I've never flown drones before. The Phantom 3 is out & I pass a kiosk everyday where the sales guy tells me that he recommends the P3 for anyone that hasn't flown a drone (I was interested in the P3). They had the micros and the Hubsan Quads x4 and he said depending on my price point, all would be a good bet. I'm able to afford anything I want (up to a reasonable price) but don't care to waste my money if I get the P3 & it crashes due to being complicated to fly. The guy's in sales so, of course, he'll prefer me to by a P3 Pro or Advanced (I have no 4k so pro is out). Question is this - Is a P3 a viable (wise) option for a beginner that has never flown before? And I was also wondering if the simulator is really a good platform to learn from if I decide for a P3? I can always also just spend a few hours practicing at a low altitude but am a cautious buyer but still care to have fun with drones.
If money is no object, then go for it. If youMy 2 cents, and I'm a beginner: Buy a cheap/cheaper drone first (I bought a UDI 818 for $100) and have been learning the basics. I have extra parts and batteries, and probably about 5 hours total on it. Lots of mistakes, but it's pretty forgiving. I'm getting comfortable flying it the same direction I'm facing or diving into the wind (it's only good up to about 5 mph wind, no gusts). Currently trying to fly it lower and trace the property line, which is harder than it looks. The DJI from what I read is forgiving, but not as forgiving as the UDI, and if the UDI flys away, it's significantly less painful. Once I get pretty good at this, then I'll buy a DJI. (With a TILE tracker on it)
No financial interest in the company but here is the link https://www.thetileapp.com It uses a network of smartphones to receive and forward location info.
The UDI 818 looks pretty nice. Too bad it only has 7 mins of flight time. I like the feature of not having to use the cam if you don't need it and also it can do a 360 flip. I wish the P3 would provide the available of cam or no cam, that kind of stinks.
There are some folks who have started with a P3 - but those are usually people who are technical in nature and careful - as well as good at reading instructions. They are able to succeed because they are patient and will follow all the suggestions and guidelines - as opposed to "seeing what it can do" as soon as they get confident. I think most people will benefit from starting with at least one toy quad. A number of suggested models are here. https://www.droneflyers.com/2014/11/best-quadcopters-for-2015/
Thanks. What do you think of the Syma x86 Venture? They didn't recommend it for beginners but suggested a fy326 that looks a bit smaller. Wouldn't you want to train on a same size model? The Syma x86 venture looks like the p3 but has 1/2 the flight time and costs about $100. What's the difference between a brush motor & brushless?
I haven't seen the Syma fly, but others here likely have. The basic controls for most drones are going to be similar, aka modeled after the classic RC controller. As such, the basic look and feel is similar, but specifics will be a little different. I'm getting better at flying sideways at a distance when I'm not pointed the same direction as the aircraft, and that skill translates well. Brushless motors require a controller that provides an alternating current to the motor, aka more expensive, but no brushes to wear out. A brushed motor is cheaper to build than an ac motor plus the controller, but has brushes that rub on the central shaft of the motor...they wear down after some time. Depending upon a lot of factors, many of the smaller drones will need new motors after 5-50 hours. YMMV. Hope that helps.
https://www.droneflyers.com/talk/threads/is-a-brushless-motor-better-than-a-brushed-motor.754/ As far as which starter toy quad is best - most of them are decent. You can't go wrong with most any Syma model IMHO. Ideally, spending the least amt of money possible is the way to go because you will likely destroy or lose it quite quickly.
What are your thoughts on a Syma X8C Venture? I reviewed a video where the guy stated he wouldn't recommend it for beginners. It looks just like the P3 at a fraction of the cost.
