3DR Solo Gimbal Review and Flight Footage

After a week with my 3DR Solo gimbal installed, I've discovered the good and the bad of it. Check out this video that shows several test flights, stabilizing the video with the gimbal.
For a full written review of the 3DR Solo, please visit: dronereview.com/3dr-solo/

[@Krupeshk]

Brilliant Video, thanks for the review. also the connection failure and return to home was epic

[@triniboiraccoon]

Great video dude! Wow Texas looks very beautiful at sunset!! Thanks:)

[@Djsifr]

hey! awesome video! I just installed gimbal and when I'm flying my gopro hero back is able to see the propellers and the lights? how come I dont see it in your video? please help Thanks! God Bless

[@freedomconstruction]

It’s 2019, can I adjust the gimbal while in flight????

[@wheeman999]

Hey, How'd it go with the updates? Can you change settings on the 'fly' now?

[@VideoDaveO]

Does anyone happen to know the best & most lightweight 12v battery to use on a gimbal?

[@LanceCadena]

thx for quick reply...don't the legs get in the video? the inspires legs raise to get out of video shot

[@seemee548]

can the 3dr solo work with yi 4k? thanks

[@jfklazarus]

is there a delay?

[@albertlopez85]

would you recommend this over the xiro explorer v?

[@jeevbales5537]

what type of ipad a re you using? the best is to use your phone or a ipad air/2

[@Tat2_eso]

can this Drone work with the gopro session it's the new small one!

[@sendesilva1857]

i see a bit of distortion in that gopro so what's better the inspire 1 with its camera or one of these with a gopro?

[@danielharman4437]

What is the range of the live video feed?

[@bobmoore5242]

Thank you. This is one of the most informative videos I've seen.

[@Buehler1997]

how long does the battery last when full charged and used "normally"?

[@rkbatruckingshow1873]

you had the antennae pointed wrong. set them downward at -20 degrees to the horizon. this will give you the best distance as well as coverage directly overhead

[@LanceCadena]

great video, thank you fro sharing. Is this a 3 axel gimbal or 2?

[@twistedbeatz1495]

It will be here Monday.. I hope I like it, as I love my Dji inspire

[@lokilawson]

Holy Cow! 3DR's loss, but my gain. I just got the quad copter, gimbal, extra batteries, and extra blades for $299.00 at Best Buy ($318.00 after tax). I hate that the support will probably go away, but for that low of a price, I just couldn't resist.

[@msonufriychuk]

Eric Lawson just got me one tooo

[@Adrian-kl5zp]

I got one for my christmas with that same bundle!

[@eval_is_evil]

Eric Lawson I think you gambled money even if it is that cheap... it isn't a reliable flier sadly. Looks cool but it has a lot of issues since day one ...the frustrating part is 3dr knew about it even before they released it.

[@silbay]

LOL spoken like a typical DJI fawnboi. I have several and they have flown for over a year with NO problems, wish I could say the same for my 3 DJI's.

[@WhatIThinkNation]

i dunno man ... my dji phantom 4 , 4P, and mavic have all been trouble free so far. The ongoing support is always a plus :)

[@ahdsr307]

I noticed your antenna's are pointed up. They should be pointed down on.a 20 degree tilt from one another.

[@teampullmyfinger3036]

if it charges the camera battery, can you lose the battery and run from charger?

[@moggie215]

Great video but that lost connection that scared the hell out of me. This only started with the latest update my first solo I had wasn't having this problem. Hope they get the issue fixed soon.

[@onepunchndown]

Im wondering if that snow issue is low voltage to the cam and not enough shielding around the hdmi cable, I have found with manufactured camera drones that they tend to not shield the way we do with full size A/Cs.

[@LanceCadena]

well 3 axis gimbal should rotate almost 360 degrees, left and right correct? thus I would think the legs would come into play. maybe I am not understanding 3 axis?

[@jeffzep3613]

Thanks for sharing your opinion. It was very helpful for you to include the picture-in-picture too! Wow, it's a shame that 3DR still doesn't include tight GoPro integration... Everything I've read, even up until today, states that all those features are there. Any updates since you posted this video? Interested to hear your thoughts on the autonomous features.

[@Soldier53flyer]

Can you use a GoPro 5 Black? will it work with the app?

[@wsvitak]

The sun sets in the east in Texas?

[@lorenpetermartens5524]

+wsvitak Yah, I noticed that little flub too. I've heard they do things a bit differently in Texas...

[@Buehler1997]

hahah thought the same 😂

[@thepagan5432]

+wsvitak Better than North or South though. I believe it was the BBC in the UK that had the globe of the world going backwards, Right to Left, for quite some time before they fixed it. So perhaps Kelly was confused by that.

[@danielgonzalezfilio1500]

Hahahaha, noticed it

[@jaredaugust2879]

How much you think it could lift

[@joshualeshnick9974]

At 3:59 when you spin the drone around, its not perfectly level and looks like the camera is tilted on one side. Mine does that too. Do you know why? It bothers me every time I record footage

[@iFLIP007]

does this Drone have Altitude hold? Ive never owned a Drone but I did try a Drone Sim on my PC and on that I had to hold the left stick slightly up to keep the drone from going too high and low... its not easy and not comfortable to my thumb so I was wondering if this Drone is like that.

[@dadnar7615]

Can you take still photographs using the Solo App?

[@loganbursky5657]

So, question (sorry if you have answered it elsewhere and I missed it).....my understanding is that the gimbal connects with and can control a go pro hero 3, 3+ and 4....But can you attach a hero plus to the gimbal and not have the connection to the camera itself but still get the smoothing and tilt properties of the gimbal? I'm totally fine with starting and stopping the camera itself manually before and after flight.....

[@mustafaaytekin9748]

I cannot start recording video through my Iphone6 while Gopro 4B is on gimbal, it only saves live stream into my camera roll.. PS. both solo and gopro is updated..

[@ghosttjr2]

range and flight time please? thanks.

[@silkroad1201]

Thanks! The tilt is the only reason I bought this. 200 is a pretty penny to pay for this feature, but I think it will be worth it in the long run.

[@Simbstah]

Great Review! In "follow me" mode, does it follow you without you having the controller? does it home in on the phone/tablet. say i wanted it to follow me while driving a dirt bike for example?

[@GodsOG]

I recently did a review on this product and it is doing well but I wish it was doing better. I like this video a lot and keep up the good work

[@starman2635]

Hi what gopro did you use 3+or the 4. Thanks

[@crimsonstang]

Where in Texas is this? I've driven through Texas many times, but I really have never seen actual trees, etc. only arid landscape.

[@chrisortiz2640]

Has the issue been fixed?

[@themikeymikechannel2947]

and one to the remote as well??..

[@mansionmedia5195]

Great video RSD a big eye opener for me personally with some questions i had on it. i am glad i went with a DJI inspire now though. i had the P2 w/Gp4 blk and really just got over the whole fish eye thing and post workflow but then 3DR released this and i thought may have made a mistake but this video has quashed any doubts i had. Thanks for posting & i hope you get that update sooner then later too. :)

[@henkvanstraten8607]

Mansion media

[@Raptor50aus]

Are you happy with the gopro footage? I can see some shake in the video

[@HuFilms]

I really like the look of the 3DR Solo, I think its much nicer in the looks department than the Phantom but I cant really justify getting one. They've just dropped the price but it's still as expensive as a Phantom advanced. I'm used to editing footage from both GoPro H4 and Phantom 4k and the Phantom picture is much more suitable in my opinion. I do like my GoPro though. I think DJI are ahead with their products and technology. I've just ordered an Osmo which I'll be reviewing soon.

[@kellerr13]

I am not finding a lot of information about what is REQUIRED (not talking about FAA) to operate it. Does it REQUIRE a phone, some kind of link/registration with your phone, or could you do it without one? Does it require to hook it up to the internet or to hit a web page or run some sort of app in order to activate it? Or will it run right out of the box? The reason I ask is that I absolutely do not register ANYTHING, or allow them to 'call home', or provide any of my personal information at all.

[@kevine5626]

Did you balance you props? Including the hub? That may be causing your slight jello effect.

[@davidwho8215]

Are saying this drone only has a 300 ft range?

[@seryan09]

Quick question for you... what camera do you use? What does the right camera controls do?

[@tauzins]

question, ive been reading poor reviews regarding the solo, had the softwareupdates / possible hardware revisions helped with this? considering one still

[@tauzins]

+Ready Set Drone well the thing is I sortve get a huge price cut due to where I work for the solo with full gimble and other accessories, however I'm not against doing mods since I've always been into modding anything I own. anything about the solo that I should know about in general? in your opinion

[@WindWalkerDrones]

How did this hold up? Did you have any issues with it ? Is it better than a Bebop 2 have a chance to buy one of these for 200 with gimbal

[@TheUnpredictableJack]

Such a great drone ! Thanks for the video

[@danielharman4437]

It's not a drone

[@TheUnpredictableJack]

Daniel harman I know, i meant the 3DR Solo is a good drone

[@iplayanything11]

+Daniel harman actually yes technically it is. and drones is defined as any unmanned ariel vehicle (UAV). that includes rc helicopters, rc planes, and yes quadcopters

[@Pmason718]

I just bought a brand new P3P, I've had it for about a week but haven't been outside to fly it yet. I've been watching videos after videos on the P3P and other drones and I'm trying to decide if I should return the P3P and get something else like the Yuneec Q500 or the 3DR Solo what's your opinion? I'm using this as a hobby just for fun not running a business or doing photography.

[@thefluffychub5604]

Any idea who I can call and talk to about sending my 3dr back and getting fixed... it never connected with the phone or remote control..ive had it a few years now.. just sits in the box.. I checked out the led lights on back on controller they are a mess compared to what I've read is normal..heeelp

[@hunterbeachcowkk7hqy786]

Try solex and open solo if you still have the drone

[@felixvacationtravel2639]

Thank you so much for this Video.

[@jeffjones337]

I have lost signal on my Solo at close direct line of sight the signal range is very poor compared to the Phantom. I like the smart shots but it also has about 80% of the flight time the Phantom does. The Solo is stable but I've also had issue trying to start the GoPro from the app and have had to manually start recording by pressing the shutter button while the Solo blades are running I reach in and can barely press the front part of the GoPro shutter button.

[@GranVlog]

+Jeff Jones Thats to bad :( All the smart shots is on the phantom as well btw. If not in the default dji go app, you can use 3rd party apps. :)

[@ViceVersaMusik1]

Where's the best and cheapest place online to build your own Quad or Hex kit(Quad,Electronics, Radio,Rx,), like a whole setup, but a place that uses Futaba Radios only or multiple Radio choices and not just Spektrum or FlySky. Straight to the point here, I want to build my own kit and get everything from 😂One store here in the US, but my catch is that I specifically want the Futaba 18Sz as my Radio in the kit... its like the MUST HAVE!! Its Tax time and I've patiently been waiting to get this Radio lol. so any help would be much appreciated! thanks in advance and happy safe flying.

[@CraigEnjaian]

damn that is loud. are all drones this loud?

[@HL99DMD]

Hi there, are there any updates by now? As far as controlling the GoPro, it doesn't look like I can switch between Photo and Video modes, during flight. (Without a gimbal). Can I control that through WiFi,(GoPro Hero 4) using a secondary controller, i.e. another iPhone or iPad? Hopefully that doesn't disrupt the signal of the drone. Thanks for replies.

[@HL99DMD]

+Ready Set Drone Hi there, I recently purchased a Gimbal for my 3DR. However, I'm experiencing a non responsive gimbal. The video feed is showing on my iPad, but I'm not able to control the gimbal at all, and the display says "No Gimbal found" on the RC Controller. Any ideas?

[@aldensylvester7333]

So I looked at the sky view and you were more like 1000 feet from the drone if I did my trig right. You're back yard looks about 200 ft across and I assumed about a quarter mile to the golf course and at approximately 200 feet in altitude you would have been between 900 and 1400 feet away (depends on how far that gold course is). So just to clear up anyone who though it was terrible because it lost signal 282 feet of distance away, you will get much better range.

[@lewiswilliams4477]

+Ready Set Drone this or the phantom 3 standard ? I have a go pro hero 4 black ... 1st drone (i have flew other things before)

[@lewiswilliams4477]

+Ready Set Drone Thanks for the reply, I will doing it as a hobby :) the phantom 3 is cheaper as well if I am right ?

[@DJBIGMIKE]

Does the gimble give the gopro a better distance for video feed?

[@readysetdrone]

No, the gimbal only helps keep the camera stable.

[@bobreichel]

Yea you forgot to add the snap a picture as well as how you can adjust the gimbal pan speed with the left hand button

[@jeremyboyce1537]

I like it Kelly but it lost signal at 200 feet , that is a problem , nice review ,take care .

[@procrastinationinc.1677]

Is there any way to eliminate the stuff surrounding the picture on the raw video like the battery, timer, etc. or does it just need to be cropped out later in editing?

[@mr.faulkner724]

+Procrastination Inc. Yes, it's in the GoPro settings.

[@GinoKelleners]

Hey nice video! Thinking of buying the 3dr solo, because I already own a GoPro 4 Silver. I want to use it for extra footage on my travel vids. But the comment section has brought me to doubt. DJI or 3DR, what would you recommend for a beginner drone pilot? Thanks!

[@msonufriychuk]

Gino Kelleners get solo for 300 at Best buy now...can't beat price with a stick

[@frortiz1]

Nice vídeo congratulación

[@starburstzz]

Will it fit my go pro hero session 4?

[@readysetdrone]

It won't. The gimbal is designed for the size/shape of the GoPro Hero 3 or 4 only. There may be aftermarket ways to make the Session work, but I have not seen any. Hope that helps and thanks for watching!

[@LM-rb2yw]

Does it work with gopro session? Beautiful video Thank you!

[@LM-rb2yw]

+Ready Set Drone Thank you!

[@nerihugo5]

thanx @readysetdrone...yea man u lucky it came back

[@wsvitak]

What kind of drone

[@darrengilbert3781]

Is that a iPad mini ? What is the best cheap option ? I have only full size iPads

[@readysetdrone]

Full size iPad will work on the Solo, no problem.

[@ZennaHarajli]

Hey man, great video... did they fix the app so we can use the other settings on our go pros?

[@readysetdrone]

Yes - the app is much better now than it was when I shot this video. Better integration with the GoPro.

[@ZennaHarajli]

Sweet, Thank you. can't wait to invest in this

[@nerihugo5]

when u lost signal did it came back by itself or you gotta push a botton??

[@readysetdrone]

It came back by itself - glad that it did!

[@craigmiller5926]

Water and seed please!

[@Gabo-hz7by]

What drone should I buy?-3dr solo with gimbal (i already have a gopro!)-DJI Phantom 3 advanced-Yuneec q500 4K

[@readysetdrone]

Personally, out of those 3 I would go with the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced.

[@Swaggerlot]

Nothing I read/view so far tells me that the the Solo is ahead of the Phantom 3, apart from the higher price of course. Can anyone tell me why I should buy the Solo????

[@Swaggerlot]

Thanks, you confirm other comments I've read.

[@ethanepp849]

Do you know what GoPros it is compatible with?

[@UnholyTingz]

Kendama Ethan GoPro 3+ and GoPro hero 4's not session tough also no hero 5 which is sad

[@jetsmith3917]

Did you use a gopro hero 4 black for this video

[@readysetdrone]

yes

[@FarrisFamilyTv]

how were you able to fly it while recording this video on your phone? you said something about you having the drone is GPS mode what does that mean exactly ? please reply thank you

[@readysetdrone]

Had a GoPro camera with a head strap, so I could be hands free! GPS mode ties the quadcopter into a GPS system for positioning. Thanks for watching!

[@domonicsmith5991]

Man the tech has come a long way since this video. Signal lost at 200ft away, and today people are driving theirs for miles now lol I was curious on this drone because i saw it on fb market, and wanted to see what it does. Nice video brother.

[@Funny_vibes23]

hey buddy I just bought me one 3dr solo and I'm having a problem how to pilot my drone when is far away and last time I pressed come home and it took a different direction I was scared I would loos it. why did it do that though?

[@readysetdrone]

So a couple of thoughts - first, are you in a populated area? The Solo can have interference if you are in a populated area. Second, make sure that your antennas are in the right position. They should be up at 45 degree angle and you should be sure you are holding the remote so that the antennas are facing the quad - it's best if there is a clean line of sight between them. Hope that helps!

[@jackhammell1926]

You may have lost gps lock and not even realized it.

[@dr.phillipcoombs9862]

Can you use a gopro hero 3+

[@readysetdrone]

Yes.

[@lancegoff8700]

Hello how are you? Love the Videos I am thinking of getting this one for my self! How long id the flight time on this? Thanks :)

[@lancegoff8700]

+Ready Set Drone Thanks :)

[@robertosmitho2012]

Noisy...is the dji mini 1 as noisy?

[@mikeKempMKB666]

Both Antenna pointed up ! That is not good. You will get very poor range with that setup. That is why you lost signal.

[@jeffjones337]

+Ready Set Drone where are you going to get a range extender? Is the signal from the controller that weak or is it a weak receiver in the Solo?

[@neeliyer8523]

Do you notice any distortion when you look downward with the gimbal?

[@neeliyer8523]

+Ready Set Drone thanks, great video by the way

[@Tat2_eso]

A gopro Drone that's crazy!! but im I still want a 3dr they look great in been looking into them for over a week!

[@CrushedCity]

Do you still use the 3DR? I found it on sale and was really tempted to buy it tomorrow. 1200 gimbal included, already own a gopro hero 4 silver. Anything new? Theres a lot of people bashing it, Im assuming they're DJI fanboys/trolls.

[@CrushedCity]

It's really a battle between DJI Phantom 3 Advanced vs 3DR Solo Mainly due to the budget

[@CrushedCity]

Would of helped if I hadn't already bought the 3DR Solo, gonna try out their 30 day money back guarantee. Either way Solo is pretty dope. I do see what you mean by it being twitchy though

[@solen1849]

Any new feed back? Seen on your channel you got a phantom 4

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Interesting video

[@nethfel6387]

I know this is WAAAY late (and may have been compensated for), but I don't know if I'd worry too much about the "snow" as you refer to it. It *looks* more like between when you toggle recording and the drone sends the video back, it's not transmitting or receiving that initial I frame and instead is trying to render the video in the middle of a P or B frame where not all of the video data is there to render the picture (which clears up once enough data is there or the next I frame). It's just the way H.264 is if you end up trying to render initial frames of video without an I frame. If the image went from black to the next available I frame it shouldn't happen again (which is probably why it's so random, sometimes you're getting that I Frame and sometimes you're not). I don't know if they've updated the software to adjust for that since you recorded this episode, but it'd be nice if they did.

[@readysetdrone]

+Nethfel Great comment! Thanks!

[@negociandointernet2619]

I am from Colombia, I bought a 3dr drone and the software works but it does not record because it does not link anywhere when I run it on wifi or internet, they could collaborate with me, I do like to make it functional, that is, record ... or a page where I can connect

[@themikeymikechannel2947]

add a small solar panel at the right voltage to keep it up longer..??

[@GranVlog]

+mikey mike - NYY dreams doesnt work :)

[@themikeymikechannel2947]

That doesn't make any sense, what are you referring to????

[@maxdrew6563]

When u by it can u get it so it comes with the gimbal?

[@readysetdrone]

Yes - originally you could not, but now you can get it with a gimbal. Thanks for watching!

[@maxdrew6563]

Where's a cheap price u can get it

[@aidangunnell6926]

have u made a video of the dji phantom 3 if not u should or at least of a phantom

[@REVIEW_JUJUR]

+Ready Set Drone Phantom 3 Standart is $499 now. U should do the comparison dude...

[@aidangunnell6926]

+Ready Set Drone awsome I want to get a Phantom 3 so bad

[@REVIEW_JUJUR]

Yeah u should get one. It's the cheapest most high tech Drone in the market now.

[@REVIEW_JUJUR]

***** Maybe Yes, Maybe Not. Some love the curve image in Gopro. Some hates it. DJI has very minimal Curve to the image, it's more natural. But all depends on your taste.

[@Funny_vibes23]

how would I know where to fly and not getting myself in trouble?

[@readysetdrone]

Go out to a big park or field, away from power lines and other sources of interference. Good luck!

[@Funny_vibes23]

Thx

[@dragonballzgt1989]

I was planning on getting that gimbal for mine but wasn't sure if it was good enough to justify the price. you sold me.

[@readysetdrone]

Right on. I also did a video about how to install the gimbal...might be helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@PARANDROID]

the lens distortion on the GoPro is stupendous

[@ramzannoor8719]

please ansssss me ....gopro is real time video how range????

[@readysetdrone]

Depends on how much interference there is around it. Check out this video for a range test: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGGvgoqHfKirZ9U

[@ramzannoor8719]

I have one more question....tell me please i don't affordable a gopro if you can please tell me another cheap camera with good range... please guide me please

[@Wsmith247]

Great video, I got my Solo for $349 with Gimbal, Xtra battery and props at Best Buy. I also picked up a extra battery for $49 and the backpack case for $49. My friend has a DJI P3 and that's what i went there to buy(been flying a CX-20), but after seeing what i could get the Solo stuff for im glad i got it. 10 flights so far without any problems. GoPro has a recent update for the Solo so it takes a lot of the fish eye effect out of the picture.

[@Wsmith247]

BTW, i can change a lot of the settings on the go pro through the solo app.

[@readysetdrone]

Good to hear that! I got my Solo in mid 2015 and so the experiences in these videos are a bit dated compared to the updates they have made. Safe flying!

[@jallenmusic84]

Danny Veloz look on ebay. I bought a bebop with sky controller case and then when I received it I took the foam part out and put the foam from the 3dr in it. fits perfect

[@eval_is_evil]

Bowtech2 just be careful with this drone because it is kind of glitchy

[@silbay]

gawd troll give it a break and go back to your Chinese blown molded toy DJI's