Update 2: The Autopilot Firmwares have been released. See our Firmware Upgrade Guide to help you through the update.
Here’s how you use Point-of-Interest mode for example:
Update: The Inspire 1 will also receive Waypoints, POI, Home Lock and Course Lock.
The Phantom 3 Advanced will also receive 2.7K (2704 x 1520) resolution.
News just broke that the Phantom 3 Professional, Phantom 3 Advanced & Phantom 3 Standard Drones will receive the following Autopilot features on Monday September 7th via a firmware upgrade:
- Waypoints – You will be able to input points on a map and tell it at which height it should fly past the waypoint, allowing you to concentrate on pointing the camera to frame the angle you want to capture. You will be able to save the flights and recall them at a later date to allow you to fly the same route again at a later date.
- Point-of-Interest (POI) – You will be able to select a point on a map and fly a perfect circle around the point while the camera is positioned perfectly to aim at center of the circle, which allows the camera to capture a 360 degree video of the point selected. You will be able to select the radius and height of the circle the quadcopter or drone flies.
- Follow Me – The Phantom 3 will follow your location once it’s airborne. It will use the GPS location of the smartphone or tablet connected to the remote control (if equipped with a GPS chip). The Phantom 3 will follow you while aiming the camera so you are always in the frame.
- Course Lock – Lock your Phantom 3 onto a directional course and it will fly in a straight line into the set direction. You can yaw to aim the camera and focus on framing your shot.
- Home Lock – The perfect “get it home” mode. Once enabled pulling back on the right stick (Mode 2) the drone comes back to your location. Sort of a manual fly-home mode.
I can not wait for these features to hit next Monday. Then these “wishlist” features will become a reality, making the Phantom 3 an even stronger platform in the world of drones & quadcopters.
September 8, 2015
Why isn’t the Inspire getting follow me?
September 8, 2015
Dave, that is a very interesting question. Wondered that ourselves. Perhaps it will come at a later time? Maybe DJI sees that as a more amateur mode that the Professionals using Inspire 1’s don’t profit as much from? Hopefully they are just testing it still :)