I want to buy a Drone – advice to buy a drone

So – you and LOTS of other people are interested in entering the hobby, business or pursuit of drones (quadcopters, UAV’s, multirotors, etc.)….

In fact, google now will autofill the query “I want to buy a ….” with the most desire products – as in the screen shot below! It turns out people desire houses, stocks, cars and drones….in that order!

Another indicator of the interest in Buying a Drone is the chart on Google Trends – the following shows the general trending of the term “drone” in searches, news stories and other indicators.

Surf online for information about Buying a Drone and you will literally find millions of words and thousands of opinions on the subject. Most of them are useless or will steer you wrong. This article will attempt to steer you in the right direction as simply and economically as possible. To that end, it contains an Express Version and then a longer version with more detail and links. The Express Version of How to Buy a Drone should do for 80% or more of potential buyers.

Note – this is written for those who have never flown a drone, quadcopter or R/C plane or helicopter…

Express Version of How to Buy and Fly a Drone or Quadcopter – TWO Simple Steps!

I want to buy a drone – what is the simplest, quickest and easiest way for me to get started with drones and quadcopter and determine if I wish to continue and advance in this pursuit?

1. Buy the ebook – or, better yet, the print version of this short introductory book. It contains everything you need to know to get started – and MUCH MORE.

“Getting Started with Hobby Quadcopters and Drones” – on Amazon. You can link there by clicking the title above or use the illustrated box below.

2. Along with the book – or perhaps after you have read the book (if you want to wait until you 100% determine if the hobby is for you!), buy one of these two drones (mini quadcopters) along with the suggested accessories noted:

a. Hubsan X4 (no Camera!) – Quadcopter – this is the link to this machine…or see the picture box below – along with it, buy this item “The Crash Pack” which includes an extra battery, props and shell.
Also buy the Blade Guard at this link – it will help your machine last longer!

TOTAL EXPENSE = APPROX. $70

B. Blade Nano QX RTF
This is the link to the Blade Nano QX RTF – or see the Amazon picture box below. You’ll also want to pick up a couple spare batteries as well. This models comes with propeller guards so no need for an optional one like with the Hubsan X4 above.

TOTAL EXPENSE = APPROX. $120

Ok, get busy and read, buy and fly! One remaining question some of you may ask is why you may want to buy the drone which is more expensive? Although the Nano QX does have some features that the Hubsan lacks, these are not important for beginners – and so the main difference boils down to this – the more expensive Blade Nano QX model provides customer service with an 800 number and real live technicians that answer it. With the Hubsan, you are generally on your own and will need to have any questions answered on our forums or other online sources.

———————–if you want to know more first———————-

Words of warning, though – the more you read, the more confused you are likely to become. The Express Version will have you answering most of your own (and your friends) questions before too long!

Drones to Avoid – it is our opinion that drones controlled by smart phones and tablets are not the proper models to get started with. Control is much less precise and you will be unable to transfer the skills learned to more advanced quadcopters. It’s better to start with a model that has the standard “R/C stick” type of transmitter/controller.

With that said, here are some good links on our site for getting started…

Some of the better first drones

Best Drones for 2014 consideration

Hubsan X4 Review (note – model has been fixed, upgraded and improved since this review)

Syma X1 – another good starting quadcopter (3 axis – see description)

Want to shop even more? Head over to the Amazon Drone Store and see just some of the models available.

Have interest in the DJI Phantom models (flying cameras)? – Although it’s best to start with a toy machine and learn the sticks, here is our current guide to the available Phantom Models. We also recently published a book called Buying and Flying the DJI Phantom Quadcopters.

Questions? Comments? Head over to our forums and sign up or use the Facebook commenting system below. Everyone has to start somewhere and the best pilots and hobbyists are those who pay their dues and start at the very beginning! It will pay you great dividends later!