Drones

For most the experience of flight comes in their dreams, but in this declared Year of the Drone more are living the dream, albeit, vicariously, thru their unmanned aerial vehicle. There are a multitude of drones out there, everything from ones that sit in the palm of your hand to eight-armed-octopus-like drones that can lift heavy camera systems like the Red. Honestly, I would have to be pretty sure of something that is carrying a Red with its $19,000 price tag for the body alone. But I’m going to talk about the drone that has started a real evolution in UAVs, the 3DR Iris+.

You may not realize it but there is a war in our skies. There are no bullets flying, rather it’s a war of images or, at least, the ability to record photos and videos from far above our heads. The main combatants are DJI and 3DR (formerly known as 3D Robotics). DJI has the Phantom; its white visage is almost synonymous with the word drone. Now they have added what many consider the consummate cool with the Inspire 1.3DR has quickly evolved into a major player with first the Iris+ and very soon the highly anticipated Solo. But what are the real differences? After all, they both fly. They both take still pictures or videos. What really sets them apart and which one do you want? Here are the facts. Here, also, is where personal choice comes into play.