Want to buy a drone and have no experience of using a drone. What would be the smallest possible drone - with or without video, also needs to be robust as a beginner is likely to crash it often. Any ideas?
Hi Pengi
I suggest the Hubsan X4 as a beginner indoor and outdoor drone,
its a great little piece of kit, for learning, its less stable than the bigger drones but it teaches you how to fly them and not realy on the built in gimbels, having said that this one is stable too
Depends on what you want to do with the drone?
Cheers
Callum
PM sent :NGaugersRule:
My advice - Don't. Too easy to invade other people's privacy.
Ron
Quote from: Lankyman on April 14, 2017, 09:25:20 PM
My advice - Don't. Too easy to invade other people's privacy.
Ron
But not all quadcopters have cameras fitted plus there are plenty quadcopters that can be flown indoors safely.
Cheers John.
Quote from: Lankyman on April 14, 2017, 09:25:20 PM
My advice - Don't. Too easy to invade other people's privacy.
Ron
You have found me out - want to find out once and for all what is going on in the 'house of sin >:D' up the road :bounce: :bounce:
P.S. only joking :P
Quote from: Pengi on April 14, 2017, 10:53:29 PM
You have found me out - want to find out once and for all what is going on in the 'house of sin >:D' up the road :bounce: :bounce:
P.S. only joking :P
A telescope and a tree hide works great for me. :D
As for a multicopter- so many options. A copter with loiter and return to home options make for good beginners unit but not cheap.
I have three quad-copters but none have video attached, just for trying to fly them.
You can get some cheap micro indoor copters to give it a try before laying out 500 or more on a good outdoor unit.
CFJ
I have two normal helicopters and can't fly either of them :-[
Quote from: Bealman on April 15, 2017, 04:55:21 AM
I have two normal helicopters and can't fly either of them :-[
Have you tried one at a time!!
:)
Yes, he said, even more embarrassingly :P
I have a normal helicopter as well.
Flown it twice.
Crashed it twice.
Broke it twice.
:laughabovepost: :laughabovepost:
So you want an N gauge drone?
Quote from: Railwaygun on April 15, 2017, 10:47:06 AM
So you want an N gauge drone?
If you want one get in touch with the CIA, there were stories
that they were working on drones the size of houseflies
My advice as a fixed wing and part time quad flyer is to think about it carefully. Indoor ones are fine but they are only any use indoors, they normally have very short ranges and are too affected by the wind. The issue is however with the bigger ones, the BMFA are having real trouble as they can be bought anywhere and people are not aware of the laws involved in flying them. If its your first time i would find a quite field in the middle of no where and just try it there as if it has a camera you are asking for alot of problems flying it in a built up area. Also consider your surroundings as some of the more advanced ones can have ranges up to 3000m away if it has FPV again i think one reason you here the stories about them getting to close to planes.
Also if you put your address on it choose your flying location carefully as there have been cases where they have crashed and caused damage and the owner has been successfully sued for damages to property. There was also a case where one chap who was flying near Lydd in kent and it crashed into the sea and ended up in a certain nuclear power plant. Needless to say he was up in court pretty quickly. Of course if you take steps to start with about your flying location then this may all be completely moot.
If you take the proper precautions to start with you should be fine. Obviously if you find you like it then i would recommend joining your local flying club and getting BMFA insurance.
Richard
I went to a local scenic spot last year and found one hovering in my face. I looked over to the clifftop and saw the guy with the controls.
I swiped out it of my face onto the ground and was out of there before he could climb down the cliff and pick it up.
I don't think I've ever been so annoyed in my life.
This is always the issue with drones as they can be flown from anywhere. My 1700mm P51-D doesnt do VTOL so well which is why i only ever fly at my flying field, im covered by the insurance up to £50m public liability and i have plenty of open space. I will also say i had more fun flying the indoor one rather than the outdoor one as i found it more of challenge such as trying to land on that table or on the window sill.
Richard
Like you George I am no great fan of drones. To start with, they...er... drone! It's an awful noise close up, and the big ones make a real racket.
Almost exactly two years ago I walked to the top of the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire one evening to watch the beautiful sunset across the Welsh Marches. It was a lovely still evening with bands of cloud radiating the myriad colours of the fading sunlight. I was alone on top of my world, save for a local lady who rode by on an enormous horse. Peace reigned supreme.
Then a guy arrived with his wife, took out this big white drone, and spent the last half hour of sunset flying it in circles around the top of the hill, with me at the centre of its operations!
I was sad that I had not brought my camera with me to photograph the waning sun. Sadder still that I had not brought a shotgun.
This damned thing had a camera on it that was showing a green light, so I guess there is footage somewhere of a grumpy old git sat atop the Worcester Beacon mouthing obscenities. My only joy - beside the sunset itself - is that he lugged it all the way up and got me in his frame for his pains.
Buy one if you must, but fly responsibly and with consideration.
Quote from: Lankyman on April 14, 2017, 09:25:20 PM
My advice - Don't. Too easy to invade other people's privacy.
Ron
Yes I agree. I hate to be a kill joy but if I ever get one hovering over my house I will get my my air rifle out and have a bit of target practice! Although a great concept I totally hate them as they are already a threat to air traffic.
There was a drone flying over St Mary's this afternoon - alongside planes from Southampton Airport :o
P.S. I will only be flying a drone indoors.
There is advice on the CAA website on drone flying.
https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Model-aircraft-and-drones/Flying-drones/ (https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Model-aircraft-and-drones/Flying-drones/)
Pete @ EGLM
My eldest son is stationed at RAF Boulmer (google it!), trust me when I say these things are a concern!
I saw one flown on York racecourse this lunchtime as I was on my way to the model railway show.
As long as they're used in open spaces, and under close control of the operator, I wouldn't have any problems with them.
Quote from: gc4946 on April 15, 2017, 10:21:14 PM
I saw one flown on York racecourse this lunchtime as I was on my way to the model railway show.
As long as they're used in open spaces, and under close control of the operator, I wouldn't have any problems with them.
It really depends on the operator and what their intentions are! I for one would not appreciate taking off on a flight to Malaga or somewhere with of one these things being flown directly into one of the turbines of the aircraft I am a passenger on!
This has gone way past giving advice on buying a quadcopter so I am looking this thread.
Cheers John.