3DR Solo Review
3DR SOLO Drone Review
3D Robotics introduced its latest offering, the Solo Drone, in May 2015. The SOLO Drone is a huge step up from the Iris and Iris+ models and it is a serious competitor to the DJI Phantom series of quadcopters. The Solo excels with its advanced software and flight settings, enabling you to focus more on the creative filming process and less on the actual mechanics of flying the aircraft. It does require you to have your own GoPro camera, so that’s not ideal for those who want an all-in-one ready to fly solution, but if you aren’t a fan of the integrated optics in the DJI Phantom lineup then the Solo is a welcome relief for you. At $1,000 for the quadcopter alone and $1,300 for the quadcopter with gimbal, the SOLO Drone is not cheap, but roughly on part with its competitors. Read on for our full Solo Drone review!
3DR SOLO - Overview
3DR Solo Drone (Left) and DJI Phantom 3 Professional (Right)
Solo Camera - 3DR Solo Review
- Camera
- Gimbal
- Software
1. Camera - The Solo drone doesn’t come with a camera, but it has been designed to use (and really can only work with) the GoPro HERO line of cameras. More specifically, it is compatible with the GoPro HERO4, GoPro HERO3+, and GoPro HERO3 line of cameras - though with the HERO3, you get limited functionality, so we highly recommend using at least the HERO3+. If you’re looking for the best quality videos and photos, definitely use the GoPro HERO4 Black. It is the top of the line GoPro that you can get today, and while you can save a few bucks on a lower end model, you’ll lose the ability to take 4K video and likely have lower quality video and pictures.
3DR Solo Drone Gimbal with GoPro HERO4
2. Gimbal - The gimbal on the 3DR Solo is a high quality 3-axis gimbal, isolated from the quadcopter with the traditional rubber bushings. It offers very smooth filming and really does stabilize the video well, similar to the results of the DJI Phantom 3 Professional. It offers a couple neat features - it charges the GoPro while you’re filming so that it doesn’t run out of batteries mid-flight, you can control the camera settings remotely, and 3DR includes a sunshade for it which is helpful when filming those sunny outdoor shots. This may come as a bit of a surprise, but the 3DR Solo does not include a gimbal in the base purchase price of $999.95. The gimbal is technically an add-on at $399.95, though I can’t think of many folks that are buying the 3DR Solo without a gimbal, so I think its best to frame the Solo as a $1,400 drone.
3. Software - So far, the camera + gimbal setup on the Solo is pretty underwhelming - Phantoms have been able to carry GoPro cameras for ages, a 3-axis gimbal is nice but hardly new, and neither of these critical components are included in the purchase price! But don’t pre-judge the Solo drone quite yet, because the software is where it all comes together. 3DR has marketed the Solo as a smart drone, with the tag line “Cinematic Made Automatic.” Not only is the manual flight experience (and the video streaming) smooth and well executed, but Solo packs a ton of automated features that enable you to really push creative limits and take amazing shots.
The Solo drone includes four “Smart Shot” modes, though 3DR says it is planning on adding more as they develop them. As of November 2015, the Smart Shot modes include:
- Cable Cam - A virtual cable cam, where you can set two endpoints and have the drone glide across them automatically and pan seamlessly.
- Orbit - Where you set a point for the quadcopter to orbit around, creating a smooth “wrap-around” shot.
- Follow - The Solo follows wherever you (or the mobile controller) is, at a defined distance and altitude.
- Selfie - The drone starts right near you, and flies backwards and up in elevation, exposing you and the rest of the landscape for context.
These automated shooting modes and the overall ease of using them is where 3DR really shines with the Solo. The smart shots are very self explanatory, easy to set up and direct, and truly do produce stunning results. While all of these shots are technically able to be reproduced by manual controls, the results are often jerky and uncoordinated for even intermediate level fliers, given that you have to be applying just the right amount of power, change in elevation, and change in direction all while attempting to maintain the proper camera direction and tilt. By giving over some of that control to the drone (in a very customized and defined way), you have less to worry about and you can let the computer calculate the precise timing and angles, leaving you with smooth panning and beautiful results. This 3DR video does a good job at explaining the smart shot modes and software:
3DR Solo Control System
3DR Solo Review - Overall Impressions
The 3DR Solo quadcopter is an awesome addition to the mid-level consumer quadcopter market and is a great option for anyone that already has a GoPro HERO4 and wants to shoot aerial videos. The flight experience is smooth, the automated controls are intuitive and powerful, and the drone itself is well designed and on par with its main competitor, the DJI Phantom 3. 3DR has really pushed the field in the right direction with putting more automation in the software and hardware from the beginning, and the customizable autonomous shot modes are where the Solo drone really excels and surpasses the Phantom lineup. While the Phantom 3 has auto takeoff, return home, and fail safe redundancies, it doesn’t offer much in the way of autonomous or semi-autonomous video modes. I am sure that DJI is working on that right now, but for the time being 3DR is ahead in that area.
Overall, the 3DR Solo is an excellent option for folks looking to get into the aerial video scene. But is it right quadcopter for you? If you already have a GoPro HERO 3+ or 4, I would say it almost definitely is. Even though the Solo + gimbal is about $1,300 (comparable to the DJI Phantom 3 Professional, which includes the gimbal and integrated camera), the automated modes and controls make the Solo a better value.
If you don’t have a GoPro (or you have an older model that can’t be controlled by the Solo), then it is a tougher decision. The Solo drone, gimbal, and a GoPro HERO 4 Silver will put you back about $1,650, which is considerably more than the $1000 Phantom 3 Advanced, which has similar specifications and capabilities. If you choose to go for the Solo, gimbal, and GoPro HERO4 Black (for the full 4K video, which we highly recommend) then you’re looking at $1,800 for the entire package - much higher than the $1,350 price tag of the Phantom 3 Professional, which has similar specifications. Also, on one hand its nice to have the camera be a separate element - you can detach the GoPro and use it for filming other things, for example - there’s also something to be said for a fully integrated camera solution, both in terms of design and functionality. So if you’re looking for a slightly less expensive and more integrated solution, then the DJI Phantom lineup may be a better choice.
At the end of the day, you really can’t go wrong with the 3DR Solo drone. It is a highly advanced platform with cutting edge automated video controls, and we’re looking forward to what 3DR can do next!
Where to Buy:
The 3DR Solo drone is available at a few different retailers, including Best Buy, REI, and Frys Electronics, but we highly recommend Amazon or B&H Photo:
3DR Solo Drone on Amazon.com ($1,000 for quadcopter only; $1,300 with gimbal): Amazon offers quick shipping, great customer service, and a full range of Solo parts and accessories.
3DR Solo Drone on B&H Photo ($1,000 for quadcopter only; $1,400 with gimbal): B&H Photo offers an unbeatable range of camera and video products and accessories, and excellent customer support.
Other 3DR Solo Reviews:
The Verge 3DR Solo Review: http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/13/8394359/3d-robotics-solo-drone-quadcopter-gopro
TechCrunch 3DR Solo Review: http://techcrunch.com/2015/04/13/the-3d-robotics-solo/#.ky9mdb:CM5j
3DR Solo Quadcopter Specifications:
Cameras: Compatible with GoPro® HERO3, 3+ and 4; optimized for HERO3+ and 4
Streaming video quality: 720p
Flight time: 25 minutes; 20 minutes with payload*
Range: .5 miles** (.8 km)
Max speed: 55 mph (89 km/h)
Max ascent speed: 10 m/s in stabilize mode; 5 m/s in “fly” mode
Max descent speed: ditto
Max payload: 420 g
Max altitude: 400 ft per FAA regulation, user adjustable (122 m)
Motors: 880 kV
Propellers: 10″ diameter 4.5″ pitch self-tightening (24 cm diameter 144 cm pitch); glass-reinforced nylon
Autopilot: Pixhawk 2
Software: APM:Copter
Communication: 3DR Link secure WiFi network
Frequency: 2.4 GHz
Weight: 3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) / 3.9 lbs. (1.8 kg) with GoPro® and Solo Gimbal
Dimensions: 10 in. tall (25 cm), 18 in. (46 cm) motor-to-motor
Flight battery: Lithium polymer 5200 mAh 14.8 Vdc
Battery charge time: ~1.5 hours
Controller battery: 2600 mAh 7.2 Vdc rechargeable lithium ion
App requirements: iOS 8.0 or later / Android 4.3 or later
No doubt this quad has great features but materials are available to built multicopters much stronger than this appears.
For $150 I can buy a frame with a lifetime warranty - I have personally had some spectacular crashes with mine and yet zero damage.
Why don’t companies start building machines with these materials. This one cost $1000? It would break with a decent crash. Probably requiring a full frame replacement. No thanks.
Rob, the reason people buy these is because they don’t crash. I’ve owned multiple Phantom 2’s and my current main quad is an Inspire 1. These don’t crash. However, I have a buddy who custom builds multirotors just like yours and he crashes almost every flight. He recently relented and purchased a Q500. Guess what, he has not crashed it yet……
It’s funny how people get so focused on how durable a drone is and how it holds up in a crash and don’t take into consideration how likely it actually is for that drone to get in a crash in the first place
I’ll take a fragile drone that almost never crashes over a tanky one any day
Even if the frame is super strong (carbon fiber or otherwise), if you have a crash something is going to be damaged - likely the camera/optics. So as Almon mentioned, these drones are designed to not crash. Or at least to make it as unlikely as possible, with semi-automated controls and failsafe options.
I think DJI and 3DR will build some models with higher quality materials down the line, but it will inevitably be more expensive. Also, consumers want better features in terms of software more than they want stronger and lighter frame materials, so I don’t see a major shift happening anytime soon.
Why are the gimbals so outrageous? $399 is almost a quarter of the 3DR! Ridiculous if you ask me.
Alex - great question. Gimbals are very complex devices so while $400 is a bit steep, its not wildly excessive in terms of the cost of a quality 3-axis gimbal. What surprised me is that 3DR didn’t include the gimbal with the quadcopter, and just bump up the price accordingly. It seems that very few folks are using the Solo without a gimbal, so I don’t see the need to have them as separate items. Hopefully in the next iteration, the gimbal will be included in the initial price, and the overall cost of the platform will be lower.
Consumers directly benefit from new advancements and competition. It’s worth noting that 3D Robotics is a US company.
I’ve followed the 3DR Solo for some time, it’s a great alternative to the DJI Phantom.
The flight time is not bad either…
I agree! I think that the Solo is a great addition to the marketplace and it already has spurred innovation among other brands. Good point on it being a U.S. company, though we make our recommendations based on product quality and experience, rather than company HQ location. I’m sure that all the quadcopter components are coming from outside the U.S.