DJI Phantom 3 Professional Drone Buying Guide and Review

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional is a top-of-the-line drone that's perfect for capturing stunning aerial footage and photos. It features a 12 megapixel camera with a 94-degree wide-angle lens.

If you're in the market for a professional-grade drone, the DJI Phantom 3 Professional is definitely worth considering. It has a sturdy design and can fly for up to 23 minutes on a single battery charge.

One of the standout features of the DJI Phantom 3 Professional is its 3-axis gimbal, which provides smooth and stable footage even in windy conditions. This makes it ideal for capturing professional-quality video and photos.

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional also comes with a range of advanced features, including obstacle detection and GPS navigation. This ensures that you can fly the drone with confidence and capture the shots you need.

Consider reading: Dji Phantom 3 Standard How to Fly

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional is a powerful drone that boasts a robust design and impressive features. It has a sleek and durable magnesium alloy body that can withstand rough handling.

The drone's camera is a key feature, with a 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor that captures stunning photos and videos. It also has a mechanical shutter to reduce rolling shutter effect and improve image quality.

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional is equipped with a 3-axis gimbal to provide smooth and stable video capture, even in windy conditions. This gimbal is designed to counteract the drone's movements, ensuring that your footage remains steady and professional-looking.

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The Phantom 3 might look almost the same as the Vision+, but there have been some big changes. Gone is the piddly low-res transmitter, in favour of a superior DJI Lightbridge unit.

The Phantom 3 has a range of up to 2 km (1.2 mi), which is a significant improvement over the Vision+'s ~500 m (1,640 ft) range. This means you can fly farther without losing signal.

The hand-held controller is now the same as the Inspire's and connects to a smartphone with a USB cable instead of a Wi-Fi signal. This is a fair bit easier on your phone battery.

The Phantom 3 has a bunch of extra buttons, including a return-to-home button and camera control gear. This lets you start and stop video, and take still shots when you don't have a phone or tablet connected.

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The controller has been improved significantly, allowing you to do a lot more from the transmitter without taking your hands off it.

You can now change aperture, take photos, rotate the gimbal, and more, giving you greater control over your camera.

The Lightbridge feature is built into the Phantom and controller, enabling you to get a 720p image from 1.6km away as long as there are no obstructions.

The transmitter has been redesigned with a flip-up clamp that can take phones and tablets with up to 10in screens.

This means you can easily use your iPhone 5s or iPad Air with the controller.

You'll plug your device into the controller's USB port, eliminating the need to connect to the Phantom's Wi-Fi and reducing wireless connections.

For more insights, see: Dji Rc 2 Remote Controller for Air 3 Drone

Our models are designed with flexibility in mind, allowing users to easily switch between different modes, such as text-to-image and image-to-text.

The text-to-image model can generate images from a given prompt, with a resolution of up to 1024x1024 pixels.

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional is a beast in the air, with a whopping 2 km (1.2 mi) range and a top speed of 60 km/h (37 mph). This makes it perfect for capturing fast-moving subjects like cars or motorcycles.

Stability is also a major improvement, thanks to the upgraded GPS system and added GLONASS unit. The Phantom 3 hovers very stable outdoors, even in strong coastal breezes, and the visual positioning system makes it a lot more stable indoors.

The hand-held controller is now more user-friendly, connecting to a smartphone with a USB cable instead of a Wi-Fi signal, which is a big plus for your phone battery. The new controller also has extra buttons, including a return-to-home button and camera control gear.

A unique perspective: Dji Phantom 3 Standard Controller

You can still switch between different flight modes on the Phantom 3, including P mode for full stabilization.

P mode is where many Phantom users spend most of their time, as it offers the most stability and control.

Switching to A mode will turn off GPS and VPS gear, allowing the drone to drift and potentially result in smoother shots.

A mode can be useful if you find the drone is correcting itself too roughly in P mode.

F mode is only useful if you've pre-enabled Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC) in your flight settings.

With IOC enabled, you can switch to Course Lock mode, which separates directional control from the drone's orientation.

This can be really helpful if you're trying to follow a car or other moving object.

The Phantom 3 also retains the old model's ability to fly along a pre-programmed route that's programmed visually in the app.

This feature can be useful for capturing a specific area or following a path without having to manually control the drone.

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The performance of an aircraft is crucial to its overall success. A high-performance aircraft can reach speeds of over 600 mph, as seen in the case of the X-15 rocket-powered aircraft.

The X-15 was also capable of reaching altitudes of over 200,000 feet. This incredible performance was made possible by its powerful rocket engine.

The aerodynamic design of an aircraft plays a significant role in its performance. A well-designed wing can reduce drag and increase lift, allowing the aircraft to fly more efficiently.

The wing shape and size of the X-15 were carefully designed to achieve maximum performance. Its unique shape allowed it to cut through the air with minimal resistance.

Aircraft performance is also affected by the weight of the aircraft. The lighter the aircraft, the better it can perform.

The X-15 was made of lightweight materials, which helped to reduce its weight and improve its performance. This allowed it to fly faster and reach higher altitudes.

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional's camera is a significant upgrade from the Vision+, packing a 4K ultra high-def Sony EXMOR sensor and processor that shoots DNG RAW stills.

The camera's lens is a 20 mm f/2.8, which cuts down markedly on distortion from the old Vision+ lens. It's mounted on a very effective 3-axis gimbal that corrects pitch and yaw instantaneously, and smooths out yaw movements.

The DJI Pilot app offers full manual control of the camera, and access to a stack of other flight settings that were previously only accessible by plugging the Phantom 2 into a laptop.

The Professional model can shoot 4096×2160 pixel video at 24 or 25fps and at 60Mbps – a high bitrate.

The camera can also shoot 12Mp still photos in JPEG and DNG RAW, just as with the Phantom 2.

Auto exposure correction can be a bit noticeable as it steps through shutter speed and ISO settings, so you'll want to shoot in Manual mode if you want to avoid that.

The Phantom 3's camera delivers amazingly stable video as if the camera were mounted on a tripod in the sky, thanks to the three-axis gimbal.

The camera has a 94 degree field of view and can shoot 2.7K video at 30fps, which is higher resolution than the Phantom 2 Vision's.

The camera also has a Panasonic sensor, but the Pro and Advanced models have a Sony Exmor sensor instead.

The RAW images process up well in Lightroom, and you can see what you're doing as you compose and shoot.

The Phantom 3 can shoot 2.7K video (a resolution of 2704×1520) and 1080p at 30 or 60fps, making it a versatile camera for capturing different types of footage.

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The DJI Phantom 3 Professional has automatic flight logging, including battery use logging, which is a huge plus for licensed operators.

One of the standout features of the new LiPo cells is that they charge significantly faster than the batteries on the Vision+, going from 20 percent to 100 percent in around an hour.

The intelligent batteries slowly discharge themselves back down to around 60 percent if you don't use them for 10 days or so, in order to increase their service life.

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional is the cheapest way to get 4K video in an all-in-one package, making it a great option for aerial photographers and videographers.

Battery life is ridiculously short, and you'll likely need to invest in at least one spare battery to get the most out of it.

Take a look at this: Dji Phantom 3 Batteries

If you're an aerial photographer or videographer, the DJI Phantom 3 Professional is the cheapest way to get a 4K video all-in-one package.

The drone's 4K video looks great, even if not many people can enjoy it. The camera's sensor improvements make image quality drastically better, regardless of the resolution.

The redesigned remote control makes high-quality aerial photography accessible for the first time on a DJI consumer-level drone. This is a major advantage for users who want ease-of-use.

Battery life is ridiculously short, so you'll need at least one spare battery. The DJI GO app could also use an update to make it more user-friendly.

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional is easily the best drone on the market at this price, thanks to its 4K video, new remote control, and new flying features.

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The not-so-great aspects of this topic. One of the main cons is that it can be quite expensive, with costs ranging from $500 to $2,000.

There are some potential drawbacks to consider. The initial investment is a significant one, and it may not be feasible for everyone.

One of the biggest cons is that it requires a lot of maintenance, which can be time-consuming and costly. This includes regular software updates and hardware replacements.

Another con is that it can be quite complex, requiring a certain level of technical expertise to use effectively. This can be a barrier for some users.

Some users may find it difficult to adapt to the new technology, which can lead to frustration and decreased productivity.

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional is a top-notch drone that stands out from the rest, but it's always good to know what else is out there. The Phantom 3 is vastly better than the Phantom 2 Vision+ in nearly every way.

Compared to DJI's own Inspire One, the P3 Professional delivers the same video quality at less than half the price. It also flies for about 5 minutes longer on a battery and is much more portable.

The Inspire One is faster and more powerful, with the ability to control the drone and camera with separate controllers. Its rotating gimbal and removable camera assembly are also notable features.

The Phantom 3's price point and portability make it a more appealing option for many users. The Inspire One's speed and power might be worth the extra cost for some, but it's not a necessary upgrade for everyone.

Parrot's 1080p Bebop is another drone on the market, but it trails significantly behind the Phantom 3 in terms of quality. It's a good option for those looking for a more budget-friendly option, but it won't deliver the same results as the Phantom 3.

The 3D Robotics Solo drone is an upcoming competitor to the Phantom 3, featuring a GoPro 3 or 4 camera and an HD video feed. It's said to include a "follow" mode that keeps the attached smartphone in view and flies autonomously.

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The DJI Phantom 3 Professional is a top-notch consumer quadcopter that delivers on its bold claims.

It's stable and produces stunning video footage, with a range that goes beyond what most consumers will need.

The Professional model is fairly expensive, costing over £1000 online, but it's worth it for those who want the best.

The Phantom 3 Professional has good safety features to prevent it from flying away and landing when the battery is low.

Even beginners will be able to fly it, making it a great option for those new to quadcopters.

The company claims that this is the best consumer quadcopter that has ever existed, offering the ultimate flying experience.

The Phantom 3 Professional has received an update that adds auto-follow and orbit modes, making it an even more capable quadcopter.

Spare batteries for the Phantom 3 Professional cost a whopping £124 from DJI, but you can find compatible alternatives for under £50.

The Phantom 3 Professional is manufactured by the most popular consumer drone maker in the world, which means you can easily get spares and accessories.

This also means there's an SDK for developers to build new apps, which will bring even more features to the quadcopter in the future.

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional is a powerful drone with some impressive specs. Its flight time is 23 minutes, which is plenty of time to capture some great footage.

The charging time is a bit longer, taking around 55 minutes to fully charge the battery. This is something to keep in mind if you're planning a long shoot.

One of the biggest expenses with this drone is the spare battery, which costs £105.

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional has a claimed range of 2000m in an open field, which is more than enough for most aerial photography and videography needs.

The camera on this drone is capable of shooting 4K video at up to 4096x2160p/30fps/60Mb/s, as well as 12Mp stills.

Here's a summary of the camera's photo functions:

The drone itself weighs 1.28kg, making it relatively lightweight and easy to transport.