State of the Art
Test 01:
DJI Phantom 3 Standard
Design
Three drones. Three very different designs. But which is the best?
t the heart of the Parrot Bebop Drone is a hard polystyrene body that houses the camera, GPS, Wi-Fi antennas and 8GB of flash memory, all supported by an ABS-reinforced structure. A lithium-polymer battery clips behind the body and is held in place by a flimsy strip of Velcro. Optional polystyrene bumpers attach beneath the motors for peace of mind during your first, crash-prone flights. The Bebop’s flat profile restricts take-off options, meaning long grass is a no-no, and our red model (blue and yellow are also available) was not easily visible at a distance. The bulky Skycontroller is also an eye-watering £400 upgrade. The DJI Phantom 3 Standard boasts reassuring weight and a curvaceous body that stands 100mm off the ground for improved take-off clearance in comparison to the Bebop. The Phantom’s white body and metallic, coloured-stripe detail make it more visible at altitude. Underside LEDs not only distinguish the front from the back, but change colour to alert the pilot of operational issues. Motors are
A
DJI’s Intelligent Smart Battery features integrated power management for optimal performance. You’ll get around 25 minutes in the air from a charge
The Solo is a meanlooking motherplucker; the heaviest drone on test spun by curved electromagnets, adding up to smooth action, control and long-term durability. The underside camera is built into a three-axis gimbal to keep your shots steady. The precision engineering is impressive, but a major collision could expose the gimbal’s fragility. The matt-black 3D Robotics Solo is a meanlooking motherplucker, and the heaviest drone on test. The body sits about the same height off the ground as the Phantom, and features similar active underside lighting, making it perfectly visible in the air. Motors are connected by plug and socket, rather than hardwired, and are therefore easily replaced in the field if one fails. The Solo’s gimbal costs extra and is only compatible with a GoPro, but it’s uncomplicated and engineered to last. The gimbal connectivity lets you control, and charge, your GoPro from the ground via the 3DR Solo app. The compact and comfy Solo controller includes buttons for instant take-off and landing, plus a colour screen that guides you through everything from set-up and calibration to controlling camera functions. 1 0 4 T3 D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 5
DJI decided to keep things simple with the Standard’s controller
specs Weight: 1,216g Camera: 1/2.3-inch, 12MP sensor Video: 2.7K/2,704 x 1,520p at 30fps Live-streaming video quality: 720p at 30fps Wi-fi video-link operating frequency: 2.4GHz
Range: 1,000m Max altitude: 120m Max flight speed: 16m/s (36mph approx) Max ascent speed: 5m/s Navigation system: Built-in GPS Flight time from full charge: 25 mins (max)
The origin of drones A dewy-eyed look back at the first ever UAV The earliest version of a drone might not be what you expect. How about a balloon filled with explosives? In 1849, a year after Venice revolted against Austrian rule to declare itself a republic again,
the Austrians retaliated by blockading the city. Austrian Artillery Lieutenant Franz von Uchatius devised a dastardly plan to launch a series of unmanned balloons filled with explosives into
Battery charge time: 60 mins (approx) Controller battery: 2,600mAh li-po 18650 Drone battery: 4,480mAh li-po 4S Media: MicroSD card App compatibility: iOS 8.0 or later/ Android 4.1.2 or later
Venice. The balloons, each of which measured 5.7 metres in diameter and was carrying 33 pounds of explosives with a 30-minute lit fuse, were released. The attack was largely unsuccessful in terms of damage to the city, but the starving citizens of Venice still surrendered two days later.
M ore grea t content a t the a ll-ne w w w w.t3.co m