QuadCopter recommendations?


 
I'm not too impressed with the spark yet but I'm still loving my mavic2 zoom.

I've been studying up on the FAA 107 test, have a big'ol chart stretched across my kitchen table rt now. It's fun, & definitely reigniting my interest in photography, especially since so many of my regular activities are in wilderness areas (motorized vehicles, including drones, are not allowed).

I just ordered a DSLR from ebay yesterday so I can play with time lapse & hopefully improve my photography skills. I see friends posted in magazines (etc), but my best photog friend died ~1.5 years ago.............anyway this will probably reignite any photog interests you've harbored.

Skip the spark unless you just want a cheap drone to follow you around for sports etc, but it is advertised as a selfie drone. (that's JMO).

Now as far as the FPV goggles, There are new FAA regs that have just been released in the last month or 2 - this might not be the best time to get into this hobby. I joined the AMA (the aeronautical modeling association, I'm already a member <mostly for the towing benefits> of the AMA <<<american motorcycling association>>>) yesterday because of their insurance ($250K, I think).

.....................so anyway....................... it might be a ...confusing time!

 
Rusty James said:
Can these things be programed to fly from one destination to the next and back?

(like across town? :D)
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Yes, but you're supposed to fly visual line-of-sight without spotting scopes or binoculars. The max altitude is 400' above ground level, and even when you know where it is, it can be very difficult to see. Yesterday we took turns spotting for each other.
 
Clint said:
Yes, but you're supposed to fly visual line-of-sight without spotting scopes or binoculars. The max altitude is 400' above ground level, and even when you know where it is, it can be very difficult to see. Yesterday we took turns spotting for each other.
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Shoot. I was going to use one to deliver mail from one house to the next (4 mile round trip).
 
I'm still powering up...

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Pretty sure the 450 I started back in 2014 will be flying soon.

So much info on the internet but I seem to have to make a lot of my own mistakes. Now I'm trying to learn the ins & outs of flight controllers, GPS, telemetry, & FPV.

https://youtu.be/OKMOifCn_xA

https://vimeo.com/72280957
 
so now I'm all into FPVs - 2 FPV goggles (dji & fatshark), my realflight sim keeps freezing (my new version on steam) so I've been playing "Liftoff" instead (great FPV simulator, but lacks other aircraft like helis & planes).

flying these quads in the sim - I'm trying to fly them like airplanes (wish my friend Dave <RIP> was still here) and it's strange - I feel like I'm just buttering turns, I'm flying like they're planes, and then I remember I don't have to follow those rules.

You won't seem me play more than ~30 minutes of video games in an entire year (dr mario doesn't count), but this is in line with chess - I could fly the sim for hours. Movies (nah), TV (nah). Sims & chess? YES!



***edit: the sim I've only been flying acro mode (and 3d for 1 minute), it's way different - I have almost 4 hours of acro mode on the sim so far.
 
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I think that is more what I’d want to do with a drone. Taking pictures is cool, but not sure how much fun it is. With racing drones, I could set up a track in my yard and spend some time with my grandsons. I live on an acre so we could set up a nice practice track to train with and then set up a bigger track in a field.
 
I just bought (finally) the dji Tello drone. On sale at Amazon for $79. Withe extra batteries, charger, case and controller, I came in just under $200. It’s supposed to be my Christmas gift. We’ll see if I have the willpower to hold out that long once it gets delivered.
 
Jerry N. said:
I just bought (finally) the dji Tello drone. On sale at Amazon for $79. Withe extra batteries, charger, case and controller, I came in just under $200. It’s supposed to be my Christmas gift. We’ll see if I have the willpower to hold out that long once it gets delivered.
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Good luck! I'll be interested in your experience with it.
 
Clint said:
Good luck! I'll be interested in your experience with it.
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Thanks. I figured (and hope) it was good enough for me to see if it's really something I want to get into without just being a toy. What I really want is the Mavic 2 Pro or Zoom, but that's about $2K. So for $200 if I don't really get into it, I'm not out much. If I do get into it, it'll still be fun for the grandsons as I step up to a nicer unit.
 
My kid asked for a drone. He is 8. So obviously I am not going to get him something high dollar. But I was wondering if there was a decent beginner one? I guess my question is are the cheaper ones worth it, or is it just throwing money away?
 
They're breakable toys! The cheap ones are definitely fun, the Syma X5 will be durable(ish). It's big, pretty lightweight, but is decent in the wind. Make sure it's not windy and go to a big grass field to practice in! Do you have a ladder big enough to get on your roof or into your trees? You might one of them too :)

I'd start with this one for the 8 year old
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00MNG37C2/tvwb-20

and one of these (mavic mini with fly more combo) for dad.
https://store.dji.com/product/mavic-mini?vid=84621

and then a simulator. Crashes in the simulator are free. And frequent.
I have several sims.......... ~3 versions of realflight (8, x),

plus:
DCL
Drone Racing League
FPV air 2
Liftoff
Velocidrone
X-Plane 11 (yoke & foot pedals)
Microsoft flight sim x (another realistic)

I don't play that often, haven't played for >2 months. Most are on Steam (pc). I have the MS controller from ~2002, also have a USB/receiver that simulates a receiver so I use my real controller for the games too.

If you're not careful it could become a hobby.
 
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With the proliferation and general availability of drones, thought a couple of videos showing a larger version might be interesting. One of the video is from one of the ships I served on, DD-727 USS DeHaven. When I was aboard, Snoopy had already been removed from service, unfortunately. On another ship I served upon, the USS Hooper DE-1026, there are tales of their DASH unit causing somewhat of a ruckus when they launched it while pier side. Apparently it "crashed" on the pier with an important Admiral standing very close by.... Opps ;)

SNOOPY Flight Operations on USS DeHaven

The QH-50 DASH Shipboard and Flight Control Operation

The Last Flight of the QH-50 DASH Weapon System
 
Jason in CA said:
My kid asked for a drone. He is 8. So obviously I am not going to get him something high dollar. But I was wondering if there was a decent beginner one? I guess my question is are the cheaper ones worth it, or is it just throwing money away?
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at 8, I'd consider staying with a cheapish one. I've had a Syma X5, its a drone, it works. It is fun. Its not the same as an expensive one, and I did get frustrated with the lack of stability.

I've had a tiny Syma (X20 I think) that you use in teh house and it was fun too, again, not super stable. These both were mine and I enjoyed them, but I found the drift sometimes difficult to deal with. I crashed a lot. FYI, I found the camera on the X5 kinda useless and a waste of weight

I bought for my son who at the time was 6 1/2 an "Aura" drone that oyu control by something strapped to your hand and he enjoyed that (still does sometimes).


I have a DJI Spark, which is an older version similar to the Mavic Mini, and its a whole different ball game of stability and use, its everything you want it to be. Hands off the stick and it just sits there hovering.

I don't know if my son at 8 (he is now) would be good enough to drive the drone where he wants to go. It might be worth it to try an X5 outside. I feel like the pricey ones are a lot of risk for an 8 year old.
 
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