The DJI Phantom 4 quadcopter is a new model of a modern drone introduced by DJI Innovations in early spring 2016. It is an advanced 4-rotor apparatus that is excellently kept in the air. In our article, we will study its equipment, talk about its characteristics and discuss the possibilities. This high-tech drone really has something to brag about.
Brief overview of the DJI Phantom 4 quadcopter
A distinctive feature of the DJI Phantom 4 quadrocopter is the presence of special sensors, thanks to which this aircraft can not only see, but also feel obstacles, which will protect it from collisions in flight. A few years ago, only professional drones were equipped with sensors, and the model we are considering is considered amateur.
All the sensors that this aircraft is equipped with are assembled into a single complex, which is called Guidance. It allows the drone to easily bypass all obstacles that it may encounter in flight, as well as return home even if the signal is lost. Thus, when launching the DJI Phantom 4 quadrocopter, you don’t have to worry about its safety. He will return home in any case, the developer took good care of it.
In addition, visual positioning has been noticeably improved in this model - the aircraft has the possibility of a 15-meter view in front of it and 10 meters below it. Its built-in compass is duplicated by IMU sensors, which allows the drone to perfectly navigate in space and eliminate errors even if the compass fails.
But the biggest change is in the camera. Firstly, it was completely redesigned, secondly, it began to be suspended in a different way, and thirdly, its strength increased several times.
As for its technical characteristics, the sharpness of the lens has noticeably improved and now the quadcopter takes high-quality pictures during the flight, even in poor lighting conditions. Video recording has become no less high-quality - all videos shot by the drone are processed in the traditional Adobe DNG RAW format. They do not need professional processing.
Separate words deserve the motors of this aircraft. Not only have they become much more powerful than the previous ones, but they are also placed in such a way that even at high speed their screws will not fall into the camera lens and will not spoil the quality of the photo. The overall dynamics of this drone model allows you to reach speeds of up to 72 km / h for 28 minutes of flight.
The special Tar Fly function will allow you to quickly and easily determine the place where you plan to launch the DJI Phantom 4 quadcopter. The Active Track system will allow the drone to easily identify an object for photo and video shooting. Amazing footage guaranteed.
DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter Package Contents
The standard equipment of the DJI Phantom 4 quadcopter, which is already on sale, is as follows:
- Remote Control;
- Charger;
- Cable for connecting the remote control to the memory;
- An adapter that allows you to connect IOS devices to the drone;
- An adapter that allows you to connect Android devices to the drone;
- User's Manual;
- 4 spare screws;
- Quadcopter storage case.
All this allows you to fully operate the aircraft for amateur purposes. Your purchase will quickly justify the investment in it.
DJI Phantom 4 features
This innovative unmanned aerial vehicle has a huge number of features, thanks to which, as manufacturers hope, it will be widely used and popular with consumers. Namely:
- The ability to reach speeds up to 72 km / h;
- 28 minutes of continuous flight up to 5 km;
- Automatic flight according to given points;
- Masterly flight over the obstacles encountered on the way;
- Guaranteed return "home";
- Obtaining clear photos of a given object;
- High-quality video shooting without frame jumps;
- Height control;
- The presence of the Follow Me function.
All these features will be available to all owners of the DJI Phantom 4 drone. This is a truly modern and functional aircraft that users will appreciate.
Specifications of the DJI Phantom 4 quadcopter
The general technical characteristics of this latest model of amateur drone allow it to be used anywhere. It will work at temperatures from 0 to 40 degrees. He is not afraid of frost.
This unique quadcopter weighs only 1380 grams, yet it can reach a height of up to 120 meters and maintain it for 28 minutes at a maximum speed of 20 m/s. When climbing, its speed is 6 m / s, and when descending before landing - 4 m / s. The flight of this drone model is supported by GPS and Glonass satellites.
The built-in camera in the DJI Phantom 4 quadcopter has its own characteristics, which also deserve attention. This is, first of all, its completely redesigned lens, which has a 94-degree angle of view, 12 megapixel matrix resolution. It supports the following photo mode:
- Single frame;
- A series of 3, 5 and 7 frames;
- Time lapse.
The photos taken by this drone model are in RAW and JPEG format. The maximum resolution is 4000x3000 pixels, ISO - from 100 to 1600.
Photo examples: 
As for the video modes that are available to this device, they will be as follows:
- 3840x2160;
- 4096x2160 (UHD);
- 1920x1080 (FHD);
- 2704x1520;
- 1280x720 (HD).
The format of the video obtained after shooting with the DJI Phantom 4 aircraft can be: MOV, mp4, the maximum bit rate is 60 megabits per second, ISO - from 100 to 3200.
The camera has exFAT and FAT32 file systems, and also supports all types of cards from micro to 64 gigabytes.
As for the technical characteristics of the control panel, they will also be on top. The frequency range is from 2.400 to 3.483 GHz, the transmitter power is 23 and 17 dBm, and the maximum transmission of their signal is at 5 and 3.5 km, respectively.
DJI Phantom 4 controller An important element of the DJI Phantom 4 quadrocopter is the sensor module for detecting obstacles during the flight. He "sees" them at a distance of 0.7 and even up to 15 meters. The conditions that are required for the normal conduct of photo and video shooting are quite loyal. All that is required is a landscape with a clear structure and a minimum illumination of more than 15 lux.
Another important detail of this drone model is the module responsible for its visual positioning during the flight. It operates in a range of up to 10 meters at a speed of no more than 10 m / s. The conditions for its operation are identical to the requirements of the obstacle detection sensor module - illumination of at least 15 lux and a clear landscape structure.
The operation of the quadrocopter is impossible without a powerful battery and charger for it. The capacity of the "native" battery is 5350 mA, and its voltage is 15.2 V. The power of the charger is 100 watts.
Our brief review of the new model of the DJI Phantom 4 quadcopter makes it clear that this aircraft may well take the first lines of the ratings and become a new discovery in the quadcopter industry. And all thanks to its incredible capabilities and high-quality photo and video shooting at great heights.
- 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 use 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 talking about the "four", I will involuntarily compare it with the Phantom 3 Professional in order to emphasize 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 is not very hot after the flight, if earlier, when trying to immediately start charging, it blinked all the indicators and refused to charge, now this is not observed, you can almost always start charging it 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 case. 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.
Finding an unusual angle is the alpha and omega of any photographer and videographer. And the ability to shoot from a bird's eye view is a philosopher's stone. For its production, until recently, it was necessary to use all possible aircraft: from a paraglider to a balloon. The drones brought the philosopher's stone literally on a silver platter - the operator does not even have to take to the air himself. And with the development of the DJI Phantom family, gold mining does not actually need to consume mercury: these drones are extremely easy to use and can directly broadcast the process to a mobile device. Not surprisingly, they became a real hit and even got into the top 50 best gadgets in history recently according to Time magazine.
The previous generation, the Phantom 3, was notable primarily for its greatly increased reliability (drones began to “fly away” from the pilot noticeably less often) and the ability to record 4K video. Phantom 4 brought autonomy with it: with the help of additional sonars, he learned to determine not only the height, but also the distance to objects in front or to the side of himself. The most important features of the fourth generation are built on this - the object tracking mode and the ability to independently navigate to a specified point, bypassing obstacles.
Phantom 4 users don't have the ability to plug in a second remote and control the camera and drone separately like on the Inspire One, for example, but they can view what the camera is capturing live, as well as play back footage and delete unwanted footage. Touch control is also available - you can direct the lens, just swiping across the screen.
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Uses the DJI GO app available for both iOS and Android. We tested it on several devices on both operating systems - it works confidently, without failures. At first glance, the application is designed simply - a beginner will get used to it in a few minutes, while there are actually a lot of all kinds of settings: from some basic things like speed or maximum height to the most subtle moments, for example, the smoothness of the camera tilt.
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All innovations in the application interface are directly related to the technical updates of Phantom 4: these are additional flight modes (Tap Fly and Active Track) and a distance scale to an obstacle with gradation from red to green - the distance in meters is also indicated directly. As before, a GPS track with a map of the area and notes about altitude, speed and other flight data is also displayed on the screen.
Another key feature of all Phantoms (and the latest generations in particular) is their extreme simplicity. Yes, there are pilot schools - in order to learn how to fly really well, smoothly and quickly and not get into emergency situations, you need to study. But you can master the copter at a basic level by simply turning it on and running it - the entire cycle from putting on the blades to connecting with the application and the first takeoff takes about five minutes. The application finds the copter - then you only need to set up the compass, following the instructions, and you can fly.
In terms of its flight characteristics, the Phantom 4 is slightly superior to its predecessor: with the same maximum altitude (6 km above sea level), it is capable of gaining altitude at a speed of 6 meters per second (against 5 before), and descending at a speed of 4 meters per second (against 3 earlier). Top speed has also been increased to 20 meters per second (72 km/h) versus 16 before (57.6 km/h). With improved dynamic performance, the quadcopter can stay in the air longer due to the increased battery capacity: 28 minutes, while before it was 5 minutes less.
Let's move on to the new sensors installed on the Phantom 4. Now two compasses are used at once, duplicating each other - the situations that happened with the first "phantoms", when the copter lost position and flew into unknown distances, should be, if not excluded, then reduced to a minimum. Redundant sonar from below should also reduce the number of accidents during landing.
In this position, the copter has already noticed an obstacle (car) and refused to fly further
But the key innovation is, of course, the two forward sonars. They work confidently, clearly determining the distance to the object, not only directly in front of the aircraft, but also at a slight angle to the side. When the mark of one and a half meters is reached, the application emits an alarm signal, the “phantom” stops and does not respond to the movement of the stick towards the emergency object. It is very convenient - if the sensors are not turned off, then you can crash somewhere, in fact, only when flying backwards. Especially this innovation will be useful for beginners.
Sample Video of Tap Fly on DJI Phantom 4
An additional effect of these sensors is the possibility of an autopilot. You can specify a point for the copter directly on the screen of the mobile device - and it will go to it; at the same time, the probability that it will crash somewhere along the way is minimized. A useful feature if you want to shoot a "span" at a constant speed and extremely smoothly.
An example of the tracking function on the DJI Phantom 4
Another new feature is object tracking, or Active Track. In this mode, the copter "spots" the object in the frame and leads it, turning around its axis or even following it. Moreover, it fixes the “phantom” object confidently, without getting lost without a serious reason. The reason may be too sharp a jerk to the side. The object is kept in the frame even among similar ones, that is, you can set the copter to follow a person in the crowd. Combined with the ability to fly independently without crashing into obstacles, this is very impressive: a drone flying behind you on its own, which flies around trees, poles and even other drones, is a picture from the future, quite real now.
Camera
The camera in terms of its technical characteristics has not changed in comparison with what the DJI Phantom 3 had. It uses a 1/2.3” sensor with a resolution of 12.4 MP with a 20 mm lens (35 mm equivalent), the aperture of which is ƒ/2.8. The camera is capable of shooting 4K video (4096 × 2160) at up to 30 frames per second and a bit rate of 60 Mbps. The camera coverage angle is 94 degrees, which is less than, for example, GoPro, but geometric distortions are not so noticeable.
Available sensitivity range: ISO 100-3200, you can manually set both ISO and exposure parameters. In particular, one of the two control dials on the remote is responsible for exposure compensation. There are minor changes in the software plan: a slow motion mode with a resolution of 720p (120 frames per second) has been added, a digital zoom has appeared (when shooting in 4K, it can even be useful, reducing the resolution only to Full HD). Color reproduction is also slightly improved, and the picture subjectively looks a little sharper.
The camera rotates 90 degrees vertically and is equipped with a three-axis stabilizer. In terms of stabilization, DJI also ate a dog - remember, for example, the RONIN body kit. The recorded picture remains smooth even with a sharp style of control of the copter, the jitter of the aircraft also does not affect its quality in any way. The gimbal continuously receives data from the flight processor: angular velocity, momentum and inertia, and the built-in electric motors work to compensate for possible negative effects. Of the artifacts, only the blades of the front propellers that occasionally fall into the frame can be noted.
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DJI Phantom 4 is already approaching gadgets from science fiction films - it is able to independently fly after a given object and at the same time record 4K video, broadcasting it in Full HD resolution to a mobile device. With vertical and horizontal sonars and a dual set of compasses, it's even easier to use. The fourth "phantom" is both faster than its predecessor and has longer battery life. Even the design - and that with each generation is changing for the better. In fact, the only alternative to the Phantom 4 today, if you want a simple, reliable and convenient drone, is the Phantom 3 - no autopilot, slightly slower, but also a quarter cheaper. We are also waiting for Xiaomi Mi Drone - these copters will create, first of all, serious price competition, because they are 3-4 times cheaper than the new "phantom". But the question of the best quadcopter for non-professionals DJI Phantom 4 is closed for now. We express our gratitude to Skymec, the official distributor of DJI, for providing the equipment for the test. |
The DJI Phantom range of drones is the standard for filming quadcopters. Usually, experts give Phantoms the highest rating. However, amateur-level shooting quadcopters (20,000 - 70,000 rubles) have some limitations, especially when it comes to video and photo quality. Drones at this price level shoot like good smartphones, while many people think that the quality will be like that of expensive DSLRs. I have a Sony RX-100 camera, the pictures are very high quality and on the level.
General information about the Phantom 4 quadcopter
The Phantom 4 Professional (P4P) model (approximately 80,000 rubles) is of this level of photo and video, providing high quality aerial photography for a price that will not hit your pocket too hard, for such quality, of course. Before the release of the Phantom 4, the pilot had to look at the drones of the DJI Inspire line with the X5 camera in order to have the same quality that the Phantom 4 now offers.
The Phantom 4 has a larger camera that improves photo and video quality
Matrix, bitrate and quality
Video quality depends on the sensor size of the camera's sensor and the type of camera sensor and lens. Another important role is played by the speed of data transfer to the memory card, which can be developed by the matrix sensor. 4K video at 30 frames per second is a lot of data. The larger the matrix, the better the quality of photos and videos, but technology also contributes, and now even small matrices with the help of various software and hardware settings produce very high-quality images.
The bitrate of a camcorder is the rate at which data is written to a storage device. Expressed in Mbps or MBits \ s (Mbps - megabit), mean millions of bits per second. Internet speed is also usually indicated, i.e. the larger the number, the faster the write speed.
Many hobby quadcopter cameras use 20-50 Mbps bitrate, and the Phantom 4 uses 60 Mbps. For example, a GoPro sports action camera records at 45-60 Mbps. The photos of these cameras are in the 12MP range - 4000x3000 pixels.
But the PRO version - Phantom 4 PRO has a video recording speed of 100 Mbps, and a photo resolution of 20 MP! The camera uses an excellent matrix Sony Exmor 1, it has a size of 4X(116 mm versus 29 mm) versus the 1/2.3 matrix found in other shooting drones. This size means that more light will fall on the matrix, which means the quality will be better. This combination of high bitrate and large sensor takes the Phantom 4 Pro to the next level.
Matrix of Phantoma 4 pro and other quadcopters to understand the difference in size
How the Phantom 4 Pro differs from the regular version
The improved camera is the main reason for the upgrade of the Phantom, which will attract the attention of many photographers. However, DJI has also upgraded other features of its quadcopter, making it the top drone in its class.
Some of the improvements in the PRO version:
- Flight range increased to 7 kilometers
- Flight time increased to 30 minutes
- Improved "Sensing System" - a system of sensors in front and behind, this allows you to develop more speed and more range.
- A new sensor system has been added - infrared obstacle protection on the left and right sides of the quadcopter.
- Improved smart modes and options.
Note: The physical size and weight are almost unchanged from the Phantom 4. Visually, only the camera has become larger, take a look below.
Another difference is the control panel. DJI offers a remote with a screen on Android. This remote also has a standard HDMI output as well as a GPS sensor, microphone and speakers. but you can refuse this and buy a regular remote control for your phone or tablet. For the first time, DJI offers a screen to the remote, this has never happened before.
All these changes and additions are certainly impressive, but the main change is the camera, let's get back to the quality of photos and videos.
My favorite matrix is Sony 1″
In 2012, Sony released a 1-inch matrix digital camera (RX-100), which was quickly brought to the top of the ratings as the best camera, here is an example photo of that device in auto mode:
An example photo from a Sony 1″ matrix
As you can see, the matrix takes a very good picture, and a higher resolution (20MP) will allow you to process photos more freely.
Phantom 4 Pro Camera Features
To make this review a little shorter, here are the main specs of the camera.
Thus, in this quadcopter the camera is 20 megapixels, instead of the usual 12. The camera also has autofocus, other models, for example, have a fixed focus. The Phantom 4 Pro is capable of taking the same shots as drones costing $200,000 and up.
Video. Extended capabilities
The Phantom 4 Pro has more video capabilities than any other quadcopter in this price range for a number of reasons:
- A large matrix and a large video recording bitrate are the main advantages.
- The modern H265 video compression codec standard is (High Efficiency Video Coding or HEVC). Until now, most filming drones use the H264 codec, although 265 has long been known, but do not use it due to the fact that its calculations require significant computing resources, but the Phantom 4 Pro hardware allows you to use this codec.
What does H265 do? Experts say that it improves the quality of video at the same bitrate by about 2 times than H264, and now add 100 Mbps bitrate to this and you get just incredible video quality. Better quality will probably be required only by operators from Major Motion Pictures or Cable-Broadcast, National Geographic Specials, etc., but most likely they will use at least Inspiration 2.
Basic Video Feature
The full specification can be viewed in the pdf file:
H 264(popular codec)
4K - up to 4096x2160 24/25/30/48/50/60p @100Mbps
2.7K - up to2720×1530 48/50/60p@80Mbps
HD-1920×1080 48/50/60/120p@80Mbps@65Mbps
(frame rate 120fps for slow motion)
H 265(new codec for better video quality)
4K - up to 4096×2160 24/25/30p @100Mbps
2.7K - up to2720×1530 48/50/60p@80Mbps
HD- 1920×1080 48/50/60p @80Mbps @65Mbps
New Intelligent Flight Modes
The following flight modes have been added and updated:
New mode - Draw: allows you to create a flight path/route by putting points on the screen with a future route.
Updated Mode ActiveTrack: New Circle, Parallel and Spotlight allow the quadcopter to circle around an object in a variety of ways.
New mode - Gesture mode: Gesture mode. By performing a certain gesture, the drone will follow you (for example, for a selfie).
Updated Mode - TapFly: now works in reverse, and can also work in free mode.
Landing accuracy. Drawing up a route, flight ranges and much more, setting up various scenarios of the Phantom's behavior, for example, after flying the compiled route once, it will land at the specified place, or fly to the second circle and so on in a circle. Photo from Phantom 4 Pro, click to view in full size Photo from Phantom 4 Pro, click to view in full size
conclusions
The best thing about the Phantom 4 pro is that the people at DJI were able to put all the pieces together so that it fits all its intended purposes. An unusual smartphone with poor build quality or poor camera quality will not be good just because of a fast processor. A new car will be much safer if it has traffic and driver control systems, and all this is implemented as a whole.
Phantom 4 Professional, in our opinion, justifies the status of Professional. This is perhaps a truly premium shooting quadcopter with a price of up to 120,000 rubles. The combination of proven features (design, engines, app, radio control, etc.) with significant improvements to old features and the addition of new ones, increased range and improved obstacle avoidance make it unbeatable for both professional and amateur photo and video shooters. .
| 36897 | Quadcopter DJI Phantom 4 Advanced |
|---|---|
| 36898 | DJI Phantom 4 Advanced+ (PLUS) Quadcopter with Monitor |
| 36494 | DJI USB Charger for Phantom 4 USB Charger (Part55) |
| 36658 | DJI Battery Li-pol 15.2V 5870mAh, 4s1p for Phantom 4/ 4 PRO (part64) |
| 36262 | DJI LED indicator for Phantom 4 LED (Part41) |
| 36345 | DJI Phantom 4 Cable Set (Part34) |
| 36273 | DJI Phantom 4 Screw Set (Part33) |
| 36181 | DJI 9450S Quick-release Propellers (1CW+1CCW) for Phantom 4 (Part25) |
| 36206 | DJI Optical ND Filter for Phantom 4 ND4 Filter (Part38) |
| 36689 | DJI Optical ND Filter for Phantom 4 (Pro/Pro+) ND4 Filter (Part73) |
| 36691 | DJI Optical ND Filter for Phantom 4Pro ND16 Filter (Part75) |
| 36207 | DJI Optical UV Filter for Phantom 4 UV Filter (Part37) |
| 36859 | DJI Optical UV Filter for Phantom 4 (Pro/Pro+) UV Filter (Part72) |
| 36247 | DJI Power Circuit Board for Phantom 4 Aircraft Power Port Module (Part3) |
| 36861 | DJI P4 Propeller Mounting Plate (CW and CCW) (Universal for P4/ P4P/P4P+) (Part79) |
| 36260 | DJI Phantom 4 Vibration Absorbers Set (Part32) |
| 36807 | DJI Case (Camo Yellow) for Phantom 4 Wrap Pack (Camo Yellow) (Part60) |
| 36806 | DJI Case (Camo Green) for Phantom 4 Wrap Pack (Camo Green) (Part59) |
| 36607 | DJI Case (Red) for Phantom 4 Wrap Pack (Part57) |
| 36608 | DJI Case (silver) for Phantom 4 Wrap Pack (silver(Part58) |
| 36204 | DJI Phantom 4 Flexible Gimbal Flat Cable (Part36) |
| 36681 | DJI Multifunctional Backpack Lite for Phantom Series |
| 36252 | DJI Phantom 4 Cable & Wire Kit (Part50) |
| 36250 | DJI CW Motor for Phantom 4 2312S Anti-thread Motor (CW) (Part24) |
| 36251 | DJI Main Board for Phantom 4 Main Controller (Part43) |
| 36259 | DJI Landing Gear for Phantom 4 Landing Gear (Part26) |
| 36347 | DJI Propeller Adapter for Phantom 4 Propeller Mounting Plate (CW and CCW) (Part51) |
| 36965 | DJI Phantom 4 Upper Shell (GKAS) |
| 36264 | DJI Body for Phantom 4 (Part27) |
| 36258 | DJI GPS Module for Phantom 4 GPS Module (Part1) |
| 36261 | DJI Phantom 4 Vision Positioning Module (Part28) |
| 36512 | DJI Phantom 4 Middle Shell (GKAS) |
| 36433 | PTZ protection board for DJI phantom 4(3D) |
The Phantom 4 Advanced received an improved camera with a larger sensor capable of recording 4K video at 60 frames / s, as well as taking 14 photos per second in burst mode. Flying is even safer with the FlightAutonomy system, which includes 5 optical sensors. With it, the drone is able to detect obstacles in 2 directions and avoid collisions with them. The Phantom 4 Advanced's titanium and magnesium alloy body is lighter than the Phantom 4.
In the "PLUS" configuration, the quadcopter comes with a monitor.
Updated Camera
The drone camera is equipped with a one-inch matrix with a resolution of 20 megapixels. The specially designed lens consists of eight lenses arranged in seven groups. A mechanical shutter appeared in the design of the camera. It allows you to shoot action scenes without the rolling shutter effect, even if the aircraft is moving at high speed. The drone camera is in no way inferior to standard cameras. With it, you can shoot 4K video at 60 fps and a maximum bit rate of 100 Mbps using the H.264 codec. By selecting 30 fps, you can use the H.265 codec. The large sensor, combined with top-notch processing technology, gives you even more freedom in the editing phase.
The 1-inch 20MP CMOS sensor is 4 times larger than previous models. Larger sensors are able to take in much more information, increasing dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio, as well as the ability to shoot in low light conditions. The 1-inch 20MP sensor is 4 times larger than the standard 1/2.3" Phantom 4 sensor, using larger pixels, it is possible to achieve sensitivity up to 12800 ISO, while maintaining contrast and detail, which allows you to get the most information for post-processing .
5 optical sensors
The Phantom 4 Advanced is equipped with the FlightAutonomy system. It consists of 5 optical sensors, satellite navigation modules (GPS and GLONASS), ultrasonic rangefinders and a set of spare sensors. All this helps the drone to accurately maintain its position in the air even without a satellite signal and fly in a limited space. Optical sensors recognize obstacles 30 meters in front of the drone. The drone is able to automatically brake 15 meters in front of the object.
Remote control
The Phantom 4 Advanced+ is equipped with an advanced Lightbridge transmission system that transmits high quality video at a distance of up to 7 km. The built-in 5.5-inch Full HD (1080p) display has a brightness of 1000 cd/m2 - twice as bright as most tablets. Even in direct sunlight, you will be able to clearly see what you are shooting. The Phantom 4 Advanced+ has a five-hour battery life and is an all-in-one drone controller. The built-in DJI GO app lets you livestream and upload footage to social media, blogs, and more.
Advanced flight modes
Intelligent flight modes give you an even easier way to control your flight. However, manual control is still the most important for high-quality shooting. Using the system of "machine vision" and the latest technology, the Phantom 4 Pro converts complex movements into simple commands, making shooting from the air much easier.
Picture
New waypoint flight technology. Simply draw a line on the screen and the Phantom 4 Pro will move in the direction you choose while maintaining the height you set. This allows the pilot to focus on shooting for more complex shots. There are 2 modes used in different cases:
- Standard: The aircraft follows the flight path at a fixed speed, with the camera pointing in the direction of travel.
- Free mode: The copter flies along the trajectory, the camera can be directed in any direction at the request of the operator.
active track
The Phantom 4 Pro automatically recognizes the subject, follows it, and keeps it in the frame. Following fast subjects can be very difficult, but improved recognition algorithms allow the Phantom 4 Pro to keep the subject in frame at all times. The new algorithm is able to recognize most objects - from people to cars and animals, adjusting the flight speed for accurate shooting. Pilots can choose between follow modes:
- Follow: Fly in front of or behind the subject, automatically avoiding obstacles.
- Profile: fly to the side of the object.
- Spotlight: allows you to keep the camera on the object regardless of the position of the aircraft.
tapfly
Fly in any direction simply by pointing to a point on the screen. Tap the screen and adjust your flight direction by automatically avoiding obstacles* Tap the screen again or use the control sticks to change direction. Difficult to control the altitude, heading, speed and tilt of the camera at the same time using the joystick, TapFlyFree allows the pilot to set the direction of flight and then turn the Phanotom 4 or tilt the gimbal as desired without changing the direction of flight. In general, there are 3 TapFly modes:
- Forward: Click to fly in the selected direction
- Backward: Press to fly in reverse
- Free: Lock the direction of flight without fixing the direction of the camera, allowing you to rotate the camera while flying in any direction.
Return home
The return home has also been redesigned. The Phantom 4 Pro can now choose the best path when returning home, depending on the environment. It records its flight path, allowing it to return home avoiding obstacles in the event of a signal loss. Based on altitude and time since the signal was lost, the Phantom 4 Pro will adjust its "way home" to avoid obstacles. On takeoff, the Phantom 4 Pro records a picture on takeoff and compares the recording on return for greater accuracy when landing. It can also scan the surface to determine if the surface is suitable for landing.
Flight characteristics
The Phantom 4 Advanced offers three flight modes suitable for all conditions: P, A, and S. In Position Mode, functions such as TapFly, ActiveTrack, Obstacle Sensing, and Positioning are available. In Sport Mode, the drone becomes agile and fast, reaching speeds of up to 72 km/h. In manual mode (Atti Mode), communication with satellites is disabled, the Phantom 4 Advanced keeps its altitude balance. It is ideal for pilots who want to shoot particularly smooth video. In Tripod Mode, the drone's speed is limited to 7 km/h, which is suitable for indoor flying and creating the perfect composition.
Smart Batteries
Extended flight time increases operating time. The Phantom 4 Advanced has a maximum runtime of 30 minutes, extending the time it takes to get the perfect shot. The DJI GO 4 app shows you the remaining battery power and tells you how much time is left. As soon as the battery charge reaches a critical level, the pilot will receive a notification. The batteries are equipped with a power distribution center that protects them from overcharging and depletion. Batteries will automatically discharge when stored for a long time.
DJIGO
The application offers a wide range of intelligent flight modes. With it, you can also change many camera settings manually. When changes are made, DJI GO 4 will notify the user. For added convenience, the app displays important flight telemetry and camera video.
Specifications Phantom 4 Advanced
- Flight time (min) - up to 30;
- Effective pixels (MP) - 20;
- Resolution - 5472 × 3648;
- Max. flight speed (km / h) - 72;
- Max. operating altitude from the pilot (m) - 500;
- Max. operating altitude above sea level (m) - 6000;
- Obstacle detection (m) - 0.7 - 30;
- Mechanical shutter - Yes;
- Electronic shutter - Yes;
- Satellite navigation - GLONASS and GPS.
