As you can see, an absolute accuracy between 1 and 3 x the GSD can mean a big difference when your GSD is almost twice as big. Phantom 4 RTK has an RTK receiver with a second GNSS module tucked beneath to improve signal stability in areas where the signal could drop or get blocked. As an additional purchase, DJI sells a D-RTK 2 Mobile Station that is compatible with the drone and offers storage for satellite correction data to use later as a post-processed kinematic option. According to our test flights for coverage, on a full battery, WingtraOne can cover almost 14 times more than Phantom 4 RTK at the same 1.2 cm (0.5 in)/px GSD. Phantom 4 RTK covered 8 ha and the WingtraOne covered 110 ha in one flight. In fact, according to our test flights for coverage, on a full battery, WingtraOne can cover almost 14 times more than Phantom 4 RTK at the same 1.2 cm (0.5 in)/px GSD.
However, the RTK does not care about GCP distribution, so if you do not have access to remote parts of your site, this will not impact the full-site accuracy of your project. Alternatively, you could get away with shooting one GCP if you were flying the same mission with the Phantom 4 RTK. For those who already fly a Phantom 4 Pro, the airframe and controller of the Phantom 4 RTK will be virtually identical in form and function. It’s got built in shock protection so it can definitely take a few bumps and knocks while you’re moving around. If you’re in the market for a new drone and budget isn’t a concern, China-based DJI’s Phantom 4 series is an outstanding place to start.
Typically, without a base station, any drone, even the P4RTK, will achieve only 3-10m accuracy. The advantage in the modified camera is that it is supplied by Klau Geomatics with a lab calibration, with precisely determined lens parameters to go into your photogrammetry software. With a good calibration, you can get high absolute accuracy on your ground mapping without GCPs.
The Phantom 4 Pro+ includes a Phantom 4 Pro plane and a remote controller with a high luminance display. Phantom 4 Pro and Phantom 4 Advanced – Battery All DJI Phantom Series drones are equipped with a 5870mAh Intelligent Flight Battery that can operate at temperatures between 5deg and 40degC . Intelligent features like auto discharge and data management can be found on most DJI batteries.
By harnessing the power of your mobile phone, the Virtual Reality mode brings you the most immersive FPV experience. Watch your autonomous mission in VR mode, or fly manually dji drones for added thrills. In Focus mode, Litchi assists you by taking control of both the gimbal and the drone’s yaw axis, so you can concentrate on horizontal movements.
I’m the UAS lead for a survey company and we’re actually a direct competitor to the author of this post, and I fully agree with everything laid out here. Very good write up that describes the challenges of trying to replace DJI products in a precision mapping program right now. The Phantom 4 Pro and GSPro have been around for a long time now and there have been few updates — but that’s not a bad thing. The Version 2 came out with quieter propellers and a slightly better transmission system, but the camera did not change. Similarly, only a few more options have been added to GSPro over the years. DJI Ground Station Pro , allows you to conduct automated flight missions, manage flight data on the cloud, and collaborate across projects.
The most important enhancement in the Phantom 4, however, is the new object detection and avoidance feature. The pitch is that the Phantom 4 will stop you from flying your drone into trees, and will somehow miraculously make it possible for anyone to fly no matter what their skill level. The obstacle detection features only work when you’re flying forward. It relies on forward-facing cameras that can recognize large objects. Those cameras cannot warn you about obstacles when you’re flying in any other direction.
It will also get the intelligent flight modes that the phantom 4 Pro has which let you pre-program your drone to fly certain routes or follow you around. The battery on the DJI Phantom 4 Pro V. 2.0 is rated for up to 30 minutes of flight time. It managed a respectable 28 minutes and 50 seconds in our outdoor real-world hover test. We rarely see drones hit their full advertised time in outdoor scenarios, and mileage varies significantly from user to user, but this is definitely within an acceptable range.
You can also fly in any direction which is visible on your screen with a simple tap. Then you can tap anywhere on the screen to smoothly adjust the direction of flight while automatically avoiding obstacles and tap the screen again or use control sticks to change direction. Using Draw, the aircraft will fly along the flight path drawn on screen.
The Phantom 4 Pro features a new algorithm that is able to recognize and track a wide variety of subjects including vehicles, animals, and people. In Trace Mode, users can have the drone fly in front of behind any selected subject while the aircraft autonomously avoids objects in its path. In Profile Mode, pilots can have their Phantom fly alongside the profile of a subject. Finally, in Spotlight Mode, the drone will keep any selected subject center-frame while the pilot flies the drone freely in any direction.