The DJI Phantom 4 Drone That Can Fly Itself

A brief look at the all new DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter with video and key features.

The DJI Phantom 4 makes flying easier and more fun than ever. It’s the first consumer unit that can see the world around it and make adjustments accordingly. You can even control it with a simple tap and have it track your favourite subject effortlessly.

Automated flight control isn’t anything new, but the Phantom 4 comes with visual sensors that enable obstacle avoidance. The images captured through these sensors are run through software which constructs a 3D model of the world around it, helping the drone to intelligently navigate around it. The updated gimbal also supports both sides of the camera, keeping footage more stable and secure even in high winds and harsh flying environments. Other features include the TapFly mode, with this activated you simply need to tap on the screen of your smartphone or tablet and the DJI Phantom 4 with fly in that direction.

The second new autonomous feature, ActiveTrack, is even more impressive. Simply trace around the subject you’d like to keep in the frame, this could be a horse, a mountain bike a surfer. The onboard computer will automatically track and keep the subject in the frame, while the pilot has the freedom to make fine adjustments on focus, camera settings or simply sit back and let the drone do the work.