I wasted my money

[DroneGuy555]

Unfortunately, If you ever watch Drone U, they speak of Dart Drones.. And actually have a video of Dart Drones doing a training class in controlled airspace (Paul spoke about this specifically on Drone U).. I guess Paul reported them... Have heard nothing but bad things, and actually have avoided all of Dart Drones training classes due to bad reviews. I look for training classes with my "work" and try to attend them to keep my training up and current..

PS: Check on Youtube.. look for Drone U, they have what's called a "Fly In" all the time. Which includes obstacle courses, smooth and fluid drills, search and rescue utilizing Thermal cameras, and find and locate articles with numbers on them and report numbers back to judges.. Its a 3 day course and done professionally.

(Just for training info, if someone wanted it)

I looked into that before taking a class with them and they had the propper waivers to fly there. I wanted to make sure they knew what they were doing before I signed up but I was happy with the training.

 

[Southern Style]

??????

Join date today......... hmmmmmm....

 

[Southern Style]

I looked into that before taking a class with them and they had the propper waivers to fly there. I wanted to make sure they knew what they were doing before I signed up but I was happy with the training.

The video shown on date and check of waivers showed otherwise....

Not my fight..... just opinion.. to each his own... ....... KIRK OUT....

 

[Schnauzergeek]

I'm not sure what annoys me more, the company that took your $500 or the people on this thread that are shaming you for paying. The road that I took when I first started was purchase an app called QuadcopterFX simulator on my phone and practice on it while I was waiting for my Phantom4 to be delivered from Amazon. By the time the Phantom4 arrived I had become very familiar with basic controls and have never even had a near accident outdoors. To keep my flying skills honed, I purchased a $35 nano drone from Hubsan that I fly indoors and is much harder to control than a DJI drone.
Just a little friendly advice.

 

[Hjones62]

Lol, looks like someone made some pretty decent money off of You. Next time Youtube works and its free!!

 

[DroneGuy555]

^^^
If that doesn't sound like a sales pitch
3 posts and all raving about a business that has the worst reputation. hmmmm

No sales pitch, just searching the company and came across this today and thought it was only fair to give my insight as well.

 

[DroneGuy555]

Searching the company? And you already took their class?
whatever

I'm looking to pick a field to go into and I saw they had other classes. I'd ask you all your advice but clearly, I'm in the wrong here. It is a forum after all where people can offer different opinions.

 

[DroneGuy555]

Well you beat me to it. You started an introductory thread now.
Most people don't just jump in praising something that's the best thing since peanut butter and jelly
You'll find more answers and help here that dart drones

I really didn't think I was praising it that much. I just said I had a good experience and enjoyed it myself. Doesn't mean everyone has to. I think it would be unfair to both the users on this forum and the company if I didn't provide my feedback.

 

[Southern Style]

I'm not sure what annoys me more, the company that took your $500 or the people on this thread that are shaming you for paying. The road that I took when I first started was purchase an app called QuadcopterFX simulator on my phone and practice on it while I was waiting for my Phantom4 to be delivered from Amazon. By the time the Phantom4 arrived I had become very familiar with basic controls and have never even had a near accident outdoors. To keep my flying skills honed, I purchased a $35 nano drone from Hubsan that I fly indoors and is much harder to control than a DJI drone.
Just a little friendly advice.

Can't agree more.. I got a $35 indoor drone with controller and beat the snot out of it in the house.... learned drone orientation and stick movement.. best training is actual flying.. love that lil thing. Still fly the tar out of it when its raining and i am stuck in the house.... lol...

 

[SteveP55]

I know it's frustrating while trying to learn about the drones but I must agree with the 99% on here, I knew nothing until I bought my first DJI Phantom 3 Advanced drone, I watched and downloaded at least 40 You Tube videos on all the settings and how to use the settings, Then I found this great site with great people who will FOR FREE help newbees learn the how to's of the Drone world. Since my first drone I now own a P4 and I love them both, once you get it all figured out, it's a cinch and when something arises your not sure about, there is Phantom Pilot.com, I sincerely hope you can get your money back, but I wouldn't count on it.
Happy Flying
SteveP55

 

[BigAl07]

Ok folks this is getting silly.

A) I'm VERY disappointed in some of you almost "attacking" a new member to our forum for expressing an opinion which happens to differ from yours. I dare say some of you might not be on this forum today if others had come at you like you just did this new member DroneGuy555. We are MUCH better than this.... and to you @DroneGuy555 I apologize on behalf of the forum. I hope we treat you better than this moving forward.

B) Some people need (and pay for) structured hands-on training. Believe it or not, not everyone is comfortable learning life from YouTube. Some people learn better in a real life hands-on environment and should not be shamed for doing so. Shame on each and every one of you who jumped on that band wagon.

C) Not every class member will get the same experience from the same instructor. Sometimes it just isn't a good match up and sometimes the instructor is just not up to par on the task at hand. That doesn't make the whole school/course bad (or a scam) and I sincerely hope DartDrones will give the OP a full refund to make things right.

D) I've been an R/C Flight Instructor for decades and still do this every week for HIRE. There is a HUGE difference between "watching YouTube and firing up your UAS" and having a qualified, experienced, and understanding person there live to walk you through training, questions, and emergency scenarios. What we teach in 16 hours would take months to work up to on your own. Just because you charged your battery, hit the LAUNCH button, and hovered your UAS around the neighborhood does not make you a proficient and experienced UAS operator.

Disclosure: While I still teach one-on-one hobby flight most of my current instruction is in the Public Safety aspect of UAS operations.

I sincerely hope that going forward we treat new members better, don't shame members for seeking out structured training, and don't be so quick to jump on the "shaming" bandwagon against our fellow members.

Sincerely,
Allen

 

[len750]

I really wish he would of simply asked if $500.00 is a good price to pay to learn to fly a drone. Asking is free by the way. Just ask!

 

[Kamloops]

Love this forum so wanted to share this. Its not a rant but I feel strongly about it. I recently paid $500 to DartDrones for a 1 day class on flying basics and info for my P4. They claim "As seen on Shark Tank" and I indeed did see it there. But when I sent them a poor review and copied in Mark Cuban, the investor, he actually responded that they did not make a deal. Yet the company continues to use this as a marketing ploy. The class was taught by a EMT guy from Central Florida and lifetime RC hobbyist. Great. But they provided NO materials, no copies of their charts (overheads), no written materials, and essentially nothing but my own notes. Which were hard to take because this guy spoke so fast and didn't leave the overheads on the screen for very long. I sent a long letter to the company and have heard nothing back. When I asked the onstructor if there were handouts he said there were not "because every instructor uses their own materials." Huh? The overheads were all stock materials. I would NOT recommend anyone spending money on this. Its a complete waste.

A fool and his money are soon parted.

 

[Tony Cowan]

Love this forum so wanted to share this. Its not a rant but I feel strongly about it. I recently paid $500 to DartDrones for a 1 day class on flying basics and info for my P4. They claim "As seen on Shark Tank" and I indeed did see it there. But when I sent them a poor review and copied in Mark Cuban, the investor, he actually responded that they did not make a deal. Yet the company continues to use this as a marketing ploy. The class was taught by a EMT guy from Central Florida and lifetime RC hobbyist. Great. But they provided NO materials, no copies of their charts (overheads), no written materials, and essentially nothing but my own notes. Which were hard to take because this guy spoke so fast and didn't leave the overheads on the screen for very long. I sent a long letter to the company and have heard nothing back. When I asked the onstructor if there were handouts he said there were not "because every instructor uses their own materials." Huh? The overheads were all stock materials. I would NOT recommend anyone spending money on this. Its a complete waste.

Since you are spending it like that. I only change $299 a day and will make sure you know what you are doing.

 

[Signal Tracer]

I'm not sure what annoys me more, the company that took your $500 or the people on this thread that are shaming you for paying. The road that I took when I first started was purchase an app called QuadcopterFX simulator on my phone and practice on it while I was waiting for my Phantom4 to be delivered from Amazon. By the time the Phantom4 arrived I had become very familiar with basic controls and have never even had a near accident outdoors. To keep my flying skills honed, I purchased a $35 nano drone from Hubsan that I fly indoors and is much harder to control than a DJI drone.
Just a little friendly advice.

For my atti practice I use a Syma X-8c. Stripped down, they're a nimble piece of work. Tough case, good, cheap motors and parts are so cheap, I keep a stock of them. For inside flying, I like the JJRC H-20.

 

[mickyparise]

Ok folks this is getting silly.

A) I'm VERY disappointed in some of you almost "attacking" a new member to our forum for expressing an opinion which happens to differ from yours. I dare say some of you might not be on this forum today if others had come at you like you just did this new member DroneGuy555. We are MUCH better than this.... and to you @DroneGuy555 I apologize on behalf of the forum. I hope we treat you better than this moving forward.

B) Some people need (and pay for) structured hands-on training. Believe it or not, not everyone is comfortable learning life from YouTube. Some people learn better in a real life hands-on environment and should not be shamed for doing so. Shame on each and every one of you who jumped on that band wagon.

C) Not every class member will get the same experience from the same instructor. Sometimes it just isn't a good match up and sometimes the instructor is just not up to par on the task at hand. That doesn't make the whole school/course bad (or a scam) and I sincerely hope DartDrones will give the OP a full refund to make things right.

D) I've been an R/C Flight Instructor for decades and still do this every week for HIRE. There is a HUGE difference between "watching YouTube and firing up your UAS" and having a qualified, experienced, and understanding person there live to walk you through training, questions, and emergency scenarios. What we teach in 16 hours would take months to work up to on your own. Just because you charged your battery, hit the LAUNCH button, and hovered your UAS around the neighborhood does not make you a proficient and experienced UAS operator.

Disclosure: While I still teach one-on-one hobby flight most of my current instruction is in the Public Safety aspect of UAS operations.

I sincerely hope that going forward we treat new members better, don't shame members for seeking out structured training, and don't be so quick to jump on the "shaming" bandwagon against our fellow members.

Sincerely,
Allen

Well said. Some people.....smh

 

[normr]

Just to let everyone know who is considering buying a DJI product and you need a little help, go buy it at www.enjoy.com, which is the company Ron Johnson started after he left as the head of Apple Retail, you pay the same price, they deliver your product and help set it up and give you an hour of instruction if they are in your area.

 

[Fishie]

So sorry that happened man!!

Was this class online or in person?

I am super impressed that you snagged Cuban's email address! How did you manage to do that?!

 

[normr]

I'm looking to pick a field to go into and I saw they had other classes. I'd ask you all your advice but clearly, I'm in the wrong here. It is a forum after all where people can offer different opinions.

Where are you located, if you're near me in South Florida, you're more than welcome to come fly with me, I'd be glad to help you learn. As many have said, spend and evening watching YouTube videos, in fact I've added the you tube app on my smart tv and my (Roku) and I can watch full screen YouTube videos on my 60" tv,

 

[Fishie]

I'm confused...I just looked up their Policies online on dartdrones.com and despite a rediculous cancellation policy I found this paragraph.

"DARTdrones will not copy or distribute our teaching slides, however, students will be given various supplementary learning materials and guides upon taking the course"

Found it here: DARTdrones Class Policies - DARTdrones