Prop guards YES or NO

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I'm quite a confident flyer so do the prop guards make a big difference to the way it handles
So do I take them off or leave them on ???
Thanks in advance guys
 
Prop guards are a great way to learn to fly your phantom as you are less likely to break a prop and it does not put the props into the ground if it topples on landing. However they greatly reduce efficiency and mean that the phantom blows around in the wind a lot more. It will also handle a bit more sluggish with them on. IMO use them till your confident then ditch them. That's what I did.
 
Early P1 fliers had mixed opinions about whether prop guards hurt more than they helped. They definitely add weight and also affect how efficiently the quad flies.

The consensus of most of the better pilots was not to use them because they seem to change the air flow near the props causing it to be more turbulent. That's not a good thing, especially when landing when you run into VRS and ground effect.

There's no one good answer for everyone. If you lose confidence without them, keep them. If removing them ends up not affecting your confidence keep them removed.

Without them though, just be prepared to spend (a lot??) more for replacement props... :)
 
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All I can say is if you take them off PLEASE USE THE STOCK (smaller) SCREWS we have had to many people have motor problems ;)
And I'm not a fan of them :D
GL!
 
All I can say is if you take them off PLEASE USE THE STOCK (smaller) SCREWS we have had to many people have motor problems ;)
And I'm not a fan of them :D
GL!
Excellent point.... if you mistakenly use the longer screws, you'll thread the tip of the screw down into the motor's rotor winding and possibly short out the motor(s).
 
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It's possible they may also help reduce or prevent motor pod stress / vibration cracks.

I've had them on since day one and I'm probably above average in flying skills because I've been flying RC about 45 years including helicopters.....and I like flying my other quad copters that have no flight assistance except a gyro. I kind of like the way it looks larger with them too.
I don't seem to have any problems in wind or with power or maneuverability etc but then I've never flown without them so....

Everyone seems to have a slightly different experience. Try it both ways and decide for yourself.
 
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Another opinion (somewhat contradictory to what I stated earlier) is that prop guards offer a form of protection that I hadn't considered before...

When first learning to fly, I considered prop guards because they made tip over landings less likely to damage props.

Now after flying several years, I look back and realize that my only reason for crashing involved getting to close to tree branches, misjudging orientation and mistakenly moving into branches instead of away from them.

Had I had prop guards on.... I probably wouldn't have had any these crashes.

Seems like your dammed if do or dammed if you don't.:rolleyes:
 
Thanks guys for your opinions
I have had time now to try them on and off
Can't say the flying of the drone has made any difference with or without them ,
I think I will leave them on as I have to agree with JKD
It gives the drone some size and also we all make mistakes so tip overs or near trees will help me save a few quid lol
 
I will preach that they are great. I've run into too many things to count. Props are expensive if you have to buy them in bulk, which I would have had to do without them. Without them flights are longer and a bit more responsive.

Everyone who has posted before me has good advice. Not much I can add besides "Yep, they are great if you're going to run into stuff".
 
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Aside from reduced flight time, the only disadvantage I've noticed when flying with guards is a higher propensity for VRS (and some wobble) when descending.
 
I’ll do practically anything to keep weight to minimum so normally no guards.

But if I were doing close flying to buildings/objects and/or tight indoors, I’d seriously consider prop guards. Although for outdoor landscape flying, ‘go with lowest payload weight.
 
I use removable prop guards and usually fly with them on if the wind is gusty as it's more likely to tip the quad during a landing or when I'm letting someone else fly who is not experienced. They do affect how the quad flies, especially in the wind and while landing from a RTH (the quad wobbles a LOT more while descending). It's noticeable, but not harder to fly or anything like that.

The two nice things about removable prop guards is I can make the choice each time I go to fly and can fit the quad into most cases. I just replaced a backpack carry case with a hard case I picked up from Hobby King during their 48-hour free shipping promotion for $40 delivered from China. I can now store the quad with the props on, but I still have to take the prop guards off.

To to answer your question: Prop Guards - both Yes and No!
 
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I use them to try new hardware then off with the thing. When you fly in the slightest wind it causes it to wobble
 
hi everyone -- this is my first post. I am new to quads; at 73 years old, I flew rc for over 60years, but quads are the best! I use prop guards all the time. question: I tie all 4 prop guards with the string- what is it for ?
thanx
 
The strings provide additional stability with the guards. I also wondered what they did. I noticed if they are hooked up correctly it helps stop a perhaps "floppy" effect. Resulting in less stress on the arms. Also if you lose the aircraft, it might help it hang in the trees awaiting recovery!
 
thank you cyberpilot ! your analysis is perfect! when I cartwheel there is no damage. the tight string really makes it bulletproof. I have been flying for 3 months with no broken props ! thanx
 
The string also provides a small barrier in between the guards. I fly with guards and string always. But, then I am using it as an aerial camera, not a stunt chopper :)
 
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The string also provides a small barrier in between the guards. I fly with guards and string always. But, then I am using it as an aerial camera, not a stunt chopper :)

THANK YOU B-SCENE - AT MY AGE I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET !!!
I AM STILL BROKEN PROP FREE ! !!!!!! PAPA JOE
 

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