• Scam Alert. Members are reminded to NOT send money to buy anything. Don't buy things remote and have it shipped - go get it yourself, pay in person, and take your equipment with you. Scammers have burned people on this forum. Urgency, secrecy, excuses, selling for friend, newish members, FUD, are RED FLAGS. A video conference call is not adequate assurance. Face to face interactions are required. Please report suspicions to the forum admins. Stay Safe - anyone can get scammed.

Getting back into RC flying (maybe)

Right, radio programming. I forgot all about that. I kinda kick myself for selling all my gear but maybe tech has improved?
I know that gyros were just starting to appear on the scene back in 2012 now they seem to be commonplace.
 
DavidR8 said:
Right, radio programming. I forgot all about that. I kinda kick myself for selling all my gear but maybe tech has improved?
I know that gyros were just starting to appear on the scene back in 2012 now they seem to be commonplace.
Click to expand...

I haven't flown with a gyro, but your right it seems everything has one now

Even the radios in 2012 were pretty slick, my newest one is maybe slightly newer than that, a pretty fancy fly sky, that said, the stuff from AliExpress is pretty nice, and 1/4 the price of futaba
 
I had a Futaba that was far more capable than its owner. I haven't looked at anything yet. Don't want to jinx my chances of getting in.
I am looking forward to some bonafide instruction.
 
DavidR8 said:
I am looking forward to some bonafide instruction.
Click to expand...

I don't think with foamies this is as necessary as it was with balsa, foam aircraft take such a beating that balsa never could. I don't even know if those buddy boxes/trainer boxes are a thing anymore.

You already have a slow foamie, you just need practice and the orientation becomes second nature, you won't even think about it after a little bit of stick time, don't get to hung up on instruction
 
I actually don't have any planes at the moment. Not sure what I'd get for a first plane.
 
DavidR8 said:
I actually don't have any planes at the moment. Not sure what I'd get for a first plane
Click to expand...

I would look at an elite apprentice, I would not spend any money on a rudder only plane, you will outgrow a rudder only plane very very quickly
 
DavidR8 said:
The thing I really struggled with was orientation. I'm sure that's the same for everyone.
Click to expand...

Yes. Certainly for me. I focussed on putting my head inside the chopper on RC Sim and it was ok after I clobbered that.

My very first plane was a Balsa Corsaire kit plane. I never flew it. Instead it hung from my bedroom ceiling till I got married and moved out. After that there were a few cheap RCs. When battery choppers arrived, I wanted one but couldn't fly. I got RV Sim and like David I learned a lot from that - mostly the "touch".

A while later, I got my first bird - a 250 class sweetheart. I got it cuz it was known to behave - and so it did. Never looked back. All my birds are 3D Collective but I don't fly 3D. My biggest is a 450 - nice bird. None are under 250g. :mad:
 
Doggggboy said:
I'm pretty sure it isn't the experience you're looking for but have you had any experience with the DJI style drones or mini drones? Throw in a pair of FPV goggles and it's like being in the air.
Click to expand...
I haven't but that is an interesting idea.
 
DavidR8 said:
I haven't but that is an interesting idea.
Click to expand...
I am blind in one eye so judging depth of field while flying is always problematic but I find it much easier with the goggles, more fun to fly and easier to see as you're not trying to squint into the air to see the drone or squint at the screen on a bright day. The DJI stuff can be pricey but there are plenty of cheaper options if you go FPV.
Far fewer restrictions if you stay under the weight limit of 250g as well.
The drones are tiny, too. I have a bag smaller than a lunch box that holds the drone, three batteries, the standard joystick controller, the goggles and a second controller more like a pistol grip as well as spare props and a couple of cables. Shoots 4k video or stills. GPS will hold stable position on a day windier than I like to be outside.
 
Doggggboy said:
I am blind in one eye so judging depth of field while flying is always problematic but I find it much easier with the goggles, more fun to fly and easier to see as you're not trying to squint into the air to see the drone or squint at the screen on a bright day. The DJI stuff can be pricey but there are plenty of cheaper options if you go FPV.
Far fewer restrictions if you stay under the weight limit of 250g as well.
The drones are tiny, too. I have a bag smaller than a lunch box that holds the drone, three batteries, the standard joystick controller, the goggles and a second controller more like a pistol grip as well as spare props and a couple of cables. Shoots 4k video or stills. GPS will hold stable position on a day windier than I like to be outside.
Click to expand...
What do you have?
 
Fpv brings up some extra rules, you need to have an observer, I don't believe being under 250g exempts this from the current regulations, if you care that is


@DavidR8 I can't open that link for some reason, could be because of the wifi on the ship, but from the link it looks to be the one I was referring to

You can also run fpv on a fixed wing if your into that
 
phaxtris said:
Fpv brings up some extra rules, you need to have an observer, I don't believe being under 250g exempts this from the current regulations, if you care that is


@DavidR8 I can't open that link for some reason, could be because of the wifi on the ship, but from the link it looks to be the one I was referring to

You can also run fpv on a fixed wing if your into that
Click to expand...
Right FPV requires an observer.
Definitely not looking to skirt the rules as that doesn't help anyone in what seems like a pretty fragile regulatory environment.
 
Doggggboy said:
I'm pretty sure it isn't the experience you're looking for but have you had any experience with the DJI style drones or mini drones? Throw in a pair of FPV goggles and it's like being in the air.
Click to expand...

I had a DJI phantom for crop surveillance. It was awesome. Piece of cake to fly. Great photos and video.

Never tried the FPV Goggles. The video displayed on my phone. Almost as good.

One day, it divorced me. It stopped listening to anything I said and just headed out across Lake Erie never to be seen again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top