End of the Phantom Line?

Brojon · Nov 20, 2021

RPP said:
Yes, the P4 is a tough little bird. Wind gusts in Iceland can be brutal and I have sometimes pushed the edge of the envelope and it has come through. More important for me, it has a very good camera system.

You ever see that video where the sailboat is in a gale and the guy tosses a P4 into it?
Holy moley!
I used to stand on the cliffs going towards Grindavik and they would do their best to blown you back.
Top of Skogafoss same thing. Curious how a drone would handle those...

Meta4 · Nov 20, 2021

Brojon said:
Curious how a drone would handle those...

It's quite simple really ... the boat is sailing downwind so they never have a problem catching up to the boat.
The boat speed would be around 50 km/hr but in atti mode with a strong tailwind, the Phantom can easily make >100 km/hr.
They just have to keep updating the homepoint to prevent the drone wanting to go back with a low battery RTH.

I wonder how many flights they get before the saltwater corrosion kills the Phantom.

Bone4Drone · Nov 28, 2021

snowghost said:
I sold my Inspire 2 v2 and got the P4Pv2. I realize it's not the newest on the block but I love this thing. The fourth Phantom I've owned over the years.

I'm with you 100% on that. I'm a 75 year old (former RC airplane pilot) with a P4Pv2 I bought used but new condition about 3 years ago. Also have the DJI Goggles RE. Purchased both with lots of extras for $900 so I think I got a fair deal. As a drone pilot, I'm probably average. I'm cautious and never take chances, thus, I've never crashed or even had a hard landing. I love that little guy and will keep it till the sun implodes someday. I have no interest in ever buying any additional drone unless DJI can manage to make one that mows the grass during the day and makes love to me at night...and bring me breakfast in the morning.

Bone4Drone · Nov 28, 2021

Pablo Morales said:
I agree with Meta4 when he says that the Phantom line was discontinued years ago.
I had a P3P and now I have a P4Pv2 and I'm happy with it.
I just wish my P4Pv2 would not have the yaw issue. Was ever found a solution for the yaw problem?

Forgive my ignorance. I have a P4Pv2 and always thought it flew perfectly. Could you explain what the "yaw problem" is? As I understand it, a yaw issue would be when a moving vessel points in a different direction than that which it is moving. I cannot recall observing my P4P ever doing that. Is this yaw oscillation something that ALL P4Pv2's are cursed with or just some? If ALL, what would I need to do to be able to observe the yaw occurrence happening with my drone? Many thanks!

bsartist · Nov 28, 2021

Bone4Drone said:
Forgive my ignorance. I have a P4Pv2 and always thought it flew perfectly. Could you explain what the "yaw problem" is? As I understand it, a yaw issue would be when a moving vessel points in a different direction than that which it is moving. I cannot recall observing my P4P ever doing that. Is this yaw oscillation something that ALL P4Pv2's are cursed with or just some? If ALL, what would I need to do to be able to observe the yaw occurrence happening with my drone? Many thanks!

My V1 crabs often like you describe. Won’t fly straight. No amount of calibration fixes it. In fact I believe this happened with the V1 I had before this. Others have complained about it too. I’ve just gotten used to practicing to compensate.

However I believe this thread refers to a different yaw issue. I believe it’s where it will slowly yaw around changing the heading even when hovering.

snowghost · Nov 28, 2021

My P4Pv2 was purchased new. It has 8.25 flight hours and haven't noticed any yaw anomalies.

bsartist · Nov 28, 2021

snowghost said:
My P4Pv2 was purchased new. It has 8.25 flight hours and haven't noticed any yaw anomalies.

Not all have it as I remember reading.

whitakerz · Aug 27, 2022

Brojon said:
It's not the pixel count. Heck they have phone cameras with "45 mp" sensors.
It's the receptor size which determines the amount of light and consequently the noise floor and dynamic range.
The dynamic range is what we want albeit the noise is important as well in low light..

What size are the receptors?

dmiles · Sep 1, 2022

Bone4Drone said:
I'm with you 100% on that. I'm a 75 year old (former RC airplane pilot) with a P4Pv2 I bought used but new condition about 3 years ago. Also have the DJI Goggles RE. Purchased both with lots of extras for $900 so I think I got a fair deal. As a drone pilot, I'm probably average. I'm cautious and never take chances, thus, I've never crashed or even had a hard landing. I love that little guy and will keep it till the sun implodes someday. I have no interest in ever buying any additional drone unless DJI can manage to make one that mows the grass during the day and makes love to me at night...and bring me breakfast in the morning.

Well I'm 62, and former RC, mostly helicopters. I am also very cautious, with no crashes, or hard landings, and I doubt I have missed many shots because of it. I had a phantom 2 fly away on its own, and that's as far as I ever want to go as far as running out of drones. If I miss a shot, I miss it. There will be others, but I will never get them if I run out of drones.

dmiles · Sep 1, 2022

Meta4 said:
It's quite simple really ... the boat is sailing downwind so they never have a problem catching up to the boat.
The boat speed would be around 50 km/hr but in atti mode with a strong tailwind, the Phantom can easily make >100 km/hr.
They just have to keep updating the homepoint to prevent the drone wanting to go back with a low battery RTH.

I wonder how many flights they get before the saltwater corrosion kills the Phantom.

I've been away for a few years, good to see you are still here. You helped me a lot, and I really appreciated it.