DJI’s latest drone can can detect objects and avoid them while you’re flying it
DJI today revealed their latest flagship consumer drone, the Phantom 4. This thing is $1,400 and doesn’t look much better than its predecessor on paper, but DJI has done some new things software-wise that makes it their smartest drone yet.
Dual front-facing optical cameras continuously scan the objects in front of the drone, so it knows if it’s about to collide with something and it can redirect its path. You generally want to be flying drones in a safe, open area, but if there happens to be trees or airborne objects you can fly the drone with peace of mind knowing a mistake won’t completely doom your flying experience or the drone itself. The drone also avoids objects when you activate its “return to home” feature (which simply has it fly to you so you can procure it).
Beyond that, it’s a drone. It has 4 propeller blades that you can remove and reattach anytime you need. Its exposed engine design helps improve heat dissipation, and its 5,350mAh keeps it flying for nearly half an hour. It tops out at 44.7 miles-per-hour when using it in sport mode so you can be sure it’ll be fast enough to follow all the action you need it to. Its camera can record video in 120 frames-per-second slow motion at up to 1080p resolution, too.
DJI is taking pre-orders at their website starting today, with shipments not expected to start until a bit after March 15th. Head there to throw your money in for one if it sounds like something you need in your life.