August 5, 2015: Many videographers and still photographers who are interested in using camera drones worry about the learning curve: How much time and effort will it take to master piloting and capturing footage with a drone? DJI today announced the Phantom 3 Standard and declared it their most user-friendly model to date. It is positioned as an entry-level model, and costs less than the pro-oriented Phantom 3 Professional and Phantom 3 Advanced.
Designed for first-time flying camera pilots, the DJI Phantom 3 Standard boasts a 2.7k HD video camera and wide-angle lens, with the ability to shoot 12MP stills in both DNG RAW or JPG formats. It is Wi-Fi ready, and lets pilots see the camera’s video capture in real time on their smart phone or tablet, which integrates with the controller.
Watch this demonstration of the DJI Phantom 3; Video provided by DJI
The camera is kept stable via a 3-axis gimbal that tilts and turns, and keeps the camera flat and level without shake. The drone can stop in place, speed up, or fly higher, based on a pre-programmed route, or by your simply moving and using the control sticks and dials. Electromagnets spin the rotors at high speed for minimal shake and more durability. Flight logs record and remember your path, and a live map and radar tracks full flight telemetry including speed, altitude, and distance.
The drone comes with a remote controller with an integrated Wi-Fi range extender, and the camera provides up to 25 minutes of flight time and a range up to 1/2 a mile. To make it easier to operate the drone right out of the box, DJI says the Phantom 3 Standard will be compatible with Follow Me, Waypoint Navigation, and Point of Interest flight planning, all intelligent flight features. A wireless range extender transmits the live view from the drone to an attached mobile device. If the drone loses contact with the control unit, it will automatically return to base.
For Follow Me, the drone is set to follow the user as he or she moves around. Waypoint Navigation lets users set a multi-point route that the Phantom 3 flies automatically. As it flies, the user is free to control camera pan and tilt using the controller. Point of Interest lets users define an object, and the Phantom 3 will fly around it in a circle, with the object framed perfectly in the center. This makes a shot that’s difficult to master easy and automatic. All of these novice-oriented features are available out of the box, and will be made available for the Advanced and Professional models as a firmware update in a few weeks.
The aircraft can ascend at up to 5 meters per second, descend at up to 3 meters per second, and can fly as high as 6000 meters. Its maximum speed is 16 meters per second, assuming there’s no wind. The camera has an ISO range of 100-3200 for video and 100-1600 for stills, and records MP4/MOV as well as JPEG and DNG RAW file formats.
The DJI Phantom 3 Standard joins the two more advanced models, the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced ($999) and DJI Phantom 3 Professional ($1,259), both of which are available now from Adorama, and will be the least expensive model at $799. Of course, for the lower price, certain features aren’t included, such the bottom-mounted Visual Positioning System, and the camera’s resolution falls between the Advanced’s 1080p and the Professional’s 4K for video. Indoor operation is more limited since the Standard lacks Lightbridge (a more advanced navigation system found on the pricier models), and there is not return-to-home button. If you need these features, you may want to consider the more expensive models.
At the Adorama price of $799, the DJI Phantom 3 Standard offers just enough technology and ability to get you started flying and shooting high-resolution footage. DJI says it’s a more affordable, less intimidating point of entry for future airborne videographers. It will be available from Adorama in mid-to-late August.
