Renowned drone maker DJI has released a cheaper entry in its popular Phantom 3 line. The DJI Phantom 3 Standard is priced at an appealing $799 but unless you're on a very tight budget, it may make more sense to get the next model up. Here's why.
The Phantom 3 Standard packs a 12-megapixel camera capable of capturing 2.7K HD video at 30 frame second. Its battery is rated for 25 minutes of flight time between charges while the camera provides a live 720p video feed of what the drone sees directly on your mobile device.
DJI says the Phantom 3 Standard is designed specifically for first-time pilots that are curious about aerial imaging but aren't yet ready to commit to a more professional system.
As The Verge points out, the budget-minded Standard model is missing a number of perks afforded by the $999 Phantom 3 Advanced. For example, it doesn't include a downward-facing camera, there's no LightBridge video downlink and it can't connect to the GLONASS satellite positioning system.
On the other hand, the Phantom 3 Standard is a worthwhile investment when compared to the DJI Vision 2+ as it includes a better camera, has better range and can fly longer on a single battery charge. What's more, it comes with a better flight controller and remote that has an integrated Wi-Fi range extender and wheel to angle the camera.
The DJI Phantom 3 Standard is available as of writing for $799.