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Oriental Redneck
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quote:
Originally posted by pbramlett:
Funny story. A friend of mine bought a drone from China / alibaba online and got it home. It was a "fancy" one and had all the right specs he claimed.

He was flying it around and hit the "home" button. Well, off it went never to be found again. I told him I bet it started its voyage back to China.

Not happy was he!

Ha ha ha. "Home". Big Grin


Q






 
Posts: 26203 | Location: TEXAS | Registered: September 04, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Go ahead punk, make my day
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For the non-professional size drone, there is DJI and then there is everyone else.

DJI or bust. We have several Phantom IIIs (no longer in production but great) and they are awesome.

I crashed one into the lake (trying to fly it like a fighter jet) and we retrieved it in 24hrs, replaced a board and a motor, it's fine now.

A new Mavic has been on my radar for awhile but the Phantoms are still great.
 
Posts: 45798 | Registered: July 12, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
My hypocrisy goes only so far
Picture of GrumpyBiker
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Any toy drone you guys would suggest for practice when flying off GPS ?


A buddy suggested to get a little one to get my brain used to thinking the way a controller works since I don’t play video games (ever).




U.S.M.C.
VFW-8054
III%

"Never let a Wishbone grow where a Backbone should be "



 
Posts: 6931 | Location: Central,Ohio | Registered: December 28, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Spiritually Imperfect
Picture of VictimNoMore
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quote:
Originally posted by GrumpyBiker:
Any toy drone you guys would suggest for practice when flying off GPS ?


A buddy suggested to get a little one to get my brain used to thinking the way a controller works since I don’t play video games (ever).


Any of the toy ones will be harder to fly than a Phantom (III or 4 makes no difference).
You read that correctly.
Using GPS/Glonass, the DJI Phantoms will hover in position when you take your thumbs off the control sticks. Most toys do not have this ability; you'll be fighting just to stay straight and level with the toy drones.
I taught myself to fly in 2015-16 using a Phantom 3A by staying in Beginner Mode and activating the altitude limit in the controller screen. Start slow and low, and gradually stretch your wings, so to speak. If you fly every day (in the beginning), you will improve in a short period of time.
Or, you can find somebody local to teach you. I taught AllenInWV a couple years ago; if nobody takes him up on the Phantom 4 offer, I most surely will. Big Grin
 
Posts: 3804 | Location: WV | Registered: January 30, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Go ahead punk, make my day
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quote:
Originally posted by GrumpyBiker:
Any toy drone you guys would suggest for practice when flying off GPS ?
The skill don't remotely translate.

Just get a Phantom.
 
Posts: 45798 | Registered: July 12, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
My hypocrisy goes only so far
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quote:
Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by GrumpyBiker:


Just get a Phantom.




I’m buying AlleninWVs !
He’s charging it up and updating the firmware.
Then we’ll meet up.
Just figured I’d ask about the toy practice drones as some of the YouTube channels made the suggestion.




U.S.M.C.
VFW-8054
III%

"Never let a Wishbone grow where a Backbone should be "



 
Posts: 6931 | Location: Central,Ohio | Registered: December 28, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Told cops where to go for over 29 years…
Picture of 911Boss
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quote:
Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
quote:
Originally posted by GrumpyBiker:
Any toy drone you guys would suggest for practice when flying off GPS ?
The skill don't remotely translate.

Just get a Phantom.


This.

I got a “simple” drone before committing to my Phantom was a waste of $90 and extremely frustrating.

No reason to fly the DJI off GPS, and if you don’t have signal for some reason they are far more stable as they have photo sensors that will help to maintain position.

Phantom is good, but it is much larger and bulkier than the Mavics






What part of "...Shall not be infringed" don't you understand???


 
Posts: 10917 | Location: Western WA state for just a few more years... | Registered: February 17, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by GrumpyBiker:
Any toy drone you guys would suggest for practice when flying off GPS ?


A buddy suggested to get a little one to get my brain used to thinking the way a controller works since I don’t play video games (ever).


The GPS drones are definitely easier to fly and to be honest are much easier to train your brain on because with GPS if you get disoriented you can let off the sticks and it will come to a pretty quick stop and sit there in a hover waiting for you to move the sticks. A non GPS drone will keep going in the direction of the last command for the most part.

With that said they also become very boring to fly pretty quickly because you end up staring at a screen and just watching the terrain go by. They also stay very flat for the most part which eliminates any major banking or tricks.

If you are wanting to have more fun flying I would send you to the bugs lineup. I fly the bugs 3 without a camera ($80) when I want to fly acro (visual line of sight) and want to rip around without the need for pics or video. The bugs 5 would be my next choice and has gps, altitude hold, tracking features, and return to home but I think they can be turned off for acro mode. It's also a little over $200. Both have brushless motors.

Bugs 3 https://www.amazon.com/DROCON-...b3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Bugs 5 https://www.amazon.com/Teeggi-...786&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Since we're on the topic this is a picture I took in a local corn field that they did for the St.Louis Blues Stanley Cup Win.
 
Posts: 3874 | Registered: January 25, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Now Serving 7.62
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I have a DJI Spark package that is in your price range. Highly recommend the Spark regardless of who you buy it from.
 
Posts: 6005 | Location: TN | Registered: February 12, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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See if Allen will show you how to fly it when you meet him there. The phantom 4's are incredibly easy to fly because if you just let go of all controls, they'll sit in 1 spot/altitude. Best thing is when traveling with it, to stay at an altitude where you're sure you're above all obstacles then if you get somewhere, where you want to get closer, go down. I think you'll get the hang of it quick, just keep an eye on battery life, cause at 20% they go home. Could be a rare instance where they don't make it home. We launch them off of yachts, so even on anchor, so home would be in the water somewhere. You can also have someone catch the phantom 4 by it's feet to land it, which you can't do with the mavic and sparks.

We pull up to an island in the Bahamas (there are over 700), and the son launches the drone, does a higher altitude flyover in 10-20 minutes, while we're anchoring, and puts the video on the 55" tv and shows the family where the beaches are and interesting places on the uninhabited island......it's very useful.
 
Posts: 21335 | Registered: June 12, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
My hypocrisy goes only so far
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One of the officers I work with has a Phantom 4 Pro and has offered to show me the ropes.
He does wedding & dirt bike race videos on the side.




U.S.M.C.
VFW-8054
III%

"Never let a Wishbone grow where a Backbone should be "



 
Posts: 6931 | Location: Central,Ohio | Registered: December 28, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I know nothing about drones except that personally , I hate the little bast^^^s.
I only ask that you be respectful of where you fly them.
I was at an AR15 course , when one of the other students fired up his...… it was all I could do, not to shoot it..... "Ooops !" Big Grin
 
Posts: 1264 | Location: Idaho | Registered: October 21, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I would avoid the cheaper ones like Holy Stone on Amazon. I bought my daughter a $100 model and it has been nothing but problems. The extra batteries don't last as long and after less than a year it's basically a flashing paper weight. I feel bad because it was a nice part of her birthday gift. I have contacted their CS group with issues and they sent me two new motors with cryptic explanations...the motors didn't even fit. Would have been nice to know before I removed the 25 screws in three sizes it took to get to that point. Grrr

Anyhow, the DJIs were out of our budget but I do recall seeing them at Costco as well. If folks are looking for a higher-end one it might be worth checking out any membership club deals.
 
Posts: 5691 | Registered: October 11, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Cool storm that rolled in.

 
Posts: 3874 | Registered: January 25, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Go ahead punk, make my day
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quote:
Originally posted by 1s1k:
Cool storm that rolled in.


Don't get caught in the rain!

I did once but the props did a good job of keeping the water off the drone until I brought it in under the covered porch - it wasn't a hard rain, only light to moderate and I'm sure a hard rain would likely kill a hobby drone pretty quick.
 
Posts: 45798 | Registered: July 12, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by RHINOWSO:

Don't get caught in the rain!

I did once but the props did a good job of keeping the water off the drone until I brought it in under the covered porch - it wasn't a hard rain, only light to moderate and I'm sure a hard rain would likely kill a hobby drone pretty quick.
Yeah the storm was moving from my right to left and the circle of clouds looked to be several miles in diameter. I’ve never really seem something so drastic looking with the sky a beautiful tea color. I grabbed my Mavic Pro 2 and got it up there in time to catch it. My favorite pic was the back half above. It did start to sprinkle just as I was landing but not enough to cause a problem.
 
Posts: 3874 | Registered: January 25, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Charmingly unsophisticated
Picture of AllenInAR
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Sorry about the delay in getting back to this...

Yes, the DJIs are stupid easy to fly. Once everything is hooked up and turned on, you tap a button on the screen and it lifts off and hovers at about 4' off the ground.

What sucks is since test-flying the P4 yesterday, now I'm kinda thinking I need a new one. Big Grin

Grumpy, going to get a shipping estimate now! Expect an email in an hour or two.


_______________________________

The artist formerly known as AllenInWV
 
Posts: 16176 | Location: Harrison, AR | Registered: February 05, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Spiritually Imperfect
Picture of VictimNoMore
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quote:
Originally posted by AllenInWV:
What sucks is since test-flying the P4 yesterday, now I'm kinda thinking I need a new one. Big Grin


Wheel your big-ass RV down here and we can go fly my Mavic 2 Zoom, Allen. Smile
 
Posts: 3804 | Location: WV | Registered: January 30, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Charmingly unsophisticated
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The Pro 2 is interesting. What I don't get is why those package deals on Amazon have weird numbers of "quiet props" or whatever.

And the RV is in Hurricane, so it's not like I need to drive it down there. Big Grin


_______________________________

The artist formerly known as AllenInWV
 
Posts: 16176 | Location: Harrison, AR | Registered: February 05, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Spiritually Imperfect
Picture of VictimNoMore
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quote:
Originally posted by AllenInWV:
Amazon


Stop. Check out www.bhphotovideo.com and buy from there. Much less to worry about than the sellers on Amazon and their "packages".
 
Posts: 3804 | Location: WV | Registered: January 30, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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