DJI Phantom 3

Whether you call it a drone, a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), a UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System), or a “quadcopter”… these vehicles are literally taking off all over the world.  DJI, a Chinese company leading the way in personal quadcopter sales, just released its newest ‘copter, the DJI Pantom 3.  We just got ours and I thought you would like to see the unboxing and some initial observations and thoughts.

Ordering & Delivery

We ordered our “Phantom 3 Professional with Extra Battery” straight from the DJI online store on April 12th.  Prices are not really all that different among the popular stores ($1,359), such as B&H Photo, Dronefly.com, They said that the units would ship in “Mid-May”, but I actually accepted delivery from FedEx on May 4th!

What’s in the Box?

When the Phantom 3 arrived I set up my Canon Vixia HF M40 on a tripod so I could record the unboxing without lots of fuss and focusing.  (video coming soon)  Opening the box reveals the Phantom shape and color that we are all used to seeing, but with the metallic gold stripes and a really cool looking remote controller.  As I lifted the Phantom 3 Professional out of the box I couldn’t help but think that the plastic landing gear legs seemed a little flimsy compared to the heft of the ‘copter unit.  I felt like they may snap if I only held it by the legs.  The camera looks very cool.  I mean VERY cool.  The gimble also looks very cool.  I hope they are both durable.  On first glance it looks like I could easily break either or both.  What happens if I land hard or God-forbid, crash the unit?  I hope none of us have to find out.  Be VERY careful removing the two plastic/foam pieces that kept the camera/gimble safe during transit… and I would keep them to stabilize the camera when you put it in a box/case.  Also – I read that you cannot EVER touch the camera or gimble once you have turned it on.  Take care when you first get it that you don’t mess this up.

The gimble unit has a microSD card clot on the side and it was already installed (16GB).  The other side of the gimble has a mini-USB port.  In addition there is a mini-USB port

The remote control unit (and everything in the box for that matter) was covered in shrink wrapping.  After removing the plastic I immediately had to try putting my iPhone on it.  The cool factor is… well… pretty darn cool.  It took me a minute to figure out how to rest my iPhone 6 on the device holder in a sideways fashion instead of up and down, but once I found the pegs that folded out it made more sense.  The device holder looks PERFECT for an iPad mini.  A push-button on the side lets the clamp slide out and then you push it down onto the edge of your device and it ratchets into place with a satisfying clicking sound.  At first the device holder had a loose connection with the controller, but a few twists of the connection point screw tightened that up.

I unboxed the Phantom 3’s accessories too.  Included was a logo’d bag containing 4 black propellers and 4 solver propellers.  They are all white, but the central attachment point is black or silver (I learned soon enough that these match the silver and black colored “pegs” on the wings where they attach).  The charger came out next.  It has the charger cable for the battery AND the remote controller.  I immediate plugged both into it.  I later learned that DJI suggests you only charge one at a time, even though it works to do both simultaneously.  Next was a small mini-USB cable.  This connects the Phantom 3 to your desktop computer.  There is also a small zip-lock bag containing extra parts for the gimble, a wrench, and some rubber stick-on landing pads.

What I wish was in the box…

• A lens cover… A clean lens without scratches helps to maximize great video & photos.  A lens cover that snugly fits this camera is a MUST-HAVE.
• An ND filter & a polarizing filter… someday… this would be sweet.
• The battery I ordered!  I ordered the extra battery option for an extra $100, but it was not in the box and I still have not heard from customer service.  I saw a post online saying that the extra batteries are not finished with production yet, but I can’t confirm this.
• I read on a website before I bought the Phantom 3 that the “Professional” one comes with a case.  Mine did not.  Who knows?  That could have been internet rumors and not “fact”.
• A full users manual.  I printed one from the internet, but the box only has a “quick-start” guide.

DJI Pilot App

I was about to go on a bit of a rant because I received my aircraft two days ago and the iPhone app was NOT ready yet.  Imagine how frustrating that is.  I was looking forward to flying my new toy… FedEx dropped it off… I unboxed it… and OH NO!  Only the Android app was ready.  I was able to test-fly the Phantom 3 Professional yesterday with my sons, but I had to activate it with my friend’s Android phone first.  You CAN fly the drone without the app and a device, but you must use the app to activate the craft for the first time and to use many of the advanced features.  I say I was ABOUT to go on a rant… 25 minutes ago I got this email…

Dear DJI Customer,

The DJI Pilot app for iOS (v1.1) that is compatible with Phantom 3 series is now available on the App Store.  Note that only Phantom 3 units with firmware version 1.1.6 or above can connect to this new iOS DJI Pilot app.  Download the latest firmware and find instructions on how to update your firmware at: http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3/download

If you have any questions, please contact support@dji.com.

Thank you,
DJI

Problem solved!

Want to know how to get started flying your Phantom 3 Professional?  Click on our next article.

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