Am I Missing Something?

[HiDesertHal]

There are several Quadders who talk about "Building" or "Rebuilding" their quads.

Doe this mean that off-the-shelf birds are not good enough?

Hal

 

[roger jones]

I am having a go at building to try to learn more about how the drones work. Rebuilding or modifing my drone is close to the same feeling for me.

Fun and learning are close companions for me.

 

[Jackson]

Building made more sense in the past, these days there are many fine, priced right Buy & Fly quads to choose from. Eachine was pretty much the first company to see where the market was going and what folks wanted and reponded. Starting with their Racer 250, then the Falcon and finally to the well received Wizard 220. Even that loudmouth Stewart gave the Wizard the DRONE OF THE YEAR AWARD 2016. For the most part UAV Futures is all about ready made quads and he's making a nice chunk of change with that approach.

 

[Spork]

I think one reason to build is sometimes it can be significantly cheaper to build vs. buy. But along with Jackson's point, some quads don't make sense to build from a cost savings perspective - that's when the fun, learning, getting exactly what you want kicks in as Roger mentions.

 

[mozquito1]

If I build my own I don't have to send it away to be fixed or buy another just because its broke, I can scavenger the the parts for repair use.

 

[SNSTRLefty]

I am a mix on this, I like the idea of buying with the ability to repair/modify so I can do the work myself.

 

[mozquito1]

If you buy one then mod it, it just ends up like triggers brush. Whether you buy one or build one, if you intend to diy it afterwards you only miss step one.
You end up building anyway.
But it's easier starting from the ground up than buying one, you hit a problem with an esc. It could be any number of reasons. Like motor or fcb. If a motor ain't working someone without the know how may just buy another motor & that doesn't work.
Unless you got money to burn & you want to get into this hobby. Learn to build, it's easy. It saves money & time.
And this is assuming we all want brushless setups or whoops & none of them nasty VL toys which can be modded. I been there But who wants the fiat 500 when you can have the veyron.
& be your own mechanic.

 

[SNSTRLefty]

The issue I have found with diy is getting the tools and supplies needed to do it. The partially built F450 I bought for $25 from a "not a drone guy" guy, is missing a receiver and FC and the setup is plug and play, which the FC I plan to get for it is a spare one from the same guy soldered up and ready to go. The downside is that it's larger than I want for a frequent flier around the yard.

I have been looking into a Babyhawk and one review said the R model had a similar cost per piece as it was to buy it ready to go. I need to start working on the parts list for something similar.

If you buy one then mod it, it just ends up like triggers brush. Whether you buy one or build one, if you intend to diy it afterwards you only miss step one.
You end up building anyway.
But it's easier starting from the ground up than buying one, you hit a problem with an esc. It could be any number of reasons. Like motor or fcb. If a motor ain't working someone without the know how may just buy another motor & that doesn't work.
Unless you got money to burn & you want to get into this hobby. Learn to build, it's easy. It saves money & time.
And this is assuming we all want brushless setups or whoops & none of them nasty VL toys which can be modded. I been there But who wants the fiat 500 when you can have the veyron.
& be your own mechanic.

 

[Jackson]

is sometimes it can be significantly cheaper to build vs. buy.

I don't agree with that, especially if you factor in your time/labor/tools. The amount of posts we see across various forums concerning the trials and tribulations of actually getting a 'build' flying are staggering. How many times have we seen cry for help posts, that simply fade away? We see how folks say it's so easy to build, yet I venture to say many have never even gotten their 'build' off the ground. The unfinished, never working 'builds' that are now just sitting around gathering dust could probably fill dozens of dumpsters.

 

[Spork]

I don't agree with that, especially if you factor in your time/labor/tools. The amount of posts we see across various forums concerning the trials and tribulations of actually getting a 'build' flying are staggering. How many times have we seen cry for help posts, that simply fade away? We see how folks say it's so easy to build, yet I venture to say many have never even gotten their 'build' off the ground. The unfinished, never working 'builds' that are now just sitting around gathering dust could probably fill dozens of dumpsters.

Totally agree, Jackson. It's the reason I said sometimes. It's part of the reason I'm delaying do a build until I get much better feel for what I want - since my only experience is with a toy quad and whoop. I don't want to join those ranks of frustrated folks that end up with a box of parts in the dumpster.

I think the first build is probably a lot more expensive when you factor in tools and consumables. I think for the guys that have done it before and have the tools, then there is the opportunity to save money. Of course there is labor, but that's the part builders can save money by trading time.

 

[SNSTRLefty]

I think the first build is probably a lot more expensive when you factor in tools and consumables.

Hit the nail on the head! Just getting to the point of having something beyond a toy to fly, tx, and the charging set-up and extra batteries has been an investment, not counting the few extras I have bought (or dug up from storage).

 

[mozquito1]

It works for me, but cowboy Is right.
Loads of ppl come & go, just imagine all the unused spares out there I could be using. My tools & kit has earned itself over, easy & I got the knowledge.
If your not a frequent flyer then get a toy,
If you do nothing but think about it then up your game.

 

[SNSTRLefty]

Loads of ppl come & go, just imagine all the unused spares out there I could be using.

Hense my wondering why there are no co-ops in this hobby.

 

[SNSTRLefty]

If your not a frequent flyer then get a toy,
If you do nothing but think about it then up your game.

This was something that became an issue with the guy I bought the F450 from.

Being a total rookie to the RC world, my first introduction to the actual hobby was a well-equipped vet with good intentions but low on patience and understanding that not everyone has the money he has. He would fill my head with grand and not always complete information on items I could get and when I got home I realized it would take more money than I had on hand or was missing key parts (like charging equipment) and that would lead to the time needed to get it. After a few times of having to reign myself in, getting the CX-30 first so I had something to fly while I saved up for better things, he told me I should get out while I was ahead and stopped talking to me.

Of course, I have a plan in mind, based on his recommendations (tx, charging set-up, batteries of the style I would need, drone, etc) and I am getting things as I go and just remind myself I am doing this for myself and my own fun, others involved is just a perk.

 

[HiDesertHal]

I agree with Jackson that there are now some pretty sophisticated Quads available at reasonable prices.

I recently bought a Hubsan FPV with Brushless Motors, GPS, RTH, and a Video Screen on the TX for $219 including shipping from Amazon. Since I don't own a Cellular Telephone, the Video Screen on the TX was a deal closer for me.

I've had the Quad for about a month and haven't launched it yet... maybe in another month when the High Desert warms up I'll give it a try. At 81, I don't like to rush into things anymore, and I'm using the time to complete my Model Railroad layout.

HDH

 

[RENOV8R]

I don't agree with that, especially if you factor in your time/labor/tools. The amount of posts we see across various forums concerning the trials and tribulations of actually getting a 'build' flying are staggering. How many times have we seen cry for help posts, that simply fade away? We see how folks say it's so easy to build, yet I venture to say many have never even gotten their 'build' off the ground. The unfinished, never working 'builds' that are now just sitting around gathering dust could probably fill dozens of dumpsters.

And how many times have we read their last post which states "Never mind, I've ordered a new flight controller because I think this one is broken"

 

[SNSTRLefty]

maybe in another month when the High Desert warms up

Heck, even in the summer HD can be a cold place. Made the mistake of riding in the back of a pick up to a medieval reenactment war there and I was surprised that I did not get hypothermia once the sun went down.

 

[HiDesertHal]

Right outside my neighborhood there's a 1 Square Mile unobstructed field that I'll be using when the weather permits. It lies between Sitting Bull Rd. and Bear Valley Rd, and between Apple Valley Rd. and Rincon Rd.

(Roy Roger was from Cincinatti, and he and Dale Evans are buried close to our neighborhood...his real name was Leonard Slye.)
Hal

 

[Spork]

Heck, even in the summer HD can be a cold place. Made the mistake of riding in the back of a pick up to a medieval reenactment war there and I was surprised that I did not get hypothermia once the sun went down.

Yep, gotta mind those temperature swings in the desert (and possibly with dessert too ). On the last camping trip my son and I took to Big Bend (in August), we saw 120F+ down near the Rio Grande and low 50F at night. I realize 50 is not that cold, but when you spend all day between 90 and 120, it sure feels damn cold. All those years in the Boy Scouts hearing and practicing "Be Prepared" paid off in spades, as usual.

 

[Spork]

Right outside my neighborhood there's a 1 Square Mile unobstructed field that I'll be using when the weather permits. It lies between Sitting Bull Rd. and Bear Valley Rd, and between Apple Valley Rd. and Quapaw Rd.

(Roy Roger was from Cincinatti, and he and Dale Evans are buried close to our neighborhood...his real name was Leonard Slye.)
Hal

Nice, I wish I had an open area that large close to home.