Drones have entered the mainstream, most consumers are familiar with them and the beautiful imagery that these flying, camera-wielding, devices can capture. Perhaps no company has had a greater influence on consumers becoming more familiar with this technology than DJI.
Since 2006, DJI has been working to create consumer and professional style drones that put high quality aerial video and photography in the hands of many. Now the China-based company has announced its latest addition, the Phantom 3.
Lets just say you’ve got to see the video to truly understand how cool this thing is…
The Phantom 3 sets out to improve on a number of features that DJI has implemented over the last few generations. This new model will ship with two tiers both capable of 12MP images: the ‘Professional‘ which will provide 4K video at 30fps and the ‘Advanced‘ which puts out 1080P at 60fps. DJI has put an emphasis on flying fearlessly, adding enhanced GPS and landing capabilities aimed to put even amateur pilots at ease.
DJI has built-in an automatic take-off and landing feature, as well as a return home button that works even when the remote is out of range. Additional indoor flying sensors should also make for a more reliable flying experience. Most impressive is the new “lightbridge” video feed system that DJI has designed, which skips the previously required Wi-Fi dongle and instead utilizes a built-in communication system to deliver 720p HD video to your tablet or phone while flying. This connection allows users to live stream video via a cellular or Wi-Fi connection to YouTube, sharing the experience world wide.
So what’s it going to cost you? The DJI Phantom 3 will launch in the coming weeks with pre-order available today. The Advanced model will run $1,000 while the upgraded Professional will retail for $1,260. If you can stand to pass on the 4K video, the Advanced model has a lot of upgraded features from previous generations that are worth checking out. If you’re interested in getting into the world of drones, we’ve got a nice deal on the DJI Phantom 2 in today’s Daily Deals.
[9to5-press-release]
DJI Unveils the Phantom 3, the Next Evolution of the World’s Most Popular Consumer Drone
DJI today announced the next evolution in its ground-breaking Phantom drone platforms – the Phantom 3.
With two variations, the Phantom 3 Professional and Phantom 3 Advanced, this new milestone in aerial innovation provides greater control and creative options from the sky.
Both Phantom 3 versions feature the strongest professional control features DJI has developed so far. Using DJI’s innovative Visual Positioning system, these Phantom 3 platforms can hold their positioning indoors without GPS and can easily take off and land with the push of a button.
Controllers for the Phantom 3 come paired with DJI’s Lightbridge technology, which allows pilots to see what the Phantom 3 camera is seeing in HD (720p) at a distances up to 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) with almost no latency.
“In developing the next generation Phantom, DJI remained committed to providing a top tier flight experience in one easy-to-use platform,” said DJI CEO Frank Wang. “We pride ourselves in creating a flying camera that fits in a backpack and can be ready to take professional quality videos from the sky in less than a minute.”
The Phantom 3 Professional is capable of shooting 4K video at up to 30 frames per second, while the Phantom 3 Advanced records at resolutions up to 1080p at 60 frames per second. These cameras are stabilized using 3-axis gimbals to keep the video smooth regardless of flight or wind conditions.
Both models shoot 12 megapixel photos using a 94⁰ FOV, distortion-free lens, and a high-quality, 1/2.3” sensor that is more sensitive to light than the sensor in previous Phantom 2 Vision models.
All camera settings, including ISO, shutter speed and exposure compensation, can be set using both the DJI Pilot app and the physical controls on the remote controllers. The DJI Pilot app also features a Phantom 3 flight simulator for virtually practicing aerial maneuvers, and a ‘Director’ feature, which automatically edits the best shots from flights into short videos that can be shared immediately after landing.
The upgraded app also allows pilots to livestream their flights to YouTube.
“Pilots, whether they are journalists, extreme athletes, or global travelers – will not just be able to share aerial videos of where they were, but will also be able to send a YouTube link to their friends and colleagues to show them the aerial perspectives of where they are right now,” said DJI’s San Francisco General Manager Eric Cheng. “This has tremendous potential for changing the way we share experiences with one another.”
[/9to5-press-release]
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