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HI
I am looking for a drone that is under 400$.
I would say that I am at the intermediate level of drone fling.
I will be using it for photography and video
ANY SUGGESTIONS?- This topic was modified 55 years, 5 months ago by .
Hey Silas, I am glad you are getting into aerial photography! it really opens up a new perspective to God’s creation. if you are looking for something under $400, there are several options, most of them from a company called DJI. It really depends on what you will be using it for. if you will be doing a lot of traveling, the dji spark would be a great starter drone for you. it is roughly 5x9x2″ so it can basically fit in your pocket, with a two axis stabilized 1080p camera. it includes downwards and forewords obstacle sensors. it is exactly $400 without a remote, however currently it includes a remote and 32 gb sd card for free with it. there are to many features to list here, however I will link the page here. all the features are listed on it. https://store.dji.com/product/spark?site=brandsite&from=buy_now_bar&vid=24641 Your other options are the phantom three standard, or advanced. the phantom 3 pro or SE would be a bit out of your price range, at $550-$650. Unfortunately, neither of them include sensors, the gimble is a bit unprotected, and they are not 4k. also, they are a bit bulkier, at roughly 12x15x15″. If you are willing to spend a little more, the dji Mavic pro is a really good drone with a 4k 3 axis stabilized camera. there is a refurbished unit available for $800 currently. you can certainly find some decent drones from other companies, however you cannot really beat dji, and they have a good insurance you can buy, which will cover accidents and water damage as well. I encourage you to check out the dji refurbished store, where you can find good deals on like-new products. here is the link to it. http://store.dji.com/pages/refurbished?utm_source=facebook-ec&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ca-refurbished I am excited to hear what you decide to purchase, and how your experience with it is.
HI I am back
yeah I was was thinking about the dji spark but was not sure
THANKS @lukevrable for mentioning it
but still want some more opinions before I buy any thing if that is ok
THANKS
SilasYes, I would strongly encourage you to get several opinions before buying. also, if you can, talk to people who own the drone you are looking for (I learned that the hard way) 🙂 I forgot to mention, there is a blog/vlog called “Toms Tech Time,” that does reviews, how to’s, setup tutorials and drone photography tips. here is the website. http://www.tomstechtime.com He has a you tube vlog by the same name. Also, I have previously done some research looking for a drone in that same price range. this was prior to the arrival of the spark. I ended up getting an UPAIR 1 4K. it was a good quality drone, but I cant really recommend it for anything else. If you are looking at a phantom 3, you might want to talk to @rmadaris. I believe he has a p3 standard, and may be able to give you a little more insight on the pros and cons of his drone.
Hey Silas! As @lukevrable said, I have had quite a bit of experience with the P3 Standard, but I downgraded to the Spark, partly because it’s a lot easier to travel with, take on hikes, etc. The Phantom 3 is an awesome drone, but it is $500 currently, so you might have to save up a little longer were you to go with that one. I highly recommend the Spark, because it has a pretty good range with the controller (you need to observe the FAA laws, though.) The P3 has a range of 1 kilometer (0.5 miles), and the Spark (with the controller) has a range of 1.2 miles.
The P3 Standard has a 2.7K camera (pretty good!), and the Spark has a 1080p camera (average). Also, the Spark only has a 2-axis gimbal, whereas the P3 has a 3-axis. I haven’t noticed it to be a huge problem for me, though. One other downside of the Spark is that it only has 16 minutes of flight time (the P3 has 25 minutes.) You can get an extra battery for $50, though.
Overall, if you’re doing more professional work, the Phantom 3 Standard is definitely the way to go, but if you just want to take photos and some videos for making short films, etc., I would highly recommend the Spark.
- This reply was modified 55 years, 5 months ago by .
Thanks for mentioning those things, @rmadaris. the p3 series is definitely not my expertise. 🙂 When you mentioned the price, that made me go look at it on the site, and I found some shocking things. first of all, dji is making it very hard to find the drone itself on the site, and is not even showing specs anymore! second of all, I noticed it said, (in very small print at the bottom) “does not include the p3 remote controller, or battery charger.” The Drone itself is $409, and the remote is $100. additionally, the battery charger is another $90. also, the remote does not come with a phone holder, (a must if you are using fpv) and that is another $20. the dji care refresh (dji’s optional insurance, which I would recommend getting) is still $129! that’s more that a third of the cost of the drone itself! usually the insurance is %10 of the cost of the drone + controller. One additional thing, the specialized cord that connects your phone to the remote, does not come with the phone holder. this, (of course) is an additional $20. so, over all, with bare necessities to fly, you are looking at $640, or $770 with insurance. and, I personally think the p3 series is a little outdated. so, unless you find another great, inexpensive drone, I think the spark is your best bet.
sorry, just realized, it is the battery charging hub (for charging multiple batteries at once) that is $90. the actual single battery charger is $60. still rather expensive.
Just thought I’d throw it out there, the dji spark fly more combo is on sale on the refurbished page for $439. it includes spark, 2 sets of spare props, 2 batts, remote, prop guards, charger, battery charging hub, which can charge three, power cable, micro usb cable, storage box, and shoulder bag. if you are going to get the spark, this would be the way to go. btw, its been there for a couple months now, so its not likely to go soon. (but don’t blame me if it does) 🙂
@lukevrable, part of the reason why I got the Spark was that I had to return my Phantom 3 because the remote control connection quit working properly (good thing I had a warranty!), and when I was looking to replace it, it was getting harder to find. I think they’re slowly beginning to work it out of production. That doesn’t mean it’s not a good drone, though!
@silas, one more thing, if you get any kind of electronic equipment, especially a drone, I would always suggest that you get at least a 2 year warranty. It’s not fun in the event that it has an electrical malfunction and falls out of the sky! (it’s never happened to me, but there’s always a first time!) 🙂@rmadaris I will be sure and get a 2 year warranty
and THANKS @lukevrable for all your helpful information you have given me
THANKS AGAIN to you both
Silas
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