Fans of professional shooting and expensive toys recommend in their reviews DJI Phantom 4 - a high-quality quadrocopter, designed for those who are not used to saving. On the technical characteristics of the new quadrocopter Phantom line, consumer reviews are different. In our article we will reveal all the features of this unit.
Equipment
Included are:
- Quadcopter DJI Phantom 4.
- Li-ion battery.
- Remote control.
- Spare blades and pouch for storage and transportation.
- Charger.
- Instructions for DJI Phantom 4.
- USB cable
- Suitcase for transporting a quadrocopter.
Suitcase
All Phantom quadrocopter models are delivered in snow-white boxes, on the front side of which there is a photograph of the gadget and its name. To transport the quadrocopter, you need a special case, which, judging by the reviews of the owners of DJI Phantom 4 and early models of the line, was purchased separately. Unlike previous models, in the fourth version, a suitcase for transportation is supplied. It is made of foam plastic, making it durable and lightweight.
The flaps of the suitcase are closed by a locking mechanism, which prevents their opening and facilitates the transportation of the quadrocopter. Inside there is a separate compartment for additional batteries - users in their reviews on the DJI Phantom 4 Pro advise them to purchase for those who plan long flights and for whom charging alone will not be enough. A standard battery can be transported by quadrocopter, but only if it is completely discharged.
Turning on both the quadrocopter and the control panel has protection: activation requires two presses and a key hold for a couple of seconds. In reviews of the quadcopter DJI Phantom 4 Pro, users note the convenience of this scheme: you quickly get used to it.
Design Features: Blades
A quadrocopter with blades removed is transported, but it is very easy to install them. Significant changes were made to the design of the blade holder, unlike all previous models. All metal parts were replaced with similar plastic ones. Each blade has special latches that allow it to be mounted on the engine: just turn it until it clicks. The blade is removed similarly simply - you need to press it and turn it in the direction indicated by the arrow.
User reviews about the DJI Phantom 4 quadrocopter do not contain any complaints regarding the reliability of the blades, their flaws or design problems. The changed blade installation scheme is much more convenient and simpler than the old one, since the owner can bring the quadrocopter into working condition in just a couple of minutes.
Camera mount and pendant
The developers of the quadrocopter have significantly changed the camera suspension - its elements, like the body of the camera itself, are now made of lightweight alloy. The cable in the new models was equipped with inserts that prevent it from breaking. Users in their reviews on DJI Phantom 4 Professional note that the manufacturer has worked on the errors of previous models and performed a very high-quality correction.
Memory size
The microSD slot is located on the quadrocopter, but memory cards are not supplied. In reviews of DJI Phantom 4, the owners of the gadget note that it is better to immediately purchase memory cards with a capacity of 64 GB. Keep in mind that the drone only supports this maximum volume. It is advisable to choose class 10 and higher cards when buying.
The total weight of the quadrocopter with the installed battery is 1380 grams. Battery weight is 462 grams. The dimensions of the drone remained the same: without propellers and diagonally, they are 350 mm.
Charging and Battery Life
In order to improve the flight performance of quadrocopters, DJI is experimenting with batteries from line to line. The fourth generation of change is also not spared. Here we improved the battery, changed its size, weight and connector. The capacity of the Li-Pol battery is now 5350 mAh, and the flight time has increased to 28 minutes, while in previous models it was 23 minutes. In practice, the flight time is much shorter, which is noted by users in their reviews of the DJI Phantom 4 Pro Plus: the spread is from 15 to 22 minutes, and the 28 minutes indicated in the characteristics are real only under ideal flight conditions.
On the front side is a connector for charging the battery. It takes about one hour to charge the battery. The end of charging is indicated by the corresponding indicator on the front panel. Complete with a quadrocopter, a 100-watt charger is supplied.
The battery has a power button and four indicators. You can activate the battery separately from the quadrocopter. This allows you to control the battery level.
The battery should snap into place when installed in the housing. In the reviews on DJI Phantom 4 Advanced, it is noted that often when a battery is installed, a click is not heard, which the developers plan to eliminate in the following modifications of quadrocopters.
Charging the control panel and the aircraft’s battery at the same time is prohibited. The remote control is fully charged within 4 hours, while its charge lasts for 4–5 flights with fully charged batteries.
Remote control: what, how and where
On the back of the remote control there is a metal bracket, for which it is very convenient to carry it. In wet hands, it does not slip due to rubberized inserts on the sides. Owners of the quadcopter DJI Phantom 4 in the reviews note the ergonomics of the control panel - it sits very comfortably in the hands of both an adult and a child.
To control the quadrocopter, it is not necessary to connect a tablet or smartphone - just one remote control is enough. Video recording starts and photos are created using buttons located on the case.
On the control panel there are two levers. The left one is responsible for the vertical deflection of the quadrocopter, that is, for take-off, landing and horizontal deviation (turn around the axis). The right lever allows you to control the movement of the drone left-right, sideways and forward-backward.
On the right side is the home drone return key.
The viewing angle of the camera and its position on the suspension are changed by manipulating a special wheel located on the left side of the remote control. It is impossible to scroll the camera around the axis - for this you have to deploy the drone, which is not always convenient. This is indicated by the owners of DJI Phantom 4 in the reviews on the quadrocopter. The wheel located on the right side of the control panel is responsible for the exposure.
Quadrocopter Control Modes
Using the remote control, you can turn on any of the three DJI Phantom 4 control modes. Let's consider them in more detail.
Standard P-Mode
This is the default mode, which uses an integrated visual positioning system and GPS / GLONASS data. You can disable this mode only if the user clearly knows what he is doing. In the reviews on DJI Phantom 4, it is noted that the first time you turn it on, you need to wait a certain time for the GPS-point "Home" to be determined. This is indicated by indicators on the underside of the quadrocopter.
A-Mode
In this mode, the use of the visual system and GPS is excluded; during the flight, orientation is only made on the barometer stabilizing the quadrocopter. The advantages of A-Mode are its high landing and climb speeds. The function of returning to the “Home” point in this mode works if there is a GPS signal.
S-Mode
This mode without any speed limits with the collision warning system turned off, and therefore it is necessary to control the drone very carefully.
In sports quadcopter control mode, the obstacle detection system is turned off and the maximum speed is increased. Use of this mode is advisable only to those who have gotten a hand in controlling the drone and are not afraid to break it. Ascent rate in S-Mode is 6 meters per second, flight is 72 kilometers per hour, descent is 4 meters per second. At the same time, the flight time is sharply reduced and can be up to 15 minutes, depending on the control features.
Connecting a tablet or smartphone
To connect a smartphone or tablet to the quadcopter, installation of special software on the gadgets is required. At the moment, the main software is the DJI Go program.
After installing the program, a smartphone or tablet is connected via a USB cable to the quadcopter control panel and then the latter is turned on. An image with control tips will be displayed from the camera on the phone’s display.
The image is transmitted to the smartphone in HD quality in real time. Video in 4K quality is recorded on a memory card in a special slot on the case and stored there. In the event of a loss of radio signal, recording will continue on the quadcopter itself, so that it will be possible to view the captured frames. Real-time photo transmission is not possible, unlike video, the main function of which is to position the drone in space.
Additional operating modes
DJI Phantom 4 has built-in front-mounted sensors that perform the function of conventional automotive parking sensors, warning of obstacles to movement. Messages about the obstacle and the distance to it are displayed on the screen of the connected smartphone or tablet. The protection system will stop the quadrocopter even if it tries to specifically fly into an object. This feature is especially useful for beginners who are just learning to control a drone and are afraid to break it.
The DJI Go program has replenished with new options, the management of which is taught through tips and tricks. One of the functions is TapFly - it allows you to direct the quadrocopter to any of the items displayed on the screen. During the flight, you can take control, cancel the selected point or reassign another.
The viewing angle of the cameras is 60 degrees , which is why Phantom flies forward only in automatic mode. To return back, you will either have to take control, or press the special key to return home.
The AutoTrack function allows the drone to follow it after the user selects a specific object on the screen. During the flight, front cameras are used, which build a 3D model of the selected object and, based on it, follow it. The owners of the quadrocopter did not notice any malfunctions in the operation of this function.
The feature also offers circular flyby for those who like to shoot video. It is activated easily: just select the object to follow and hold the joystick to the side, after which the drone will make a circular flyby. In manual mode, it’s rather difficult to perform such an aerobatics, but the automated mode allows you to complete the perfect circle. The only limitation for this option, according to the assurances of the owners of the Phantom quadcopter, is the need to maintain immobility: with any movement, the picture is blurred.
Another feature that was widely used in previous DJI models, but received some changes in the Phantom 4, was route guidance. On the map in advance or during the flight, certain points are selected over which the quadrocopter will fly, without the need for direct control and direct control, which is very convenient.
The software allows you to track the entire route traveled, individual waypoints and other information, which is very useful and convenient.
Quadcopters DJI Phantom of the fourth series have undergone significant changes, which definitely benefited them and turned into irreplaceable gadgets.