Professional Drone reviews 2020

DJI Phantom 3 Professional & Advanced Review. Everything about the DJI Phantom 3 Professional drones Quadcopter Drone Review, battery and video tests.

​​​​The camera of the DJI Phantom 3 Professional drone

Even​​​​ before the official launch of the Phantom 3 was announced there was interest in this drone. News that the new Quadrocopter of DJI which includes an integrated 12 megapixel camera with a 1 / 2.3 Exmor sensor by Sony. It also records video in 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) at up to 30 frames per second. This is an increased capability that was sure to excite customers.

The integrated camera is a first in the Phantom series. The two predecessors were only equipped with a support bracket to which, in most cases, a GoPro HERO camera was mounted.

The GoPro HERO4 Black Edition already provided convincing 4K video recording, therefore the 4K capability of the built-in camera of the DJI Phantom 3 Professional is no real surprise.

This would be the choice of the professional drone user than wanted to build a business in drone photography, or even television work.

The maximum resolution of the Advanced version is Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) with up to 60 frames per second. Shooting fast-moving subjects with particularly faster and more agile maneuvors at 60 frames per second with this version is no problem.

With both DJI Phantom 3 versions having built-in and integrated cameras there is scope for these to replace the GoPro HERO cameras. This will mean you gain everything you need in one purchase.

The camera of the two Phantom models has all the features of the more expensive camera and more features than the professional DJI Inspire. The camera has an angle of 94 degrees and therefore has wide angle. With no significant distortions at the edges this gives an added edge to that of the GoPro.

The phantom 3 Advanced drone, isn't the most expensive drone, even though it's packed with great features.​ And also a great drone for professional photography.

DJI Phantom 3 drone professional test

Other new features and improvements.

More powerful engines with a stronger battery, which provides a longer flight time of 23 minutes, is a welcome change to the DJI Phantom 3. It is recommended that you have a second battery available to cover a couple of flights. The timing for the battery can vary depending on flight speed which is up to just under 60 km/h.

The maximum altitude without interference is approximately 6,000 meters (However, it is reported in some forums the fact that there is a 500 meter limit). The maximum horizontal distance should be around 2,000 meters.

Legacies of the Inspire 1

DJI Pilot App

The Phantom 3 has retained the DJI Pilot application from the Inspire 1 model which allows the pilot full control over the camera settings. Shutter speed, ISO speed, brightness or white balance can be easily adjusted via your smartphone or tablet.

In addition, all telemetry and flight data are displayed. An automatic video editor is included in the app. However, there are still issues with the DJI Pilot app and iOS devices. This is because the application is apparently not approved by Apple. In connection attempts the screen stays black and an error message indicates that the connection was aborted. As a result the manufacturer recommends the use of Android devices.

Vision Positioning System

Another hardware component of the Quadrocopter DJI Phantom that was also seen with the Inspire 1 is the Vision Positioning System. This consists of a camera with two ultrasonic sensors which measures the distance between drone and ground with synchronized GPS data.

This allows flights over a sloping terrain where distance from the ground can be maintained. This can provide very exciting footage to properly capture landscape action.

Lightbridge for the output device

Completely new to the DJI Phantom 3 is the Light Bridge system. The live image resolution of the wireless transmission is the biggest improvement. Through the in-house video downlink system your image is wirelessly transmitted to the output device with minimum delay which records up to 720p. The manufacturer states that the transmission still functions at a maximum distance of 1.6 kilometers.

For the renunciation of external cameras to drones of DJI Phantom 3 Professional delivers several compelling arguments. We’re talking about a perfectly matched system between Copter, camera and output device and remote control. Transmission problems, connection failures or display errors that were previously not uncommon, are thus largely a thing of the past.

DJI Phantom 3 Test Result

By using the Light bridge system there is almost a zero-delay to transmission of the live image to your phone or tablet.

The pilot control app runs smoothly and the Vision Positioning System prevents unwanted maneuvers in dead spots or connection errors.