Considering getting a quadcopter

[Lee harvey]

I don't have a quadcopter and know little about them. But, I'm considering getting one. My brother has one of the earlier Dji Phantoms and I was quite impressed with it. The little machine appears quite easy to flY (I didn't try myself since I was afraid that I might crash it - I remember trying to fly one of
the small battery powered helicopters some years back. The wind took it and it's still in the top of a tree to this day.) I noticed that the Phantom could hold its last commanded position which is a nice feature. Apparently, some of these quadcopters have a somewhat sophisticated nav system with an INS with IMS (Inertial measurement system with gyro & accelerometer platforms) with GPS corrections and Kalman predictions - just like the military has used for years. And, this brings up
a question . I've seen a lot variance in the price of the many quadcopters that are marketed, with prices
ranging from under $100 to several thousand dollars. The cheap models usually advertise something
silly such as having a 6-axis gyro nav system which makes no sense as we do live in a 3 space
world and should have no rotational concerns beyond pitch, roll, and yaw. (surely, they must mean
3 gyros and 3 accelerometers). Does this mean that these cheaper models also have the full blown
inertial nav system and the firmware remains in a continuous command loop, holding its position,
and looking for a new command ? I just don't want to buy one of the less pricier models and have it
experience the same fate as my little helicopter did.

 

[Jackson]

3 gyros and 3 accelerometers

You got it.

Just get a cheapie for now and play around for awhile while you figure things out.

This is a nice one, in low rates it's quite docile for learning, in high rates it's quite sporty.

https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-E3...-p-1134307.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN

The contrasting props are sweet (aids in orientation) and the enclosed motor pods keep the gears clean.
https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-E3...-p-1134307.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN

Get a couple spare batteries. BTW all spare parts are available.
https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-E3...-p-1152328.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN

At that price you don't have to worry about crashing or losing it.

 

[SLFLY]

What models are you looking to buy ?

Only quads with GPS will hold their position when you let go of the sticks. If the quad only has altitude hold, it will only hold it's height and will want to continue to drift in the direction of it's last stick input. Although some controllers have sticks that are spring centred which means the drift can be minimised to almost no input. So the quad stays in relatively the same position but not as precise as a GPS quad. And it still requires gentle input to keep it where you want it to stay.

If the quad has no GPS or altitude hold features, it will require constant stick input. If you let go of the throttle, it will start to descend.

If your worried about fly aways and wind, then choose a quad with brushless motors which can cope with high winds much better than brushed motors.

 

[Lee harvey]

Thanks for ihe info. I definitely will start with one of the lower priced models and move up later if I can get the hang of its operation.