 5 (or 2 kilometers depending on the market) kilometers when transmitting video in HD quality (in an area where there are no obstacles). Flight ceiling - up to 500 meters, by default there is a limit of 30 meters (beginner mode). Places where it is forbidden to fly are sewn into the memory of the device - airports, government agencies and the like, the list is constantly updated.

The takeoff speed is up to 6 meters per second, the device lands at a speed of 4 meters per second, the maximum speed is 20 meters per second (all this is the "Sport" mode). Very fast machine, it can fly far enough. Given the different heights, you can not only look from above for several kilometers, but see the panorama for kilometers around, which is nice.

Now an unpleasant moment - in urban conditions, the flight range is likely to be about 300-500 meters, in Moscow it went something like this, especially in the Moscow State University area, where the 2400 MHz band is clogged. In the region, the flight range was about 1.8-1.9 kilometers, everything is much simpler there.

Now for the unusual. For some reason, the quadcopter from the Russian official delivery showed a shorter range than the one brought from Hong Kong. The difference was on average about 150-200 meters, which I consider a significant difference. Another curious moment, depending on the connected device, communication with the quadcopter is lost faster or slower, real-time video transmission stops working. At such a moment, the screen fades, the picture becomes withered. I usually fly with a Galaxy S7 EDGE, but swapping it out for a Tab S2 gave me more range and the battery didn't drain as quickly. This is a random observation, which I then tested with the iPad, it also performed better than with the S7. There is not a very large list of supported devices on the DJI website, and it is possible that with some models there are some restrictions that reduce the range of the transmitter. These are just guesses, but inquisitive minds can experiment and see what they come up with.

The controllability of the quadrocopter is maximum, especially if you have all the sensors configured (GPS, compass). Sometimes the quadcopter asks to calibrate the compass, if earlier it was critical, now this can not be done. Although, on the other hand, I had a situation where there were a lot of iron structures under the concrete platform, the compass went astray, and the flight was twitchy, the device was constantly blown to the side. With the exception of this incident, there were no problems with navigation and flight.

Ground-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles, also called drones, originally appeared as a form of military robots. Most often, they were assigned a variety of reconnaissance missions, for example, photo and video filming of the positions of a potential enemy. And such "flyers" cost a lot.

As technology advanced, the cost of drones began to decline, and by the early 21st century drones were increasingly being used for civilian purposes, from journalism and emergency services to agriculture and construction. However, many applications of drones, both professional and amateur, have remained closely related to the photo and video shooting capabilities they provide. The hero of our article is no exception, which the creators call it “the most amazing drone” they have ever created.

Revolutionary materials and redesigned aerodynamics

According to the manufacturer, during the development of the Phantom 4, much attention was paid to a radical reworking of the device's aerodynamics. The copter received a frame made of magnesium alloy, and its center of gravity was shifted closer to the plane of the propellers. The improvements made had a positive impact on the maneuverability of the device and made it possible to eliminate the appearance of propellers in the field of view of the main camera. You can also note the open engine cases, which improves their cooling during flight. Compared to the previous generation Phantom (Phantom III), the weight of the Phantom 4 has increased by 100 grams, but it has a more capacious battery and increased power motors.

Speed ​​and time in the air

The maximum flight speed of the Phantom 4 is 72 km/h (20 meters per second). The declared time of continuous stay in the air can reach 28 minutes, which is provided by a 5350 mAh battery. Naturally, we are not talking about a sport mode with maximum speed and sharp maneuvers, but about a calm flight at a constant speed.

In addition, the manufacturer notes that support for comprehensive power management and balanced charging capabilities make it easy to prepare the drone for flight, providing the battery with maximum power. Similar to the Phantom III, the battery temperature is monitored to prevent damage to the quadcopter's battery during charging. Naturally, the system monitors the state of the battery during the flight in order to prevent the drone from falling due to a lack of energy. Still, devices of the Phantom 4 class are noticeably heavier than flying toys intended for indoor launch, and a fall from a height for a device weighing 1380 grams can end sadly.

Control and Lightbridge

The Phantom is controlled by a remote control connected to a tablet computer. The manufacturer reduced the number of hardware buttons on the remote control to the required minimum. However, you can lift the Phantom 4 into the air without connecting the tablet to the remote control, however, you will have to fly and shoot "blindly". In modern conditions, not the most logical approach. Moreover, due to the support of Lightbridge technology, if the distance between the Phantom 4 and the remote control does not exceed 5 km (in line-of-sight conditions), the image from the drone’s camera will be broadcast in 720p format. At the same time, the manufacturer claims a minimum delay and good resistance to interference.

We also note the presence of a special mode for beginners, thanks to which novice pilots will be able to master the control of the copter. In novice mode, the maximum altitude and range of the Phantom 4 is limited to 30 meters from the takeoff point. Also in this mode, the camera angle control function is disabled. When you turn off the "beginner" mode, the limit is set to 120 or 500 meters. However, the user can also set their own maximum value.

Main camera

Touched upon the improvement and the main camera of the Phantom 4, which the manufacturer calls high-performance and professional. If we translate these words into characteristics, we are talking about the ability to shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second and the ability to record SlowMo video in FullHD (1080p) resolution at 120 frames per second. 10 color profiles are available to the operator to give the video the desired look: from enhancing color and contrast of Vivid mode to Cine-D and D-Log, used in professional video post-processing.

The manufacturer did not forget about the photo opportunities. The Phantom 4's camera boasts 12MP Adobe DNG RAW support and a lens profile built in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. The shutter speed range is from 8 to 1/8000 s, and ISO in video mode can reach 3200 (in photo mode from 100 to 1600). Compared to the previous generation Phantom camera, the Phantom 4's 94° aspherical lens reduces distortion by 36% and chromatic aberration by 56%. We can also note the improved stabilization system, which is in constant interaction with the flight control module, which allows the camera to prepare in advance for quadrocopter maneuvers.

Killer features

Era VISION

A key innovation of the previous generation Phantom drone (Phantom III) was the optical position sensor, which is a combination of a camera and an ultrasonic sensor. Thanks to this, the Phantom III learned to fly at low altitudes (up to 3 meters), in places with poor GPS reception, and to better maintain its position in the air. In Phantom 4, this system has been further developed, and the number of auxiliary cameras has increased to four (two cameras are located on the bottom of the drone, two on the front).

The information received from cameras and an ultrasonic sensor allows the copter control system to form a three-dimensional model of the environment and makes it possible to automatically fly around obstacles (Obstacle Sensing Systems function). And we are talking not only about pillars, buildings and other fixed objects, but also about people. Further actions depend on the situation - if the control system was able to build a safe flight path, then the Phantom 4 will continue to move, if not, it will hover at a safe distance from the obstacle, waiting for the pilot's command.

TapFly, ActiveTrack and Vision Positioning

TapFly is an advanced waypoint flight mode in which heading, altitude and speed are automatically maintained. To fly, it is enough to indicate the direction or object that the drone should follow (ActiveTrack mode). Moreover, thanks to the built-in cameras and the Vision Positioning function, it is enough to indicate the desired object visually. Let me remind you that in the drones of previous generations, special transmitter tags placed on the object were used to implement the following mode.

We can also note the support of the Phantom 4 "intelligent flight modes". For example, to shoot fast-moving objects, use the sport mode, in which the drone flies at maximum speed and actively maneuvers. At the same time, when shooting static objects, a mode is activated in which the Phantom 4 maintains the most stable speed and flight altitude, which has a positive effect on the quality of shooting. Especially if the goal is to get cinematic quality video.

Phantom 4 Specifications

Price and start time

The Phantom 4 is now open for pre-orders and is priced at $1,399. You can order a quadrocopter on the official website. Start of deliveries - March 15 this year. At the same time, the novelty will appear in the network of Apple branded stores.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Vyrypaev Sergey

Pros: Image quality. Clear and easy control. Strong.

Disadvantages: I tried it on Samsung S6, Xiaomi Mi4i - the lags are terrible, the picture is pouring, if you turn on the recording, you can catch the wall, the old Samsung Tab3 tablet does not overpower the stream at all even in view mode, the percentage heats up to 80 degrees. I cleared the cache, garbage, unloaded the unnecessary - it did not help. I read the forum (would have known before), who flies what and tried it on the seventh iPhone - everything is smooth and beautiful. For all my dislike for "stubs", I eventually had to take the Ipad mini 4 to the drone. Everything is also smooth, with a stable picture in any mode.

Commentary: In terms of range: in a dense private sector, due to a deaf metal fence, the flight altitude was 65m, the picture disappeared at around 1100m, it showed well until the last. The drone immediately goes into return home mode. The battery holds well if you do not fly in sports mode, 23-24 minutes of recording is stable. Too bad it didn't work on android. The rest is in order. Update after 3 months. Tried on Samsung S8 - everything works. The flight range with dense urban development and interference drops to 500-700m. In open space, I flew to 4300m, did not go any further, there was a risk of not flying back due to a headwind. At dusk, it shoots badly, the photo is even less, the video makes great noise. The battery does not close very tightly. I turn it on at home - everything always starts up right away. On the street, when turned on, quite often there is an IMU Error, it asks to calibrate, you can spend time and calibrate, or wait and after "warming up" it goes into readiness for flight. With what is connected - xs. According to the status, gyroscopes and a compass do not require calibration, but the error periodically crashes. I bought autoloading, gimbal protection and propeller protection from the Chinese. Bought another battery. The only caveat: the screw protection is visible in the frame if the camera is not slightly tilted down, and in strong winds. The thing is useful, I lifted it from the boat without protecting the propellers, the wind blew during takeoff, the spinning rods were cut, it’s good that the drone didn’t drown - I managed to catch it by the leg, now there is a scar from the propellers on my arm. There was a jamb with a blockage of the horizon, at first I ruled in the suspension settings, after updating the firmware everything returned to normal, Automatic modes on "three plus", more often with hands it turns out better. Fly carefully, practice, don't fly blue. This is not a toy at all, you can cripple people.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Badykshin Dinar

Pros: Excellent build quality. In the city, he flew a maximum of 2100m at an altitude of about 100m. It shoots great, I tried 4k. Stabilization is just class !!! The suspension works out for five. The battery holds up to 23 minutes maximum (with wind up to 6m/s and temperature +2..+4). I flew at a temperature of -9 degrees - the flight is normal, but the flight time is 18 minutes.

Disadvantages: When shooting 2.7K, it does not always record on a micro CD card (64 GB).

Comment: I am very pleased with the purchase, although the price bites. There are no DJI competitors yet.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Advantages: 1. The range of the radio channel was impressive. in the absence of a line of sight of 2 km, in the presence of 4 km and the connection did not fall by a single division in the video, in control by 1 division. 2. in the second flight, seagulls attacked, turned over. I wouldn’t have corrected the flight myself, the electronics did it. I had to raise the device above 120 meters, they didn’t get it there.

Disadvantages: 1. small battery capacity, it would be possible to stuff 2 times more. for 25-27 minutes exactly enough if the mode is not "sport". 2. At a very close distance of 1-10 meters, the picture from the video "scatters". possible interference.

Comment: 4km until the battery limit is -5C and the first 2 charges. perhaps in the summer it will give the declared 5 km, in any case, there are no problems with communications even in ru with reduced power.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Morozov Dmitry

Advantages: I used to have a phantom 3 pro, so I want to tell you about the advantages of phantom 4 in comparison with the previous model: 1. The case of phantom 4 is made better and it is more solid! Fewer openings that moisture can get into during rain, for example. In general, the quality of the materials is much better and more pleasant to the touch, this even applies to the charger! 2. The kit comes with an excellent case - everything is compact and there are already 2 places for extra batteries! Handle and lock! In the previous version, the case is not included! 3. Very convenient screws - they are quickly installed and removed, unlike the third phantom! 4. It has become more convenient to catch in the hand - the camera is shifted forward and there are no other protruding parts, plus the legs are much more rigidly connected to the body! 5. The camera gimbal handles strong wind better and is generally more reliable! It is extremely difficult to catch the "jelly" effect on phantom 4, but on the third phantom - I did it quite often. This is not surprising - after all, in the fourth phantom, all unnecessary elements are hidden in the case! 6. The connection quality is more stable than on the third phantom! Where the third phantom lost contact, on the fourth I flew and filmed without any problems! 7. Battery lasts longer! 8. I don't remember if there was a d-log camera mode in the third phantom, but it is in the fourth one! In general, there are still a lot of minor improvements and improvements in comparison with the third phantom! I was surprised how quickly DJI improves their products! Less than a year has passed between the release of these models - but the difference is huge and progress is evident!