Getting Started With Drones - Best Drones For Beginners
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Confessions of a Drone Junky
So you have decided to take the plunge and join the drone mania? Join me, as we discuss some of the ins and outs of selecting, purchasing, and flying your first drone.
Welcome to one of the fastest growing hobbies in the world! Picking your fist drone can be a very fun and yet overwhelming experience.
Let’s start with a little research, say it with me “YouTube “! Just type in the word “drone” and prepare to spend countless hours viewing, many clips from around the world. Looks like fun huh? Let’s start with the basics.
The most asked question I get is “what is the best drone out there?” And my answer is a simple one, “the one you can afford to crash! “Yes that’s right, unless you are favored by the flight gods, you WILL crash!
Sure there are plenty of drones that basically fly themselves with features like GPS, altitude hold, and fail safe functions to keep your crashing at a minimum. But if you really want to ease into this hobby do yourself a favor and start small.
Old faithful – Syma X5c-1
is a simple yet, very durable quadcopter for beginners. It includes two rates of speed and also comes with a small on board camera. I have literally flown this thing into the ground multiple times, stuck it in the trees (don’t laugh you will too), and has literally dropped out of the sky on multiple occasions due to pilot error. To this day I’ve only replaced one motor. It is very docile and easy to learn on! Parts are easy to get and very easy to replace broken parts.
New model here with included altitude hold- Syma X5HC
The “new” beginner drone - XK X250 –
I almost put this one above the Syma due to its features. It has headless mode, one key return and longer flight time (around 8 minutes). The down fall is no onboard camera (for standard model), which is entirely up to you.I believe once you have achieved greatness with the x5c-1, pick this dude up and feel the difference and the sportier design. I really love this quad and the benefits of having it is coming up next……
At this point you have gotten used to the basics like take off, hovering, landing and avoiding the trees as much as possible. Not to mention you are probably the flip king by now! But even though you rule the skies in your back yard you want to spread your wings, so to speak.
Our next quadcopter will help you do just that.
So now we pony up to a bigger guy right? Yes!
Your time has come, you are the next best thing and you’re ready for more!
Try this beast of a quad out.
Bigger is better - The Yizhan X6 Tarantula -
This bird boasts some serious upgrades, The motors and props are substantially larger as is the quad , which means it will fight wind and be a lot more responsive. This model also has three rates and a larger battery (7.4 1200mah) for extended flight time.
My testing had it out to 300 meters before flight controls were less responsive.And now that you have the xk250, you can use the transmitter from the JJRC X6 to control the XK 250 …and it takes that quad to a whole new level!
Yes, she is more than beauty! This bird will be a whole new experience, it’s a much larger quad than the previously mentioned but it handles much nicer.
You will need more space to see the potential that this quad has to offer, but once you do it will put a smile on your face. It also can be purchased with a camera or without, which I recommend without, because you can literally strap a GoPro or equivalent sports cam to it! It has a great carrying capacity, some have even added gimbals for true steady video.
The Tarantula is a very popular quadcopter and with good reasons …it’s simply a beast!
I will tell you at this point of our journey, after many flights I found myself trying to make a lower cost quadcopter fly like the big boys. Trying camera upgrades, adding weight, taking away weight …the list goes on. For some, that may be exactly what you are looking for and I agree it is fun to mod these toy grade quadcopters.
But let this be a warning now *****spoiler alert******, you will spend a lot of money trying to make that quadcopter fly like the big boys and it simply, is just not efficient! Why?
Because at some point you will upgrade to brushless motors and when you do, these toys will collect dust.
All quadcopters have their pros and cons, and everyone is a drone expert!
If you have made it this far, then do yourself a favor and decide …..Do I like speed? Or do I like taking videos?
What you want both? Maybe, in your dreams!
Well today is the day your dreams are fulfilled! As this next beast will keep you wondering “what do I get next?" due to its versatility!
The be all, end all Traxxas Aton –
I’m going to elaborate on this one, at this point you are putting up some money and you should know what you are getting.
Three flight modes –
film mode (gps enabled) for smooth movement, Sport mode (gps enabled) Let her rip and try to wipe that smile off your face afterwards, and expert- Full acro mode All stick movements are full manual and will require some skill to learn.
It’s like the Swiss army knife of drones! 5000 mah battery for 20-23 minutes of flight. Air brake ….wait what? Yes! It actually has a button on the top right shoulder of the transmitter that you press and it stops and holds it in one position until released! So while you’re cruising and you see a crash in the making, just press the brake and danger avoided!
Gps on this particular drone is rock solid due to its dual satellite positioning system.
Traxxas customer service -
is second to none! Got a problem call them, need a part just call them. There are many rumors of a 3-d gimbal and an abundance of replacement parts. All parts can be swapped for different colors. Lenses, canopies, roll hoops and so much more can be just about what ever color you want.
Most importantly, this thing flies like a dream -
The fact that at any moment I can press the brake, gather my thoughts and get back to business is great. It turns on a dime and yet can be the total opposite by simply changing flight modes.
Although a little pricey, you probably have already put that much into your fleet already. But, what you get for the money is well worth the bounty. I’ve included standard and custom looks up and below.
Yes she’s a beauty and I’ve since changed the lenses and props …the possibilities are endless! And yes that one is mine! Thanks to CarolinaDronz.
Watch it fly!
Of course, this is just my journey into this addiction, we call a hobby.There are many options to choose from and will definitely fit any budget you have.My advice would be to join some forums such as RCgroups
Join some groups on Facebook
