3DR Solo for $399. Is this even possible?

Andrew Murphy December 17, 2016 at 11:24am

They just dropped the price again to $299. Looks like a pretty decent deal with the accessories.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/3dr-solo-drone-black/5351035.p?skuId=53...

Jason Franciosa November 3, 2016 at 12:43pm

Hi Gary,

I am not putting down Ardupilot, nor am I comparing this with the Mavic. I am speaking as my experience with the DJI Phantom 3 (Released around the same time) and Phantom 4 (A little newer). The over all experience, capability, and simplicity is far better than the Solo from what I experience today. I have built multiple UAS using pixhawks and ardupilot from Planes, Quads, and Helicopters, however, I would never expect any of these systems to be used for mass production, un-trained end users. I think ardupilot is an amazing feat, however, it is opensource. And as most open source projects are, very powerful, very flexible, very impressive, the thing they usually are not is simple and easy to use. The 3DR Solo was portrayed this way and I was shocked with out un-smooth of an experience I had in my first time using it. It was an experience I would expect from a custom built system where it can be expected, not from a mass produced single product that has over 100 million in investment and production.

Just my opinion, For $400 I think it's a good system, just, don't think it's comparable with the DJI Offerings when talking about an refined end user product.

Gary McCray November 3, 2016 at 12:31pm

Hi Jason,

To be fair, the Solo greatly predated the Mavic and was the first reasonably practical quadcopter to envision and offer good autonomous and semi autonomous modes specifically aligned with film making and photography.

And generally it worked really well.

From the beginning DJI has been appropriating and improving ideas that first issued from the Arducopter Development team and then later the more proprietary 3DR team.

They didn't copy the code, but they rewrote it and somewhat improved on it because it worked.

DIYD ArduPilot and 3DR did blaze the trail on this and the Solo was the first almost ready for prime time product that 3DR managed to produce.

All the Mavic is is an insightful compilation of our learning experience.

DJI offered to buy 3DR at one point, I don't know the details, but probably would have been better than where they are now.

(Although we would have screamed bloody murder if they had done.)

The Solo is very well made and as long as some support is available it is a very practical platform for both hobby and commercial video and photography.

Based on what has happened though I would expect that in even a rather short time support will become the issue.

And it is hard to expect any additional products or hardware or firmware enhancements.

Although from what I understand at least one high quality third party greatly improved GPS/GLONASS is now availalable that is fully compatible.

Best Regards,

Gary

Jason Franciosa November 3, 2016 at 11:44am

I took the plunge for this amazing deal and picked up a Solo at best buy for $400 with the gimbal, spare battery, spare props, and Micro SD Card.

For $400, I think it was worth the money and a good deal, however, This drone was never worth $1400. The end user experience is far from smooth and years behind DJI. I have always been a adrupilot fanboy and not a huge DJI Fan, but, after working with the DJI Phantom 3 and 4 and now the 3DR Solo, I can comfortably say I fully understand why the Solo was not a success. The Phantom is a far smoother experience and the quality seems much better. Even the Solo props feel like cheap flimsy props not up to the standard of Hobbyking APC Clones. Flight time is horrendous when doing any mapping (10-13 min max), and this is with the Parrot Sequoia which is extremely light. I had multiple issues trying to connect through wifi with an Iphone 5s and a Google Nexus 10 tablet, it never connected to tower app, and the only way I could get it to work decent was using mission planner on my computer. Compared to the nearly flawless experience i've had with DJI Phantom products every time, this system was not ready for mass market. What is sad, is this is where it is at after over a year and a half and multiple releases. At $400, it will serve me for what I need it for, however, I don't think it was ever worth much more than that, and doesn't even come with the camera.

David Boulanger October 8, 2016 at 1:01pm

I hope 3DR comes back to what made them a player. Been using their stuff for 4 years and always was able to do things that other out of the box " Drones" could not do. Personally I think Gopro is in trouble still. Buy another 4 Black while you still can.

Regards,

David R. Boulanger

Gary McCray October 8, 2016 at 12:53pm

Hi David,

To me it seems like GoPro is almost exactly a year behind on when they should have introduced both the Hero 5 and the Karma.

They might have been able to hold their edge, but now, with both the new Nikon action Cams and the Mavic coming out, they are well behind the curve.

I have a friend who has been predicting the demise of GoPro for years, he may well yet be proven right.

Predicted same for 3DR as well.

Best,

Gary

David Boulanger October 8, 2016 at 11:57am

Between the Hero 5 and the Karma I would not expect Gopros stock to rebound much.

Regards,

David R. Boulanger

Gary McCray October 8, 2016 at 11:43am

Hi David,

Thank you for the info, not planning on an immediate purchase anyway.

Frankly the gimbal seems to work so well, the stabilization is probably superfluous anyway.

I have tried a couple action cams with stabilization on fixed mounts and have not had good results with them (Sony).

They work great hand held, but hand held most movement is up and down or side to side,

On a quadcopter much of the motion is rolling axially around the camera lens's center (which basically didn't stabilize at all.)

Be interesting to know how the Hero 5 compares.

I will at least wait until I here of a successful transplant of a Hero 5 onto a Solo before I give it a try.

At least verifying camera to Solo connection capability and full interoperability.

I just downloaded the Hero 5 Black manual and I can tell from looking at it that the connector on the Solo Gimbal to the camera would not be compatible.

At the least an adapter would be required, because on the 4 Black, the HDMI and control connectors are side by side adjacent to each other and on the 5 Black they are one above the other, which would render the Solos connector unusable.

I notice that is correct for the Karma however.

So basically, this seems like it might even be a purposeful move to make the Hero 5 Black incompatible with the Solo and only compatible with their own Karma.

I suspect that even if you did manage a adapter cable that the control codes might well not be compatible as well.

Interesting, GoPro developed it's "drone" control system initially just for the Solo then locks it out when they bring out the Karma - par for the course I guess, albeit still just speculation.

Be interesting to see how it shakes out.

My friend Oliver just bought a Mavic (well paid for it anyway).

I suspect that although this surely isn't going to be a good Christmas for 3DR, GoPro may not be far behind.

Best Regards,

Gary

David Boulanger October 8, 2016 at 11:15am

O.K.. Bought a Solo for $ 499 with a Gimbal, extra battery and a back pack.

Gary, Last Sunday I bought a Hero 5 and 2 Hero 4 Blacks at the discounted price of $350 each for the 4's. Refit 1 of the 4's with a Peau Production 3.97mm lens. Great lens. The 5 Black really, other then the Linear FOV, brings nothing new to the table for the sUAS. guy. The linear FOV is only in certain resolutions. Now considering the fact that the 4 has after market filters, cables for using it as a FPV camera, gimbals that accept it, and the Solo can control it, you may want to hold off with the purchase of the Hero 5 camera. It could be a big flop. The digital stabilization is great with it if using it in your hands but I don't know if it has any value on a sUAS.

Regards,

David R. Boulanger

Gary McCray October 7, 2016 at 6:56pm

Hi Francisco and David,

It was just for general information I wanted Hero 5 adaptivity information I have a Hero 4 Black.

I misstated Hero 5 video, should have been hero 5 control adaptivity and possibly compatiblity with Solo and Solo - GoPro side socket.

I suspect it is not.

However, with the apparent surplus of Solos, if it is feasible a how to on adapting the Hero 5 to work with the Solo is probably a worthwhile venture.

Modify bracket to fit and correct for imbalance weights.

And what kind of hookup interconnections necessary if possible or feasible.

If the Solo truly needs the Hero 4 Silver or Black, not only do we have an orphan copter, but one that needs to hook to an orphan and already obsolete camera as well.

I know have 2 Solos and one Hero 4 Black if I were to get another GoPro, I would prefer the Hero 5 Black, so if it is reasonable to adapt (and get full Solo functionality) it I personally would really like to know.

The fixed support is pointless on the Solo, you buy a Solo to take top quality Photos or video, the fixed support seriously won't allow that.

@ John,

Wow looks like I just got it at the right moment, both boxes have already shipped for $379.00.

Best Buy Flash sale I guess.

Although, with the backpack, that is still a really good deal and the backpack is definitely well made and well thought out, actually worth the price.

However I already have one and didn't want another one.

(I usually get that just wrong).

Best Regards,

Gary

Blogs

3DR Solo for $399. Is this even possible?

Comments