My experience with prop guards

Fine. You're still wrong because you didn't qualify your statement by clarifying in close proximity to tree trunks rather than branches.

I can do this all day. I'm very attention to detail oriented.
OK your right-- don't stress out over it-- :D:D
 
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Dont stop now guys, Im sat here wondering what type of tree this is over... And its age. If were getting into specifics it all counts :) - Adam
 
Attaching prop guards most certainly changes the flight dynamics of the drone. They may add a little bit of security but I don't think they are worth the downsides. They often appear in your video and add unnecessary weight to the drone. I bought a pair but never used them. I would rather practice flying and becoming a better pilot.
 
I'm the OP. Nice little war of words there. I was amused. :)

I just took mine off as well. I found the wind drag was too much-slowed down the drone too much. Trying to fly it often so I get used to the controls better and flying in windy conditions a little so I can get a feel for it too.
 
Guys guys guys! Enough!
Now about guards there are two basic types. The easy off clip and the screw on. The easy off ones are that and I got some. Have had the screw on on my P2. The screw ons are a bugger if you want them off (logical) because you need time, fiddle around and the original screws. Don't use the guard screws when they are off they will intercede with your motors.
The easy on/off are good but if you damage one you have to buy a full set and they are expensive compared to the screw ons.
The lesson (not sermon) Flight Plan, think ahead, practice. If your newbie then try the guards, then once you understand landing (on flat area) take them off.....
Happy flying
Oh and I leave my clip ons on to travel to brace the copter in the car. When I fly I take them off, simple.
Cheers
 
Other than providing a false sense of security, I think they're worthless. I've had some on my P3P and they got in the way of the camera. They also seemed to make my phantom sluggish and they sure as hell didn't help when I went into some branches.

If you're flying inside and the only thing you risk hitting is a 90° wall then maybe they'll do you some good. Otherwise, save your money.
 
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I have flown 20-25 flights without prop guards. I have flown 5 flights with prop guards. Maybe not a great number but I do have opinion.

I've flown around my house with wind and without wind. The prop guards for sure drag your drone down to a lower speed. With a tail wind I noticed I was getting 40-45 mph without prop guards on. With prop guards about 25-30 mph. If that's a big deal to you? No prop guards.

When you accelerate, the prop guards get in the way of your camera. (I don't have mine set to above 0 horizon) and several other times (turning) I noticed the prop guards were in the camera view. If you care about your video, don't use prop guards.

I have crashed my drone several times without the prop guards on and actually ruined one drone. So here's my final analysis:

If you are just starting out with drones and learning how to fly them? For sure get prop guards. They will save you getting a replacement drone like I did.
If you want to treat your drone like a toy and be a little careless and reckless with it, get prop guards.

If you will treat your drone with kid gloves and take off and land carefully and only fly in the open (not near trees) you will probably not need prop guards.

I hope this helps someone new to the forum like I was 2 weeks ago. Please post your thoughts.
Gary

Prop guards are for noobs. Thought not confident in their landing skillz afraid they may tip over and hit a prob. Or people who carelessly fly their Phantom's too fast beyond their means in close quarters and wind up in a hedge. Fly in the open, within your flying capabilities, and know your orientation such as when the Phantom is facing in to you and left becomes right and so forth.
The Prop guards can protect you you are flying in close quarters and bump a wall, and they will help save props in tip overs. They also make the Phantom a larger more visible object in the sky. They do however add additional drag which in turn reduces flight performance and battery life, not to mention they get in the way of pics and videos unless you're pointing your camera down and away to compensate. In my openion they're not worth it. If you're a new pilot use the simulator and only fly in an open field. Learn to hand catch / take off if concerned with tip overs.
 
Prop guards are for noobs. Thought not confident in their landing skillz afraid they may tip over and hit a prob. Or people who carelessly fly their Phantom's too fast beyond their means in close quarters and wind up in a hedge. Fly in the open, within your flying capabilities, and know your orientation such as when the Phantom is facing in to you and left becomes right and so forth.
The Prop guards can protect you you are flying in close quarters and bump a wall, and they will help save props in tip overs. They also make the Phantom a larger more visible object in the sky. They do however add additional drag which in turn reduces flight performance and battery life, not to mention they get in the way of pics and videos unless you're pointing your camera down and away to compensate. In my openion they're not worth it. If you're a new pilot use the simulator and only fly in an open field. Learn to hand catch / take off if concerned with tip overs.

Couldn't give AF how noobish they are, and im 100% confident in my landing skills. If im flying with people in the vicinity and my drone goes batshit crazy which it very well could I would rather have a propguard hit someone as opposed to a fast rotating blade, common sense - Adam
 
Prop guards are for noobs. Thought not confident in their landing skillz afraid they may tip over and hit a prob. Or people who carelessly fly their Phantom's too fast beyond their means in close quarters and wind up in a hedge. Fly in the open, within your flying capabilities, and know your orientation such as when the Phantom is facing in to you and left becomes right and so forth.
The Prop guards can protect you you are flying in close quarters and bump a wall, and they will help save props in tip overs. They also make the Phantom a larger more visible object in the sky. They do however add additional drag which in turn reduces flight performance and battery life, not to mention they get in the way of pics and videos unless you're pointing your camera down and away to compensate. In my openion they're not worth it. If you're a new pilot use the simulator and only fly in an open field. Learn to hand catch / take off if concerned with tip overs.
In your opinion-- maybe not so much in others-- tell that to all those using prop guards who have a lot of flying experience with Phantoms-- it is all a matter of preference and has absolutely nothing to do with flying skills. As far as reducing battery life, that is pure nonsense.
Cheers:)
 
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I was contemplating the removable prop guards as serving dual purposes. They have a component that is semi-permanantly attached under the rotors thus providing additional support and perhaps preventing stress cracks. If I wanted to fly close to buildings and such, being able to bounce off that building without breaking props is good. Just another piece of kit to have available when situations warrant. For the price, why not?
 
Okay! Red is forward. Enough said. I can see the bird's orientation at 400'. I know we can look down and see the arrow but i like to look up. Also i bought a flying camera so speed is not much of a consideration. I also fly higher to not piss off the wildlife (Neighbors) so my camera is pointing more down not as much even, so i very seldom see them.
 
In your opinion-- maybe not so much in others-- tell that to all those using prop guards who have a lot of flying experience with Phantoms-- it is all a matter of preference and has absolutely nothing to do with flying skills. As far as reducing battery life, that is pure nonsense.
Cheers:)

Prop gards = added weight, more drag = slight reduction in battery life, not to mention flight performance. It's not nonsense it's fact.
 
Prop gards = added weight, more drag = slight reduction in battery life, not to mention flight performance. It's not nonsense it's fact.

Ben-- any "facts" that supports the battery formula advanced in your post -- for added weight, more drag= "slight reduction in battery life-- I have never seen.

Educate me??

Also if that were the case, then any experience Phantom pilot would never use them, Some do and some don't, so I don't believe we can consider battery life reduction as a reason not to use them. I don't use them all the time, but I do use them when the situation calls for it -- so I can see your side of the issue also.

I have found in my RC experience which spans a few years and various battery powered RC aircraft including quad copters, that lipo battery life is very much dependent on how low the battery is discharged, how many times the battery is cycled, and most important, the rate of discharge, as well as voltage levels and temperatures when they are stored--

IMHO, those prop guards do not produce enough extra drag and extra weight to be any kind of factor on the battery discharge rate which could have an effect on the battery. Prop guards for Phantoms have been around since Phantom 1. Some people like them, some don't, I understand your preferences on not using them -- and that is purely preference -- if you want to think it somehow reduces battery life-- so be it--then that is fine also-- but to state that as fact, is a stretch.

Safe Flying--Cheers:)
 
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Use them if you want, don't use them if you don't want to... whats the big deal?
 
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I'm the op. I was just trying to give back to the forum my experiences. That's what forums are for-to share experiences.

It is a fact for me that it slowed down my drone with them on. Maybe you don't fly for speed and I usually don't either but it sure is fun to see that thing fly across the sky at 45mph!

EDIIT: With a tail wind!
 
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I'm the op. I was just trying to give back to the forum my experiences. That's what forums are for-to share experiences.

It is a fact for me that it slowed down my drone with them on. Maybe you don't fly for speed and I usually don't either but it sure is fun to see that thing fly across the sky at 45mph!

EDIIT: With a tail wind!

Yep, I've flown my Phantom 2 Vision with and without prop guards, as well as other quads with and without, and those things as insignificant a difference as someone would say they make, absolutely do make a difference for the worse in overall flight performance, which includes drag, weight, overall speed. And beside that I don't like them getting in way of the camera view. It's simply not needed, with the possible exception of flying in close confined quarters where you're high risk of hitting something or someone. Anyway I removed the prop guards from the P2V in short order and will never be using them on my P3P.

To each their own, if you wish to fly with them there's absolutely nothing wrong with that and it's probably for the best if you're a brand new / inexperienced pilot. Just know there will be a slight reduction in overall flight performance and possibly flight time (however insignificant) as a result of using them, not to mention them getting into camera view when you're pointed straight ahead.
 

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