Asked a Thousand Times

[phelos]

Hello Everyone,

I know this has probably been asked many times, so here's many and 1.

I am completely new to the multi-rotor world but would like to buy one. I don't want to buy one that I will out grow quickly, but am looking for one that will keep me occupied for awhile. Hopefully I will get some responses and I know there will probably be questions for me, and I will have lots of questions. Looking for patient ppl to help me cause I am a newbie on this.

Thanks for your time

 

[tahoelight]

Start small, you will never outgrow it, but you will build or buy another. Basically, your first one WILL crash. Make sure parts are easy to source. I still have all of the pieces and parts from my first build and still use them to build trainers or goof around quads. Don't spend too much on your first build, but do buy quality gear so you don't spend more time than needed chasing ghosts that make a MR fly with stange characteristics that can never be solved. An f450 sure seems like a good start to me, although I have never owed one and I am not crazy abut DJI stuff, they are basic, parts are everywhere and fairly easy to learn to fly with.

 

[phelos]

Ahhhh thank you tahoelight I looked at the arf550 but a little too rich for my blood right now. Any other brands or models you or anyone would recommend? Also is there anywhere to get the arf450 already assembled cause not sure I could assemble one right now, and I'm assuming it doesn't need all the bells and whistles either, just a basic MR.

 

[FlyGirl]

Ahhhh thank you tahoelight I looked at the arf550 but a little too rich for my blood right now. Any other brands or models you or anyone would recommend? Also is there anywhere to get the arf450 already assembled cause not sure I could assemble one right now, and I'm assuming it doesn't need all the bells and whistles either, just a basic MR.

Hi Phelos I finished building a DJI 450 Flame Wheel with NAZA-M Lite with GPS about two months ago. Cost about $400 for the frame kit and the NAZA. I've never crashed it but it seems pretty robust and it was pretty easy to build (I do have an RC background though). Of course you need a radio system as well so add some money there too. You can buy a DJI Phantom for $469 ready to go or a Blade 350 QX RTF at the same price but I have no idea how sturdy they are. Most of the other larger RTF or ARFs are pretty expensive as you are paying someone to build it for you. You can do what I did as well and that is to buy one of the cheap small quads (there are many) and learn to fly on those. They are pretty hard to break because they weigh just about nothing so they are great to learn how to fly on. I started with a Walkera Ladybird micro quad, a Syma X1, and a WL Toys V-959. I still fly all three of those because they are fun to fling around. Just some thoughts....

 

[PeteDee]

Buy the biggest baddest radio you can afford and then grab a small quad that will work with it, you will buy many more MR's and use them with the same radio.

Highly recommend a DX7s or DX8 and an mQX to start with.

Pete

 

[FlyGirl]

Buy the biggest baddest radio you can afford and then grab a small quad that will work with it, you will buy many more MR's and use them with the same radio.

Highly recommend a DX7s or DX8 and an mQX to start with.

Pete

+1 to what Pete said.... That's a perfect combo to start with.

 

[janoots2]

I would highly suggest an AGL Hobbies frame. Affordable, durable, fixable, growable.

 

[CdA D]

Buy the biggest baddest radio you can afford and then grab a small quad that will work with it, you will buy many more MR's and use them with the same radio.

Highly recommend a DX7s or DX8 and an mQX to start with.

Pete

I agree, but get the DX8 or DX9 if your going to go with Spektrum. They should handle anything that you might ever want to do with a mulitrotor. Make sure if you get the Blade MQX that it is the, Bind and Fly. The DX8 is the only Spektrum Tx that is sure to work with FatShark FPV "Head Tracking" at this time.

 

[Ironzey]

I would agree with the suggestion to start small. A few months ago I picked up a Syma X1 from Amazon for just a little under $40. It was the best money spent on at multirotor. It may not be as agressive as some of the others out there but for a beginner it is totally worth what I paid for it.
http://www.amazon.com/Syma-Channel-...e=UTF8&qid=1381256175&sr=8-2&keywords=syma+x1

After getting bit by the bug I got an already made DJI 450 (clone) off eBay and proceeded to crash this one at every chance I got. If I hadn't started with the smaller one my flying would be a lot worse. Do yourself a favor and start small.

 

[Kilby]

Ahhhh thank you tahoelight I looked at the arf550 but a little too rich for my blood right now. Any other brands or models you or anyone would recommend? Also is there anywhere to get the arf450 already assembled cause not sure I could assemble one right now, and I'm assuming it doesn't need all the bells and whistles either, just a basic MR.

I say this with all due respect, but if the 550 is too rich for you, consider another hobby. 3 years ago I thought I could build my first tricopter by investing a weekend of time and a few hundred bucks. Since then, I don't even want to know how many thousands upon thousands of dollars I've spent, and I'm conservative compared to a lot of people on here. It never stops, there is always something else to buy.

Do your research up front. The copter is just the beginning. Then you have to have batteries and chargers and more batteries and radios and FPV gear etc, etc. The cost of an ARF is just a drop in the bucket, so be warned. It's addictive and never ending!

Otherwise, welcome to the club! ;-)

-Terry

 

[FlyGirl]

It's addictive and never ending!

Otherwise, welcome to the club! ;-)

-Terry

Truer words have never been spoken! A Syma S107 begat a Syma S033 which begat a Nine Eagles 228P which begat a TRex 450 which begat a Walkera Ladybird quad which begat an Art Tech Falcon 400 which begat an Art Tech Firefox which begat a Nine Eagles 270 which begat a Blade SR which begat a Syma X1 quad which begat a WLToys v959 quad which begat an MJX F45 which begat a Walkera V400D02 which begat a Syma S33 which begat a DJI 450 Flame Wheel with NAZA-M Lite and I've been adding all sorts of stuff to that (Replay HD camera, LEDs, tall skids, props, FatShark v2 FPV, batteries, polarized antennas). Time period for all that stuff? 15 months... LOL! I need help!

 

[phelos]

Thank you Flygirl, PeteDee, Janoots2, CdA D, Ironzey, and Kilby for your input, very helpful to me. Flygirl, there was a lot of begatin goin on there lol, and Kilby appreciate your due respect.

 

[Mr. T]

had to laugh

A Syma S107 begat a Syma S033 which begat a Nine Eagles 228P which begat a TRex 450 which begat a Walkera Ladybird quad which begat an Art Tech Falcon 400 which begat an Art Tech Firefox which begat a Nine Eagles 270 which begat a Blade SR which begat a Syma X1 quad which begat a WLToys v959 quad which begat an MJX F45 which begat a Walkera V400D02 which begat a Syma S33 which begat a DJI 450 Flame Wheel with NAZA-M Lite and I've been adding all sorts of stuff to that (Replay HD camera, LEDs, tall skids, props, FatShark v2 FPV, batteries, polarized antennas).


:highly_amused: Had to laugh, I'm reading Genesis right now where it's speaking of all the "begatin" chapter 6. This is my first post. I dont have a mutirotor yet. I'm getting a lot of info on this thread.

 

[Mr. T]

My second post. I have been bitten badly. I went to Canada and met a guy who had a six rotor dji, with fat shark, naza, gps, video broadcasting with a laptop that he programed way points, altitude, and a remote video monitor that showed what he was looking at with the gimble and gopro. The moment he landed he walked over to his Nexus tablet and replayed the video he just made at that moment. You know what REALLY was crazy about it? The wind was blowing somewhere between 25 and 35 miles an hour and the dang thing hovered and flew like it was a still quiet Sunday morning. Occasionally one side would dip slightly with a strong gust. At that moment, I felt like I just dropped out of the trees and evolved.

I like the recommendations so far. I will read this forum completely before asking questions. Thanks everyone for the input to this OP.

-Terry

 

[FlyGirl]

A Syma S107 begat a Syma S033 which begat a Nine Eagles 228P which begat a TRex 450 which begat a Walkera Ladybird quad which begat an Art Tech Falcon 400 which begat an Art Tech Firefox which begat a Nine Eagles 270 which begat a Blade SR which begat a Syma X1 quad which begat a WLToys v959 quad which begat an MJX F45 which begat a Walkera V400D02 which begat a Syma S33 which begat a DJI 450 Flame Wheel with NAZA-M Lite and I've been adding all sorts of stuff to that (Replay HD camera, LEDs, tall skids, props, FatShark v2 FPV, batteries, polarized antennas).


:highly_amused: Had to laugh, I'm reading Genesis right now where it's speaking of all the "begatin" chapter 6. This is my first post. I dont have a mutirotor yet. I'm getting a lot of info on this thread.

Oh my god, somebody understands my jokes! I don't know if that is a good or bad thing for you Terry! LOL! Welcome! BTW, the ability to fly in winds is one of the things I like best about MR's. I get so much more stick time with them than I do with my helis.

 

[CdA D]

My second post. I have been bitten badly. I went to Canada and met a guy who had a six rotor dji, with fat shark, naza, gps, video broadcasting with a laptop that he programed way points, altitude, and a remote video monitor that showed what he was looking at with the gimble and gopro. The moment he landed he walked over to his Nexus tablet and replayed the video he just made at that moment. You know what REALLY was crazy about it? The wind was blowing somewhere between 25 and 35 miles an hour and the dang thing hovered and flew like it was a still quiet Sunday morning. Occasionally one side would dip slightly with a strong gust. At that moment, I felt like I just dropped out of the trees and evolved.

I like the recommendations so far. I will read this forum completely before asking questions. Thanks everyone for the input to this OP.

-Terry

Do A LOT of research and ask A LOT of questions before you buy. We are here to help, but in the end you make the final decisions. TAKE YOUR TIME! As stated in previous blogs here, start with a small quad and learn to fly. I like the Blade MQX bind and fly. You need a Tx, so buy one that will work with whatever you work your way up to.