P3 with case and 2.7k camera for under $500!

@garyhgaryh Despicable! You're out of the gang, man. Turn in your transmitter at the door. ;-)
I bought a P3 Standard from Sam's Club on a pre-Black Friday sale. Nearly the same price ($550), but no case. A microSD card was included though.

After the unboxing, and poking at it for a couple hours, I eventually decided to return it. For a handful of reasons. I drone on about it here.

I said then I'd consider buying at $500, and would definitely bite at $400. Since then I've adjusted my position. I saw one on Craig's List on Friday in "as new" condition. Guy wanted a fast $375 to make his house payment on time. I passed. I guess I'd say I'm a buyer at $300 now.

The Cheerson CX-20 is $200 from the Banggood.com USA warehouse... delivered in 3 days. No, it's not a P3, but it surely sets the bar for price/performance. All considered, I'd probably rather have the CX-20, G-3D gimbal and GoPro for about the same price as that P3. Shorter flight time, but greater flexibility with open source hardware and firmware, better image quality with the GoPro, easier and much less expensive to repair or upgrade.

@garyhgaryh And PS... great to hear from you! I hope you and your family are healthy and happy!

@ruouttaurmind lol. love you too! (in a bro kinda way) About the price of the P3, the one I listed comes with a $200 aluminum case. You can buy one from ebay at $439. It's definitely headed towards the $400 level.

I just read your P3 review and I didn't know you picked up one. It's been a while since we last kept in touch.

Does the P3 come with OSD? How does the remote control compared to the P1 (is it more powerful)?

What are you doing with your P1? Still flying it?

@ruouttaurmind All is well with my family. I've been training for a bike ride called the death ride. That's taking alot of my time. I want to play with my RC toys a little more in the upcoming weeks.

@ruouttaurmind cx-20 is $232. Not bad. I do like the integrated gimbal and camera of the p3. My friend is a dealer and says it cost them $300 for the p3 standard. Too bad he won't sell it to me for that price. I'll meet with him tomorrow to watch some kind of drone movie so maybe I'll butter him up to sell me one for close to 350.

@garyhgaryh That's about where I'd be a buyer I think. What about stepping up to a Advanced or Pro? Maybe he'll be willing to cut a similar deal for you on one of those models instead?

@ruouttaurmind I don't want to spend that much. I have another baby on the way so I'm treating this as a luxury. I did toy around the idea of the pro/advance. You know if the p3 standard remote has a better range than the p1 or p2? Same?

@garyhgaryh Nope. Are you?

Sometimes I really crack me up.

@ruouttaurmind Yeah you crack me up as well :).

@ruouttaurmind I agree. It's 439 on ebay right now.

@ruouttaurmind http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-DJI-Phantom-3-Standard-Drone-Quadcopter-2-7K-HD-Camera-and-3-Axis-Gimbal-/351658683581?hash=item51e07dacbd

@garyhgaryh A similar aluminum case on eBay for under $80. They can be had at AliExpress for around $50.

But for your lifestyle, wouldn't you rather have a backpack style case? I bought a Pelican type fiber-resin case (the kind with the customizable diced foam inserts) but found it was heavy and cumbersome to carry. Especially when hiking or biking. I got a cheap Chinese backpack and find I get much more use from it than the case.

@garyhgaryh RE: $440 on eBay... yup, $400 by summertime maybe? That's going to gut the used market for all those folks who got them for Christmas and decided they're never gonna fly them.

I wound up selling my P1 months ago. P1 is a dream to fly, but I couldn't get rid of the TBE when hovering. Sometimes as much as 10 foot circles while hovering. Combined with the inability to easily (and cheaply) add stuff like telemetry and OSD, I chose to move past the P1.

RE: The P3 Standard edition transmitter, telemetry and OSD... the Standard edition uses a different transmitter than the Advanced or Pro version. In fact, it's essentially the same xmitter as the P1, but kitted out for 5.8ghz like the FC40 rather than 2.7ghz like the P1. So range is shorter than the Advanced or Pro.

The Standard version transmitter also incorporates a wifi bridge in the handset which relays the camera and telem functions between the transmitter and your phone or tablet. You have your FPV view, and full telem capability including OSD data, mission planning, etc. Unfortunately there are several things you can't do without the phone or tablet linked. Like start or stop the camera and arm the system for flight. IMHO, the system is too dependent on this third device for it's operation. On the other hand, there is a lot of capability there. So, for example, you can do screen recording on your phone while in flight to capture all the OSD and FPV image for a fun cut-in while making videos, or to analyze your system performance in the event of a failure.

Lots of cool bells and whistles on this system, but it's still tied to DJI's close system, and bundled with a only semi-capable camera that's expensive and difficult to upgrade.

I'm still waiting to get my hands on a 3DR Solo at a price I can justify. After I do, it's possible I'll look back at the P3 and decide it was a good system at a great price after all.

@ruouttaurmind yeah rather have a backpack type case. The aluminum case from buydig is highly inflated price wise. It just there to make their deal look good. No way would I pay 200. I'm a bargain hunter so I'll pay 50-60 for it.

@ruouttaurmind the nonstandard p3 uses USA and Russian GPS signals for more accuracy which reduces the TBE from what I understand. The Russian system is call glasnoss or something like that.

About the standard P3 remote, is the range better than the p1.1?

I haven't played with my p1 in a while. It would crash mid flight but I believe it's due to my Chinese gimbal. I have yet to install the walkera 3D gimbal. I should buy the cx-20 to play with. What's the best price you've seen on the cx-20? On the bang good desc there are two variants: one with the GPS at top and compass inside the body and the other one with the compass at top and GPS in body. Does it make a difference? If so which one is better? I personally would want the GPS at top.

In your opinion is the p3 standard better than the old p2 vision plus? I think the p3 does everything the p2v+ can do with the added benefit of a higher resolution camera - 2.7k.

@garyhgaryh The lowest price I've seen on the CX-20 is $205 from BG US warehouse with free express shipping. I just checked, and it's not in stock there right now, but it was as recently as last weekend. Maybe be in stock again at that price Dunno. I have a Quanum Nova (Hobby King rebranded CX-20) I'd send you for $200 if you are interested.

As far as having the GPS in the dome vs. having it in the main fuselage... both of mine it's mounted in the fuselage (with the compass mounted in the dome), and the both fly quite well. @fultonmartin has a CX-20 and he relocated his GPS into the dome, but hasn't yet reported back on how it's affected his flights.

I do believe the P3 is better than the P2 Vision in specs. All other ways I think it's probably the same. IIRC, they both are dependent on a phone or tablet to control the camera.

@ruouttaurmind good to know (low price on the cx-20).

How about the P3 vs p2 Vision plus specs for the remote? Same range? Better on the P3?

@garyhgaryh P2 Vision + has that wonky range extender thingy, while P3 has an integrated unit. DJI specifications list the P2V+ at 600 meters, and claim 1km for the P3S. In both cases... well within my comfort zone. Anything a bit over 1/4 mile and I get nervous!

@ruouttaurmind @garyhgaryh There isn't room in my puck for the GPS module, although I found some hacks online that extend it vertically to do just that.
As for moving mine into the dome, I'm not sure how much it helps/helped. (I haven't given up on it my original CX-20 yet, although the last time I tried to fly it it just beeped at me--no lights, no nothing. I need to find some time to hook it up to Mission Planner and see if the FC is even alive. I did find that the receiver was miswired to the FC when I compared it to the new one, and it flew better after I fixed that...)

@sportykev Agreed. I won't be surprised to see the Standard version for $300 within a month or two.

@sportykev p4 will be unveiled next week so there will be more price drops for the p3. Maybe meh.com will try to procure a few and drone.horse will pick up again :).

@garyhgaryh I'd like to see a P3 model without gimbal/camera priced around $250ish. Based on the current $425 selling price, it's conceivable I think.

@ruouttaurmind Unfortunately they don't even offer that model. The gimbal and camera is extremely expensive as a separate part.

@garyhgaryh It is. And to just rip it off and replace it with a more capable camera seems a shame. Perhaps there's a market for the NIB camera/gimbal assembly on eBay. Or... perhaps not having the camera/gimbal attached gives some kind of fault code to the FC and it won't even take off without it? I wouldn't be surprised. That would lock buyers into replacing damaged gimbals or cameras with DJI brand equipment. They are a closed system, following the Apple example.

@ruouttaurmind If I could get the PRO model for $700 I would buy it. Looks like a price mistake because you can't actually add this in the cart.

http://droneultra.com/home/home/dji-phantom-3-professional-quadcopter-drone-with-4k-uhd-video-camera/

@garyhgaryh hmm yea pricing mistake I guess. I can't add neither.

@sportykev @garyhgaryh if you click on the More Information it actually takes you to their Amazon page with a $995 price tag.

@DJMajickMan but we want the too good to be true price!!

@garyhgaryh @sportykev @DJMajickMan Shysters! Charlatans! FRAUD!

Ok, I'm over it.

@ruouttaurmind @sportykev @DJMajickMan You can get it for $799 on ebay from a different vendor. I guess it's not bad considering it's a pro, but the vendor is not a DJI Authorized dealer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111681202221

I rather it be $700 than $800 :).

@garyhgaryh That link you posted says he IS an authorized dealer: "DJI Phantom 3 Pro Quadcopter with 4K Camera and 3-Axis Gimbal! Authorized Dealer"

@ruouttaurmind I couldn't find him on the official list.

http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3/dealer

The warranty states: Limited 1-Year Seller Warranty
Note "Seller" warranty, not warranty from DJI. If he is legit, the warranty would be honored by DJI.

It's heck of a deal though, esp if I can get 3x ebay bucks (mine expired a week ago, but I should be getting another one soon)

@garyhgaryh How do you get 3x eBay bucks?? I've been ordering a bunch of stuff for work and I'd like a piece of that!

@ruouttaurmind You have to sign up for it.

There should be an enrollment link here:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/ebay-bucks.html

@ruouttaurmind Sometimes you get 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, and rarely 5x ebay bucks. Each x is 2% so a 3x ebay bucks is 6% off. You get it at the end of the quarter as a coupon you can use towards purchase of ebay stuff.

@garyhgaryh eBay bucks I already receive. But the multiplier... I don't recall ever getting anything like that. Is it just on certain items?

Unfortunately, like you, I frequently forget I have the eBay bucks and either forget to use them on checkout, or let them expire, unused.

@ruouttaurmind That happened to me a few times where my ebay bucks expired. I'm thinking of getting in on the $799 deals with the 10% ebay bucks deal that ends today. My friend is also willing to sell me his pro for $700 so I may consider that.

@garyhgaryh Glad to hear the contents appear to be in order! Definitely looking forward to reading your review and seeing some pics and videos!

@ruouttaurmind Looks like they ship 2 phantoms per box, not five. I thought they would lay it flat to ship 5. Here are some pics:

@ruouttaurmind More pics

@garyhgaryh It's gorgeous!

@ruouttaurmind I think so too! It's quite a bit heavier than our p1.1.1.

@sportykev Pretty good value there I think. Even with the short TX range and crappy specs on a proprietary camera, it's a solid system for that price.

@sportykev I was going to buy the P3standard for $434 (ebay) or $499 (buydig with aluminum case, additional 32mb micro usb card). So much more than our meh p1.1.1 system since it includes gimbal, camera, osd, better battery. $400 is a bargain if you think about it. After all said and done, my p1.1.1 with fpv, gimbal, extra batteries, lcd, etc, etc.. ended up being around $700-$800 when I added the receipts. I went with the pro when I saw the deal and realize the remote itself was $500 retail and the Lightbridge and the extended range was worth the differential.

Thinking about the $400 p3? I'd say go for it. The range of the P3 must be as good, if not better, than our P1.1.1.

@garyhgaryh @ruouttaurmind I really shouldn't... but same feelz. The amount I already put into this thing...