Greetings! Allow me to introduce myself...........

[Wharfcreek]

Hello Forum members!! My name is Tom.....henceforth AKA 'Wharfcreek' or just 'WC'. I'm an 'old guy' at age 65, but still pretending to be 20. I ride my motorcycles to work and on weekend trips, I fish and boat every night, and I build 'tube' guitar and home stereo amplifiers for fun and profit, and ride my mountain bike for exercise! I play guitar, watch movies, and travel to visit family between my original home in Michigan (where I grew up) and my now-home in Maryland. My most recent infatuation is with these Drones! I started with a couple of 'toy' drones......'Department Store' types. But, I soon learned that if you really wanted to do some serious flying, you needed to have a more sophisticated bird! I've since purchased a 'new' Cheerson CX20 but have been having problems with it. Not sure if it's 'internal' defects, 'software or firmware' issues, or just my own ineptness. More on that later! BUT, I also purchased some 'used' Phantom products; a P1 that is missing the controller, a P2 with a broken camera, and a P3 that seems to be 100%. I've flown the P3, and I'm quite sure it's working properly and does all it should. However at this point, as I'm still a 'rookie' at all this stuff, I don't want to crash and wreck it........so, I'm still trying to deal with the P2, P1, and the Cheerson. I think I can get the P2 flying sans camera....and that's my current target! I need to find a controller for the P1 and then I think I can get it up in the air as well. The Cheerson; ?....well..... I need some serious help with that one! Hopefully I'll meet someone here with the 'tech' skills and the patience to help me with all this. And, I'm hoping there's a 'Buy/Sell' forum where maybe I can post a WTB for a P1 flight controller. Beyond that, I gotta get rolling and off to some errands and then to work. Oh, I spent 33 years as a 'Field Manager' with a domestic Auto Manufacturer.... took an 'Early Separation Package' back in '08 when things were really bad with the US car makers.....and now work 'part time' as the Quality Control Manager in a local Auto Dealership. I'm a former ASE 'Master' Auto Tech, though things have certainly changed a lot in the car industry since I held that credential. I'll stick to 'wrenching' on my Harley, my old XS650s, or my boat motors. With that.......thanks for letting me become a member!! Hope I can 'contribute' something down the road!

WC (Tom D)

 

[msinger]

Welcome to Phantom Pilots!

Thanks for taking the time to share your story. It's always interesting to what everyone is up to outside of flying drones.

I'm hoping there's a 'Buy/Sell' forum where maybe I can post a WTB for a P1 flight controller.

You can buy/sell items in the Classifieds. I've also had good luck selling items on eBay when I wasn't able to find any takers there.

 

[Wharfcreek]

Hello misiger,

Thanks for the quick response! I've actually got to get going here.....so I too will be brief: I just posted in the Classified section....put up a WTB for my P1 controller. Hopefully it will prove fruitful! Beyond that, I've got a LOT of other issues I need to resolve as I learn to fly....and fly 'well'. I'd hoped as I moved from the 'cheap' drones and into the GPS 'Cheerson' unit, that I'd get some flight stability that would help me hone my skills. But, the Cheerson unit seems rather problem-prone and I'm having a great deal of difficulty trying to resolve issues with it. I'm told it needs a 'firmware' update right out of the box...which seems ridiculous....but, so they say. However, I'm unable to download the 'FlightShark' firmware properly.....so that's turning into a real mess. To resolve it, I purchased a 'used' P3 that was demonstrated as being 100% by it's former owner. BUT.....I'm afraid to fly it as I don't want to destroy it like I'm doing to the Cheerson. SO......I've bought the used P2 and P1s....and 'hopefully' I'll get something out of all this that works as it should! Anyway..more later! Gotta run. I'll look forward to yours and other comments....and maybe I can get on the right path!! Many thanks! Tom D.

 

[msinger]

I'm afraid to fly it as I don't want to destroy it like I'm doing to the Cheerson

Cheersons are much harder to fly. I have fun crashing mine around the house. It takes a lickin' and it keeps on tickin'!

Try flying your Phantoms in a wide open location that has absolutely no nearby obstacles. It'll be tough to crash in a location like that.

 

[WV. Rootman]

Hello misiger,

Thanks for the quick response! I've actually got to get going here.....so I too will be brief: I just posted in the Classified section....put up a WTB for my P1 controller. Hopefully it will prove fruitful! Beyond that, I've got a LOT of other issues I need to resolve as I learn to fly....and fly 'well'. I'd hoped as I moved from the 'cheap' drones and into the GPS 'Cheerson' unit, that I'd get some flight stability that would help me hone my skills. But, the Cheerson unit seems rather problem-prone and I'm having a great deal of difficulty trying to resolve issues with it. I'm told it needs a 'firmware' update right out of the box...which seems ridiculous....but, so they say. However, I'm unable to download the 'FlightShark' firmware properly.....so that's turning into a real mess. To resolve it, I purchased a 'used' P3 that was demonstrated as being 100% by it's former owner. BUT.....I'm afraid to fly it as I don't want to destroy it like I'm doing to the Cheerson. SO......I've bought the used P2 and P1s....and 'hopefully' I'll get something out of all this that works as it should! Anyway..more later! Gotta run. I'll look forward to yours and other comments....and maybe I can get on the right path!! Many thanks! Tom D.

I understand your concern. I had 2 holy stones quads that I gave holy hell. One I crashed several times before it flew off in a high interference area. I found out later because my p3s warned me before take off and had trouble connecting. The second one got stuck in the top of a very high tree for 2 weeks before it came down. It worked good and I eventually gave it to my dad when I got my p3s. I don't think the p3s flies. You just move the stick to where you want it. Sit down, take a drink of water than move it to the next place. It's that easy. Learn the preflight well and you shouldn't have much problems. It always comes back when it looses signal if you do good preflight. These are the problems I have had with it that I learned the hard way. It doesn't stop fast in atti mode like it does in gps.(crashed). Don't fly close to a metal roof. ( spun like crazy, landed a little hard in a hay field. Messed up the compass.) I landed it in a river. ( old fart, bad judgement) The last landing in the water, I had to do repair work. It flies great today. In the long run, I feel it cheaper to run than the toy drones. The toy drones are harder to fly, control, take bad pictures and you will have a lot more losses with the toy drones. I have complete confidence in my phantom. Enjoy your phantom.

 

[dirkclod]

Welcome to the forum .
I hope you will find our site helpful and look forward to any input , photo's/video's you might post .
Don't be shy and ask anything if you can't find it by searching .

 

[deltamike]

Welcome to the forum Tom.


If you have any questions try doing a search first by clicking the magnifying glass top right. You might find your question has already been asked and it will save you a lot of time. If you can’t find an answer, then just post the question. We are only to happy to help.



Enjoy.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

Hello,
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Phantom Pilots forum.
I hope that you will be able to use the forum to further your safety knowledge and for the exchange of innovative ideas and as a resource for current developments in DJI quadcopter’s.
Enjoy!

 

[Oso]

Hello Forum members!! My name is Tom.....henceforth AKA 'Wharfcreek' or just 'WC'. I'm an 'old guy' at age 65, but still pretending to be 20. I ride my motorcycles to work and on weekend trips, I fish and boat every night, and I build 'tube' guitar and home stereo amplifiers for fun and profit, and ride my mountain bike for exercise! I play guitar, watch movies, and travel to visit family between my original home in Michigan (where I grew up) and my now-home in Maryland. My most recent infatuation is with these Drones! I started with a couple of 'toy' drones......'Department Store' types. But, I soon learned that if you really wanted to do some serious flying, you needed to have a more sophisticated bird! I've since purchased a 'new' Cheerson CX20 but have been having problems with it. Not sure if it's 'internal' defects, 'software or firmware' issues, or just my own ineptness. More on that later! BUT, I also purchased some 'used' Phantom products; a P1 that is missing the controller, a P2 with a broken camera, and a P3 that seems to be 100%. I've flown the P3, and I'm quite sure it's working properly and does all it should. However at this point, as I'm still a 'rookie' at all this stuff, I don't want to crash and wreck it........so, I'm still trying to deal with the P2, P1, and the Cheerson. I think I can get the P2 flying sans camera....and that's my current target! I need to find a controller for the P1 and then I think I can get it up in the air as well. The Cheerson; ?....well..... I need some serious help with that one! Hopefully I'll meet someone here with the 'tech' skills and the patience to help me with all this. And, I'm hoping there's a 'Buy/Sell' forum where maybe I can post a WTB for a P1 flight controller. Beyond that, I gotta get rolling and off to some errands and then to work. Oh, I spent 33 years as a 'Field Manager' with a domestic Auto Manufacturer.... took an 'Early Separation Package' back in '08 when things were really bad with the US car makers.....and now work 'part time' as the Quality Control Manager in a local Auto Dealership. I'm a former ASE 'Master' Auto Tech, though things have certainly changed a lot in the car industry since I held that credential. I'll stick to 'wrenching' on my Harley, my old XS650s, or my boat motors. With that.......thanks for letting me become a member!! Hope I can 'contribute' something down the road!

WC (Tom D)

Welcome Tom !

If you are interested, click here for some tips that I often share with new P3A/P3P owners.

Cheers!

 

[Sukie]

Hi there, just got our phantom 3 standard. I'm looking forward to taking it to Scotland next week. Should get some stunning footage! I was looking for cheapest price spare batteries when I came across the forum. It's good to know you guys are here. Never know when you will need some friendly advice!

 

[msinger]

Welcome to the forum, @Sukie!