Anyone know what the official DJI maximum takeoff mass for the P3 is?
To be clear though, I'm not talking about the maximum weight it could possibly lift, I'm taking about its maximum safe flight mass it's rated for (AKA MTOM in the manned aviation world).

I'd say it's designed MTOM will be the aircraft weight including battery, props & prop guards, as it's not designed to carry anything else.

I agree.  Phantom 3 is an aerial camera. Designed to fly with the camera it comes with.  It was never really designed to carry additional objects other than the prop guards.    That being said, many people (included some of the DJI reps on here I think) fly at times with various types of gps trackers.  So it is able to handle some additional weight.

P3P - 1280g
P3A - 1280g
P3S - 1216g
P34K - 1280g

terrylewis Posted at 2016-2-13 01:39
P3P - 1280g
P3A - 1280g
P3S - 1216g

Thanks all for your replies. I'm on the same page that it's only designed (as stock) to carry its own weight (airframe, battery, camera, props), but with the emergence of prop guards, gimbal guards, gps trackers, etc. I need to land on a credible MTOM for my CAA operations manual. Something that DJI have tested and say "hey, never go over X grams".

It might not exist (certainly not in the user manual) but would be great to have some info from DJI either way. Even if it's a "we dont have one" type of response?

DJI moderators? Your input gratefully accepted :-)

Anderjon Posted at 2016-2-15 05:26
Thanks all for your replies. I'm on the same page that it's only designed (as stock) to carry its  ...

The P3 propulsion system is essentially the E310. The E310 Motor Package is DJI’s newest masterpiece, a fine-tuned propulsion system specifically engineered for multi-rotor copters weighing 1-2.5kg.

So with the P3 at 1280g and the 2312 motor capable of lifting 2.5kg,you could always extrapolate.....

If it could help I've seen on YouTube many times ago a video that show a payload test.

You just try to search Phantom 3 payload

It can lift a kilo. In saying that, lifting and manoeuvring are 2 different things. I might be able to deadlift 100kgs... but I wont be able to move it safely to the squat rack...
You need to factor in centre of gravity and prop wash if you are carrying a payload. Keeping the mass closer to the P3 body will make the difference in manoeuvring. If you are carrying extra weight, make sure you don't full descend vertically as the P3 will get caught in its own prop wash and it becomes increasingly difficult to recover with more weight.

You should test with smaller objects and increase little by little.

terrylewis Posted at 2016-2-15 06:05
The P3 propulsion system is essentially the E310. The E310 Motor Package is DJI’s newest masterpi ...

The motor is not designed for 2.5kg lift, or else our phantoms with 4 of them could lift 10kg!

It's for drones with an weight between 1-2.5kg, and that would include quad hex and octa configurations, and is the full system weight, not per motor weight. 2.5kg is probably an octa configuration, so would roughly half that for the quad config of the phantom.

I swear I did see the maximum takeoff weight somewhere on DJI site or manual, but can't find anything now

Anderjon Posted at 2016-2-14 21:26
Thanks all for your replies. I'm on the same page that it's only designed (as stock) to carry its  ...

Can't you get some help from your NQE?  I'm planning on doing the same soon so would be interested in what you come up with.  I'll put it on the list of questions to ask when I attend.
There are quite a few on the Inspire forum that have PFAW that might give you some pointers.

As it's your ops manual, maybe you can declare what the MTOM be based on your planned use?

quanthonytrang Posted at 2016-2-15 07:08
It can lift a kilo. In saying that, lifting and manoeuvring are 2 different things. I might be able  ...

This is to your point:

nigelw Posted at 2016-2-14 23:25
Can't you get some help from your NQE?  I'm planning on doing the same soon so would be interested  ...

Yeah, the NQE are  unable to advise - apparently it a manufacturer thing or else if you build the aircraft yourself you self certify. TBH I don't think the is an official one, which is actually no bad thing as I get to nominate what it is for my OM! Don't plan on lifting anything other than the stock items so it's likely to be near the actual weight in the user manual.

I'll take a swerve by the Inspire forum and see if anyone there knows.

Thanks all!

Anderjon Posted at 2016-2-14 15:48
Yeah, the NQE are  unable to advise - apparently it a manufacturer thing or else if you build the aircraft yourself you self certify. TBH I don't think the is an official one, which is actually no bad thing as I get to nominate what it is for my OM! Don't plan on lifting anything other than the stock items so it's likely to be near the actual weight in the user manual.

I'll take a swerve by the Inspire forum and see if anyone there knows.

Did you find an answer to this?