Question about drones..
- Thread starter BillyBoot
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I never owned a drone before but I am seriously thinking about getting a DJI Phantom 4 standard real soon.
Just FYI, I recently bought my first REAL drone, a Phantom 3 Pro, on eBay. It took a couple of weeks of watching them as I narrowed what features I wanted, what accessories, and what condition would work for me. I watched the auctions of about 35 aircraft before I jumped into the bidding. Very pleased with my purchase. Am now just reading up and playing with the Litchi app on my tablet as the weather gradually gets acceptable to fly. Good luck to you!
The more I been looking the more appealing the "Mavric Pro" looks for its portability..
The "Phantom 4" has a better camera and a few more minutes better air time but the "Mavric Pro" is soo much more compact and not as bulky...
You can pretty much put the "Mavric Pro" in your pocket and its easier and faster to set up also.
The "Phantom 4" has a better camera and a few more minutes better air time but the "Mavric Pro" is soo much more compact and not as bulky...
You can pretty much put the "Mavric Pro" in your pocket and its easier and faster to set up also.
dirkclod
Premium Pilot
The Mavic is a little bit bigger than you seem to think .There's more to it than you think .
Look in our Mavic forum and also maybe our Spark forum and just do some reading and
you will see .
Look in our Mavic forum and also maybe our Spark forum and just do some reading and
you will see .
While I have to admit I LOVE my Mavic Platinum I wouldn't say it would fit in my pocket but it will fit in an Old School leather shaving pouch (I know this to be fact LOL).
If I were just starting out I might opt for a Phantom3S to get my feet wet and not invest too much $$ up front.
I would go to YouTube and query ALL the “drone crash” video. Most crashes are due to operator error. Learn from others, NOT from experience.
Secondly, read ALL you can on the FAA site to understand the regulations and why they exist.
Thrdly, follow the rules so that we all don’t end up losing more flying privileges.
Finally, be aware that you will need some computer/technical skills to keep your software updated and in sink.
If any of these sound too restrictive ... don’t get a drone.
BTW ... I think the drone is a great supplement to a regular camera (see: www.schundlerphoto.com) and if you accept the rules/guidelines, you will enjoy it
Secondly, read ALL you can on the FAA site to understand the regulations and why they exist.
Thrdly, follow the rules so that we all don’t end up losing more flying privileges.
Finally, be aware that you will need some computer/technical skills to keep your software updated and in sink.
If any of these sound too restrictive ... don’t get a drone.
BTW ... I think the drone is a great supplement to a regular camera (see: www.schundlerphoto.com) and if you accept the rules/guidelines, you will enjoy it
Gotta say, I like the new BillyBoot. Your first thread sounded like a 5th grader that didn't want to listen to his parents. Certainly doesn't sound like the case now. Good job.
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Hey there,
I like the suggestion to buy something inexpensive and make your first mistakes with that. This is what I did. I flew it, broke it more than once, replaced parts that were a lot less expensive than Phantom parts are, and when it finally didn't come back one day (no return to home feature? Don't fly it too far), it was time to upgrade to a phantom.
That said, I have crashed my Phantom more than once and have replaced the camera/gimbal package twice @ $350 each. So reading guidelines and following rules is something you always want to keep in mind, or you will pay for it.
Above the clouds (from the other thread): one easy way to get this in the city is during a foggy morning. Depending on your area, you might be able to find a hill in the area that is above those clouds (fog == clouds at ground level). Remember that the 400 foot elevation rule is 400' above ground level (meaning your take off point, probably about where you are standing). So if you're taking off above the clouds, you're not breaking the rule. Consider this image:
The drone was legal where this shot was taken (the image is cropped for you forensic experts). But if I flew out closer to those buildings, I would get farther from the hill I was standing on and therefore over 400' feet above the ground at the foot of the hill and beyond.
Another thought: just because you live in a city doesn't mean you can't take a drive out of it. Go to places of elevation to see if you can find a place above the clouds, where you can still follow the 400' rule.
Chris
I like the suggestion to buy something inexpensive and make your first mistakes with that. This is what I did. I flew it, broke it more than once, replaced parts that were a lot less expensive than Phantom parts are, and when it finally didn't come back one day (no return to home feature? Don't fly it too far), it was time to upgrade to a phantom.
That said, I have crashed my Phantom more than once and have replaced the camera/gimbal package twice @ $350 each. So reading guidelines and following rules is something you always want to keep in mind, or you will pay for it.
Above the clouds (from the other thread): one easy way to get this in the city is during a foggy morning. Depending on your area, you might be able to find a hill in the area that is above those clouds (fog == clouds at ground level). Remember that the 400 foot elevation rule is 400' above ground level (meaning your take off point, probably about where you are standing). So if you're taking off above the clouds, you're not breaking the rule. Consider this image:
The drone was legal where this shot was taken (the image is cropped for you forensic experts). But if I flew out closer to those buildings, I would get farther from the hill I was standing on and therefore over 400' feet above the ground at the foot of the hill and beyond.
Another thought: just because you live in a city doesn't mean you can't take a drive out of it. Go to places of elevation to see if you can find a place above the clouds, where you can still follow the 400' rule.
Chris
Do they set restrictions on these drones right out of the box?
The Mavic Pro has a range of 7km ( 4 mile ) range.. Will I be able to fly my drone within that range? or are these drones restricted to 500m?
If I buy a drone for $1000 I want the full potential of it.
The Mavic Pro has a range of 7km ( 4 mile ) range.. Will I be able to fly my drone within that range? or are these drones restricted to 500m?
If I buy a drone for $1000 I want the full potential of it.
I would agree with LarBear and others, while there is the occasional hardware-related failure, the vast majority of issues/failures/crashes/MIA's can be traced back to operator error. A significant number of those situations can be traced back to newbies with not enough understanding/experience/flight time/ intelligence in possession of their first drone.
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The 500m limit is altitude, not distance. You can still as far out as you have signal (and can see the bird with your eyes per FAA guidelines) as long as you stay under the local altitude limits (400' AGL in the states, but a hard wired 500m limit on some birds).
My first drone was the Phantom 4, I have never had any issues with it, I follow all of the rules and I still had a good time. Be responsible follow the rules , take the time to read the manuals and you will be fine just as I was. For me it is the most expensive toy I have ever owned so I was very nervous and I still am nervous to some degree. The software interaction with the drone is very feature rich. Make sure your device (what ever it is) can adequately handle those features.
One thing I have not seen on this thread, although I may missed it, is that DJI has, according to a reputable repair service has deemed the Phantom series as a EOL series.
EOL as in End Of Life! Parts are supposedly very scarce as I am into my 6th week of waiting on parts.
That's what I'm told.
slkfis
EOL as in End Of Life! Parts are supposedly very scarce as I am into my 6th week of waiting on parts.
That's what I'm told.
slkfis
