5 / 5 ( 3 votes )

Most likely you’ll agree that the DJI Phantom 3 quadcopter needs no introduction. It is already the favorite choice of numerous professional photographers & hobbyists worldwide to capture stunning aerial photographs and stunning video from high above.

*** Edit: We’ve published our Phantom 4 review here in case you’re interested in that. If you came to this page looking for answers related to the Phantom 4 you find 100 of them answered here***

But if you’re looking for answers to your Phantom 3 related questions you will likely find the manual to be incomplete. Or maybe you’re thinking of buying a Phantom 3 and feel the need to get a few questions answered first, we’re here to help.

In this post, we have collected and put together the most asked questions related to DJI Phantom 3, and of course their answers.

***DJI has a summer sale with discounts up to 30% in the DJI Store – Click here to go there now ***

We divided the questions by category. Just click the link to go to the category your question relates to.

General FAQs

1. What is the difference between Standard, Professional and Advanced version of the Phantom 3?

– The main difference between the Professional and the Advanced comes in battery & camera configuration. Both versions are equipped with a stunning 12 megapixel camera. The advanced version is capable of shooting videos at 1080p, while the professional version does so at 4k. Also the professional comes with a 100W battery charger while the advanced has 57 watt charger. Thus the professional Phantom 3 batteries take less time to charge.

The Standard is a different story since it uses the Phantom 2 remote controller. This means no Light bridge streaming, but the less reliable Wi-Fi streaming that cut the flying range considerably shorter. All about the Phantom 3 Standard in our Preview.

2. Are phantom 2 batteries compatible with Phantom 3?

– No. The Phantom 3 comes with a 4 cell battery with a capacity of 4480 mAh and voltage rating of 15.2 V. Thus Phantom 3’s newly designed Intelligent Flight Battery provides more power required to power life bridge & other component. Thus the batteries are neither forward or backward compatible. You can get extra Phantom 3 batteries here.

3. What is the flight time of the Phantom 3?

– According to DJI, the new Phantom 3 has an approximate flight time of 23 minutes under suitable conditions.

The Phantom 3 Standard flying time is up to 25 minutes because the quadcopter weight is less. As mentioned in the previous question, you can get extra Phantom 3 batteries here to get more flight time before having to go home to recharge.

4. Can I charge the controller & battery at the same time?

– DJI doesn’t recommend such practice. The quadcopter comes with 2 separate cables for convenient charging.

5. How far can the Phantom 3 fly?

– The flight distance is dependent on wind velocity & various other external factors. But in favorable condition, the Phantom 3 can fly for 1.2 miles or 2 km. If you feel that’s not enough for you there are aftermarket range extenders available one. The easiest ones to use are parabolic signal boosters, like the Skyreat signal booster. Just slide them over your antennas and you’re good to go, with improved range.

6. Is Phantom 3 more quiet than Phantom 2 during flight?

Yes, thanks to the new motors the quadcopter is less noisy than the previous Phantom models.

7. Does it support GPS flight plans?

Not yet, DJI is still working to include this feature in the upcoming app versions.

8. What if the Phantom 3 doesn’t turn off immediately after I shut down the battery?

– Such behaviour is pretty normal with the Phantom 3. It takes roughly one minute to power down the whole system, including the light bridge & turn everything off. Such delay also helps to prevent any data loss from video being recorded.

9. Is the new Phantom 3 quadcopter waterproof?

Unfortunately, it is not. Hence is not recommended to fly the Phantom 3 near oceans or too close to bodies of water.

10. What is the memory of sd card the Phantom 3 comes with?

– The Phantom 3 comes with a 16 GB micro SD card. SD cards up to 64 GB can be used on the Phantom 3. We recommend the Sandisk Extreme Pro.

11. How can I restore video if power is turned off while recording?

– Under such circumstances, don’t remove the SD card. When the copter is turned back on, wait for 30 seconds until the file is stored. After 30 seconds, it will complete recording the video file on the SD card.

12. What is the best way to safely land the Phantom 3?

– You should try to land the Phantom 3 on a hard flat surface. The best options being on plywood or concrete. And although we haven’t, some people use special landing pads.

13. Why is the discharge time on battery not 0 even when I haven’t used it?

– Prior to you laying your hands on the Phantom 3, the battery is already thoroughly tested by DJI. Thus the battery discharge time is not zero. This is completely normal and indicates that the is safe to use. Also to ensure battery longevity, the LiPo batteries present are delivered with a partial charge to preserve them.

14- Can the Phantom 3 follow me?

– Such action is not possible from the DJI Pilot. But there are a number of other apps on the app store, the likes of Auto Pilot , that does have the follow me, orbit and a host of other features that you haven’t seen on the Phantom 3. The Auto Pilot app is still being refined and refactored by developers, so the newer version will come up, but right now it is compatible with Phantom vision plus.

Remote Controller FAQs

15 – Do I need to buy the Remote Controller separately?

No, the remote controller comes with the DJI Phantom 3 quadcopter. You need not purchase it separately.

16- What is the function of the 2 buttons at the back of controller?

– The new Phantom 3 controller is different from the old controller. This controller has an upgraded style transmitter. This Inspire 1 style controller comes with customizable buttons at the back which can be configured using the DJI Pilot app. Using the app you can put your own functions and customize the functionality of these buttons.

17 – Can the sticks of the Phantom 3 be customized to use the flight mode I want?

– Yes. By default, the sticks are set to mode 2. In this mode, the throttle is present on the left-hand side while the right-hand stick controls the movement of the quadcopter. While changing to mode 1 would reverse the function of the sticks.

18- Can I use Phantom 2 remote controller in Phantom 3

– No. Unlike the Phantom 2, the Phantom 3 remote controller operates at 2.4 GHz.

19- Does the Phantom 3 support multi-controller?

– No, it doesn’t support any type of dual controller. It only connects one controller at a time which can control the copter as well as the gimbal tilt. For that, you’ll need the Inspire-One.

20 – What is the function of the ‘PAF’ switch?

– The ‘PAF’ switch is the mode switch.

P mode – In the Positioning mode, it shows whether both the GPS & Visioning Positioning System work together simultaneously.

A mode – In Altitude mode only the barometer is used for altitude stabilization. It does’ use the GPS or Visioning Positioning System. But you can still use the return mode if GPS signal is available.

F mode – The Function mode activates the IOS control, i.e. Intelligent Orientation Control. More detail about the F mode can be found in the user manual.

21 – Can Phantom 3 mobile device holder be used on Phantom 2 controller?

– No, the Phantom 3 mobile holder cannot be used on Phantom 2 controller.

22 – Does the tablet/phone require any data plan to work or is Wi-Fi enough?

WiFi is enough, there’s no need for a data plan on your controlling device.

23 – What frequency range does it operate on?

– The Phantom 3 operates at 2.4 GHz, & is operable up to a distance of 2000m, while operated outdoors and unobstructed.

24- Can the Phantom 3 controller hold iPad & other tablets?

– Yes, the new larger expandable holder on the controller, so u can put your devices with ease.

App FAQs

25- What app should be used with the Phantom 3?

– DJI Pilot App is used with Phantom 3. The app starts to connect with it and automatically changes to suit the Phantom 3. Now everything is configured in the same app, & it will recognize the copter you load on its own.

26- Which devices are compatible with it?

The Phantom 3 is compatible with many devices running iOS 8.0 or later or Android v4.1.2 or later.

Over at Phantom-Four they’ve created a page that lists devices that are known to be compatible: http://www.phantom-four.com/compatible-devices/

27- Does the DJI Pilot app include video editor?

– Yes. All you need to do is go to the editor of the Pilot App & tap Director from the home screen. Then you need to select a template to add the clip. After that, you can share the video on YouTube or on other social media platforms.

Keep in mind that the Director uses the videos streamed via Light bridge (720p resolution) and not the full-quality videos stored in the P3 memory card!

28 – How can I synchronize the pictures and videos captured on my Phantom 3 into my iOS album?

– To do so, you need to adjust the settings of your mobile device. Go to the Settings menu, select the Privacy tab, and select the Photos tab. Then use the toggle switch next to the DJI Pilot app icon. Then you can synchronize you images & videos. But if the Pilot app hasn’t provided the access to your albums, the photos and videos cannot be synchronized.

Camera FAQs

29 – Does Phantom 3 come with a protective lens cap?

– No, the Phantom 3 doesn’t have a separate lens cap. The lens cap or glass filter is already on the camera, which is exactly in front of the actual lens, in order to protect it. This filter is removable, so when you feel like cleaning the lens, all you need to do is take it off. However, if you want a lens cap you can get it from Amazon.

30 – Can I use Neutral Density (ND) filters?

During broad daylight, or in abundant lighting condition, shutter speed is increased to compensate the amount of light coming in. But doing so results in choppy movement. Thus the trick is to keep the shutter speed low and to use a Neutral Density (ND) filter. You can replace the protective lens filter in from of the camera with an ND Filter. We recommend Snake River Prototyping, DJI (fits Phantom 3 Adv/Pro and Phantom 4) or the PolarPro DJI Phantom 4 / Phantom 3 Filter Professional 6-Pack.

31 – Is there an upgrade path from Advanced to Professional, replacing just the camera?

Currently, there’s no option to upgrade or degrade the version of the Phantom 3.

32 – Is there a microphone on the camera? Can Phantom 3 record audio?

No, there’s no microphone on the camera. It’s not a feasible practice as all you would listen is the noise from the rotors and the prevalent wind.

33 – Can the Phantom 3 camera record with Fish-Eye effect?

No, that’s one of the advantages of the new camera that DJI highlighted versus the GoPro.

34 – Does the ugly landing gear show up in the videos captured by Phantom 3?

Unfortunately, it can. Like previous Phantom models, the landing gear can still be visible in the recorded videos. But as the landing gear is comparatively wide, the duration during which it is visible is quite short. Being said so, it still depends on the expertise of the person maneuvering the drone. If you fly it controlled you will not have an issue with the landing gear.

35- Can we add our own GoPro camera to the Phantom 3?

– No. You can only use the Phantom’s camera, i.e. the 12-megapixel camera (resolution would depend on the advanced or professional version).

Return-to-home FAQs

36 – How to regain control after a failsafe?

Press and hold the Smart RTH button to start the process. Then press it again to terminate the procedure. This will give back full control of the quadcopter.

37 – What is Failsafe?

Failsafe is how DJI calls the Return-to-home (RTH) features.

38 – When will Failsafe Activate?

Failsafe will activate when

The Remote Controller is powered off. The Phantom has low battery The Phantom has flown out of effective communication range. The signal between the Remote Controller and the Phantom has been lost (due to interference or other) for more than 3 seconds.

39 – What is Return-to-home or Failsafe altitude?

This is an extra safety feature. You can choose the altitude, which the quadcopter will keep while returning to the home point, in order to avoid any obstacles.

Transportation FAQs

40 – Is Phantom 3 shipped with a hard case included?

Unlike the DJI presentation video for Phantom 3 that shows a nice hard case, there’s no case included in the shipment. But you can always check our recommended backpack if you are in search of a hard case. Or you can choose from anassortment of hard cases on Amazon.

41 – Does the Phantom 3 fit in a Phantom 2 case or backpack?

It actually depends on the case. Phantom 3 is considerably taller and has a slightly wider landing gear than its predecessor. There are cases and backpacks that work for the whole Phantom family, like our recommended backpack .

42 – Are the Phantom 2 prop guards compatible with the Phantom 3?

– Yes, you can use the propeller guards of Phantom 2 on Phantom 3 without any trouble. For both of them, you can also use the snap-on prop guards as they fit easily and are easier to carry. But please, be careful with the screws! There have been cases of people damaging the motors tightening them too much. If you don’t have prop guards but want some you can find them here.

New FAQs

43 – What’s the top speed of the Phantom 3?

– There’s no official indication, but according to a user tests it is around 45mph.

44 – Does the phantom 3 controller come with a mobile device holder?

Yes, but it’s cheap plastic. Several pilots have recommended to upgrade to the Inspire 1 mobile device holder.

45 – Does the phantom 3 controller have an HDMI port?

The HDMI port is not included in the P3 controller, but since mid-July 2015 this long awaited optional is available:Phantom 3 – HDMI Output Module (Pro/Adv). This upgrade Module connects to the remote controller and allows for HDMI Output, similar to what already available for the DJI Inspire 1. The HDMI Output allows the broadcasting of the real-time video (resolution of 720P) to monitoring devices or goggles for FPV flight.

46 – What’s the resolution of the video edited with the Director app?

The Director App works with the videos streamed via Light bridge, that means 720p and not the full video quality recorded in the Phantom 3 memory card.

The idea is to quickly edit videos, but the Director won’t replace a high-quality editing.

47 – What’s the best tablet for the remote controller?

Many Phantom 3 pilots agree that the best tablet is the iPad mini 3. Both video results and the app are superior to other tablets. Android users are in general less satisfied.

Ready to buy your Phantom 3, or do you have any more question? If so, let us know in the comments.

And if this post was helpful don’t forget to share it with your friends. You can even use the social media buttons at the top of the post to do so.

Also, if you subscribe to our newsletter we will let you know (from time to time, we won’t continuosly spam you) what content we’ve released or if we’ve updated articles like this one. That way you’ll always have the latest information.