Legit DJI Phantom 3 Professional Review

Currently priced just under $1000, the DJI Phantom 3 Professional offers a smooth flying experience with a high quality camera. It measures 23” from tip to tip and weighs a little less than 3 lbs.

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional utilizes both GPS and GLONASS (the Russian version of GPS) tracking systems to give you access to at least 36 satellites at all times. The DJI Go App allows you to track your location on a live map. You can also record your take-off point so that your drone can return home easily. A Vision Positioning System allows you to fly indoors safely.

An automatic flight log records flight rate, time, distance, location, and saves a cached version of photos and videos. The flight recorder records data from internal mechanisms. This can be shared with DJI support in the event of a malfunction.

Flight Time, Camera/Video, & Battery Charging

The flight battery calculates how much power you have remaining and lets you know how much battery the drone needs to return home. A full charge can give you up to 23 minutes of flight time, and the battery will take about an hour to recharge. It’s a good idea to purchase a spare battery in order to increase the length of your flight experience.

The camera can shoot 4K video at up to 30 frames per second as well as capture 12 MP still photos. It comes with a f/2.8 aperture 94° field of view lens. A 3-axis gimbal keeps the camera level allowing you to capture sharp video and photos. The camera can only tilt up or down; rotating is not an option. Also, it is easy to bring legs or propellers into the camera shot when the drone is moving quickly. It comes with a 16 GB memory card which is enough to record the video from one full-length flight. You will probably want to increase that memory. You can upgrade up to a 64 GB card.

Controller Settings and Features

The controller comes with its own rechargeable battery. It can be used for about 90 minutes without needing a recharge. The DJI Phantom 3 Professional comes with a power adapter that can be used to charge both devices at the same time. You can control the drone up to 3.1 m (5 km) away. DJI Lightbridge is built into both the drone and the controller, increasing the level of communication between the two. There are dedicated buttons for photography, flying, and returning home.

You also have the ability to customize the joysticks.The controller can hold a phone or tablet up to the size of a full-size iPad. One thing to note is that the DJI Go App works with a very limited number of Android devices. You may want to check if you own a compatible device before making your purchase.

The DJI Go App allows you to access a live HD video feed which you can stream to YouTube. You can add audio to the visual footage using the microphone on your mobile device. You can also edit your videos later to share on social media. You can also use the app as a training tool, enabling you to get used to the controls without destroying your drone.

Summary

Overall, users are very happy with the quality of the DJI Phantom 3 Professional. Complaints center on two main areas – the process to download new firmware is cumbersome and DJI customer service leaves a lot to be desired if and when something goes wrong.

The 3D Robotics Solo Quadcopter (review) and DJI Inspire 1 V2.0 (review) are other drones we recommend in the higher price point.

Author: Stacey Miller
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