DJI Phantom 3 Advanced Now Supports Return-To-Home Automated Flying; Are The Specs Worth The Price?

DJI is leading the pack in the consumer drone market with its specs and performance and the Phantom Advanced 3 is fast becoming a favorite choice.

However, many are asking if its specs worth its price tag.

The DJI Phantom Advanced 3 is sits in the middle of the company's current generation of entry-level drones.

According to PC Mag, the Advanced 3 is essentially a twin brother of the Phantom 3 Professional - the Advanced has silver stickers on its propeller struts while the Professional has gold ones.

Both are flown using the same remote control and smartphone software, which now has automated flight features, including return-to-home and waypoint flying.

Users can choose between MP4 and MOV file formats when recording video using the drone's 20mm lens. Video quality is limited to 2.7L (1520p), with 24, 25, and 30-frames-per-second available. It can also drop down to 1080p, which will expand the frame rate to 48, 50 and 60-frames-per-second, and those can also be available at 720p. Footage is monitored via high-quality Live View.

However, the website noted that users will have to update their firmware to use 2.7 recording, since Phantom 3 Advanced units are limited to 1080p when they are shipped out.

It can also capture stills - users can shoot Raw or JPG images at 12-megapixel resolution.

The downside of its specs is that it has a limited battery life. The wide-angle lens also shows distortion at the edges and it still doesn't support 4K, which is becoming an industry standard format.

Priced at under $1000, the Phantom 3 Advanced is an attractive alternative to the Phantom 3 Professional, which is tagged at $1,259. For budget users, the site recommends the Phantom 3 Standard which is priced at $658.95.

In conclusion, DJI's Phantom 3 Advanced is an excellent product. It's easy to operate, includes new safety features and captures video smoothy even when in motion.