Which mini training quad to get

Gaelmart · Sep 15, 2014

HI
I'd like to practice with mini quad like HUBSAN X4 or something BUT it must have the same control layout as phantom as I want to get reverse flying second nature. Maybe there all same as phanton, I've never owned owned.
Any recommendations.

DBeard · Sep 15, 2014

I'm pretty happy with my LaTraxx Alias. I burn through those little brushed motors faster than I'd like, but it's a solid little quad that can take a beating.

Meta4 · Sep 15, 2014

No training quad will fly as easily as the Phantom.
"Training" quads might be fun but they really aren't necessary.

smokiespliff · Sep 15, 2014

The Hubsan did the trick for me, same controls. Happy flying!

Mori55 · Sep 15, 2014

Not needed !

DBS · Sep 15, 2014

I don't agree with all the "not needed" posts...

Only you can judge if you have any ability to fly at all... i've seen people take an AR Drone (one of the easiest quads to fly ever) and send that sucker out in the street in busy traffic "by accident" ... or my neighbor who put his right thru a plate glass window :|

Never hurts to get something cheap to get orientation and direction programmed into memory before going with the V+ money...

Grab a Hubsan X4... or if you wanna go a couple steps higher... an RC Logger Eye One Xtreme... for $129 one of the best "trainers" out there , hands down.

Mori55 · Sep 15, 2014

Your not going to find anything easier to fly than the phantom , I wouldn't waste my money on a training quad. IMHO.
First quad I flew was a phantom 1. Just take it easy , how much easier can it be ?

Gaelmart · Sep 15, 2014

When my £1000 phanton is facing me and 1 foot from side impact with wall, I don't want to have to think about which way to put the control stick, I want training to take over. Yes any tit can fly the phantom. I've had it 2km out over mountains having a blast. That ain't the problem or why people smash 'em. Its when it's 2 feet from your face and you panic that's the problem.

Onezerosix141 · Sep 15, 2014

Hubsan or Blade NanoQX. They're great to have around since you can't really fly Phantom inside the house right? And I did have on of those "oh crap" moments where I had to fly manual & I was glad I flew small quad before I got my phantom.
NanoQX is better built than Hubsan.

GoodnNuff · Sep 15, 2014

$69 BNF Blade Nano QX is money well spent, IMO. I love flying this little quad inside or outside on a calm day. And I really honed my skills panning and circling obstacles in the house during the wet winter months when most days were too rainy to fly the Phantom. A lot of fun and small enough to fly anywhere.

goldfinger666 · Sep 15, 2014

Don't get any......arm yourself with a check sheet and find a large clear area to practice in. Go to NAZA mode ASAP.Make
sure GPS mode is on
Cheers

goldfinger666

Mori55 · Sep 16, 2014

Gaelmart said:
When my £1000 phanton is facing me and 1 foot from side impact with wall, I don't want to have to think about which way to put the control stick, I want training to take over. Yes any tit can fly the phantom. I've had it 2km out over mountains having a blast. That ain't the problem or why people smash 'em. Its when it's 2 feet from your face and you panic that's the problem.

So why are you flying near a wall ? Or so close to your self ? Take it out in a open area and practice.

Gaelmart · Sep 16, 2014

West of Ireland. One non-windy weekend day every 3 weeks. Thought I'd get some practice in while watching Downton Abbey.

Mori55 · Sep 16, 2014

Watching Downton Abbey while flying , nice!

Werz · Sep 16, 2014

Meta4 said:
No training quad will fly as easily as the Phantom.
"Training" quads might be fun but they really aren't necessary.

If you have experience with RC aircraft, maybe not. But for someone unfamiliar with the controls, it can be very helpful. It's also helpful to acquire some basic flying skills if you want to fly in ATTI mode, or even if you don't plan to fly in that mode but your GPS satellites blink out.

My Hubsan X4 was very beneficial in learning to fly a quad, and it was nice to make my beginner's mistakes on something less expensive (and more difficult to break) than my P2V+.

Tony McDrone · Sep 16, 2014

Blade NanoQx...parts readily available, repairs are easy, most of them are plug and play. When the motors go out on the Hubsan, what a pain it is to change them out.

nedro018 · Sep 16, 2014

im with the "not needed" folks though i highly respect DBS's enormous amount of postings.

if you find yourself 1 foot away from a wall and "flip out", well, just release sticks and chill for a moment. how easy is that?

i only have about 4 hours phantom time and it was my first copter. after about 1 hour of flying, i uploaded naza-m IOC. hard to believe it wasnt stock. really hard to lose control of the bird with naza-m.

i will add this: buy the prop protectors! money well spent! ive never crashed into anything while flying. where they helped me was landing in high winds which is hard to escape here. the phantom has been "tilted over" upon touch down in high winds at least ten times. no prop chinks/unbalanced props. today, it actually flipped upside down upon landing because it was auto landing itself about 10 meters from home point due to low battery and and wouldnt fly up anymore. when it landed the wind flipped it over. i ran up to it and the props were still trying to turn. i immediately righted it and it was idling. no damage. some say the prop guards "add weight". really? maybe in pylon racing where the purse is $10,000. but not shooting video in windy conditions.

yep. no training copter needed! i still might get a cheapo to fly in the basement though...in case i have an argument with the wife.

DBeard · Sep 16, 2014

Mini quads are fun, besides that I don't agree that the Phantom is the best training wheels. It's too expensive to not already be familiar with reverse orientation.

deejay1947 · Sep 16, 2014

I bought the Phantom first ... flew it for 5 months ... decided to buy a Hubsan X4 ... lost it the next day (the Hubsan). So all that training I had on the Phantom did me no good in learning to fly the Hubsan

BTW ... got another Hubsan on order

nedro018 · Sep 16, 2014

DBeard said:
Mini quads are fun, besides that I don't agree that the Phantom is the best training wheels. It's too expensive to not already be familiar with reverse orientation.

install IOC from day one, learn how to flip the left switch to home lock in case you get disoriented, then pull rt stick back towards you. end of story.

i dont get it. the guy above said he never crashed his phantom then bought a cheapo and crashed it? thought it was supposed to be other way around !

the phantom has been veerrry easy to learn on.