This morning, DJI took the wraps off its latest drone, the Phantom 4 Advanced. Its newest model offers a handful of improvements over the original Phantom 4, including the ability to record 4K video at 60 frames per second. This move was hardly a surprise as DJI is known for rolling out multiple versions of its popular drones with varying features. Today’s announcement also delivered a ‘Plus’ model that makes one key change to DJI’s included controller.
Visually speaking, you won’t notice many differences between the Phantom 4 and the new Advanced model. Most of the changes have happened under the hood, highlighted by the inclusion of 4K video at 60fps. From what we can tell, DJI is still using the same 20MP sensor on the new model in partnership with a 24mm f/2.8 lens that’s also found on the Pro model.
The bitrate remains the same 100Mbps but the overall jump to 4K from the Professional’s 2.7K at 60fps should result in clear imagery. DJI also notes that high dynamic range (HDR) footage is capable on its latest drone, too. Battery life also gets a boost to 30-minutes of total flight time. Pilots can use microSD cards up to 128GB on the Phantom 4 Advanced.
One of the confusing aspects of DJI’s lineup is how some features are included on certain models, while others are not. It can be difficult to keep track of the differences and the latest Phantom 4 Advanced continues that trend. DJI’s newest drone includes many of the same intelligent features that we’ve seen on previous models, including automatic flight modes, ActiveTrack, TapFly and Gesture. It does, however, lack the rear vision and infrared sensors as seen on the Pro model. So if you’re worried about flying into an object, shelling out a little more cash might be worth it.
DJI will also be rolling out a Phantom 4 Advanced+ model that features one big change. The included controller will now feature a 5.5-inch 1080p screen integrated directly into the handheld unit. Given that GoPro rolled out a similar display on its Karma drone, it’s no surprise that DJI is (finally) offering this option.
Along with today’s release, news comes from DJI that it will be discontinuing the original Phantom 4 drone on April 30th. It will however continue to offer sales support and the accompanying smartphone apps will still operate as usual.
The new Phantom 4 Advanced and Advanced+ retails for $1,349 and $1,649 respectively in the United States. It is available for purchase today direct from DJI.
[9to5-press-release]
New Phantom 4 Advanced Gives Creators The Ideal Flying Camera For Expanding Their Creative Vision
The Phantom 4 Advanced’s upgraded camera is capable of shooting 4K video at 60 frames per second. The more powerful video processing now supports H.264 4K videos at 60fps or H.265 4K at 30fps, both with a 100Mbps bitrate. Excellent optical performance, sensors and processors ensure everything is captured with high dynamic range and more image detail needed for advanced post-production.
Similar to the Phantom 4 Pro, it comes with many key intelligent features that allow smooth automatic flight modes, including Draw, ActiveTrack, TapFly, Gesture and Tripod. Equipped with the FlightAutonomy system made up of 5 vision sensors, forward-facing obstacle avoidance system, dual-band satellite positioning (GPS and GLONASS), and ultrasonic rangefinders, the Phantom 4 Advanced is able to hover precisely in places without GPS and fly in complex environments.
The Phantom 4 Advanced+ version offers a 5.5-inch 1080p screen integrated into the controller. The screen is more than twice as bright as conventional smart devices, making it an ideal aerial imaging solution for outdoor use. In addition, creators can now do more with the Phantom 4 Advanced’s increased storage capacity using a 128GB microSD card and a flight time extended up to 30 minutes.
For those who are ready to take their aerial camera work to the next level, the Phantom 4 Advanced is truly the most affordable, intelligent and powerful flying camera you can find. For more information, visit http://www.dji.com/phantom-4-adv.
With the introduction of the more affordable, yet powerful Phantom 4 Advanced, the Phantom 4 model will reach its End of Life (EOL) on April 30, 2017. DJI will continue to provide after sales support to Phantom 4 customers and they can continue to enjoy flying their aircraft using the DJI GO 4 app.
The US retail price of the Phantom 4 Advanced and Phantom 4 Advanced+ is USD1,349 and USD1,649, respectively. It will be available on store.dji.com/ and the product will start shipping on April 30, 2017.
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