Quad copters?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I am kind of jonesing for a quad copter with a camera.  I'm not sure if I want to plunk down $300 for a Parrot AR Drone or build my own from a kit that I can upgrade and maybe hang my GoPro from.

Does anyone have any experience with quad copters and could help me out?

Def

[dks]

I was looking at quads the other day... nearly bought this one: (may still get it)
http://www.[url=http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,55947.0.html]SPAMCORP.com/Wholesale-WLtoys-V959-2_4G-4-Axis-4CH-RC-Quadcopter-With-Camera-Mode-2-p-59263.html[/url]



This site is suppposedly well regarded for helicopters. You can buy 5 with $300 
I saw a bigger one being used on Top Gear.
I have a small experience with RC helicopters and it seems that the more money you spend the easier it is to steer properly. The last one I played with was around $100 and was tiny, but good.(silverlit) Now it is not working - not charging so maybe we need a new battery.

[Sazabi]

One of my dad's coworkers has a Cinechopter (I think that's the model), or is thinking of upgrading to a Cinechopter, once he gets the hang of his "cheap" (in comparison) model - he's crashed it hard a couple times, but has gotten good footage from it.  The downside, though, is that the GoPro he has mounted to it keeps on deleting information from it; it'll say it's recording, but when he gets home, the card is empty. :/

[PTRSAK]

To get something that will carry a GoPro you will need a decent size Quad. At this size anything that is RTF and has flight stabilization will be pretty expensive.

I fly Fixed wing, Helicopters and Quads. The quads fall somewhere between planks and heli's in how hard they are to fly.

The thing with Quads is that they can be moving in any direction unlike a plane and because they are symmetrical, even with different colour legs and props, orientation is the thing that will get you.

If you think $300 is pricey, you wait and see the cost of building a decent size quad with good quality components. Also, the AR you fly with your phone/tablet, a "real" quad you need radio gear too.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yeah, all of that is pretty well why I was thinking I will probably just stick with the Parrot.  My boss has one I may play with for a bit to see if it's something I want to drop the money on.

Def

[Sazabi]

To get something that will carry a GoPro you will need a decent size Quad. At this size anything that is RTF and has flight stabilization will be pretty expensive.

I fly Fixed wing, Helicopters and Quads. The quads fall somewhere between planks and heli's in how hard they are to fly.

The thing with Quads is that they can be moving in any direction unlike a plane and because they are symmetrical, even with different colour legs and props, orientation is the thing that will get you.

If you think $300 is pricey, you wait and see the cost of building a decent size quad with good quality components. Also, the AR you fly with your phone/tablet, a "real" quad you need radio gear too.

Very much so; the Cinecopter Don's looking at runs about $15,000, if memory serves, though it might still be slightly too small/not enough depth for the camera he'd mount to it.

[MadPlumbarian]

On another forum, some one has built a couple of theses things, one with a camera that he's taken videos of, and I even saw a video from some one else of a quad copter aircraft carrier, pretty neat, can land on water! I have three r/c cars sitting in the basement(not radio shack) one which is gas, but since I've moved I can't run them any where that I know of, and the gas one has a 4 channel air controller in it, these things look interesting, not sure where I could fly it but I've always wanted a helicopter! JR

[PTRSAK]

I've heard flying a RC heli described as being like driving a RC car with your left hand and playing a video game with your right...  When I was learning, I would have said that was understating the facts...

This guy knows a thing or three about quads, have a look at some of his other videos from the ship. Way cool.

This vid has a price breakdown of a quad especially built to fly with FPV (first person view) and GoPro.



apparently there IS a reason he records in the shower...

[Grant Lamontagne]

Another good reason to stick with the Parrot- I really don't need another costly and time consuming hobby!   

Def

[derekmac]

Oh why not bump this up a little, eh.

My wife bought me a quad for Christmas.  It's a Sky Viper V950HD.  It's fairly easy to fly, and takes a half decent video.

Here are some clips of my first flights with it.  Just ignore the crashing.

[tattoosteve99]

Well we can have them here is the US but now you have to register with the FAA. Pfft I'll get one on the black market lol

[Grant Lamontagne]

Well we can have them here is the US but now you have to register with the FAA. Pfft I'll get one on the black market lol

Here you need a license if the quad is over a certain size.  Most consumer (toy) type quads are excluded.  I'm surprised that's not the same where you are too.

Derek- you are going to get some cool aerial shots when you go wheeling!  I'm looking forward to seeing them!

Def

[SteveC]

Congrats on your new toy Dmac !     

[Gareth]

That looks like a lot of fun. 

You weren't filming any skiing though, were you?

[derekmac]

I do want to try it when out wheeling!  It came with an extra battery too, and I can also charge it in the Jeep if needed.

The Pipeline is nice and open, and we're running it on Jan 1st, so as long as the weather is good, I'll probably bring it along.

[derekmac]

That looks like a lot of fun. 

You weren't filming any skiing though, were you?

My lawyers have told me not to answer that question.

[captain spaulding]

Well we can have them here is the US but now you have to register with the FAA. Pfft I'll get one on the black market lol

Here you need a license if the quad is over a certain size.  Most consumer (toy) type quads are excluded.  I'm surprised that's not the same where you are too.

Derek- you are going to get some cool aerial shots when you go wheeling!  I'm looking forward to seeing them!

Def

I think we just passed the registration law for (I think) drones over a 1/2 ounce. Not sure if it went into effect yet.

[tattoosteve99]

Well we can have them here is the US but now you have to register with the FAA. Pfft I'll get one on the black market lol

Here you need a license if the quad is over a certain size.  Most consumer (toy) type quads are excluded.  I'm surprised that's not the same where you are too.

Derek- you are going to get some cool aerial shots when you go wheeling!  I'm looking forward to seeing them!

Def

I think we just passed the registration law for (I think) drones over a 1/2 ounce. Not sure if it went into effect yet.

Not sure either. I think it should be required if they go up to a certain height and should be for adults or at least supervised for children.

[captain spaulding]

Well we can have them here is the US but now you have to register with the FAA. Pfft I'll get one on the black market lol

Here you need a license if the quad is over a certain size.  Most consumer (toy) type quads are excluded.  I'm surprised that's not the same where you are too.

Derek- you are going to get some cool aerial shots when you go wheeling!  I'm looking forward to seeing them!

Def

I think we just passed the registration law for (I think) drones over a 1/2 ounce. Not sure if it went into effect yet.

Not sure either. I think it should be required if they go up to a certain height and should be for adults or at least supervised for children.

Everything you need to know from the source.


https://www.faa.gov/uas/registration/faqs/

[Grant Lamontagne]

From above:

Q14. Is there a weight limit on what requires registration?
A. All owners of small UAS weighing more than 250 grams (0.55 lbs.) and less than 55 lbs. must register using this new system
Q15. Do children's toys need to be registered?
A. Not if they weigh below 250 gm/0.55 lb. or less. Most "toys" the FAA has identified at a purchase price of $100 or less have been determined to weigh less than 250g. You can find more information in this Recreational UAS Weights document (PDF).

I'll have to see what my quad weighs, but I don't think it's very much.

Def

[derekmac]

Right now, in Canada, as long as you are not using it for work and it weighs less than 25kg, it doesn't have to be registered, and you don't need a permit.  You have to stay 9km away from an airport, can't fly over 90m high, and it has to stay within sight.

Now, the place I intend to use mine to film offroading is literally just off the end of a runway.    Mine also only has a 200 foot range, so I don't think I have to worry about getting in trouble.  I'll also not be flying high at all.

[Chako]

I have stayed well away from quads because I can't seem to fly them using Phoenix model flight simulator software.

But if anyone is interested in getting into RC airplanes/copters, this is probably one of the best flight sims that use a real RC controller.

http://www.phoenix-sim.com/default.asp

I bring mine out on occasions to treat my class to some flight sim time.

[matzesu]

I also have a tiny Quadrocopter i like to fly
Its an Hubsan X4 whit a camera i ditnt used yet..
But it flys werry well even outside and its fits in a palm
J
Its also great to fly indoor and its werry tought ..

[Grant Lamontagne]

That is a pretty cool little quad.  I've been tempted to get a smaller one for indoor flying but with two large dogs and a cat it seems like a recipe for disaster.

Of course I also thought about a bigger, heavier one for outdoor flying as the Syma X5C that I have gets blown around quite a bit.

Def

[Grathr]

I just got a similar one for christmas. Nice littel flyer

[matzesu]

Well these things are easy to fly, not realy expensive bretty thought and quite fun..

I also flu outdoors whit it, but it need loots of free space so you always can land even its too windy..

Also its great to put in the back on bycicle to fly whyle you make some rests..

[derekmac]

I really want to use it while off-roading.  Tried it a bit on our last run, and am pretty happy with the results.  I'll work on getting action footage next.

[Gareth]

Looking good buddy.

[SteveC]

Looking good buddy.

+1   you should add some music for a soundtrack

[derekmac]

Looking good buddy.

+1   you should add some music for a soundtrack

Thanks!!

I need to look into music that YouTube won't block.