Hi, all. I’m a newbie to the RC field living in North Carolina and am seeking advice on buying a quadcopter for aerial photography/video. Although I have a technical bent – 25 years in the software/hardware field – I don’t have any real electronics experience or test/repair equipment. My goal is to USE whatever I buy rather than tinker with it. The DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ is what really tripped my trigger in this field because of its RTF consumer orientation, FPV, and the amazing videos I’ve seen on YouTube and DJI’s site. Obviously I’m willing to spend the $1200+ (VERY much plus given the cost of accessories) and it took a lot of restraint on my part to do some research/education in the marketplace instead of just whipping out the plastic in my initial excitement about this product. After reading multiple forums and articles about flyaways, magnetic declination issues, and DJI’s terrible customer service, I decided to broaden my search for a consumer-friendly aerial photography platform while waiting to see if DJI will address some of their problems and am asking for your help. Although the concept of a RTF completely integrated FPV product is very attractive there is one other consideration. I’m also a scuba diver and my underwater Sealife Mini II camera flooded on my last trip to Cozumel. I would have liked something with a little better resolution (yeah, I know they sell them but I don’t get to dive nearly as much as I’d like to so it isn’t worth having something really expensive) but it was a pretty good all-weather photo/video land/sea camera. Since I need a replacement for the Mini II, I’ve been considering buying the GoPro Hero3+ Black. Lots of people are using the GoPro for underwater photography and I also see a lot of folks are matching a GoPro with a quadcopter with great results so I’m weighing the cost advantages of having one camera for land, sea and air versus the disadvantages of having to connect/remove it from the quadcopter and also the possibility of losing my only camera in a quadcopter crash. So, having said all that, I’d appreciate any advice you’d be willing to offer on the best quadcopter choice and having two cameras rather than one before I make my purchasing decision. Thanks in advance. Tom
Welcome! I think a lot of people are in the same boat as you are... A lot depends on exactly what you intend to use the output for. Is this just for hobby use? Do you really need FPV, etc for framing shots or do you just want to send a quad aloft for good stills or vids? There are not a lot of real RTF options out there today -DJI is really the first to have stuff that the semi-technical can buy and fly. To be brutally honest, I didn't buy the P2V+ that I recently tested because it felt too heavy to me...I was sure I would end up destroying something pretty quickly. If, on the other hand, I needed to take real estate or construction or other videos next week - I'd buy one! As it stands, my fancier DJI rig is more likely to be the Phantom 2 which will then be added to. I currently use the stock Phantom 1 just as an experimentation platform and it feels so much lighter and durable than the 2V+. Since you have some tech experience - there are other options that don't require crazy amounts of building, etc. DJI sells all the separate parts - tuned propulsion system, NAZA and even frame - you can put a system together which has a higher payload, even with the smaller kit. Another option would be this newer APM quadcopter - being sold under various brand names (Walkera Pro) - but these guys are in NC, so that may be a plus in terms of support or customization. http://xaircraftamerica.com/products/ofm-skyview-pre-order Let us know how you fare!
Thanks, webman. Ultimately I'd like to find a couple of commercial applications for what I'd buy to generate some parttime income so it seems like FPV would be a necessity besides just being fun/cool. I'm aware of current FAA issues and attempts to shut down and fine people using UAVs for commercial purposes but they seem to be losing in court. I'm also aware that "Drones In The Sky!" could frighten people (Flouride In The Water!) so much that these craft could become banned or highly restricted in the future. I'll keep using the $1200 DJI P2V+ as a reference since I've researched it the most but for the sake of the aforementioned problems with them and the desire to not be guided by tunnel vision for the first hot toy I've seen, I want to be open to the possibilities of other vendors/craft with similar capabilities. In the case of restrictions without an outright ban, I'd be willing to still buy a UAV at that price point for just a hobby (way cool toy). However, if I could develop some commercial uses for a similar product, I'm also aware that my costs could go up a lot for higher grade machines and special sensors if my market heads that way. Something like the P2V+ seems to sit squarely between both worlds. Using a GoPro for land/sea/air would save some money if I was buying one for land/sea anyway but I could live with another Sealife Mini II for land/sea to save money on that side while freeing me from the worry of losing my only camera in a UAV crash and allowing me to have a completely integrated aerial photography platform that I wasn't taking the camera on and off all of the time. I've looked at the Walkera QR X350, checked out the OFM SkyView you linked to, and taken a look at the Tali H500 that's been announced. Walkera seems to offer a lot of choices so I'll research them a little deeper. The problem with the last two products are that they are pre-release so they look good on paper but who knows how they will actually perform? How long to wait is long enough to know? I've got the itch NOW but have pulled back on the reins to do some due diligence. There will always be something new, especially since the interest/market has only started to gain momentum, but I don't want to wait a year just in case that one perfect product/experience is just over the horizon - always. ) All advice appreciated.
Yeah, I understand all of that....keep in mind, though, that your first quad probably won't be your last! So that can be a vote for maybe even starting with a cheapo Phantom(FC40) and getting the hang of things. You can always upgrade the camera, etc. in the future and - if the craft survives you - sell it for a few hundred dollars. So I'd say if you are itching real strong, that's going to probably take the least out of your pocket in the long run. The P2V+ is $1369 with two batteries, the least you need - so it's $1400. One hard landing or crash can cost you $350+ (DJI has not answered as to what the gimbal and camera repair cost).... Personally, I have somewhat taken your advice about the newest versions of most quadcopters - which is why I bought the stock Phantom one year after it was released. It's a totally mature craft now! I'd say, given the choice, I'd use 10-12 months after release for any craft I really wanted to invest a lot into.
Interesting discussion . On Cameras I have chosen to start with a cheap GoPro lookalike and fixed mount . I also went for a Quad I could add stuff to rather than buying everything in one go . I have flown RC aircraft and helis for many years but even so I still managesd to have issues with a quad . I didnt learn the flight modes and their characteritics one at a time instead I started flicking through them but damage was minimal. I have 5 set on 2 switches so easy to get confused
