The 3DR IRIS⁺ is one of the fastest quadcopters around, able to reach close to 40 miles per hour, and fly for up to 20 minutes, depending on payload, wind conditions and other factors, including the pilot’s flight style.

While it is a good platform for video and photography, and according to multiple users a good evolution of the original IRIS, it should be noted that the out-of-the-box quadcopter does not come ready to capture your adventures in photo or video. In fact, the price now announced, $599.99, is for the quadcopter, flight battery and charger, controller and ground station radio, set of four tall legs, tool kit, operation manual and flight checklist.

Conceived to receive a GoPro camera, the 3DR IRIS⁺ also needs a gimbal for efficient image capture from above. This means buying the two-axis Tarot Brushless Gimbal from 3DR. The gimbal uses cutting-edge gyroscope technology to ensure you get crisp, stable images from your 3DR drone. The T-2D automatically compensates for the slightest movement, enabling you to capture rock steady video even in windy weather. Designed to accommodate the GoPro HERO 3, the T-2D Brushless Gimbal you get from 3DR is customized: pre-wired, pre-calibrated and configured to work with your 3DR copter. It will cost you an extra $210.

A gimbal needs a camera, so a GoPro is the next step. Buy the GoPro HERO4 Black, offering 4K at 30fps, 2.7K at 50fps video and Full HD at 120fps, and you’ve just invested some $499,99, for a total of $1.309,98. Suddenly the attractive low price of a quadcopter adds to total that you do not want to crash or see vanish in the distance, behind some trees.

Albeit the total price, the IRIS⁺ may be a good option if want to buy a 3DR product. The 3DR IRIS⁺ is your aerial passport and a good learning platform when it comes to flying. Powered by 3DR’s world famous autopilot, IRIS⁺ is a robot that will automatically fly itself where you tell it to go, while keeping a camera dead steady with two-axis gimbal stabilization. Start without the camera, it is probably the best advice to newcomers. Once you’ve mastered the controls, it is time to attach the gimbal and camera and start capturing images. And probably time to spend some extra money on a second battery and extra props. Just in case…

The 3DR IRIS⁺ is ready to fly right out of the box. Simply attach the props, charge the battery while you read the first notes of the manual and the safety instructions, and you’re ready to fly manually with the included remote controller, autonomously with a Mac, PC or Android device.

Learning to fly the IRIS⁺ is easy. 3DR say that “it’s so smart that it’s simple. You can fly manually using the controller or use the advanced 3PV Follow Me mode that turns IRIS+ into your own hands-free camera crew. And our tablet-based software makes flight planning exactly this easy: If you can draw it, you can fly it. The IRIS+ power system gets you 16 minutes of flight time fully loaded, and you’ll want to fill every second. IRIS+ includes the advanced Pixhawk autopilot system, a high-capacity flight battery, battery charger, ground station radio, and remote controller: everything you need to make IRIS+ your personal aerial photographer.”

Your quadcopter is, with gimbal and a camera, one investment you do not want to lose. That’ why 3DR has equipped the IRIS+ with technology that makes the quadcopter land itself automatically, or return to a home point if it travels out of range or runs out of battery. Like a faithful dog that always returns to the owner.

Follow the link to find more about the 3DR IRIS+ .