Range is not an issue with the GoPro Karma

GoPro is a camera company that made a drone. The Karma drone is first an accessory for GoPro cameras.

TechCrunch reviewed, on paper, the GoPro Karma looks like it’s going to compete with the DJI Mavic drone. They’re both packable drones with limited feature sets, designed with portability in mind. In reality, the Karma’s main competitor is the DJI Phantom.

But we think the Karma’s competitor is not the Phantom 3 or 4 but it is the Mavic Pro. Portability is what the Karma was developed for and it falls short when compared to the Mavic although it does have a much better camera with the Black. The Karma will be the go to for those deep in the GoPro ecosystem and for GoPro’s first shot at a drone it’s a home run, but let’s not minimize the impact of the Mavic, it is the standard everyone will now try to emulate.

It’s clear that the product bundle itself is one of the main differences between the GoPro Karma and its DJI rival. GoPro shares a single camera between both the drone and its gimbal grip, and wants you to buy it separately. You’ll need to supply a Hero4 Black or Silver, or the new Hero5 Session or Hero5 Black camera for use with your drone, bolstering GoPro’s camera sales in the process unless you already own one. But the drone ships with its gimbal grip as a free accessory, and realistically speaking, many target customers likely already own one or more GoPro cameras anyway.

Range is not an issue with the GoPro Karma. Its maximum flight distance is 3,000m, which in most cases is far enough for the pilot to lose sight of the drone, breaking one of the key FAA rules of piloting a drone of keeping the drone in visible range. However, many other drones available around the Karma’s price now have a range of 5,000 meters or farther.

The DJI Mavic has a claimed a maximum flying distance of 8 miles (13km). OcuSync long-range-transmission technology is capable of relaying a signal up to 4.3 miles line-of-sight while supporting 720p HD video (1080p HD transmission in short-range mode). Every time you fly, OcuSync scans a range of available frequencies to find and use the one with the least interference to give you more reliability and control, OcuSync transfers vital statistics of the Mavic to you in real time, and can also be used to download photos and videos at up to 40 Mbps while flying. It can be controlled using the DJI Go app over shorter ranges. If you to want to fly further the you can add a tiny remote controller which increases the range to a claimed 7km. The remote can link to a mobile device and view a live feed from the copter in 1080P.

On the whole, the GoPro Karma is a great drone. Think of it as a flying GoPro mount, though, instead of an autonomous aerial vehicle. It lacks collision detection and follow-me abilities — the latest features found on most drones in the Karma’s price point. And that’s a shame, too, as both are excellent additions to drone technology. Think of the Karma as one of the best drones from 2014, and maybe, for GoPro’s core audience, that’s fine.

The post Range is not an issue with the GoPro Karma appeared first on Drone Inner.

Xiaomi Mi drone 4K: DJI killer?

The Chinese electronics brands Xiaomi unveiled its first drone last year in May. The Mi drone 1080p is available with a price tag of below $400. However, ever since, there has been no substantial update on the status of the 4K variant of the drone.

The company recently announced that the Xiaomi Mi Drone 4K will be listed on March 3 with a price of 2,999 yuan (~$436), whereas the battery for the same will be priced at 499 yuan (~$72), with the ambition to invite itself on a segment dominated by another Chinese company: DJI and its Phantom drone.

The Xiaomi Mi drone will be produced by FIMI Technology. To ensure its differentiation, it will bet on a price that should not exceed 4000 yuan, or about $436, where DJI proposes its drone equivalent Phantom 3 Standard from $499.

Xiaomi should therefore re-exploit its strategy already used for smartphones, offering mid / high-end products at very competitive rates by limiting its marketing expenses and playing viral marketing.

However, the product is located high enough to ensure a certain profitability despite the low margins generated, Xiaomi leaving the segment of drones entry-level that sees many new players is likely to saturate quickly.

The post Xiaomi Mi drone 4K: DJI killer? appeared first on Drone Inner.

Hover Camera buy:Is $599 Too High

The Hover Camera is one of the more unique flying cameras we’ve ever seen, focusing on a durable and portable lightweight design, competitive price, and ease of use through an iPhone app.

Just like Lily and Zano, as the marketing message goes, it’s aiming for the selfie market. Like the others, it has attracted a fair bit of attention from the time it was first unveiled in April.

The official release unit is compact, foldable and weighs only 240 grams. It can recognize a human face and then track it. Hover Camera also supports 360° shooting, throw-and-fly, automatic hovering etc. The drone is priced at $599.

To step back for a second, consumers can buy a Parrot drone or DJI’s Phantom 3S starting. From $499. This new drone-in-a-grill has 10-minute flight, a controllable range of 20m and doesn’t support a remote control, working only through an app. So, is $599 cheap? There are a number of factors to consider.

There are three levels of consumer drone:

• Low-end “selfie drones”(under $400)

Example: Dobby

Features: Focusing on selfies, 4k video, flight time within 10 minutes, electronic image stabilization, limited flight range, controlled by smartphone.

• Consumer drones for aerial imaging (Above $650)

Example：DJI Mavic, DJI Phantom series

Features: Focusing on aerial photography, flight time around 27 minutes, three-axis gimbal, long transmission range, uses remote controller.

• Drones for professional photography (Above $1,500)

Example: DJI Inspire series

Features: Cinematic footage of higher quality, better camera, dual controllers.

There isn’t any mature product between $400-$650 yet. The Hover Camera is trying to wedge itself into this market segment. But, when you lay out its features, side-by-side with rivals, it’s simply too expensive as a “selfie drone.” And then ask yourself these questions:

1. Do we actually need a drone to take selfies?
2. Enclosing propellers with a cover, is that innovation or marketing?
3. Do you want to lower your technical expectations, yet still pay a high price for promised “safety?”

In summary, $599 for the Hover Camera is a bit rich for our blood. Drones with far more features, better cameras – stabilized ones – start $100 below that price point and get steadily better as they creep above it by another $100 or $200. The Hover Camera is cute, but it makes too many compromises and comes in at too high a price.

( Source )

The post Hover Camera buy:Is $599 Too High appeared first on Drone Inner.

Will DJI Phantom 5 be your drone?

What are the typical time frames for versions with DJI? What are the rumors concerning Phantom 5?

We scoured the internet to find all of the rumors, leaks, and allegations that are surrounding the drone that has everybody at the edge of their seats.

Design

The shell of the DJI Phantom 5 will be available in two colors (white and black) this will give it a sporty look and a glossy finish to it. The motors are firmly attached and stand tall while the top of the drone is mounted by a quick release propeller. These are raised in particular, so that the stators can allow the props to get out of the way and so that the brakes can be applied at high speeds.

Another upgrade that you will immediately notice is that to the Gimbal as well as the camera that has been fitted. Why don’t the legs retract? With the legs out of the way you could have a gimbal that rotates 360 degrees, you could put on shorter focal length lenses or you could swap out that lens for one-half of a 360° camera. Maybe the other side of the 360° could snap onto the top of the drone? Anything can happen.

Camera 

The Phantom 5 will have a better camera. The Inspire 2 has a 5K capable camera. We would be surprised if the Phantom 5 doesn’t follow suit with upgraded video processing.

It is capable of taking high-quality images which can also be streamed to the controller live. It is ideal for those who want to use it for surveillance purposes or just for appreciating mother nature and clicking still images of birds, sunsets, etc. The high resolution of the camera ensures that the pictures do not get pixelated, thus allowing you to enjoy them full later on.

It’s also rumored that, the Phantom 5 comes with a removable camera which allows you to replace it, upgrade it or even swap it out with a 360 degree or thermal camera.

The Flight Time

The Phantom 5 will have a longer flight time. The Phantom 4 Pro can fly up to 30 minutes.

The Phantom 5 has been rumored to have a flight time that is up to 30 minutes long on a single charge, but some are saying it can even go up to 33 minutes. Others are claiming that it could even be 40 minutes on a single charge, which makes sense if the rumors of a never before seen battery are actually true.

Others are also saying that when the Phantom 5 is in Sports Mode you can get more than the average 30-minute claim, which doesn’t seem all that true considering Sports Mode usually drains the battery faster. However, these are all rumors, so there isn’t anything too solid yet.

Range

The Phantom 5 will have a longer range. The Phantom 4 Pro has a range of 7000 m. We expect the Phantom 5 to have a range of at least 8000 m, but potentially even up to 10,000 m.

The Features

The Phantom 5 will have front, rear and side cameras to help it avoid obstacles. The side cameras will give the Phantom 5 full 360-degree obstacle avoidance.Top and bottom obstacle avoidance.

It’s rumored to feature a second FPV camera. A second stationary lag-free camera could allow the pilot to fly the drone with an FPV headset while a second cameraman operates the camera and gimbal. The Inspire 2 has this feature so the Phantom could follow suit, but only if they also add retractable legs.

We may even be getting a waterproof drone. How awesome would it be to fly your Phantom at the beach and not have to worry about getting it wet? They might not make all Phantom 5s waterproof, but maybe we can hope for a dual release with a Phantom 5W model that can handle the elements and take off out of the water.

We may also have newer flight modes that are going to be paired with older ones, too. For example, Auto Takeoff and Auto Return, similar to Return to Home, may be coming into play here. We may also see GPS, which has supposedly improved drastically, reliant features, such as TapFly, ActiveTracking, and features that do not need GPS while in Sports Mode. In fact, Sports Mode is rumored to have replaced Flight Mode completely for the purpose of providing 10 additional minutes to flight time, but we can’t be too sure yet.

One of the more popular rumors is when the release date is. Some say that it will be in April, while others are thinking it’s going to be much closer to the holidays. We expect the Phantom 5 will not be around until the second half of the year as there is no need for improvement because the previous newly Phantom 4 Pro are awesome, so why keep going soon?

The post Will DJI Phantom 5 be your drone? appeared first on Drone Inner.

The Most Complete Instructions on DJI Products and Accessories

DJI has a wide range of products and accessories. The following tables clearly show DJI’s products and compatible accessories. DJI’s product line covers aerial drones and handheld imaging solutions including the Inspire Series (Inspire 1 and Inspire 2), the Phantom Series (Phantom 3, Phantom 4, Phantom 4 Pro), the Mavic Pro, the Matrice M600, the Ronin Series (Ronin, Ronin M and Ronin MX) and the Osmo Series (Osmo, Osmo+, Osmo Pro, Osmo Raw and Osmo Mobile), etc.

1. High-end All-in-one Drones— Inspire 1, Inspire 2

2. Consumer Drones— Phantom 3, Phantom 4, Phantom 4 Pro

3. Small and Foldable All-in-one Drone—Mavic Pro

4. Professional Aerial Flight Platforms— Matrice M600 Pro

5. Professional Handheld Gimbal Stabilization Systems—Ronin, Ronin M, Ronin MX

6. Consumer Handheld Gimbal Cameras and Stabilization Systems— Osmo, Osmo+, Osmo Pro, Osmo Raw, Osmo Mobile

Through the tables above, I’m sure that you have got a better understanding of DJI’s aerial drones (the Inspire Series, Phantom Series, Mavic and Matrice) and handheld imaging solutions (Ronin Series and Osmo Series). The information may vary, and it is for your reference only.

The post The Most Complete Instructions on DJI Products and Accessories appeared first on Drone Inner.

5 DJI forum you often visit

Below are some of the best DJI forum sites I’ve collected for all information about drones, drone equipment, upgrades, operations, problems & fixes, and drone you-name-it!

You’ll find very experienced pilots who are ready and willing share knowledge about the drone industry from entry level recreational pilots to the commercial photographer/videographer pilots who make their living with drones.

There’re information on Drones from the Manufacturer and from Companies with upgrades and equipment.They’re the tell all to end all sites for everything Drones.

1. DJI Forum

Explore the Value of Communication with DJI Users around the World.

2. DJI Phantom Drone Forum

The #1 DJI Phantom Drone Forum and Quadcopter, UAV site for Information, Help, Forum, Discussions and Online Community.

3. DJI Mavic Drone Forum

DJI Mavic Drone Discussions, Support, Forum and Online Community.

4. DJI Inspire Drone Forum

DJI Inspire 1 and Inspire 2 Drone, Quadcopter, UAV Forums, Community, Help and Discussion.

5. DJI Phantom Drone Forum – Phantom Pilots

General discussion on the DJI Phantom 3 Professional and Advanced. ATTENTION – There Are Now 2 P3 Areas, P3A/P and P3S/4K. … Phantom 3 Pro firmware hacking tools.

6. DJI Forum – Drone Inner

DJI forum is to discuss anything about DJI, DJI products, Mavic Pro, Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4, Phantom 3 Series, Inspire series, DJI news, etc.

These sites could help you to learn about your drone and its characteristics. I highly recommend them to anyone who owns a DJI drone or to anyone whose considering ownership.

The post 5 DJI forum you often visit appeared first on Drone Inner.

Drones for Good: Research and Ecology

2016 was the year that saw drone being used for many distinctive purposes, from capturing cinematic wonders to aiding NGOs in search and rescue missions to making possible ridiculous YouTube pranks. Lesser spoken about were the research studies that academics worldwide have done with their drone.

Much of these studies, featured in academic journals and university magazines, focused on conservation and environmental practices and the positive impact UAVs have made in their respective areas. Here, we take a look at three of the good use cases that were documented in 2016.

1.Drones and Marine Ecology

Aerial Imaging has long been used to track the changes of key ecosystems, such as mangroves, coral reefs and shallow ocean beds. However, UAV technology has only recently enabled researchers on lower budgets to embark on these types of studies.

Norway’s renowned Nord University produced a study done by researchers using a DJI Phantom 3 to map sea-grass meadows. Coyer, a PhD student on the project comments, “Sea-grass meadows are crucial nurseries for many fish species…[they] are dynamic ecosystems that change in space and time… We use the drone to understand and investigate the mechanisms behind these changes.”

By collecting visual data with drone, Coyer was able to contribute crucial materials to a study that looked into adaptation capabilities of sea-grass threatened by climate change. Without a drone, this procedure would have been very time consuming and expensive.

2. Drones and Carbon Footprints

Western Australia’s expansive rangelands are extremely valuable as spaces of biomass production and storage. Better rangeland management practices have been suggested which in turn effect the carbon content in the vegetative matter. However, proving the effect of these practices in the past have been extremely laborious and destructive to the environment.

Researchers in Perth, Australia have been developing drone that are able to capture large areas of rangeland landscapes and process the images into a 3-D point cloud. The lead researcher on the project explains, “Previously [measuring biomass] involved destroying the bush by cutting it all down and weighing to determine the biomass per hectare to calculate the amount of carbon.”

With drone technology, researchers can now utilize an environmentally friendly platform capable of long range and long endurance, suitable for capturing survey grade imagery over the rangelands. This an exciting new possibility for those involved in carbon farming, as outlined by researchers in Western Australia’s Outback Carbon Farming Conference.

3. Drones and Plant Ecology

Applications in Plant Sciences is a peer reviewed journal that promotes newly developed and innovative tools in all areas of plant sciences. In its September 2016 issue, it featured a study that used small drone fitting specific aircraft and camera requirements, such as the DJI Phantom to survey plant ecology.

The methodology section begins by stating, “The prospect of using drones for vegetation sampling is exciting because of the large amount of information that can be collected with minimal effort.” By collecting aerial surveys with drones, researchers can greatly expand the area that can be assessed with minimal disruption of sensitive plants and vegetation. They can now also gain samples of terrain that is otherwise difficult to access.

These studies pave way on how drone could be used to better understand the environment around us and more importantly, how we can encourage a more sustainable planet. While most people have their eyes on how drone technology can benefit businesses and workflow, let’s not overlook how they can also benefit society as a whole and the world we live in.

The post Drones for Good: Research and Ecology appeared first on Drone Inner.

How to tell a Real DJI Phantom Drone from a Toy

Today, there’s a wide range of drone available from different manufacturers, at an equally great range of price points, and most importantly – varying quality and performance.

The question is, how do you – as a consumer and pilot – navigate the market to find the gems and avoid the duds?

Here’s a list of ways to identify the good and the not-so-great in the rapidly growing drone market.

Safety and reliability

One thing that clearly sets the DJI Phantom apart from competitors like Yuneec’s Typhoon H or Q500 is safety and reliability.

Things that DJI’s series of drones have that make them much more reliable are intelligent features like Collision Avoidance (Yuneec’s drones have something similar called RealSense, but its performance is far below DJI’s), that senses and avoids obstacles in its paths. There’s also Return to Home which you can use to prevent your Phantom from flying away, or if you lose control. With just the push of a button, your Phantom will return to its starting point.

There are many competing products that look like the Phantom 4 Pro and Phantom 4 but fall far below in performance and reliability. Here is one example of an upscale toy drone — it has no real gimbal and a pretty poor third-party camera. And of course, no smart features.

Brand

Brand names are now a centuries-old convention that helps consumers easily distinguish between goods. When it comes to drones, we’ve already given you a clue: stay on the lookout for drones from DJI. (You may recognize the brand from other products — the company is also the creator of the very innovative Osmo camera.)

DJI’s current models, the Phantom Pro and Phantom 4, are basically at a different level than the competition when it comes to photography and filmmaking, ease-of-use, reliability and customer service and support in case you run into any unexpected problems. We highly recommend seeking out these as your first drone!

 

The post How to tell a Real DJI Phantom Drone from a Toy appeared first on Drone Inner.