DJI went 4K with the latest entry into its Phantom drone series, but rival 3D Robotics' (3DR) counter punch leaves consumers to choose their cameras and focuses, instead, on improved handling.
The new 3DR Solo costs $1,000. $1,400 if the GoPro gimbal is packaged with the drone. The new DJI Phantom 3 is priced at $1,260 for the version that includes a camera capable of recording 4K footage and $1,000 for the one the that capture video at 1080p.
The Solo's price, comparable to the Phantom 3 and the absence of a camera, may not make it like it's a simple choice to pass up 3DR's latest drone in favor for its DJI rival.
3DR opted to pour its ingenuity into flight and camera controls, rather than expending resources on a camera. It let GoPro take charge in the camera department.
The Solo, through 3DR's partnership with GoPro, natively supports GoPro cameras. Operators can control their airborne GoPro camera up to the same range of their Solo drones, which is about half of a mile and significantly longer the action camera's WiFi radio is capable of delivering.
3DR's latest drone uses Hero ports on the back of GoPros to merge drone and camera. The direct control over GoPro cameras, a first in drone driving history, enables users to execute cinematic shots while keeping the drones under control.
Finally, operators can be in front of the camera instead of being stuck behind it, says Chris Anderson, CEO and co-founder of 3DR.
"Basically, we have shots that are almost impossible for a human to fly, or to fly well with any consistency, so we let the software do the work," says Anderson. "They are shots you can initiate at the press of a button."
To carry out those pre-programmed camera sequences while starring in their own films, the 3DR solo leverages a pair of Linux computers. One computer, the flight computer, lives inside of the Solo and the other inside of the drone's remote control.
"Because [the Solo] has an on-board Linux computer, it's capable of running apps for computer vision for object tracking and artificial intelligence and other things," says Anderson. "And because it also has a long-distance broadband connection, it's able to transmit not just the HD video, but flight data and telemetry."
Rounding out the list of features packed into the Solo is assurance. 3DR is backing Solo drones with a 30-day money back guarantee, which covers in-flight mechanical problems and simple dissatisfaction.
Check out the 3D Robotic Solo's launch trailer shown:
