learning to fly... what are the best drones to cut your teeth on?

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I learned on a hubsan x4. great drone for about $60.

camera quality was abysmal, flight time was about 4-5 minutes, and it was incredibly hard to control the thing with any amount of wind. But that is exactly why i loved it.

cheap, really powerful (for something that fits in one hand), and took a beating like a champ. excellent controller too.

anyway, to the point...

what are your favorite intro-level drones? what kind of experiences, positive or negative, have you found in the under $100 range?
 
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I'm going to propose a software based solution, Realflight. No need to wait for batteries to charge and the flight physics are very well implemented- it is very realistic and you can even set wind and other conditions to test and develop your skills.
 
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I'm going to propose a software based solution, Realflight. No need to wait for batteries to charge and the flight physics are very well implemented- it is very realistic and you can even set wind and other conditions to test and develop your skills.

haven't heard of Realflight. PC/Mac?

the simulator on the Go app is pretty underwhelming, so i'd definitely try it out
 
haven't heard of Realflight. PC/Mac?

the simulator on the Go app is pretty underwhelming, so i'd definitely try it out
It may be on OSX, I run the PC version on MAC in a parallels virtual machine. Having an actual remote in your hands gives you a good opportunity to get a feel for the sticks also.
 
I agree, would just add looking at the X8HC. It is the same bird, but has altitude control. Works very much like the phantom in 'atti' mode.
 
I learned on a hubsan x4. great drone for about $60.

camera quality was abysmal, flight time was about 4-5 minutes, and it was incredibly hard to control the thing with any amount of wind. But that is exactly why i loved it.

cheap, really powerful (for something that fits in one hand), and took a beating like a champ. excellent controller too.

anyway, to the point...

what are your favorite intro-level drones? what kind of experiences, positive or negative, have you found in the under $100 range?

Syma X5C or Syma X8C. Serious fun to fly. These drones are almost indestructable, plenty of cheap repair parts. The X5C is a wonderful bird, I still fly my Symas every now and then. Both cheap on amazon.
 
It may be on OSX, I run the PC version on MAC in a parallels virtual machine. Having an actual remote in your hands gives you a good opportunity to get a feel for the sticks also.
Wow so you can plug in the phantom using USB into the PC and play it? I might give realflight a go tonight [emoji4]

Neon Euc
 
The best type of drone to use to learn to fly is the type that doesn't crash.
 
My first flight was when i slid down the roof of a new house and realize flapping my arms wasn't going to help me from hitting the ground.
 
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