A member mentioned I should write a post on Drone Technology, I felt as if I should, and so here it is.
With drones that we know today there is no doubt that DJI is the clear king.
DJI actually is short for the full company name Dà-Jiāng Innovations Science and Technology Co., Ltd
Headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong China, the company is ran by Frank Wang.
I am going to focus on DJI because they own 70% of the Drone market, and have made more innovations than all the rest.
Lets start out by Addressing the Current LEADING drone technology.
(I KNOW THIS MIGHT COME OFF AS A ADVERTISEMENT FOR DJI or THE PHANTOM DRONE) It is NOT DJI simply is on top of all the latest innovations in Consumer Drones, so focusing on Their latest and greatest is the Best in New Drone Technology Available today, and most likely well into the Future ! Thanks
Drones with Flight Times of 30 minutes or longer are now possible.
Control Range of up to 5 Miles or more is now possible.
Speeds of up to and over 35 MPH are now possible.
Advanced Cameras capable of 4K video at 60 FPS are now possible with Gimbals that provide shake free, clear videos.
Sensors that detect when a drone is close to a person, or building, the distance from the ground even indoors.
The ability to use GPS hold to hover in place without moving around, precise control, Live Video feedback with all the information you would ever need at your disposable.
5 Directions of Obstacle Sensing that is amazing in and of itself.
Lets take a look at best drone on the consumer market today IMO the DJI Phantom 4 Pro+
It has a 1-inch 20-Megapixel Sensor it can shoot video up to 4K and 60FPS and Burst mode stills at 14FPS.
It has a Titanium Alloy and Magnesium Allot construction which makes it rigid and reduces its weight.
It has a Flight Autonomy system that adds dual rear vision sensors and infrared sensing systems it has 5 Directions of obstacle sensing, and 4 directions of obstacle avoidance.
The Controller is even a work of art, and technology. The controller integrates an upgraded Lightbridge HD video transmission system, and adds 5.8 GHZ transmission support. So with the ability to switch between 2.4 and 5.8ghz this cuts through interference and eliminates image lag caused when flying in an area with excessive 2.4ghz frequency use.
The video transmission optimum range is 4.3 MILES ! That is amazing.
The Pro+ controller also adds a built in 5.5 inch 1080p Screen, It is brighter than most cellphone screens making it easier to see in the daylight.
There is of course new technology in the form of Gesture controls -
DRAW - this is a waypoint control, it allows you to draw a route on screen and the phantom will move in that direction and keep its altitude locked.
ACTIVETRACK - Phantom can recognize subjects, following them, and capture them as they move, making complex shots easy such as running and jumping off a cliff into water etc.
RETURN TO HOME - The phantom records its route as it flys, allowing it to return along the same route avoiding obstacles if it loses connection to the remote, so you can rest easy that if you LOSE connection it will come back to where it left from without hitting anything and land itself.
Batteries are becoming more advanced, not only will the Phantom allow you to see how much battery life is left, but also allow you to see how much battery life is left in conjunction with how far away you are vs. how much battery you need to return back to where you took off. When you reach the point of no return which means you have flown so far you only have enough battery life left to safely return to home , the Phantom will automatically return home to assure you never lose it.
These are just SOME of the technologies available, and while the Phantom 4 Pro+ is expensive, and no all these technologies are available on every drone, alot of them are available on alot of them especially the new SPARK drone which is great for beginners.
Owning, and Flying a drone can be a nice past time, or a job if you chose. Possibilities are endless imagine having this technology in your home, what if your adventurous friend gets lost hiking, or a friend is out on their atv and does not return home on time, you have the means to send out your drone to look for them, or a lost pet, well you get the idea.
You could offer your drone pilot skills to assist your local fire dept. IF they OK it, to assist with forest fires etc....
The Future is only going to get better IMO Battery life will improve up to 1 hour and beyond, Cameras will continue to improve and add new features, controllers will get better, range will be extended even further maybe to as much as 10 miles eventually, drone speed will increase, the will become quieter, and while super easy to control they will become even easier in the future.
The time to buy is NOW, the Future is NOW
Have Fun , Fly Safe, and Enjoy ...