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My newest hobby... yes, I'm still alive.

Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 8:20 pm
by Walt
Been a loooong time. Thought I'd pop back in and see how everyone is doing...

I still see a few crews on the road every now and then... but with my current job, 13-15 mpg would be a very bad thing. That's why my Silverado sits at home during the week. :)

I've leave you guys with a couple of attachments from my latest hobby. 8)
DSC_0200-small.jpg
MizePano24.jpg
MizeRailroadpano.png

Re: My newest hobby... yes, I'm still alive.

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 5:47 am
by HenryJ
Very cool stuff. I have been following your facebook posts. A drone is still on my wish list. My son has a light weight and is getting good with it. When some mad money comes our way I think we will upgrade.

Re: My newest hobby... yes, I'm still alive.

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 7:31 am
by Walt
Now is the perfect time. They've discounted the DJI Phantom 3 Pros now that the Phantom 4 is out. The 3 Pro is the way to go.

Re: My newest hobby... yes, I'm still alive.

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 1:35 pm
by HenryJ
Either time, or money :( getting the two lined up can be difficult. We will look seriously at it though. I have had the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced bookmarked. Should I be looking at DJI Phantom 3 Pro instead?

Am I better to buy a kit like these, or should I just add pieces that are needed? What are the must haves?

Re: My newest hobby... yes, I'm still alive.

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 3:44 pm
by Walt
The Pro is a better deal. The remote and video streaming setup is slightly better than the advanced. Also the camera is a little better for video. It's worth the couple hundred dollar difference. The Pro also comes with a better/faster charger. Batteries are the same.

Don't do a DIY. You'll pay a lot of money and end up with something inferior to the Phantom 3 series. That is unless you want a racing quad. The Phantoms are not designed for that. They are built to be steady platforms for video and photography. You'll also need a fairly robust tablet. The live video downlink from the Phantom 3 camera is at 720p, and the transcoding can be taxing on your tablet. My iPad Air 2 will overheat if I fly three back to back batteries in 80 degree weather. An older tablet will have an even tougher time. A newer iPad mini would be a good idea. You can use a phone, but it's much harder to see.

Here's my kit:

Phantom 3 Pro
HPRC Case (must have. no case=Phantom damaged when you transport)
2-3 extra batteries.
Extra Props (make sure they are made for the Phantom 3)
Extra Phantom 3 Pro charger
Ipad Air 2 64GB
3 extra 16GB Micro SD cards
1ft Apple Lightning charging cable (made by Anker, on Amazon) -- for connecting the Ipad to the remote.

Android tablets/phones can be used, but I don't have any experience using them with the Phantom.

Re: My newest hobby... yes, I'm still alive.

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 6:45 pm
by HenryJ
My son has a samsung galaxy tab. That would likely be the display if it will do the job. downloading app to try the flight simulator.
Doh! only works when connected to the device! Boo. Would have made a better sales tool to be able to test before purchase.

Re: My newest hobby... yes, I'm still alive.

Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 12:49 am
by Walt
Yea the simulator sucks. The quad is super easy to fly, you just have to read up on it and do your calibrations.

Re: My newest hobby... yes, I'm still alive.

Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 11:52 am
by HenryJ
I think the flying will be easy. How long do you think I should wait? Is the price on the Phantom 3 pro going to get better than this: DJI Phantom 3 Professional (Pro) Drone Quad Copter W/ DJI Hardshell Backpack