DJI Phantom3 with its 4K video system is the drone to have if you are in the market. 3D Robotics which makes consumer and professional drones challenges that claim. They have come out with the Solo Smart Drone. The new Solo drone quadcopter is simple to fly, smartphone friendly and reasonably priced. The only issue is that you will have to bring your own camera. Some may see this as a bonus since you will be able to upgrade your camera as it ages. 3D Robotics is calling the Solo the first smart drone. It’s more than a marketing gimmick. The Solo has two 1GHz Linux computers to help it help you fly and take great footage. There is one computer in the drone itself. The other one is packed inside the controller. The two computers are in addition to the 3DR Pixhawk 2 flight computer. All that brain power means that the Solo can do live HD streaming direct from a GoPro to your phone. You can even display the stream to a HDTV via an HDMI cable. The range you can stream is just about over half a mile away from the Solo. The 3DR Solo only cost $1,000. If you want to get the GoPro gimbal camera stabilizer add another $400. Phantom 3 Professional is $1,260. For the extra smart features that the Solo already has built-in combined with its ease of use makes it a winner. That is if you have a GoPro. That is the only camera it is compatible with at the moment.
“90-percent of our buyers already own GoPros. That means we can put more of that cost, and more of that technology into the Solo.” ~Colin Guinn, SVP Sales & Marketing at 3DR
Adding new features on the Solo will be as easy as opening an accessory bay door. Almost everything can be swapped out as you expand into the world of drones. You can add indoor-flying, infrared sensors or even a ballistic parachute. While the 3DR’s gimbal can be changed out, that is not going be ready for a while. The reason for that is that 3DR collaborated directly with GoPro to give the Solo unmatched access to the camera’s settings. Anything you can do on the ground you can do directly from Solo’s mobile app. You can stop/start recording when you want, switch from video to photo, change the video mode. Thanks to the 3DR Solo’s “cable cam” and “orbit” modes you can shoot professional aerial video that would have required two people. You can create virtual “cables” between Point A and Point B. The Solo solo is smart enough only fly between them in a straight line, panning and tilting the camera as it goes. That little feature alone might be worth the price. With everything considered we think the 3D Robotics Solo Drone flies circles around the Phantom 3.