Drone for 5 year old son, too young?

[Chaosrider]

It's amazing how quick people go to safety..... Are you guys worried about trees taking a hit? I had stated I live in an area with zero people where I fly.

Yes, and people frequently don't make the essential distinction between flying safely, and following all the rules. Teach your kid to fly safely from Day 1 for sure, but you can do that without a lot of excess rule-burdening. Lead with the joy, then add the safety, and lastly, the rules.

If money is that much of a non-problem for you, then just get him a Mini-2. A good compromise at that age might be to put prop guards on it. I haven't tried them on mine, but I hear they work well.

Sort of like training wheels. You leave them on until you don't need them anymore, and then you take then off.

Get your kid in the air!!



TCS

 

[BigAl07]

OK gang this thread is not going to continue "as-is". We take being NICE very seriously and if you can't post and be NICE then don't post in the thread at ALL.... just skip it!

Warnings have been issued, posts have been deleted, and some members have "left the building". Let's not continue down this negative path and remember we are here to share, learn, and support each other.

Remember, IF you see something you think violates our Community/Forum Guidelines REPORT it instead of addressing it yourself. That only puts you on the same level and potentially getting reprimanded as well. Suspect rule violation hit REPORT and our Staff Members will address it and take actions accordingly.

 

[Baredogs]

Well, can he pass the TRUST test at that age?

Seriously I think it's to young and too much money. Maybe start with ground non motorized vehicles first like a bike or skates. If he can't handle those, should he really be flying things in the air that could hurt people, animals, cause accidents or break complicated FAA laws? I would wait until at least 12 for a drone. That's the youngest age where a kid can be left at home alone and make rational decisions not to burn the house down just because it looks fun.

I know you are excited for him, but teach him some other life skills first. Something like flying should be at the top of the pyramid of other skills not the first thing out of the gate. Start with teaching him basic responsibility so he doesn't turn into one of those A-Hole drone pilots causing all the problems ending up in the news.

Yep, there’s more to it than just the physical skills. Very doubtful that a 5-yr old has the mental capability to read, comprehend, and understand everything else associated with just the physical task of flying a drone (plus the TRUST), and there are certainly less expensive, safer, more age-appropriate, related options suitable for kids than a M3.

 

[zeusfl]

Kids are very capable. In my free time, I teach kids and adults. When people see me flying my drones at the park and they are curious I always let them fly specially my M2P or MA2S since they have sensors and are very forgiving.

I found that kids follow better instructions than adults and are way more relaxed flying and this helps a lot in the learning process. I am at the side always to take control if any situation happened. I do not let them fly close to any try or structures. Just open area or over the lake. Do not let them fly below 15FT unless they will land the drone. This will make it easier for you to take control and avoid situations.

Hope you kid will have a good drone and will enjoy it !!

 

[Howard70]

@Bulldog420 KUDOS to you for involving your son at such a young age. By all means FOSTER his interest in this hobby and who knows one day he could be making a nice living at it.

I was fortunate to have my father start me at 4 years old with " ~1974 control line" and soon moved up to R/C aircraft. Sadly, I lost my father before we could fly R/C together but I was fortunate enough to have some amazing Role Models in my life who took me in, taught me to fly R/C, and helped teach me so much more than "just" R/C flying. I became an R/C flight instructor for several decades and moved on to start 2 different R/C related companies. Sold the first one and made out VERY well (it was a gasoline chainsaw engine to airplane engine conversion company) and started an Aerial Photography company several years later that's currently THRIVING and affording my wife and I to live in a manner we could NOT otherwise. In fact, because of our Aerial Photography company she was able to retire from her primary job at just 50 years old over a year ago. All of this because my DAD wanted to share his hobby with me at a very early age.

So stick with it and you could foster a LIFE TIME of Drone/UAS fun and money earnings.

I would suggest something along the lines of a Mavic Mini or Mini2. Very similar to flying characteristics of the Mavic 3 with a lot less "cost to repair/replace". Why not let him learn on something very similar to what Dad us using so when the time comes and you get that new Mavic 4 or 5 you can pass the M3 down to him and he'll be familiar with how to fly it.

Again KUDOS to you for wanting to teach him to fly as well as bring him along in your personal journey and exploration of this AMAZING hobby/industry.

Best reply of this thread!

Howard

 

[Cymruflyer]

Since money seems to be no object and the child and dad seem quite responsible and so many suggest the Mini 2, I'd agree and say to get a tello to help him fine tune his control skills while indoors and no wind, and get the Mini 2 with prop guards for the outside. Though it seems you could afford a Mavic 3 for him, there is no need and at 5 he is probably not that interested, at the moment, in the camera let alone the image quality, he just seems to enjoy the flying part.

More than half the fun of flying at that age is testing their skills as to what they can make the R/C do, whether a car or a flying drone. So, get the Tello for fun indoors and set up books around the room to help him improve his skill levels by landing on the various books. Maybe even make a few hoops for him to fly through, just for fun. That builds his skill level, challenges him in a safe way and makes it all fun. And the self-confidence he will gain, is icing on the top.

Before long he will be flying about in the same way he can walk about, without thinking of the movements he is making with each leg, knee ankle etc. and then he will get into the camera part of drone flying. That will be followed by thinking about making a video and then followed by learning to edit etc.

I've been flying, skiing and sailing for most of my life, as well as a photographer. I always wanted to teach my children all those things, especially since I was a ski instructor and flight instructor for years. So far, I've taught my 7 and 9 year olds the photography and skiing parts. Flying real airplanes, they are currently too young but maybe we will tackle some sailing this summer. Then I just have to stay competent in a few more years to teach them to fly, and my work here will be complete.

Have fun with your 5 year old, I think you now know what drone{s} to get him and I hope it is not just a phase for him, though I suspect it won't be, and he'll soon be flying circles around you and giving you advice. Remember... a child is a gift we send into the future, to a time we shall never be able to see, so enjoy every minute with him/them now. Get the two drones and have fun, together.

 

[Chaosrider]

Since money seems to be no object and the child and dad seem quite responsible and so many suggest the Mini 2, I'd agree and say to get a tello to help him fine tune his control skills while indoors and no wind, and get the Mini 2 with prop guards for the outside. Though it seems you could afford a Mavic 3 for him, there is no need and at 5 he is probably not that interested, at the moment, in the camera let alone the image quality, he just seems to enjoy the flying part.

More than half the fun of flying at that age is testing their skills as to what they can make the R/C do, whether a car or a flying drone. So, get the Tello for fun indoors and set up books around the room to help him improve his skill levels by landing on the various books. Maybe even make a few hoops for him to fly through, just for fun. That builds his skill level, challenges him in a safe way and makes it all fun. And the self-confidence he will gain, is icing on the top.

Before long he will be flying about in the same way he can walk about, without thinking of the movements he is making with each leg, knee ankle etc. and then he will get into the camera part of drone flying. That will be followed by thinking about making a video and then followed by learning to edit etc.

I've been flying, skiing and sailing for most of my life, as well as a photographer. I always wanted to teach my children all those things, especially since I was a ski instructor and flight instructor for years. So far, I've taught my 7 and 9 year olds the photography and skiing parts. Flying real airplanes, they are currently too young but maybe we will tackle some sailing this summer. Then I just have to stay competent in a few more years to teach them to fly, and my work here will be complete.

Have fun with your 5 year old, I think you now know what drone{s} to get him and I hope it is not just a phase for him, though I suspect it won't be, and he'll soon be flying circles around you and giving you advice. Remember... a child is a gift we send into the future, to a time we shall never be able to see, so enjoy every minute with him/them now. Get the two drones and have fun, together.

The H823H is another excellent indoor drone. You can bang it into stuff inside all day, and it won't hurt it or the stuff. It has higher speed settings once you master the slow setting, and it has trim, so you can learn a way to manage *light* winds without GPS.

On cold and nasty days, like today and the rest of the week, I still fly it around inside, particularly to practice my reverse command skills, with the drone facing toward me.

But I think the OP decided on a Mini-1, also an excellent choice.

TCS

 

[Tashmoo]

I think I’d go with the mini2. Just know that by the time he’s six he’s going to want to fly Daddys Mavic3.
I am very grateful that my parents supported my curiosity with photography and music at the age of eight. Photography is still my favorite hobby and music has been my lifelong professional job.

 

[Frog47]

Hello

My son is 5 years old and loves watching daddy fly. I own the Mavic 3 and I do let him fly it. I get above tree lines and let him only use the right thumb stick. I am in super rural area in Sonora Ca, so not worried about endangering others. I have a few questions:


Is he too young to fly his own drone?
What model would you buy for a 5 year old?
Anything else you could think is important that I am over looking?


I would be willing to spend 500-1500 dollars. (or more, if the perfect fit)

Any and all advice is welcome

If you can afford it buy the best that DJI has to offer

 

[MS Coast]

Just be careful to differentiate between drones your five-year-old son can fly and those that can fly your five-year-old son.

DISCLAIMER: This is an attempt to inject a little levity into the conversation. I DO NOT condone what was done in this video. It is, however, useful for responsible pilots to be aware of what sort of boneheaded foolishness goes on among irresponsible drone owners and influences public perceptions and regulations. In the case of this video, I hope that the local child protective agency was made aware of the situation.

 

[March411]

Just be careful to differentiate between drones your five-year-old son can fly and those that can fly your five-year-old son.

DISCLAIMER: This is an attempt to inject a little levity into the conversation. I DO NOT condone what was done in this video. It is, however, useful for responsible pilots to be aware of what sort of boneheaded foolishness goes on among irresponsible drone owners and influences public perceptions and regulations. In the case of this video, I hope that the local child protective agency was made aware of the situation.

Wow.....insane!

 

[Arnold LeVine]

IMHO, one of the drones with dual controllers is the best idea. Just like an airplane with dual controls for a copilot or so the flight instructor can take over if needed, or like the old driver ed cars with dual controls back in the day.

 

[Kola]

Waiting patiently for posts about the lad’s first flights with his own drone…

 

[Grandpa]

IMHO, one of the drones with dual controllers is the best idea. Just like an airplane with dual controls for a copilot or so the flight instructor can take over if needed, or like the old driver ed cars with dual controls back in the day.

IMHO, that would be overkill.

 

[Crashdummytest]

Hello

My son is 5 years old and loves watching daddy fly. I own the Mavic 3 and I do let him fly it. I get above tree lines and let him only use the right thumb stick. I am in super rural area in Sonora Ca, so not worried about endangering others. I have a few questions:


Is he too young to fly his own drone?
What model would you buy for a 5 year old?
Anything else you could think is important that I am over looking?


I would be willing to spend 500-1500 dollars. (or more, if the perfect fit)

Any and all advice is welcome

The Tello! Great intro to drones/quadcopters.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Just be careful to differentiate between drones your five-year-old son can fly and those that can fly your five-year-old son.

DISCLAIMER: This is an attempt to inject a little levity into the conversation. I DO NOT condone what was done in this video. It is, however, useful for responsible pilots to be aware of what sort of boneheaded foolishness goes on among irresponsible drone owners and influences public perceptions and regulations. In the case of this video, I hope that the local child protective agency was made aware of the situation.

"Dad, I'm gunna be late for school !"
"Hang on son !!!" (literally)

(Just a bit more light-heartedness.)

 

[zeusfl]

IMHO, one of the drones with dual controllers is the best idea. Just like an airplane with dual controls for a copilot or so the flight instructor can take over if needed, or like the old driver ed cars with dual controls back in the day.

The difference between R/C airplanes, Helicopters, FPV most of them VS GPS-lock drones is that if you release the sticks, for example, passing the remote to another person the airplanes keep flying forward without control leveled or not. The GPS-lock drones if you release the sticks from the controls will stop locking the position and altitude as long as they have sufficient GPS locking the system.

This is why I can not justify the real need for 2 remote controllers even when is probably more convenient but making this setup is more difficult, inconvenient and overkill in this case.

When I am teaching somebody how to fly and they are doing something wrong I just say release the sticks and the drone just will hold the position.

 

[DoomMeister]

Yep, there’s more to it than just the physical skills. Very doubtful that a 5-yr old has the mental capability to read, comprehend, and understand everything else associated with just the physical task of flying a drone (plus the TRUST), and there are certainly less expensive, safer, more age-appropriate, related options suitable for kids than a M3.

You have obviously not watched kids that age play video games. Their hand eye coordination is better than many adults. The boy will be flying with his Dad in an unpopulated area. At 5 he already has responsibilities at home and is a good student and from the sound of it he not just picking up “10 books” he is reading them.

This is way better than some kid that their parents buy them stuff to keep them out of their hair and provide no supervision in how to deal with life.

 

[maggior]

My kids were responsible for me getting into drones in the summer of 2020. It was a fun bonding experience flying our drones around the yard and learning together how to fly without crashing. I lost them when I got into more capable drones with GPS and quality cameras.

My 15 year old son said to me this weekend that "flying drones was fun when we didn't have to worry about compass calibrations, RTH settings, etc". He gets far more enjoyment from his little toy drone that he can zip around the yard than the GPS capable drone we got him for his birthday last year. Something at the level of a Mavic (mini se, mini2, air2, etc.) would be too complicated and boring for him.

I see where he is coming from. I still have fun buzzing my non-GPS drones around my yard around the trees and stuff. It's a different experience. I have let him fly my FPV drone (a tiny whoop) which he thought was awesome. That's just a bit pricey.

 

[maggior]

You have obviously not watched kids that age play video games. Their hand even e coordination is better than many adults. The boy will be flying with his Dad in an unpopulated area. At 5 he already has responsibilities at home and is a good student and from the sound of it he not just picking up “10 books” he is reading them.

This is way better than some kid that their parents buy them stuff to keep them out of their hair and provide no supervision in how to deal with life.

My kids picked up flying drones far quicker than I did because of their experience playing video games. Their eyes glazed over when things like GPS and RTH parameter settings came into play.

All kids are different...some may eat that level of complexity up.