Should you learn to fly a drone with an expensive one?

[lad63]

I have never flown a drone before. I'd like to learn, so I bought a Phantom 3 advanced on Amazon but after I ordered it, I read advice in some threads here to learn to pilot drones using cheaper ones, so that, if there's an error or a situation develops that you don't know how to quickly get out of, you lose $100 instead of $700.

That made sense to me. I have not opened the drone yet, and it's not too late to return it for a refund.

Should I?

Can I learn to fly using the expensive one, so that if something happens I'll know how to save the drone -- and even more important, not hurt anyone with it or cause damage? Or is it a better idea to send it back and get a starter one, and if so, which one? Thanks in advance.

 

[Budman]

send me your P3A and i'll send you a cheap one.

 

[Advexure]

It's really going to be personal preference and what you feel you'd be most confidence in doing.

We see many first time drone pilots start with $1000+ platforms and we've also seen dozens start with the Inspire ($4k+ platform). Any other the smaller drones perform way differently than DJI drones as they simply don't have the technology for position hold. You are constantly fighting to keep some of the cheaper drones in the air and flying level. This can be good practice but it's also important that a DJI Phantom or any other DJI drone performs quite a bit differently and is far easier and more reliable.

 

[Budman]

Joking aside, once you read through everything and ask more questions it's easier to fly a P3A than a cheap one.
You'll only regret spending $100 on a cheapo and it will sit in the closet

 

[msinger]

If you want to learn how to fly a Phantom, then you should fly a Phantom. Those cheap quads might help you improve your reflexes, but they won't teach you how to fly a Phantom. If you're worried about crashing, fly in beginner mode in a wide open location (with no trees or other obstacles) until you're comfortable flying.

 

[lad63]

Ok, thanks, I wasn't taking into account the different performance.

 

[turbmeister]

Best learn to fly drone . parrot mambo my friend.


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[Philltayl]

The P3S is an entry level 'smart' drone. Read what you can and digest it.

 

[sea cooter]

I'm ancient and I started out with a P-4. I'm intentionally going low and slow. As soon as I'm confident I'll go higher and further--I'm in no rush to advance from Beginner's Mode..

 

[JMische]

I started with a P4P..had never flown any drone prior. I don't think you need to waste your time and money fooling around with a cheaper copter. I've really enjoyed my P4P

@Advexure you guys have been great..thank you for all of your help

 

[L3thalB3ard]

I'm ancient and I started out with a P-4. I'm intentionally going low and slow. As soon as I'm confident I'll go higher and further--I'm in no rush to advance from Beginner's Mode..

It's easier to fly high than low..


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[drm]

I never flew before getting my P3P just over a year ago. Just go slow, avoid risks, etc. until you are comfortable. For me, it was months before I disabled the 500 meter range limit. Only last week did I achieve one mile range for the first time. And....be sure to practice in atti mode in a wide open area.

 

[mmtphoto]

Everyone's different, but for me, getting a little cheap drone and developing the 'muscle memory', I think, makes a difference if flying close to objects or flying with the bird pointed at you. Movements are more reflexive and you react more quickly in tight situations. I got my P3S for Christmas 2015 and have over 200 flights and about 230 miles on it, no crashes and I do fly it in very tight locations in atti mode, so it served me well practicing on a Hubsan X4 (about $50 with a decent toy camera to boot) in the house in January and February of 2016 when I really couldn't fly much anyway. A Phantom is very easy to fly when it has good GPS lock and the compass is properly calibrated, but you should have the skills to fly it without those aids since they can and do not work as they should sometimes.

 

[LoneDrone]

If you want to learn how to fly a Phantom, then you should fly a Phantom. Those cheap quads might help you improve your reflexes, but they won't teach you how to fly a Phantom. If you're worried about crashing, fly in beginner mode in a wide open location (with no trees or other obstacles) until you're comfortable flying.

What he said.


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[ftttu]

I had two gyrocopters which probably helped me when I went to the Phantom, so I'm not discounting non-GPS or sensored hovering aircraft experience. You already have that experience so go for the Phantom.

Watch many several YouTube videos, read the manual, and read forums like this one before your first Phantom flight. It isn't even close to rocket science, but there is a learning curve like anything which takes mental and physical coordination.

Since they take off and land automatically, they hover in place when you let go of the controls, and they return to home and land automatically with the push of a button if you get into a hairy situation, it is hard to go wrong with a Phantom.

Of course, you should have self confidence, reasonable intelligence and common sense, but again, it ain't rocket science.