Drones

[ChampFerguson/TN]

I hope I am not opening up a can of worms here as I know many folks have strong opinions on these, but I'd like to ask those of you who know and ethically use hobby drones what are some good models and features for a beginner to start on. I live well out on acreage and just looking to play around with them; not chasing bikinis at the beach or looking in neighbors' windows.

I know so little about them, I really don't even know what to ask beyond brand, price, air time, photo capability, etc. Any help greatly appreciated.

 

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[Kurios1]

My neighbor who did the electrolysis on my cannon ball has a drone and used to create some pretty nice videos with it. DJI Phantom series with a go pro Hero 3 camera. I think he had maybe close to $1500.00 bucks invested in this cool hobby. He once was buzzing our little town and I noticed the drone. I was metal detecting the ditch near his home and I thought the FEDS were after me! Pretty fun gadget and like metal detecting you can spend a lot or spend a little. Depends on what your intentions and expectations are. Enjoy some of his videos as some of my top secret hunting areas are on there.

 

[Obsessive]

Buy a cheap one first and learn to fly it... then go get a good one from either DJI or 3DR. Cheap decent ones are like $60. Good ones are like $1200. Crash and burn a cheap one, or lose it on a roof... oh well. Also look up the drone no fly zones. Lots of places have a ban on them, especially if you live near an airport.

Drone School 1: Choosing a beginner quadcopter

 

[masterjedi]

I have a DJI Mavic Pro that shoots video in 4K... Its amazing. Base model is $1000 and the fly more kit is $1300 (comes with extra batteries etc... I love mine...
Gary from Oregon

 

[relic nut]

I have the DJI Phantom 3 standard. It's a great drone with a lot of safety features and a great camera for a good price.
Drones are a lot of fun and a great hobby, but just like metal detecting you have to be responsible and respectful and obey all the rules.
There are some great videos on YouTube that you can learn from. Check it out and good luck.

HH, RN

 

[Dr. Witty]

Go with MasterJedi's advice. The DJI Mavic is what you want. My sister has one and she loves it. The Phantom may be cheaper now, but the Mavic is smaller, fold-able and has more features that you will really need, and like he said the video is amazing.

 

[G. I. Digger]

I have a mavic pro and it is one of the best for the money. You dont have to spend thousands but also be aware that a few dollars will save you a ton of money. The mid range drones can stay hovering using gps while the cheaper ones will be all over the place as you have to constantly course correct. Some cheaper ones use barometric pressure for stabilization but gps is the best! The mavic pro is my suggestion and would run approx 1100.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Buy a cheap one first and learn to fly it... then go get a good one from either DJI or 3DR. Cheap decent ones are like $60. Good ones are like $1200. Crash and burn a cheap one, or lose it on a roof... oh well. Also look up the drone no fly zones. Lots of places have a ban on them, especially if you live near an airport.

Drone School 1: Choosing a beginner quadcopter

This is GREAT advice! Invest $100.00 which gets you a video cam on board as well, and learn to fly it. They are a blast! I use mine to record my Grandson's model rocket blast offs and recoveries.

 

[ChampFerguson/TN]

Great advice, folks! Exactly what I was hoping for. Thank You all!

 

[coinman123]

I have two cheap ones for fun, one accidentally crashed into the pavement on the first flight though. You can get some very nice videos, especially in the fall and all the leaves are different colors.

 

[relic nut]

Hey Champ, here is some footage I took with mine. I still have a lot to learn but it is fun and easy to fly, especially with GPS.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByumFpwG0FLNTmtjd0kzQXlCb00/view

 

[JKicker]

I would suggest buying a cheaper model first, but check the availability of replacement parts. I bought my first one from a hobby shop for about $60 and when I crashed it (crashes are inevitable), they had parts in stock and I was able to repair it for less than $10. Once I was comfortable flying it, I invested in a more expensive one.

I haven't crashed the big one but I have had some close calls that caused me to tense up. Oddly enough, for the pure fun of flying, I got way more enjoyment out of the small one.