| Author | Message | ||
     Rick_a |
My child was gifted a mini stunt drone. After teaching him the basics of 4CH flight, I was super jelly. Coincidentally, I got an Email featuring a $10 mini camera quad copter. The little thing is quite awesome. It's certainly the best $10 I've ever spent.  The wife hates it. I think it's awesome.  20180121_230031 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr Next to the kids.' His does amazing, tight, precise flips on command. Mine does big sloppy flips, but flies better otherwise.  20171230_223453 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr Next to my long dead Walkera 5G6 Metal. It flew a little more dynamically than the Hubsan X4, but was less powerful, much more delicate, and useless outdoors. The Walkera was $85 and got upgrades, replacement parts, and batteries over time. I may have found an outfit with the long obsolete replacement parts...but it'd be cheaper just to get a newer heli (the batteries are dead and it has a burnt out motor).  20180101_231838 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr I'm tempted to get one of these next... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrFuzR3MOao ...or just wait for the next mini drone blow out sale... | ||
| Strokizator |
I thought getting a drone would be a fun way to chase the geese off my lawn. The airplane couldn't go slow enough and I kept crashing so I got a quad-copter. That climbed out of range and flew off into the woods, never to be seen again. Found a smaller version that was also waterproof and since I live next to the lake, figured it was a good idea. 8 seconds into first flight I discovered that "waterproof" is not synonymous with "floats". I texted my buddy, "Don't send me anymore links!!!" | ||
| Airbozo |
I have one of the small drones (looks exactly like the one you have) and after about 3 weeks it will no longer fly stable. Meh,it was free. I bought one of the large drones with the Styrofoam frame and after 2 years is still going strong. Bought one of them for my F-I-L and told him to practice in the garage before taking it outside. He knows best, so first flight was in his driveway. He did good for about a minute, then flew it right into the top of one of his redwoods. Sat there for about a year and blew down during one of the storms. It was not waterproof. But it does float... (Message edited by airbozo on January 26, 2018) | ||
| Rick_a |
This thing is a little much indoors, but is great outside. The worst thing to happen to it thus far is stepping on it whilst gazing at groups of birds of various different types criss-crossing above me in a dazzling display. It made a crunch, bent a blade badly, and twisted a spar far enough that it took quite a while to get it pointed in the right direction again. It needs a little more yaw authority for banking, which I will be adjusting shortly. My kid opted not to replace his, and wanted one more like mine, so he has this guy coming:  Holy Stone HS170. It's a little more user friendly...and tougher...theoretically. Found it on EBay for $23 shipped. The drone fail stories and videos are epic. | ||
| Rick_a |
So far the only grip with mine is twitchyness when hovering with wind gusts. No big deal. | ||
| Rick_a |
The new guy. It's pretty smooth.  20180131_153323 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr | ||
| Court |
I went to a Polo match in Wellington on Sunday and all the video is from a drone. I was amazed, with the 30mph+ gusting winds, how rock steady they were as they followed right over the horses. Apparently the technology is really improving. We're using some really high end droves, under a federal grant, for inspecting power lines. | ||
| Rick_a |
No doubt. I've been watching drone racing online. What the drones/pilots can do is amazing. I remember the days when people were piecing together multirotor RC's fashioned out of crude frames and individual parts. Now you can buy a ten or twenty dollar toy that is more stable and nearly as capable. |
