I'm new to the forum and relatively new to quads and today I learned my first lessons on hobby grade quads...
First, just because your RTF quad came with wires in a certain place doesn't mean they should be there. My antenna wires were nicely taped into place on the frame of the quad and today, on the maiden voyage, I nearly chopped one off with a propeller. Somehow the short piece of antenna extending through where it was taped to the frame made its way down to the propeller area. It didn't seem to cause any damage but I moved the antennae anyway.
Second, my battery is pretty much ruined... as in not able to be charged again. Mind you, it's been charged once so far. Somehow the balance plug got broken, one of the wires is just dangling, no longer attached to the plastic connector. I should have secured it better than it was but, as I said, lesson learned. I was able to hook it up to my LiPo checker and was able to finagle it all to work so there is a chance I'll be able to charge it again. Will it be safe? Who knows...
And, third. I knew that the self tightening bullet nuts holding the propellers would eventually get lost so I started looking for replacements before I even flew. I wish I had found some(where can I find some?). On my first flight I somehow lost one. I hand tightened the nuts, powered up the quad and hovered it while goosing the throttle a couple of times and rechecked and retightened the nuts. 2 were loose and both were secured tightly. During flight one of the CW ones worked its way loose and is gone. The cheap propellers I bought are a tiny bit to small for the shafts and fit tightly, the only reason the quad didn't crash when the nut fell of.
So, on my maiden voyage I lost a prop nut, broke my battery and nearly cut off my antenna. That said, there was one "rough" landing in the snow and otherwise an uneventful first flight. I did learn that toy grade quads are fine for flying in the street but this thing needs WAY more room than I have. Lucky for me there is a school just around the corner and they have a HUGE field.
First, just because your RTF quad came with wires in a certain place doesn't mean they should be there. My antenna wires were nicely taped into place on the frame of the quad and today, on the maiden voyage, I nearly chopped one off with a propeller. Somehow the short piece of antenna extending through where it was taped to the frame made its way down to the propeller area. It didn't seem to cause any damage but I moved the antennae anyway.
Second, my battery is pretty much ruined... as in not able to be charged again. Mind you, it's been charged once so far. Somehow the balance plug got broken, one of the wires is just dangling, no longer attached to the plastic connector. I should have secured it better than it was but, as I said, lesson learned. I was able to hook it up to my LiPo checker and was able to finagle it all to work so there is a chance I'll be able to charge it again. Will it be safe? Who knows...
And, third. I knew that the self tightening bullet nuts holding the propellers would eventually get lost so I started looking for replacements before I even flew. I wish I had found some(where can I find some?). On my first flight I somehow lost one. I hand tightened the nuts, powered up the quad and hovered it while goosing the throttle a couple of times and rechecked and retightened the nuts. 2 were loose and both were secured tightly. During flight one of the CW ones worked its way loose and is gone. The cheap propellers I bought are a tiny bit to small for the shafts and fit tightly, the only reason the quad didn't crash when the nut fell of.
So, on my maiden voyage I lost a prop nut, broke my battery and nearly cut off my antenna. That said, there was one "rough" landing in the snow and otherwise an uneventful first flight. I did learn that toy grade quads are fine for flying in the street but this thing needs WAY more room than I have. Lucky for me there is a school just around the corner and they have a HUGE field.
