DJI Phantom 2 Vision: The Best Flying Camera to Look For!

The Phantom 2 is a quadcopter, with four arms, and comes with an elegant design to capture the best there is in the air. But this is not the only thing that makes it the most talked about drone!

The DJI Phantom 2 Vision comes with an integrated camera that can shoot photographs at 14 Megapixels aerially. This is definitely something that can make photographers go wow! And it doesn’t stop here. It comes with an inbuilt GPS autopilot system, further making it a hot cake.

Product specifications:

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What’s more is that you have the chance to fly for a full 25 minutes with efficient performances, and all in one single charge. This is actually an improvement over the original model of Phantom, except for the exciting addition of the camera. The drone is well connected with smartphones by means of the Vision app.

DJI Phantom 2 vision doesn’t expect you to be a pro at photography as the drone is just apt for both experienced and the novice!  As the makers like to say, this is their best Phantom model.

Check out what they have to say along with some real footage.

Build specifications

Packaging

The Phantom 2 Vision is one of the most convenient and easy to use products designed by DJI. The product has a total weight of 7.8 pounds with dimensions of 14.6×8.3×13.2 inches. However, it comes packed with a series of accessories along with the main aircraft body. The total shipping weight comes to around 8.2 pounds.

Hereunder is a list of contents that you should expect to come out of the box:

• Aircraft body
• Remote controller
• Pairs of propellers
• Lens cap
• Gimbal cap
• Micro SD card for the camera
• DJI Smart flight battery
• Charger
• Power cables with plug adapters
• Micro USB cable
• Stickers
• Vibration absorber
• Anti-drop kit
• Screws
• Landing pad
• Pilot training guide
• Quick start guide
• User manual
• Disclaimer

That is what unboxing the package gives you.

Design and durability

The product is designed to be one of the best quadcopters from the house of DJI. The four arms are known to deliver a full power packed performance and can run for full 25 minutes at a stretch.

The propellers are efficient, self-tightening and color coded for best results. The drone comes with a ready to fly design that works well for amateurs and pros alike. The advanced GPS facility is another selling point for this device.

More often than not, the users have been more intrigued by the idea that they could rotate the quadcopter while shooting numerous stills in a row. So do your drone often lose track of its direction? Fret no more! The Phantom 2 Vision is well equipped to come back to its original position based on the positioning of the operator. The no-fly zone feature is also a useful addition to the list of exciting features for photography lovers.

Camera

The camera is the most attractive addition to the design of the previously successful model. It will surely give you some of best aerial shots, and great photographic experience unmatched in quality by any other. In fact, the device, in itself, is called ‘the flying camera’.

The camera of 14 megapixels comes integrated into the drone with 1080p HD recording abilities. The videos and pictures can be:

• Stored on a micro SD card
• Watched as a live first person (LFP) view Wi-Fi streaming.
• Watched on the free Vision app on iPhones and Android phones.

With the help of the Wi-Fi extender, you have the chance to watch the streaming videos at a distance of 980 feet away from the camera as it goes midair in motion. However, this is not it!

The camera has a lot more advanced features and below is a quick gist of them:

• Camera tilt control: You no longer have to be restricted by a fixed camera on the quadcopter. With this tilt control, you can now remotely control the tilt position of the camera in action. This can be done by means of the Vision app by a tap of the screen.
• Compatibility with lens filters: The camera comes with an effective adapter that can support a range of 46 mm lens filters. This brings in a clear difference to your colorful photos.
• Camera settings: This drone comes with a camera following a number of settings including picture quality, ISO, exposure compensation, white balance, RAW or JPED capture.
• Wi-Fi connectivity: This quadcopter is capable of connecting remotely to your mobile via Wi-Fi connectivity up to a range of 300 meters in which live photos can be seen.
• Album synchronization: Album synchronization allows you to transfer photos from the copter camera to your phone directly, without involving the use of a personal computer.
• Gimbal: The camera gimbal with the Phantom 2 Vision will give you some of the smoothest videos ever.

Battery and flight time

Coming to the battery, this quadcopter is not going to fail you. The big power-packed battery of 5200v mAh, 11.1 Volt Lithium-polymer gives you a flight time of 25 minutes. There is an updated transmitter that comes with Lithium rechargeable batteries.

The intelligent Flight Battery is specifically built for the Phantom 2 Vision. It comes with 4 LED indicators denoting the power and charge status. The package also comes with power cables and power adapters for best results.

A flight time of 25 minutes has been recorded on a test flight as seen in above video.

Controller

And yes, it is easy to control! The Phantom 2 Vision can be operated by a remote controller of 5.8 GHz with a built-in Li-Po battery. This is the upgraded version of the device including a gimbal control unit and battery level LED indicator.

This is what you can find on the controller:

• Left dial: Simply turn the dial to the right to give the camera an upward push. On the other hand, the leftward turn of the dial can lead to a downward motion.
• Throttle neck: To bring down the small aircraft, you could pull down the throttle stick. The stick will get locked into position as the drone descends gradually.
• Trainer port: In order to practice your flying skills, you could connect the controller to the computer to run a simulation application.
• Built-in Li-Po battery: The battery comes with a capacity of 2000 mAh. There are 4 different indicators given as 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%.
• Charging: The controller can be charged using a micro USB cable.

Flight performance

Stay assured, an unparalleled flying experience awaits you with Phantom 2 Vision. It is easy to handle and operate and can be flown easily without any prior knowledge about flying copters. This can be attributed to the presence of the DJI Naza-M flight control system.

This comprises of:

• Inertial sensor
• Barometric altimeter
• Compass
• GPS
• LED flight controllers
• Controller

It takes about 30 seconds to set up the Wi-Fi extender and then you will be set.

Coming to the flight altitude, on a programmed mission, you could go up straight for as long as the battery permits you. But it is recommended to stay within 400 feet from the ground level. The effective transmitter signal being 1-2 km, you have the chance to fly much beyond the conventional range.

You could take a look in the above YouTube video.

Value for money and guarantee

Undoubtedly, the Phantom 2 Vision is one of the best buys from the house of DJI. It combines the perfection of good mechanical skills with an efficient camera. This is the main reason why this drone has become quite the hit amongst users. Further, the company does offer warranty on some of its parts. Thus, you will receive:

• Battery: 3 months
• Transmitter: 12 months
• Motor: 3 months
• ESC: 12 months
• Remote control: 12 months
• Camera unit: 6 months

However, the frame and the propeller come with no warranty attached.

Unique features

Being one of the users’ favorites, the Vision 2 does come packed with a number of unique features (some of which we have already discussed:

• Camera: the camera is the biggest feature of the quadcopter. The 1080p HD recording and 14 megapixel captures make it one of the best attractions. It comes with a ½.3 inch CMOS sensor with effective filters and a wide field of view.
• Vision app: The mobile application, compatible with iOS and Android platforms, gives you better access to the contents of the camera recordings.
• Stable hovering: The GPS autopilot feature allows you to hold the copter in position giving you stable flights and thus high-quality pictures.
• Compass: The newly built compass helps keep the drone protected in rough flight conditions.
• Radar positioning: The flight radar is well equipped to keep you updated of the current positioning of the midair quadcopter.
• Return to home feature: This feature allows the drone to get back to its takeoff point automatically and safely.
• No-fly zone feature: This feature leads to additional protection to prevent accidental flights or movement in restricted areas.

In the end, we can’t help but just praise this amazing drone!

Similar models and close competitors

UDI 818A

One of the closest competitors to the Phantom 2 is UDI 818A. If you are a beginner, this is for you! It won’t demand you to adjust the position of the aircraft as it works under Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC). The Return home function is very similar to the Phantom model which allows one-key-press to bring the quadcopter back home.

It is easy to control the aircraft as it comes with a 6 axis flight control system which delivers a stable and precise flight. You get the chance to implement newer flight movements because of its improved resistance against the wind.

The camera lacks in quality as compared to the Phantom. However, the 2 MP camera can still get you high-resolution pictures from up in the air.

The UDI model is a lot friendlier on the pocket than the Vision one. So, this is indeed a good option for someone who is trying their hand at flying with some aerial photography as well. However, it can only go to about 150 feet or 200 feet above the ground before it loses its signal. For a better insight on this models features and flight characteristics, we suggest checking out our UDI U818A in-depth review.

Parrot Bebop

The Bebop is one of the best creations from the house of Parrot. Talking about a flying camera, this does not stand too far from the Phantom 2. It can be used by professional photographers or just as a toy for beginners.

Just like the Phantom 2, the camera gives you 1080p camera recording that can be controlled from your smartphone. The 14 MP camera does not do a bad job at all giving you high-resolution images.

The most basic model for this device can fly a total of 10 minutes outdoors on a full charge. It has recorded a flight distance of 30 feet, which is pretty impressive. The SkyController option can be availed in order to reach a greater range in terms of the aircraft flight with the help of Wi-Fi connectivity with 4 antennas.

There is no micro SD card for recording the pictures and videos taken. This didn’t seem necessary since you can see pictures and videos on the Android or iOS app with live streaming (there is a bit of a drag). It’s an easy-to-use quadcopter that can really give you great stills on the camera. No training required and that is what makes it comparable with the Vision 2. If you want to find out more about this model, you can also take a look at our Parrot Bebop 2 review.

DJI Phantom 3 professional

The next on the list of closest competitors to the Phantom 2 Vision comes from the same manufacturing house of DJI. The Phantom 3 Professional is a camera quadcopter with 4k UHD video recording with a 3 axis gimbal, assuring you a safe and steady flight. You can watch live streaming video of 720p.

However, you can also record the captured videos and stills on a micro SD card. The LightBridge technology is one of the best methods used by DJI.

This drone is suitable for flights, indoor or outdoor. For indoor flying, the copter includes a set of integrated optical and ultrasonic sensors that can help the drone.

It comes packed with auto-takeoff and auto-landing features, intelligent high power battery flight, an integrated database of all the no-fly zones and the likes. The drone is not known to make much of a noise during its flight either. It sounds more like a swarm of bees.

Overall, this turns out to be very similar to the Phantom 2 vision, made with high-quality technology that makes flying aircraft an achievable objective, and, for a better insight on this model, we suggest checking out our DJI Phantom 3 in-depth review.

Overview

The Phantom 2 Vision is one of the most exciting creations from the house of DJI. They call it their best Phantom model and we cannot disagree much.

Now that we know the basic features of the device, let us recapitulate why this proves to be useful and what are its various difficulties.

Pros:

• Camera: The camera is, undoubtedly, the biggest advantage offered by the Vision model. You get live video streaming as well as photos recorded on the micro SD card.
• Durable: The Phantom 2 Vision is pretty tough in its structure. It can very well suffer a few blows like minor crashes. Yet, it will continue to work well.
• GPS autopilot: This system is especially useful for people starting out in the world of flying drones. When you sense trouble, you can just let it hover around a bit before you decide on your strategy to get the copter back to safety.
• Return to home feature: This feature allows you to get the copter back to its original takeoff position in case you run into difficulties like going out of range.
• Battery life: The Phantom 2 Vision comes packed with a powerful battery that can run the drone for a full 25 minutes and that is pretty impressive!
• Effective gimbal: The gimbal gives you the most exciting videos, making them absolutely smooth and sans disturbances.

Cons:

• Too small: The Vision is indeed too small. It won’t be long before you have problems seeing it in air for better navigation. Using the smartphone app is useful here, but not so much when you are working under the sun.
• Blackened screen: Every time you take a picture on the copter camera, the screen tends to go black for a few seconds before coming back to normalcy.

DJI Phantom 2 Vision is small and compact, but gives you the best experience of aerial photography. It can be controlled easily from the ground through the controller as well as the smartphone app. Sometimes the video is so smooth that it will feel like the video has frozen. This is how effective the gimbal is.

If you like flying or want to try your hand at it, this might be a great drone to start with. It is just as effective for advanced professionals in the field!