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Just wanted to say hi to everyone on the forum and if anyone has any ideas that i can run with that would be great also,My first question is where is the best place to buy a Phantom and is it a good place to start. Thanks
 
Welcome. this place is a great forum to learn about the Phantoms! (i've certainly learned a lot in my short time here).
just read up all you can.
it definitely is a good place to start if you're new to Quad copters and want to have fun (it certain is for me!)

It appears that the Phantom is "price fixed" (like iPhones,.etc), and all the vendors are selling them for $679
some are throwing in free shipping and/or a free (yet backordered) LiPo battery.

But that said, it's probably more ideal to purchase from a local or closest vendor (provided they DO have it in stock), just in case you need to send it back for service or something, it'll save you in shipping cost and shipping time.

you'll also want to consider purchasing an extra battery if possible, and look into purchasing an extra battery and prop balancer.
 
Mine just arrived from DSLRpros.com.

Fast shipping and right now you'll get a free Phantom OEM battery, although the freebie is backordered.

I ordered 2 extra prop sets as well, which are also, of course, backordered.
 
As to your second question, "is it a good place to start." If you are meaning is the Phantom a good first quad, them I would say maybe. I would probably start with a Blade MQX RTF for under $200. It is a ton of fun and you can learn to really fly.

Once you are adequate at that, get a Phantom. You should be able to resale the MQX, thats how i got started. The Phantom is actually much easier to fly, and it is very tough when you do crash it. But if you have a major crash or a fly away, you just lost $679.
 
Also being a newbie, there is the temptation to fly to high. If you look at most of the crashes, its newbies going to high from the start and end up losing where the Phantom is pointing, etc. Take my advice, take it low, don't go high until you have mastered your Phantom, to many Newbie get to cocky, then crash.

Keep only 4 to 6 feet off the ground to start with, get used to handling it and then only slowly increase the height as you gain more experience. The biggest mistake of Newbie is shoot high up in the air then end up crashing.

While going high may sound great, and easy, it's not. To much can go wrong and you get into different and stronger air currents as you go higher, and can get into updrafts, which can get you into big trouble, so when your learning keep it low.
 
denodan said:
While going high may sound great, and easy, it's not. To much can go wrong and you get into different and stronger air currents as you go higher, and can get into updrafts, which can get you into big trouble, so when your learning keep it low.

again, I disagree. if you're in GPS mode, it's VERY easy to take the Phantom straight up, rotate around to check out the view, and back down.
..flying around at altitude on the hand, is inherently more dangerous. - but does not cause crashes either.

flying around at low altitude with trees and other obstacles is what causes most crashes I'd say.
 
Also the problem you fail to mention, with newbies, sure it is easy getting it up there, but coming down is the problem. As a newbie, it is very hard to judge just how fast it is descending, and it is all to very easy to be coming down to fast causing a crash.

I used to have this problem with my small Quad copters at first. You don't always realize how fast these things are coming down, till it is too late. Look around on You Tube and will see the odd example of this happening.
 
Hey Thanks for all the info,I live across the street from a field that is about 300 yards wide and about 200 yards deep with no trees or wires just a small pond and i agree with what you say about stay low,i don,t plan on going above 6-7 feet high until i get this dji thing down pat.Do you think it,s a smart idea to join a club or just learn on my own?? Thanks again.
 
Wow, plenty of room to practice! lucky.
You'll be up and running in no time. (just stay away from the pond for awhile).

read up all the manuals, watch all the videos. read all these forums. there might be some clubs or local users near you who fly copters. you'll probably want to check out the DJI Phantom owners page on FB, lots of info being shared.

start by flying in GPS, then try ATTI. then learn how to connect the Phantom up to a PC so you can turn on IOC.(which can help save your butt when you start flying further up and away)

Practice flying circles and circle--8s, get the hang of how to fly it both away and coming in towards you, as it can be a bit disorientating at first.
 
Going up and down is fine, but moving in any height, can get very confused as to where the Phantom is, and then you will crash, just look at the many examples on You Tube, most crashes from Newbies, going to high, moving then getting confused. It is not the trees that are always the problem, but not being able to see where your Phantom is, at distance is. Seems to many newbies are in to much of a hurry to go high, so have not learned to fly, so start moving, then crashing. Don't believe, lots of videos of Newbies getting confused in what direction the Phantom is going in, then either hit a tree, or crash into the ground.

Most tree crashes are due to being confused as to height your going, or confused in Direction and nearly all are newbies.

Take it in steps, don't rush it, you will get there. The Phantom costs to much to go out and take big risks before you know how to fly properly.

Also until you can fly Nose into you, don't even go high, else you will get into trouble. Nose in your controls are reversed, so can be confusing. this should be second nature before flying high, get plenty of stick practice in.

Practice going away from you, coming back, moving left right, slight turns, figure 8 etc, then when you can do this well, then try having the front towards you, and coming towards you.This can be scary as your control is reversed, but trust me, when flying nose in becomes easy, then flying at height becomes easy. Just going up and down is the easy part, moving at height is a different story. To many newbie take straight off and go right up before any flight experience and You Tube is full of these foolish people and crashing often.
 
Are there any PHANTOM pilots in the state of CT? Im located near two clubs but nobody with a quad copter,in fact they fly indoors once a week in a gym which sounds good to get to hover.
 

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