Phantom Newbie Advice

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I've been lurking around these forums for some time and recently decided to join and participate. There is a great deal of excellent information available here for those in the Phantom family. I would advise anyone that's new to search and READ, READ, READ about any questions you might have. Chances are, your question has already been answered, but people are always eager to help here. Kudos to the users that share their knowledge base. We were all NEWB's once!

I've spent the better part of a year researching which 'intelligent quadcopter' I was going to purchase prior to buying the P3A. My primary focus using this platform was getting into a semi-professional photography quad without breaking the bank (and I have no need for 4K Video.) I almost purchased an Inspire, but decided to start my DJI experience with the well-known Phantom first. I have quite a few years in R/C Heli's and quad flying. While I was researching which model I would make a nominal investment in, I also purchased a Syma 8XG to practice with and hoan my quad flying skills without the assistance of smart controls, etc.


P3ASyma8XG.jpg


As you can see, the 8XG is nearly identical in physical size to the Phantom 3. This is truly an excellent investment in a $130 toy grade quadcopter that will teach you how to truly fly a quadcopter of this airframe size without smart assistance. Knowing how to truly fly your quad without relying on the technology to do it for you is something that WILL save your a$$ one day when the technology goes wrong (and it will.) There is something to be learned by practicing with a quad on a breezy day that cannot hold it's own position in space. Simply learning to hover with a 'dumb quad' like this will provide you an invaluable experience to draw upon as you move forward with your skills. You'll also become tethered to your machine because flying Line Of Sight is the only option! If you think you feel anxiety flying your Phantom to 300' now, try doing it with a dumb quad and compare the experience.

For me now, the anxiety comes from the P3A's capabilities to hold it's position without constant stick inputs. The Phantom 3 series fly's beautifully. It's almost TOO EASY to fly, in my opinion. The stick reponses are very sharp. The motor thrust is excellent, and allows an experienced user to recover in a split second. I love the ability to spend a few moments with my attention dedicated to framing a shot versus wondering where the quad is drifting to in the breeze.

I simply cannot recommend enough that people new to the hobby or the world of Smart Quadcopters take their time and step into the technology with baby steps. Learn to fly the right way, THEN allow technology to step in a little. You will be a better pilot, photographer, and a better contributor to the hobbyist community. There are too many people in this world that dump $1000+ on something they have absolutely no experience with. Then we wonder why there are so many mistakes, crashes, near-misses, and the dreaded high-profile media experiences that are nothing but a detriment to this hobby and interest.

Thanks for reading my little rant and happy flying!
 
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Reactions: Reed L
I agree 100% with all of your comments. I think a lot of the phantom crashes are pilot incompetence as they can't actually fly. I graduated from a Syma X8G and have had no problems. The phantom is amazing but we get " blase" and take the mechanical/technology for granted


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
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The phantom is amazing but we get " blase" and take the mechanical/technology for granted
Oh, so true! I still take the 8XG out once in awhile just to sharpen my skills up as it is a completely different flying experience. I think it's great to stay sharp!
 

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