So, you've purchased a couple of GoPro cameras, picked up a good laptop for video editing and you're all set to create your first adventure film masterpiece. But before head out to capture all of your big moments for posterity, DJI-Innovations has one more piece of hardware you may want to add to your arsenal – there Phantom remote controlled quaracopter built to capture video from the air.The Phantom is reportedly sturdy, easy to fly and comes with the built-in ability to hold its position and correct its orientation automatically. A camera mount designed specifically for GoPro cams is included and other than adding four AA batteries, the unit is practically ready to fly right out of the box. Quick and agile, the Phantom even includes GPS tracking, allowing it to safely "return to home" if it loses contact with the remote or its batteries start to run low.
This is a pretty serious piece of technology and DJI is offering it for $679, which is actually fairly cheap for a quadracopter of this kind. I'm sure this will be a big hit with adventure film makers who want to get a high level shot of their subjects but don't have the budget for a helicopter. We've seen drones used to great effect in adventure films before, but this new option seems to put it within reach of the masses. Previous to the Phantom, the quadracopter had to be built from scratch or from an expensive kit.
No word on how long this thing can fly between recharges so you may want to pick-up some extra batteries for when you're on a long shoot. You wouldn't want to miss that amazing aerial shot after all.
This is definitely intriguing product. I'm curious as to how well it flies and how easy it is to handle. Performance could make or break a product like this one, but it certainly has a lot of potential.
Thanks to The Goat for the tip on this one!
