Drone Discussion & Advocacy
- Thread starter FlyingLow
- Start date
FlyingLow
Team NO SLEEP!
i just downsized into a a friends angy little 210mm H frame on 4s can't wait to try it out!
i switched from being a long long time futaba guy and am learning a new tx. it has been baby steps as i gain confidence in the new system.
Tons of range testing, watching telemetry, but not quite proven just yet. going to put something up this week with it.
i switched from being a long long time futaba guy and am learning a new tx. it has been baby steps as i gain confidence in the new system.
Tons of range testing, watching telemetry, but not quite proven just yet. going to put something up this week with it.
t-dub
Vapor Sloth
Hi guys, I need some advice. My mother wants to buy my brother an entry level drone for Christmas. We need the price to be $200 or less. I have no idea where to start. Right now I am looking at Best Buy's drone guide. My brother has MS and is basically house bound so it will be mainly used indoors, however, he might go out on his balcony and fly outside from there. We need something fun and easy to use.
Any advice or guidance you guys can give me is much appreciated . . .
Any advice or guidance you guys can give me is much appreciated . . .
Kaptan
Well-Known Member
I'd recommend the Syma X5C-1. It is a great beginner quadcopter, comes with camera and SD card, battery, and can withstand almost any crash. It does have about a 7 minute runtime, but the batteries on this unit are cheap and widely available. Also, this is not a GPS drone so it can easily be used indoors. This one is also well under the $200 budget at about $40. I would not recommend purchasing any unit that has brushless motors as they can easily cause damage and injuries flown inside and are for more advanced pilots.
t-dub
Vapor Sloth
Thanks, I'll check it out. After some reading I think my brother will definitely need something well stabilized, easy to fly, and able to withstand a crash. I had no idea there were so many of these things available. Its a maze out there.
wunderkind
.....
Great thread! I've actually been geeking out on drones/quadcopters etc the last couple of weeks looking for an entry point as this will be my first go. @t-dub and @Kaptan, I've been looking at the Syma line the most. I decided to start with the Syma X11, and if I really get into this, then I will step up to the X5C-1 model. That's the initial plan anyway. 
My X11 will be delivered tomorrow, and I am excited to get going! Around $22 for the quadcopter and around $15 for some extra batteries. I got the model without the camera as most of the guys on youtube seemed to think it handled better. Seems like even guys with a lot of experience with these were really impressed with the X11, especially at it's price point. Sounds like it's great for beginners, and great indoors which is where I will be starting out. Here are a couple videos showcasing it.
My X11 will be delivered tomorrow, and I am excited to get going! Around $22 for the quadcopter and around $15 for some extra batteries. I got the model without the camera as most of the guys on youtube seemed to think it handled better. Seems like even guys with a lot of experience with these were really impressed with the X11, especially at it's price point. Sounds like it's great for beginners, and great indoors which is where I will be starting out. Here are a couple videos showcasing it.
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t-dub
Vapor Sloth
Wow @wunderkind !!! That Syma X11 looks really nice. I love how stable it looks and can fly well indoors as well as out. You mention they make this model with a camera, going to check that out now . . .
@t-dub after buying a couple of cheap (<$40) drones that crapped out on my quickly, I took the advice of @FlyingLow and bought the Blade Inductrix from Horizon Hobby. The improvement quality-wise was remarkable and I've been very happy with it. Even changing motors was fairly easy to do (had a nightmare of a time trying to change motors on the cheap Hubsan models). I can recommend the Blade Inductrix as a very nice entry-level quadcopter.
I'm going to be looking into getting myself a nice FPV unit in the near future and will probably stick with Horizon Hobby as they are a good resource for all things drone.
I'm going to be looking into getting myself a nice FPV unit in the near future and will probably stick with Horizon Hobby as they are a good resource for all things drone.
Kaptan
Well-Known Member
Check out Quadcopter101 videos on YouTube.Wow @Stu that one looks really cool also. Hmmm . . . Inductrix or Syma X11 . . . tough choice. I think it might be best to start my brother off without a camera and all the complexity and these 2 units seem really fun. More study, more videos . . .
t-dub
Vapor Sloth
Will do . . . thanks!
FlyingLow
Team NO SLEEP!
sorry i havent been much of a guide here lately...
for those looking to try full FPV with the Inductrix, youtube videos for "tiny whoop".
you can build your own as i did using the $49 inductrix, or now Blade Helicopter also offers a full FPV starter package with aircraft, remote, batteries, camera, video transmitter, video receivers and a small 4" tv monitor. everything is all setup and ready to fly for under $200.
i continue to recommend Blade Heli for their inexpensive and easily accessible replacement parts, the fact that all are fully repairable no matter the failure, and their incredible support and customer service. very few other brands in the industry compete in regards to support.
Yall check this out... What do you get when you take three of the best pilots in the world and throw in FPV at a world class venue?
rj, tavis and my boy colton tearing up! all are flying 120cc or larger gas engines for power.
for those looking to try full FPV with the Inductrix, youtube videos for "tiny whoop".
you can build your own as i did using the $49 inductrix, or now Blade Helicopter also offers a full FPV starter package with aircraft, remote, batteries, camera, video transmitter, video receivers and a small 4" tv monitor. everything is all setup and ready to fly for under $200.
i continue to recommend Blade Heli for their inexpensive and easily accessible replacement parts, the fact that all are fully repairable no matter the failure, and their incredible support and customer service. very few other brands in the industry compete in regards to support.
Yall check this out... What do you get when you take three of the best pilots in the world and throw in FPV at a world class venue?
rj, tavis and my boy colton tearing up! all are flying 120cc or larger gas engines for power.
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t-dub
Vapor Sloth
I really want to thank everyone in this thread that responded to my inquiry, I appreciate you all very, very much. Because of my brother's disability I went with the Blade Inductrix for its durability and ease of flight.
Thank you all again, I really appreciate it . . .
@Stu @FlyingLow @Kaptan @wunderkind
Thank you all again, I really appreciate it . . .
@Stu @FlyingLow @Kaptan @wunderkind
FlyingLow
Team NO SLEEP!
Thread revival...
How is everyone's Whooping?
TDub~ is your bro still banging the sticks? I hope he got hooked!
I've been spending much more time with DJI lately, they really set the bar high with reliability, stability and overall image quality. The newest updates allow for the coolest and smoothest of shots... stuff we used to fly manually is now as simple as clicking a mode and executed smoother than I ever could on my own. Simply professional footage.
Also really enjoying the backyard acrobats from Twisted and Value Hobbies. Start with VH, beat the shit out of it, then get Twisted. I have gotten the chance to fly nearly every size model Twisted offers and they are the supercar of foam airplanes and worth every dime.
I have pretty much been getting out of giant scale and wanting to focus the little time I have to fly on acrobatics... time to sell some airplanes and build some new ones!
What is on everyone's bench this winter?
How is everyone's Whooping?
TDub~ is your bro still banging the sticks? I hope he got hooked!
I've been spending much more time with DJI lately, they really set the bar high with reliability, stability and overall image quality. The newest updates allow for the coolest and smoothest of shots... stuff we used to fly manually is now as simple as clicking a mode and executed smoother than I ever could on my own. Simply professional footage.
Also really enjoying the backyard acrobats from Twisted and Value Hobbies. Start with VH, beat the shit out of it, then get Twisted. I have gotten the chance to fly nearly every size model Twisted offers and they are the supercar of foam airplanes and worth every dime.
I have pretty much been getting out of giant scale and wanting to focus the little time I have to fly on acrobatics... time to sell some airplanes and build some new ones!
What is on everyone's bench this winter?
I got disheartened with my Tiny Whoop since I can't fly it around my house without fucking up all of my TVs. The video feed must be on the same frequency as my Dish wireless receivers so it makes them go all haywire and shit. Really irritating tbh. I tried using it in parks, but the slightest breeze made flying really difficult. Or I'm just a really shitty pilot. 
StickyShisha2
Well-Known Member
Zoned89
Active Member
Can’t wait to read through this thread!
I fly a few different things.
I have an alien zero fc in a whoop running brushed gold cans, 200mw vtx with out mode, and an rsxr means I can fly a seriously decent distance away with the whoop and still have great video.
Have a King Kong et100 with a smartaudio vtx added (800mw luls) and a camera upgrade. She got that quickness but still a tank.
When I have the space, I fly a stingy frame 5” 4s hold running tmotor 5143 props, Deadpool motors (about to test these blaster hype trains, and using the riot control fc, it’s amazing.I have an akk vtx that gives me a touch over 1000mw vtx power (unnecessary but looks crisp, will be swapping for somthing that sa works with on betaflight, other than silverware on the zero whoop I prefer betaflight to the others.
Would be cool to have a fc fpv meetup one day, as I love fpv drones.
I usually have a smoke before flying, however I will be vaping my next fly day as my Xmax should be here Monday or Tuesday.
I fly a few different things.
I have an alien zero fc in a whoop running brushed gold cans, 200mw vtx with out mode, and an rsxr means I can fly a seriously decent distance away with the whoop and still have great video.
Have a King Kong et100 with a smartaudio vtx added (800mw luls) and a camera upgrade. She got that quickness but still a tank.
When I have the space, I fly a stingy frame 5” 4s hold running tmotor 5143 props, Deadpool motors (about to test these blaster hype trains, and using the riot control fc, it’s amazing.I have an akk vtx that gives me a touch over 1000mw vtx power (unnecessary but looks crisp, will be swapping for somthing that sa works with on betaflight, other than silverware on the zero whoop I prefer betaflight to the others.
Would be cool to have a fc fpv meetup one day, as I love fpv drones.
I usually have a smoke before flying, however I will be vaping my next fly day as my Xmax should be here Monday or Tuesday.
MasonJar
Well-Known Member
I just stumbled on this thread today... I have come full circle when it comes to rc flying... Started off flying helis in 2012 then got into FPVs in 2013-2015 and have been back to flying helis again... Very few things beat the adrenaline rush one can get flying 700 class helis...
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