# Quadcopter's



## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Anyone get a quadcopter for Xmas? Or already have one?

Maddeningly addictive...


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## Guest (Dec 30, 2015)

i want one with built in hd camera :yes: , but i want a lot of things and cant have them all :sadwalk: ..........so i settle for watches :thumbsup: ..oh but i really do want a quadcopter :biggrin: they give a whole new perspective on the world


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## jsud2002 (Nov 7, 2015)

My stepson bought a frame last year to build his own then bought the remote control and a hd camera and has been unfinished and untouched for about 8 month... Yup he got himself a girlfriend and now doesn't have the spare cash to finish his build.


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## Guest (Dec 30, 2015)

jsud2002 said:


> My stepson bought a frame last year to build his own then bought the remote control and a hd camera and has been unfinished and untouched for about 8 month... Yup he got himself a girlfriend and now doesn't have the spare cash to finish his build.


 if he is getting rid of his girlfriend give me shou...., i mean if he is getting rid of the copter thingy give me a shout :laugh:


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## Krispy (Nov 7, 2010)

I'd love one but I know I'd just end up crashing the best part of a grands worth of gear.






I remember watching on the BBC some time ago people we're making DIY video headsets, like VR goggles, that let you see through the drone's camera in real time as you flew it - First Person Viewing - now that would be fun!


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Been a bit too windy to take it outside just yet, but got the hang-ish of the basics.

also seem to have a lot of footage of a rapidly-retreating cats arse for some reason! :laugh:


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## Krispy (Nov 7, 2010)

ESL said:


> Been a bit too windy to take it outside just yet, but got the hang-ish of the basics.
> 
> also seem to have a lot of footage of a rapidly-retreating cats arse for some reason! :laugh:


 Which model did you get?


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

I'd like a robotic bee with a HD (with audio) cam and perpetual power source. It would need a good deal of storage space for the information I would have it gather.

It would have to have a competent AI system linked to a phaser bank to take out people I don't like.

I'm so sick of people p1ssing me off!

Call me Dave or Vlad, or Ange, Heaven forbid I will be Donald. :wink:

In answer to the OP, no mate, my eyes aren't up to the job.


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## Guest (Dec 30, 2015)

Stan said:


> I'd like a robotic bee with a HD (with audio) cam and perpetual power source. It would need a good deal of storage space for the information I would have it gather.
> 
> It would have to have a competent AI system linked to a phaser bank to take out people I don't like.
> 
> ...


 :laugh: :thumbsup:


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Krispy said:


> Which model did you get?


 Cyma X5C. My boy got it for me as he knows I'm a gadget fiend. Not cheap but not expensive either and remarkably competent. Has an HD still and video camera of sorts, which can be removed if wanted.

Mind you, don't get me started on battery life. I'll quite happily have a firm disagreement with anyone telling me my smart watch can't last a working day, but this bloody thing chews though a battery in about 7 minutes!


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## Krispy (Nov 7, 2010)

I'm also not far from the flight path for London City Airport, the planes descend and fly along the estuary near me before looping round into docklands. I took this coming back from Aberdeen a while ago - my place is at the far tip of the town.










I can see that me + high altitude drone = a slot on the 9 o'clock news and something resembling US Airways Flight 1549!


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## SBryantgb (Jul 2, 2015)

For our American follows.... don't worry the CAA will shortly follow suit

http://www.infowars.com/that-drone-under-your-christmas-tree-will-have-to-be-registered-with-faa/


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Yes, I can see how that might be embarrassing.

i think I'll learn the ropes bothering the cat and then move on to a little "squirrel watching". If the wind drops, who knows? I might even get to see what state my TV aerial is in!



SBryantgb said:


> For our American follows.... don't worry the CAA will shortly follow suit
> 
> http://www.infowars.com/that-drone-under-your-christmas-tree-will-have-to-be-registered-with-faa/


 The CAA have already issued guidance (rules really) but most of them don't apply if your drone does not have a camera or video capability. I suppose it's only a matter of time before registration of larger drones is necessary though.


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## Krispy (Nov 7, 2010)

ESL said:


> Cyma X5C. My boy got it for me as he knows I'm a gadget fiend. Not cheap but not expensive either and remarkably competent. Has an HD still and video camera of sorts, which can be removed if wanted.
> 
> Mind you, don't get me started on battery life. I'll quite happily have a firm disagreement with anyone telling me my smart watch can't last a working day, but this bloody thing chews though a battery in about 7 minutes!


 Looks like very good value - shame about the battery life. What's the picture quality like? There's one hell of a blond living near me - 7 mins should do it! :laugh:


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

I think the battery life is probably par for the course, not really up on quads so don't know. Other small ones I have seen seem to be in the same ball park.

video is not bad at all. For the price you don't get streaming over wifi or anything fancy like that, it saves to a micro- SD card. But it's only really an entry level thing so I can live with that.


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## Krispy (Nov 7, 2010)

Cheers - seems like a good place to start. You've got me looking now!


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## Docta13 (Nov 18, 2012)

How funny is this, I just ordered mine this morning I will reserve judgement till I get it


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## Krispy (Nov 7, 2010)

SBryantgb said:


> For our American follows.... don't worry the CAA will shortly follow suit
> 
> http://www.infowars.com/that-drone-under-your-christmas-tree-will-have-to-be-registered-with-faa/


 While I worryingly find myself agreeing with a lot of what Mr Jones has said (shouted) over the years, I'd say it makes sense for some kind of regulation over a device which could quite possibly cause a risk to human life / privacy.


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Loads of vids on YouTube about flying the Syma. It's a hoot, but like watches, likely to get very expensive if it gets its hooks in you!

:thumbsup:



Docta13 said:


> How funny is this, I just ordered mine this morning I will reserve judgement till I get it


 We may have to form another club...

:blind:


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## Docta13 (Nov 18, 2012)

I live in the middle of nowhere so flying is quite straightforward there are a few rules in place but common sense is the way forward



ESL said:


> Loads of vids on YouTube about flying the Syma. It's a hoot, but like watches, likely to get very expensive if it gets its hooks in you!
> 
> :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


 I'm in

Check out any phantom 3 videos on YouTube, that's what turned me. Lol


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## lewjamben (Dec 4, 2007)

ESL said:


> Cyma X5C. My boy got it for me as he knows I'm a gadget fiend. Not cheap but not expensive either and remarkably competent. Has an HD still and video camera of sorts, which can be removed if wanted.
> 
> Mind you, don't get me started on battery life. I'll quite happily have a firm disagreement with anyone telling me my smart watch can't last a working day, but this bloody thing chews though a battery in about 7 minutes!


 Now look what you've made me do @ESL! I've gone and bought a Syma X5SC-1!

I had absolutely no interest in them until I read this thread then started looking on YouTube.

I've gone for an orange one so I'm less likely to lose sight of it in our grey skies!


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Oops... Sorry mate! Good idea about the orange though!

:laugh:


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

wow


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## Raptor (May 1, 2010)

I have two and they are great fun little things.

The first one is a Hubsan X4 and is really well made and feels sturdy. When flown it is easy to control. The second I bought recently from banggood and is a H8 mini and cost the princely sum of $1.99 delivered due to a pricing error on their site. The H8 is a completely different beast altogether, when flown it is very quick to respond to inputs and has a very cool feature when you press down the direction stick it beeps and then just flick the stick quickly and the H8 does a super quick flip.

As pointed out though the battery life is short (7-8 mins)and charging times between flights long (45 mins roughly), that said spare batteries can be bought cheap enough.


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

What are Banggood like as a supplier? Reliable, fast?

I notice that a few suppliers have a pack containing 4 (or more) batteries with a dedicated charger that will take all the batteries on charge at the same time. Looks like a relatively cheap way of getting more flying time. 

The Syma has a similar function to make it flip as well, just push a button and flip the stick hard over to execute a perfect 360 flip. I also like that it has a "headless" mode, which makes life a bit easier when learning to fly the thing.


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## hughlle (Aug 23, 2015)

ESL said:


> What are Banggood like as a supplier? Reliable, fast?
> 
> I notice that a few suppliers have a pack containing 4 (or more) batteries with a dedicated charger that will take all the batteries on charge at the same time. Looks like a relatively cheap way of getting more flying time.
> 
> The Syma has a similar function to make it flip as well, just push a button and flip the stick hard over to execute a perfect 360 flip. I also like that it has a "headless" mode, which makes life a bit easier when learning to fly the thing.


 Cant say they are fast. i bought a torch off them a week or 2 before christmas, it hadnt arrived by the time i left to go to my parents just prior to christmas. hopefully it is waiting for me when i go back to london. They are good at emails though, I get an absurd amount of advertising/promotion emails from them.


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

most defiantly an evolution from the 'rubber band air plane models" and deserving of forum -- wow


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## dobra (Aug 20, 2009)

French TV channels use them a lot for regional and travel documentaries. Excellent merging between ground based cameras and the flight based one. Soaring up in front of a church and showing the roof in seconds make the film seem almost 3D. Local video clubs should use these to expand their repertoires of programmes and competitions.

Mike


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## Raptor (May 1, 2010)

ESL said:


> What are Banggood like as a supplier? Reliable, fast?
> 
> I notice that a few suppliers have a pack containing 4 (or more) batteries with a dedicated charger that will take all the batteries on charge at the same time. Looks like a relatively cheap way of getting more flying time.
> 
> The Syma has a similar function to make it flip as well, just push a button and flip the stick hard over to execute a perfect 360 flip. I also like that it has a "headless" mode, which makes life a bit easier when learning to fly the thing.


 I find banggood just like the rest really, as long as you don't mind waiting a few weeks its fine, I shop with banggood, aliexpress and fasttech and never had a problem with any of them.


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## davethepitch (Jan 7, 2016)

I have been into quadcopters for years and ordered from many places but with the tightening up of regulations I have dropped from an ZMR250 FPV to a Blade Glimpse using my Spektrum DX8 and i can use my Android phone for the FPV transmission from tje built in WiFi and for how much chance I get fly the Glimpse suits me.

Dave


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## dobra (Aug 20, 2009)

Watch it !

http://www.snotr.com/video/16704/Robotic_Falconry_-_Drone_Catcher_System_for_Removing_the_Intruding_Drones


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## hughlle (Aug 23, 2015)

dobra said:


> French TV channels use them a lot for regional and travel documentaries. Excellent merging between ground based cameras and the flight based one. Soaring up in front of a church and showing the roof in seconds make the film seem almost 3D. Local video clubs should use these to expand their repertoires of programmes and competitions.
> 
> Mike


 This. I couldn't care less about flying one for the sake of flying one. I'll just buy a kite for a fiver. If I got one it would be for video purposes and as such would be something frighteningly expensive with significant range, altitude, and payload capabilities.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Had a couple for Crimbo....a Hubsan FPV x4 which is about 5" across and has a small video camera mounted inside it, and a Skydrone Pro v2 which is like the Syma...in fact I think they're identical. The Skydrone is much bigger than the Hubsan and can take stills as well as video. Suprisingly, the Hubsan was the more expensive model, but that, I'm sure, is because the money is in the controller which has a built in 4.5" screen. The Skydrone uses your smart phone to display what it's looking at via an app.

I initially learnt to fly them both indoors, which was a bonus because I could really hone my flying skills...though I must admit, the Skydrone has smoothed most of the Artex off my lounge ceiling! I'm still finding it difficult to fly both via FPV (First Person View ie. as if you were actually sitting in the cockpit) needing to keep my eye on the drone rather than watch the screen, but I'm sure this will improve with time. I have taken them both to work and flown them in the paddocks, which, after the confines of a room was easy.

Both of these drones are entry level items, and are not GPS controlled, so flying the things and trying to take a decent pic is quite a challenge. If I really get into it, I wouldn't mind gearing up to the DJI Phantom, which is GPS contolled. Once it has established its initial GPS co-ordinates, it can take off, and when you let go of the controls, it will hover in position, allowing you to concentrate on taking the pics. It will automatically compensate for any wind pressure, adjusting its position to remain stable. Should it go out of range, or get a low battery, it will automatically return to its original position and land itself. Will get some pics up shortly...(of the drones...haven't done any aerial shots yet!)


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

This is the Hubsan FPV x4










And this is the Skydrone Pro v2










...and the DGI Phantom 3


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

This very interesting, could there be Police drones to support the Coppers?

Most of my torches have an "SOS" function?

A victim who has such a simple torch may easily be able to summon help in that case?

WTF am I thinking?

Drones for the public good? That would have to be voluntary by "concerned members of the public". :laugh:


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

A couple more pics of my drones...I still haven't mananged to get out side with them apart from one outing at work...it's been either too wet or too windy. Will try to get some aerial pics when the weather improves.

This is the little Hubsan...

















The Hubsan with the Skydrone...









The Skydrone...









And this is a real dinky one...still got a camera in it, though...


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