1st Time Drone Owners

[Islandguy27]

There is no correlation between a cheap drone and let's say an inexpensive GPS enabled drone. Those cheap drones don't teach you how to fly. They teach you how to crash. Why bother. If you want something that is going to be fun and you can actually do something with get a GPS enabled drone. The difference is between giving up or loving the hobby.


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[FlyPro-UK]

If you can't fly a cheap drone without crashing then you are almost certain to crash your expensive drone when the GPS, compass or barometer fail.

Learn to fly a drone without GPS, compass or barometer first (the situation with most cheap drones) and then you will have the skills needed to land your Mavic without having to rely the automation.


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[borislip]

I have to say I've been flying (and crashing) multiple toy drones before finally getting the Mavic, and the experience helps a lot. You don't just learn to fly ATTI, you learn how close is too close to the tree branches, you learn to fly without having to keep your drone looking away from you and no longer get confused by pulling the stick right and the drone going left, learn to find that orientation in a second while the drone is barely visible up in the sky, you learn on your own skin that a low battery high and far away means crash etc...

You will be surprised how easy it is to fly Mavic after you are used to fly the toys.

Don't do my mistake, though, don't try shutting that thing down with a CSC maneuver indoors (read my first post).

 

[AnzacJack]

I started with a range of toys and hobby drones before moving to the inspire. I've since gone through about 4 different racers, including the tbs Gemini and now have a mavic to join my inspire. I wouldn't say all the previous flying made my transition to the DJI class drones any easier as far as flight skills. But I would say the experience of all the ups and downs and multitude of difficulties has made me a more careful, patient operator.

Dropbox - 2014-12-20 15.17.36.jpg

 

[idiogenic]

There is no correlation between a cheap drone and let's say an inexpensive GPS enabled drone. Those cheap drones don't teach you how to fly. They teach you how to crash. Why bother. If you want something that is going to be fun and you can actually do something with get a GPS enabled drone. The difference is between giving up or loving the hobby.

I could not disagree more with this statement.

Non-stabilised/assisted/GPS (not even sure the relevance of GPS - it's not a major differentiator) drones teach flying skills far better than something like the Mavic. Simple drones are hard to fly - that's kind of the point. I learned with a Blade MQX before moving building various other home made drones and even making some lame attempts at 3D heli stuff.

 

[MavicMo]

While I'm in the "camp" of buy something cheap and learn to fly, Its your (3rd person) money do what you want. But to say that flying a cheap drone teaches you nothing or only teaches you how to crash is erroneous.

I'm glad I bought a Traxxas Alias and learned to fly on that first. Years of racing R/C cars didn't help alot with the "left, right" when facing you as I'd been using a "wheeled" radio as opposed to "sticks".

Flying the Alias taught me about fine control and how not to over-correct. It taught me how to fly a drone that didn't have GPS to keep it in place. It taught me how to learn orientation of a drone at a distance when I couldn't visually tell which way it was facing. It taught me about being careful where and how you fly. And finally the Alias let me crash MANY times with either no harm or cheap fixes.

When I finally got my first drone, a DJI Phantom, I couldn't believe how easy it was to fly. It also seemed way too slow. Everything seemed to operate at half the speed I had become used to. Atti mode doesn't even compare to the control needed to fly the Alias or any drone that is as simplistic as the Alias. I've flown all my higher-end drones in non-GPS mode to simulate loss of GPS and have had zero issues flying/controlling them. I credit that to learning to fly on a cheap drone.

To this day I'll still fly my Alias or Inductrix to keep my flying skills sharp.

Again to each his own. I think the OP offers some sage advice. As I read through these threads I see quite a few incidents where had the person started with something less expensive and learned on it, they wouldn't have made the same mistakes with their Mavic or been able to fly their drone when they suddenly lose GPS or the drone behaves in a manner that requires manual control.

 

[larkin]

I must say it was good experiencing to have built collective pitch helis from parts and flown them. Allows me to control the Mav cinematics with a lot more confidence.

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[ChrisRL]

Yes. If you said 'sport mode' then you really need to look into manual flying deeper. Much deeper.


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[Stix]

I just find it funny how everyone thinks flying in ATTI no VPS is so hard. With the MP it really is not. Just because you have to compensate for wind and be alot more active with controls does not make it rocket science. It really is not that hard at all. Most can get it going and grasp it very quickly. Weird how people want you to spend money on cheap drones and spend more money and wait. Some here say $20 drones others are saying more expensive "cheap drones".

I say buy what you want and you can have the MP go into ATTI no VPS with little effort if you would like to see what it is like. If you are competent at all you will see it is not that hard. The problem people run into even "skilled" people. When the drone goes rogue they get anxious and try to overcompensate then the nerves get up and oops you just messed up. It can happen to anyone. You see it all the time. Especially the false narrative we get here that it will help everyone to fly cheap drones. When someone panics with a more expensive drone or a cheap drone whether you are skilled or new then end result is a accident waiting to happen.

Ever read the ...... Gosh I am not sure what I was thinking I knew better!! Then there is new people that have 150 flights and never a incident even with a rogue drone incident. Everyone is different. You are gonna have people at both ends here and the choice is upto the buyer

Good luck all.


Best advice is get used to all aspects of your drone and situations and practice when ya feel confident. No matter what drone ya buy.

 

[No1much]

The key aspect of all this, for anyone, is to find some way (any way that works for you) to get comfortable and familiar with flying your drone with as little help from it as possible, so you can be ready to step up on a moment's notice to get your drone out of a potentially scary spot.

I like the idea of a cheap drone for myself since it's nice to know just how much the Mavic spoils me, and I like to practice with my Syma regularly so that I can pilot the much easier Mavic forward, backward, sideways, Atti, or whatever else may happen, and feel confident I won't panic and slip up by pressing the wrong direction at a critical time.

If I were to lose my video feed, GPS lock, gusty winds, and the barometer started giving it bad readings, I still know I have a shot to get my Mavic back in one piece. That's worth a toy drone to me. (Plus I like flying any drone at all.)

As long as you're able to jump in when your drone and those around it need you to with a reasonable degree of confidence, I feel like that's most of the point.

 

[Soundtekk]

I agree. My Mavic is my third drone and it should have been my first. It is fantastic for Range, Stability, Features and Price.
HERE IS THE THING
Study the YouTube flight videos and the set up videos. Spend the time while you wait for your Mavic to arrive.
THEN MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS you learned on YouTube BEFORE Your first launch.
Then Always Follow Your Preflight List Before Each Launch.
Don't have a preflight list? Your nuts.


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Check list is imperative. There is an adaptable app recommended by another user called Pilot CList

Pilot cList by One in a Million Apps LLC
Pilot cList on the App Store

Works well!!


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[beejAMG]

Or you could get a better job to afford those accessories, a indoor flier that I use and that flies really good is only 20 bucks..

not sure if youre trying to insult me or what but i wouldnt go there if i were you.

 

[Stix]

not sure if youre trying to insult me or what but i wouldnt go there if i were you.

I was thinking that was a bit rude myself. It's fine to poke fun and disagree but that one was unnecessary.

 

[beejAMG]

I was thinking that was a bit rude myself. It's fine to poke fun and disagree but that one was unnecessary.

internet warriors. some people just dont have manners mate. lol

 

[Kestrel]

not sure if youre trying to insult me or what but i wouldnt go there if i were you.

No it wasn't an insult.

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[beejAMG]

No it wasn't an insult.

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well i sure hope it was a joke. i make 6 figures in a year doing what i do. and thats me being slack.
oh and in case you were wondering about me worrying about the money i wasted on my toy drones instead of using it to buy accessories for my MP, you can just go back to the part where i make 6 figures a yr.

now enough of this non sense and lets talk more about that thing we all have in common...drones.
that is unless you wanna dig a deeper hole for yourself.

 

[Kestrel]

well i sure hope it was a joke. i make 6 figures in a year doing what i do. and thats me being slack.
oh and in case you were wondering about me worrying about the money i wasted on my toy drones instead of using it to buy accessories for my MP, you can just go back to the part where i make 6 figures a yr.

now enough of this non sense and lets talk more about that thing we all have in common...drones.
that is unless you wanna dig a deeper hole for yourself.

Well it came off that way. I dont really care how much you make but it came off like you were a burger flipper.

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[beejAMG]

Well it came off that way. I dont really care how much you make but it came off like you were a burger flipper.

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now youre insulting burger flippers. i used to work at mc donalds when i was a kid. whats wrong with that?

do me a favor, have a good read at my handle, have a good look at my profile pic. let me know if you need links to my other forum membership so maybe youll have an idea. i can also put photos of my garage if you wish. but give me a heads up so i can send paper towel your way...to wipe your drool lol

to other more mature and respectful members here. I apologize. I dont mean to brag or be boastful but some (prolly overweight) kid asked for it.

 

[Kestrel]

I worked at mc donalds when i was a kid too. Do me a favor and relax..You dont have to show me anything, im not here to feed your ego. And sorry im not overweight nor a kid..

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[beejAMG]

I worked at mc donalds when i was a kid too. Do me a favor and relax..You dont have to show me anything, im not here to feed your ego. And sorry im not overweight nor a kid..

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well to quote you...you come off like an overweight kid with just your underpants behind the computer whilst sipping through your extra large coke....sorry, regular sugar-full coke. lol

do yourself a favor "kid"...just stay away from your keyboard for a few minutes...the embarassment will wear off naturally.

oh and btw, i couldnt be more relaxed than a man lying on a beach on a sunny day with a glass of martini in his hands and a gorgeous middle aged woman next to him.