After twelve years, DJI has officially ended its popular Phantom series of drones. The company made the last Phantom in 2018, and now it has announced the suspension of service and support for the drones.
Where it all began
DJI launched the first Phantom drone in January 2013. That model of quadcopter didn’t have a built-in camera, but you could add a mount for a GoPro Hero. However, by the end of the year, DJI had released the Phantom 2 Vision, which was the first in the series to feature a built-in camera. It was mounted on a one-dimensional gimbal and could record 1080p video at either 30 or 60 frames per second (fps). Soon after, in April 2014, Phantom 2 Vision+ came along, replacing the Vision’s single-axis gimbal with a self-stabilizing three-axis unit.
Phantom 3
DJI released the third-generation Phantom drones in April 2015. The Phantom 3 Professional and Phantom 3 Advanced both featured Sony Exmor 1/2.3-inch sensor cameras. You could also record in 4K with the Professional model, while the Advanced was limited to 2.7K video.
DJI also released a cheaper Phantom 3 Standard model in August 2015, and the Phantom 3 4K in January 2016. Additionally, the Phantom 3 SE was rolled out around the world later in 2016. This model improved the video transmission of the Phantom 3 4K.
Phantom 4
The first Phantom 4 drone was released in March 2016. It included an obstacle avoidance system with dedicated cameras and an ultrasonic sensor. The Phantom 4 also introduced the ActiveTrack feature, which allowed the drone to autonomously track moving objects, including people. Later that year, in November, DJI launched the Phantom 4 Pro with an improved 20-megapixel Exmor R camera featuring a one-inch CMOS sensor.
Also, the Phantom 4 Advanced was announced in April 2017 as a replacement for the Phantom 4. Finally, DJI released Phantom 4 RTK in October 2018. It was designed for aerial mapping and surveying using a real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning module.
Suspension of service and support
DJI has now added the Phantom 4 Advanced and Phantom 4 Pro to the Notice of Suspension of Service and Support page on its website. The drones officially reach the end of their life cycle on June 1, 2025.
The website shows that the last Phantom 4 Pro models were made in April 2018, and the last Phantom 4 Advanced drones were released a month later. You can continue to use your Phantom 4 drones despite the suspension of service and support. However, DJI will no longer no longer respond to product enquiries or offer technical support and product maintenance.
What we think
The DJI Phantom was one of the first drones to find popularity with consumers. For a while, the Phantom’s unique form became what everyone expected a drone to look like. The Phantom series also introduced features such as ActiveTrack and obstacle avoidance, which are taken for granted with drones nowadays. Sadly, all good things come to an end, and consumers want the increased portability of drones with fold-down legs. However, the DJI Phantom series of drones will always be an important part of the history of consumer drones.
