We reported last week that a firmware update will soon be released for DJI Phantom 3 drones which is going to add some new features to these drones, the new firmware has been released today and it brings several features including an autopilot mode. The firmware is available for DJI’s Phantom 3 Professional, Phantom 3 Advanced, and Phantom 3 Standard drones, and it can also be applied to the Inspire 1 flying camera.
The new firmware adds what the company calls “intelligent flight modes,” such as Waypoints which record a flight patch and tell the drone to fly along the same path again and again while you easily control the camera and orientation. You can save your favorite missions, customize speed and do much more.
With the Follow Me mode you can tell the drone to follow you, it will fly automatically and will keep you in the camera’s view wherever you go, this feature isn’t available on the Inspire 1.
Points of Interest can be used to tell the Phantom 3 or Inspire 1 to automatically revolve around a selected person or object in a perfect circle allowing you to get some great shots of that person or object. Course Lock can be used to fly automatically along a set path by customizing flight controls to directions relative to the drone’s current heading, Home Lock customizes flight controls to be relative to you at all times.
DJI points out that these intelligent flight modes are only available when there’s a strong enough GPS signal, and it advises that drone operators keep their hands on the controller even when they’re using the automatic modes.