NOTE at the 2015 NAB show. 3DR released their new SOLO quad rendering the iris+ a think of history. I had already finished the unbox. and here it is with couple added comments on account of the SOLO.
American company 3D Robotics have been making a number of APM based quads for a while, and the IRIS+ is (was) the latest of them.
There is a lot of interesting aspects about the IRIS+ its inexpensive for a RTF quad with optional video capabilities, but its also a bit like most "american made" things competing with a more polished high end chinese product. the IRIS+ look rougher in terms of the fit & finish, but that should not affect its flying. Click through to read the full story.
IRIS+ airframe available from CarolinaDronz.com
The Official IRIS+ GoPro gimbal..
This is the second generation IRIS called the IRIS+, with a number of improvements.
This is a RTF kit, like the DJI phantom, the Walkera 350pro and the Scout X4, all include everything required to go flying.
USEFUL video Colin explaining the radio click to watch
The IRIS+ have a very unique geometry, notice the very wide configuration, its about 1.5 times wider than its long. the main advantage is that the airframe keep the propellers out of the camera view. However, while they can do amazing things tuning the flight-controller, its not easy to compensate for such a short base. and we should expect to see the pitch being probably a bit rougher than it could have been if it had a more square geometry.
The open battery compartment, you can see the status light. and the 3S 5100mah battery, the XT60 plugs are industry standard for this size batteries, while most modern RTF kits use plug-n-play batteries, using a standard plug means you can easily pickup batteries from local hobby shops.
Side view of the IRIS+, notice the USB plug easily accessible on the side of the aircraft. On the front you can see the GoPro style camera mount, this is a unique feature and you can quickly mount a GoPro in its impact case if you like. I personally would probably use it to mount a FPV flight-camera.
Now here is something completely different, 3D Robotics use a 915mhz datalink for flight-control, this is interesting because there is a 915mhz unit on the back of the control radio. AND the RTF kit ships with a USB 915mhz unit also. You can fly the RTF kit using a laptop, your android tablet or the 3DR controller.
GIMBAL
Who the heck ship a aerial video system with a 2axis gimbal in 2015?
2 axis gimbals are "so" 2013, and honestly can't in 2015 be considered a competent video gimbal.
In all fairness unlike DJI and Walkera, 3D Robotics have chosen to distance themselves from the gimbal quality problem, by using a fairly generic gimbal, a $210 gimbal at that.. But it puzzles me that they don't even offer a 3axis gimbal ready to fly with the IRIS+.
PS: Sometime the camera is not level when flying, often that can be fixed by calibrating the IMU.
To set level in the software, click "disconnect motors" then manually place the gopro face up and as level as you can, I like to find a little box to prop it up on. Now, click the "Calibrate Sensors" button. You should be good to go.
Conclusion
The IRIS+ is a fairly competent entry-level video quad. its American design by 3D Robotics.
The stock aircraft come with both a handset controller and a USB control system.
Fit & Finish - This is probably the worst part of the IRIS, rough edges, cricket fit, I love the design but the finish would get a lot more heat if this was a walkera aircraft.
Performance, getting about 15 minutes from the battery.
I would rate it low on the video performance, however 3DR is kinda "cheating" because they don't actually have a 3DR gimbal, but have a ready-to-mount crappy 2 axis Tarot gimbal.
UPDATED Conclusion:
Well well well.. after Solo hit, for some reason everybody see the solo as the answer to ever drone question. The prices I have quoted on the Iris+ is obviously "pre-solo" prices.. I would suspect yo can get the Iris+ for far less, in the $500 range at this time. which actually would make it a quite attractive beginner quad.
UPDATE 2. the Solo is a lovely looking new quad, but quick reality check, the SOLO for $1000 come with a radio and a battery, it do NOT include a gimbal, or the tablet / smartphone required to fly it.
By the time you add a tablet for say $200? a GoPro $400 and a Gimbal $250.. you are looking at roughly $1800 usd. making it significantly more expensive than some established kits doing the exact same flying for less money.
How the SOLO will shake out, it could fly better than expected, with better waypoint features than expected... we don't know yet for sure... but stay tuned for a full unbox as soon as I get my hands on one of these.
*** You can preorder a SOLO here http://carolinadronz.com/collections/all/solo
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