DJI's new Phantom 4 drone avoids obstacles, tracks people
The latest drone in DJI's popular Phantom series can track humans and dodge obstacles. The enhancements make the Phantom 4 one of the most advanced consumer drones on the market, and further lower the barrier to flight for most consumers. But the technology comes with a sizable price tag.
The new obstacle avoidance system uses two forward-facing optical sensors to keep track of what's ahead of the drone. If it senses a possible collision, the drone will attempt to fly around the object while maintaining the general flight direction.
Objects are sometimes tricky to avoid when piloting a drone because it's difficult to judge a collision course from the different perspective on the ground. YouTube is full of drone collision videos and most pilots have a story to tell about their drones hitting trees or flying into walls and rooftops.
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