Due in part to these design changes and a new battery, DJI was able to squeeze more flight time out of the dji mini 2 fly more combo at up to 28 minutes. I was unable to reach that mark, but I was regularly flying in a fair amount of wind. I averaged between 22 to 25 minutes if I ignored the constant low battery warnings. The default settings start the controller beeping starting at 30 percent battery and then lands you automatically at 10 percent.
If you’re shooting video, achieving a smooth pan with the sensitive controller sticks is quite tricky as you’ll see in my review video below. The camera housing is suspended from the drone body via a gimble which serves to counteract the movement of the drone, providing incredibly smooth footage. In still photo mode, I was able to shoot at 1/80th and still get an adequately sharp image. The beauty of a quadcopter of this calibre is that it hovers in place without any user input. In fact, the first time you see how stable it can hover is a rather spooky experience. Remaining battery as shown as a percentage and approximate remaining flight time.
Whilst the 4k video footage is nothing short of mind blowing, the RAW image files from the Phantom 4 aren’t as impressive. The sensor offers an ISO range from 100 to 1600 for stills and 3200 for video. However in practice, I found the useable ISO range rather limited, especially for photos. The Phantom 4 features a 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor, allowing it to capture 4k video at 30fps (1080p at 120fps for smooth slow-mo), and 12 mega pixel stills. This field of view isn’t quite as wide as a GoPro, but provides a good balance between an immersive perspective with little distortion.
Having the camera housed inside the drone also eliminates the need for beginning pilots to try to aim the camera while flying the drone. How do you determine the durability of DJI camera drones? To determine the durability of the camera, check the Ingress Protection Marking, also called the Ingress Protection Code . The numbers and letters in the code rate the camera on protection from solid objects and liquids and provide information about the testing.
The included box for the fits everything you need to fly the drone. The drone itself is smaller than I expected, and fits rather neatly in its included polystyrene box. The box features a latch to keep it closed, and is intended to safely house and transport the drone. The controls of the Phantom4 do take some practice, but it’s the kind of thing that you’ll learn quicker via muscle memory – if I stopped to think which control would pan vs tilt for example, I got confused. However, if I just embraced the controls and corrected as I flew, I found it much easier. I find it absolutely incredible that something like this is possible at this price.