Let’s talk about the two most common methods to get into the quadcopter craze. Initially, we will cover popular micro or toy grade models and then discuss potential upgrade models like the DJI Phantom and other popular hobby class quadcopters and drones.
Another way to discover quad flying is to purchase a micro quad. These are small quads that look and act the same as larger quads. Actually, they are amazing little machines. The benefit of discovering with a micro quad is that they have such low mass, thus little power to drive their little propellers that they are very unlikely to do any damage when you hit them against something.
My first quad was the DBPOWER Hawkeye-II. It is a “hobby grade” micro quad, as opposed to “toy grade”. If you somehow find a method to damage it, this indicates that you can buy additional parts and keep it running. My Hawkeye II took a bit of abuse when I figured out the quad essentials, and it’s still going strong with absolutely nothing but spare propellers.
Buying a micro quad with a gamepad-like transmitter or one that’s managed by an iPhone isn’t really going to help you switch to bigger, more capable quads.
Some appear to be authentic, while others are obvious knockoffs of popular hobby quads. There are other quads of even more questionable pedigree. Buying a micro quad with a gamepad-like transmitter or one controlled by an iPhone isn’t really going to help you transition to bigger, more capable quads.
A nice aspect of micro quads is that you can fly them inside your house. Bad weather and darkness should not hinder your training. Like I said, you’ll come across things as you discover them (and beyond). So be reasonable and stay away from the animals, the children, the plasma screen, Aunt Edith’s urn… you get the concept. And for God’s sake, turn off the ceiling fan! Other than taking those precautions, there is little to worry about. As your piloting skills develop, you can challenge yourself in increasingly uphill fights. You can start by simply trying to get to the coffee table. Over time, you’ll be cleaning your ceramic frog collection with the micro quad’s rotor wash.
Once you feel like you’ve got the hang of flying a quad, it’s time to upgrade to something capable of bringing a high-quality camera. It is worth mentioning that there are some micro quads with integrated video cameras.
Beyond micro quads, there is plenty of room to grow in terms of cost and abilities, however let’s focus on the next logical step. The DJI Phantom is a very popular quad that can take a GoPro camera.
If you choose to buy a Phantom, I think you’ll agree that it’s much easier to fly than a micro quad. I found the Ghost’s stabilization and position-holding ability to be rock-solid. I can sky park it and take my hands off the joysticks. Even if there is a light breeze, the Phantom will stay in place until you set it to go somewhere else.
Unlike micro quads, the Phantom has enough mass and power to cause pain when you hit something with it. The diligent world that resides in you should not want to participate in causing damage to a car, or perhaps buying points for an unknown person. The wise economist in you should never forget that you don’t want to waste the nearly $1000 you have on a Phantom with the latest GoPro by crashing it into a lake. Play it safe on both counts with your first few flights and discover a nice open space with no other people. You’ll appreciate the room to breathe until you’re comfortable flying the Phantom. Even later, you should always ask yourself “Is it safe to fly here?”.
DJI and other companies offer numerous quads in kit form. Taking the DIY route also gives you a deep understanding of how the various parts of a quad work in unison to achieve controlled air travel.
