DJI discontinues Phantom series!

[NorthGADronePilot]

Very interesting - I'm actually leaning towards a Phantom 5, to be released soon.

There will not be a Phantom 5. Period.

 

[Meta4]

There will not be a Phantom 5. Period.

And you're the one to make that decision? Or you've heard definite information from those who do?

If you are just guessing, don't make it sound so authoritative.

 

[NorthGADronePilot]

And you're the one to make that decision? Or you've heard definite information from those who do?

If you are just guessing, don't make it sound so authoritative.

No, but I have it on pretty solid authority that the Phantom, across the board, is dead. Sorry, Meta4, but I will state this authoritatively. Not having 100% proof of anything sure as heck never stops most people from making authoritative posts on this board.

 

[Meta4]

No, but I have it on pretty solid authority that the Phantom, across the board, is dead.

Then give some more details and supporting information to explain how you know this.

 

[NorthGADronePilot]

Then give some more details and supporting information to explain how you know this.

I have a good friend, a former colleague, who is part of the marketing department for DJI in the US. He normally keeps things close to the vest, but he was forthcoming with this info.

He knows I detest the Phantom line so he was more than happy to share this news. Let's leave it at that.

 

[wco81]

Main thing going against a Phantom 5 is that it would have to be priced well above the $1500 of the M2P.

So around $2000 or over $2000? Then it becomes a hard sell, unless you could put up a micro 4/3 camera on there with interchangeable lens. Then it would undercut Inspire.

They have products at almost all price bands now but may find they won't have much volume the higher they push prices.

 

[Remote Pilots Australia]

Main thing going against a Phantom 5 is that it would have to be priced well above the $1500 of the M2P.

This is what concerns me most as the threat to the Phantom series future, Speaking in Australian dollars (be glad you don't buy your aircraft here lol) a Mavic 2 Pro or a P4P V 2.0 (there's still some on the shelves if you look hard enough) are within $5 of $2400, The P4P RTK which is the last P4 in production is $4500 about the same as a M2E dual. You pay about $4800 for an Inspire 2 without any payload, by the time you get a camera on it it's about $9000.

Whatever the sensor may be on any future Phantom if we accept the one thing most pundits agree it would have which is a camera with a detachable lens plus whatever other updates it may carry it's quite possible the MSRP could well be around $4500 like the RTK ... that being the case it's going to price itself out of the consumer market. Maybe that's the plan?

The P4P was always considered a "prosumer" drone and a bit of a hybrid with all the compromises that entails but it was the entry point for anyone serious about doing anything commercially in the realms of orthomosaics and mapping. If they move it that far up market then there is going to be no "bridge" machine. The Phantom line will move firmly into the Professional market leaving the top end of the consumer market being the Mavic 2 series, which will be more than fine for the vast majority of hobbyists but will be unfortunate for myself and people like me. If you want even an entry level professional machine you're going to have to pony up the big bucks which will make it hard for small operators and new startups.

I've only just reached the point where the business could afford the first Inspire and it was the P4P that got me there, the Mavic 2 couldn't. I know, I have one and I tried it. real estate, wedding and events, nature and lanscape photography? Check... she'll do that in spades ... ortho's and maps? sorry, rolling software shutter. No go. I kept hoping for a Mavic 2 model with a mechanical shutter camera but at this point in it's life cycle I guess I have to accept it's not coming.

Regards
Ari

 

[Jenee]

I recently received an email from an Australian supplier to the effect that the whole Phantom line is being discontinued. Quote:

​

(02) 9880 9883​

Showroom: 288 Pacific Hwy, Lindfield NSW 2070​

Hours of Operation: M-F: 10am - 6pm, Sat: 9am-3pm, Sun: Closed​

​

The fate of the DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0



We're frequently receiving inquiries about the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 - and the Phantom product line in general - and speculation is rampant on the click-bait rumour mill websites. Although DJI has to-date made no official announcement on this subject, we have received information that the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 has been discontinued, and that there will be no Phantom 5. Based on this, we suspect that DJI is consolidating its product range by discontinuing the Phantom line altogether, in favour of the Mavic 2 range.



Global supply of the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 is currently extremely-limited, but we've secured a limited quantity of them. Our supplier has informed us that this is the last shipment of Phantoms, so if you want a Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, then now is the time to make a purchase, as our stock will not last long.

Please note that - although nobody but the folks at DJI knows what will happen in the future - this is the information we currently have, and we believe it to be accurate.

 

[lolo780]

I'm not sure where the M2 efficiency numbers come from, but in the real world nothing can touch the M2 in stock form. This isn't even the record any more, it's now over 38k ft x 2.

 

[Remote Pilots Australia]

I'm not sure where the M2 efficiency numbers come from,

From these people, they are average figures from over 2 million flights, yes before you say it both figures are from the previous generation of P4 and Mavic, they are not looking at how much the battery capacity has or what ESC's are being used, simply the aerodynamics of the airframe which is near enough in both cases.

Drone Flight Stats - Part 1 | Airdata UAV Drone Blog

but in the real world nothing can touch the M2 in stock form.

With repect lolo780, and you do have my respect as you make a lot of well thought out posts on the forums, this might be "real world" for enthusiasts who want to shoot for records under perfect pre planned conditions. For a lot of us "real world" is what we can achieve in terms of performance and output on the job site and until it's fitted with a camera that has a mechanical shutter you are never going to see a map or otho generated by a Mavic or any R.P.A. with a rolling software shutter accepted by a commercial customer.

In the U.S. the standards are so strongly enforced you've got the be a registered surveyor to do it, you don't have to be one here but you do have to reach industry accepted benchmarks or risk legal action.

On the job site the Phantom 4 still rules and will for the forseeable future.

I understand that the job site is not your focus of course but you'll have to understand that it is mine.

it just comes down to "horses for courses" and to blindly declare the P4 irrelevant and the Mavic 2 king is only possible when looking with a narrow focus on some aspects while discounting others.

Regards
Ari

 

[lolo780]

From these people, they are average figures from over 2 million flights, yes before you say it both figures are from the previous generation of P4 and Mavic, they are not looking at how much the battery capacity has or what ESC's are being used, simply the aerodynamics of the airframe which is near enough in both cases.

Drone Flight Stats - Part 1 | Airdata UAV Drone Blog



With repect lolo780, and you do have my respect as you make a lot of well thought out posts on the forums, this might be "real world" for enthusiasts who want to shoot for records under perfect pre planned conditions. For a lot of us "real world" is what we can achieve in terms of performance and output on the job site and until it's fitted with a camera that has a mechanical shutter you are never going to see a map or otho generated by a Mavic or any R.P.A. with a rolling software shutter accepted by a commercial customer.

In the U.S. the standards are so strongly enforced you've got the be a registered surveyor to do it, you don't have to be one here but you do have to reach industry accepted benchmarks or risk legal action.

On the job site the Phantom 4 still rules and will for the forseeable future.

I understand that the job site is not your focus of course but you'll have to understand that it is mine.

it just comes down to "horses for courses" and to blindly declare the P4 irrelevant and the Mavic 2 king is only possible when looking with a narrow focus on some aspects while discounting others.

Regards
Ari

Oh the Mavic 1 just squeaks out 9km each way and the Mavic 2 is a huge improvement in all areas. Anyways I fly P4Ps as well doing mapping and agree with your points.

There are a ton of P4Ps for sale locally for great prices and definitely a bargain for anyone who doesn't mind the bulk.

Mavic Platinum flying the same area as the M2P.

 

[Remote Pilots Australia]

Oh the Mavic 1 just squeaks out 9km each way and the Mavic 2 is a huge improvement in all areas

Battery, ESCs and rotors are where the gain comes from, the aerodynamics are pretty well identical.

I'd have to look at my flight records to be sure what my longest flight was and lot of my flights were done under litchi so I don't have any records but from memory the longest flight I've had out of the P4P was about 11 or 12Km but of course that was while working and my aircraft do a lot of climbing and descending during a flight which sucks the battery big time. I really don't have any idea what it would do if I did an economy and distance run, better than 12 certainly but not 20+. I have NO idea what range I could achieve as I value my RePL too much to fly BVLOS but it wouldn't be worth it to try and break any records because in Australia we are on CE power standards and only get half the power output of FCC countries from the controller and aircraft so we wouldn't be in the competition.

Likewise I've never done and distance run with my Mavic 2 either, I usually get about the same from each I think.

Regards
Ari

 

[mnix]

Battery, ESCs and rotors are where the gain comes from, the aerodynamics are pretty well identical.

I'd have to look at my flight records to be sure what my longest flight was and lot of my flights were done under litchi so I don't have any records but from memory the longest flight I've had out of the P4P was about 11 or 12Km but of course that was while working and my aircraft do a lot of climbing and descending during a flight which sucks the battery big time. I really don't have any idea what it would do if I did an economy and distance run, better than 12 certainly but not 20+. I have NO idea what range I could achieve as I value my RePL too much to fly BVLOS but it wouldn't be worth it to try and break any records because in Australia we are on CE power standards and only get half the power output of FCC countries from the controller and aircraft so we wouldn't be in the competition.

Likewise I've never done and distance run with my Mavic 2 either, I usually get about the same from each I think.

Regards
Ari

From memory the longest distance I've done with my M2P was about 13km (minimal manouvering with wide turns and mostly level flight in a pattern).
I have noticed that while flying at 70 km/h does drain the battery, flying up to 40-50 doesn't make a huge difference - maybe a few minutes off the total flight time.
I do remember reading something that suggested the mavics were very slightly more efficient in forward flight at lower speeds than they were at hover too.

 

[Remote Pilots Australia]

flying up to 40-50 doesn't make a huge difference - maybe a few minutes off the total flight time.

Hi mnix

Supposedly and I say supposedly because I've never taken time out to test it myself the absolute sweet spot for the Mavic series is supposed to be 25Kph and 30Kph for the Phantom series but as you say in real world situations it doesn't make huge amounts of difference until you start to push them hard. If you keep them in GPS mode all the time then you're not going to waste large amounts of battery. Climbing and descending a lot is worse that going faster.

I do remember reading something that suggested the mavics were very slightly more efficient in forward flight at lower speeds than they were at hover too.

Yes that holds true for every RPA, because they are not constantly varying the rotors to hold position and due to a slight increase in lift and efficiency with forward motion they use a few percent less in motion. Both the Phantoms and the Mavics last about 1 to 2 minute more moving slowly that hovering.

Regards
Ari

 

[snoopx]

Wonder what will happen to support for the Phantom series in the future? I still have a Phantom 3 Standard which I sometimes fly.
Will DJI still update the maps for the DJI Go App or allow connection to satellites for GPS mode?
I guess both things cost DJI money under some sort of licence.

 

[Meta4]

Will DJI still update the maps for the DJI Go App

The maps are there for anyone using the DJI app ... regardless of whatever model DJI drone they use.
DJI don't update the maps, they source them from mapping providers.

Will DJI .. allow connection to satellites for GPS mode?

DJI don't "allow connection to satellites" and access to the GPS system is totally free.
The US government provides the system for any and all users completely free of any charges. It appears that the Russian Glonass system is similar.
btw .. your drones don't "connect" to GPS satellites.
The GPS satellites transmit their data and any receivers that are listening can pick it up.
Just like you can pick up any free-to-air TV signals with an appropriate device (a TV).

 

[snoopx]

DJI don't update the maps, they source them from mapping providers.

What I meant was update any license to use them from a map provider like mapbox etc.
As for the rest of your reply, thanks for the info, even if it was delivered in a somewhat snotty and condescending manner.

 

[Meta4]

What I meant was update any license to use them from a map provider like mapbox etc.
As for the rest of your reply, thanks for the info, even if it was delivered in a somewhat snotty and condescending manner.

Snotty and condescending ?? .. Snotty and condescending??

I'm sorry I made any effort to answer your question.
I won't make that mistake again.

ps .. You haven't understood the answer to your first question ... but somehow I don't feel like clearing up your confusion.

 

[DroneSpain]

Hey all, don’t shoot the messenger here, since I’m new to the drone world for my personal entertainment yet engaged in an indirect manner in the enterprise/new development of the drone market for larger aircrafts. Of the info on the phantom EOL, if DJI offered some financial data, we could really validate all this, but there is info flying around that is very interesting... First is the news of the $150M scheam that defaurded the company... is is mostly related to a new product with a high volume sale which could very well be the next thing they are coming with. The second area is validating the value their current line, and the Phantom was right there is the middle with in the Mavic 2 and the Enterprise models, so no need to further develop that platform.

Lastlhy, they have been presenting under NDA a new system what has a removable gimbal for a light aircraft with performance in the 30´ to 35´ flight time and highly portable. So that on it’s own is very close to a new platform rather than the P5 everyone was talking about.

Some personal observation and congesture, the new controller, this enables for the first time DJI to have a single delivery platform to control multiple class aircraft differentiating further the Aspire line, so the electronics and the form factor of these are now homogeneous lowering their cost, rather than building out a new Flight Controller for the P5, the Mavic 2 has all the sensors need for the new platform and will be priced higher with the new removable gimble. I for one will be very interested in a platform, acceptably 10% larger than the current Mavic 2 with removable gimbal and lens, giving me a single platform for multiple scenarios. Also this enhances the features for a more Enterprise platform that could just add multiple sensors on the gimbal not just camera specs and would live longer concentrating on sales around new gimbal / camera / sensor features, lowering R&D costs and Time to Market on newer specs.

Thoughts?

 

[bronze661]

I agree. I still have many Phantom's in my hangar, but so many people would trade its bulk for a more lightweight, more nimble alternative. Enter the Mavic...

2 drones enter, 1 drone leaves.

I was was and am a huge Mad Max fan, hence my "Bronze661" screen name. Way back when the internet started I actually had MadMax as my mail account name but so many others were doing it we had to start adding numbers on the end, so just changed to bronze."My life fades"