These quad copter things........

[Former Member]

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[Former Member]

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[Frank Skilbeck]

If he wants one that "flys itself" and he just guides it around then something like a DJI Phantom is probably the way to go, but you could go to the other extreme and get a get a Husban Nano which you can fly in your living room, and you have to fly it, no RTH or self land, but chop the power and it falls out of the sky and bounces, £17 from E Buyer

[Former Member]

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[Bravo Delta]

Sounds like he would need a Quad that has features such as the blade 350qx - other makes and models are available with similar features - a search for headless mode and altitude mode hold would bring up some contenders

http://www.quadcopters.co.uk/blade-350-qx-v2-rtf-quadcopter-ready-to-fly-895-p.asp

[Former Member]

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[Dave Bran]

Sounds much more like he's the last person to be let loose with a flying model, no matter how "automated" it might be when correctly managed.

Perhaps "headless mode" (BD's post) is what he might get.

[Allan Bennett]

Return Home, Self Landing, and other such auto-pilot features have been known to fail. So your friend must be willing to learn to fly the thing, so he can hopefully recover it in case of failure of the auto-pilot bit, or at least prevent it from flying uncontrolled into something or someone.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Hi Percy,

if he wants a true "take it out of the box and fly it" experience then the DJI Phantom as suggested by Frank is the obvious choice. It has GPS stabilised mode (a one handed, blind, dipsomaniac with a bad attack of the DT's could fly it) and it comes with camera etc. Cost around £550 upward depending on what extras you fancy.

If he is up for something a bit more flexible - put it together yourself - then a DJI Flamewheel F550 would be good. Bigger and more power. You can get the kit plus a NAZA V2 flight controller and GPS system for £350 from Quadcopters. Add on a GoPro H3 and a gimble and you have a very good drone. You'd have to buy a Tx and Rx for this set up - they are included with the Phantom.

So that sets up a choice between "no hassle out of the box" (Phantom) and something with more longer term potential that he can build on a bit more (F550).

BEB

[Former Member]

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[Dave Bran]

Posted by Percy Verance on 26/12/2014 20:17:02:

Well Dave, he does drive a BMW X5

Ah, all fears confirmed then........................

I do appreciate you are trying to help, but seriously, if he's half as uncoordinated and ham fisted as indicated, then he should not be assisted to be put straight into charge of a device that will bite if not managed properly ALL the time used, i.e. only the RIGHT switches thrown, able to do the right thing when it does not do what's expected, etc, etc, etc..

He's going to do something like mis-operate into "get me home" indoors, and wonder why the ceiling and sheared off blades are falling on him................ (sounds unlikely? well, I know more than one person in my locality who has done that, one a model shop owner!)

Get him as said above a Hubsan nano, let him try at low cost and low risk in the privacy of his own home where he's only going to create minimal damage, and IF he manages that passably well then and only then assist with a bigger riskier model, YOU share the blame otherwise when it goes wrong, (which sounds likely I'm afraid)

[Dave Bran]

Posted by Allan Bennett on 26/12/2014 19:51:44:

Return Home, Self Landing, and other such auto-pilot features have been known to fail. So your friend must be willing to learn to fly the thing, so he can hopefully recover it in case of failure of the auto-pilot bit, or at least prevent it from flying uncontrolled into something or someone.

AMEN.............. +1

[Former Member]

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