Toy quad obsession / addiction

[MultiRtrAviator]

So I've been into this hobby for a little over a year now after receiving a Syma X5 as an Xmas gift in Dec 2015, and I've been hooked ever since to say the least!! I still consider myself a beginner (or an advanced beginner lol) as I'm only flying LOS (no FPV) and only flying majority toys with a couple brushless RTF tossed in.. Also using a hobby grade TX (flysky th9x with multi protocol module) to fly majority of my fleet..

Over the past year, if I see a flash sale pop up on an inexpensive popular model from BG or GB, I'll typically pick up 2-3 to have as spares or to give away to friends (or their kids). It's fun turning others onto the hobby I still have (7) unboxed H101's I bought when they were $8.99 on flash sale from GB (the H101 now seems to be discontinued, and it will be tough for me to let one of these go lol).

I've got a few H36's on the way from GB now (11.99 flash sale) that I have no practical need for, just wanted to have a few extra on hand as spares and to (maybe) give away...

Anyone else buy any of these toys for no practical reason other than the addiction ??

 

[LoneRCRanger]

I buy them and a lot of other folk too. I don't call them 'toy' quads like those that build them do. It still takes a skill to fly them. I like just trying to keep them in the air and not chopping down trees like mine tries to do. Build-it-yourself or out-of-the-box, they are still a challenge to fly.

 

[Jeff Neese]

...

Anyone else buy any of these toys for no practical reason other than the addiction ??

I entered this forum today with the intent of asking a specific question, but your post is a good place to ask it.

Yes, I was addicted from the first time I flew one, just a couple months ago. And in fact, even that was because there was a Radio Shack closing near me, and on impulse I bought a "Dominator 2.0" for $40. What the hell, I've never flown a "drone" before so let's see what everyone is talking about.

Again, that happened less than two months ago. The little Dominator has been modified and it's actually not bad, but I now own:

Syma X5C-1 (2, one for backup)
Syma X8C
Syma X6 clone with the shell removed and a Syma X8C board installed. (Syma X8C stick-build)
Syma X1 with a Syma X5C-1 board installed. (Syma X5C-1 stick build)
Hubsan H107L

And currently in the mail on their way to me:

JJRC H16 (Tarantula X6)
JJRC 1000a BNF (2 of them)
Dromida Ominus with two bad motors but complete and with nothing broken, easy fix (eBay, $17.59)
Two JJRC 1000 flight boards, with vague plans in my head about what I am going to build with them.

I submit to you - is this a product of addiction? It seems to me that it is, and recognizing that, I have this question:

Where do people keep all their quadcopters? Look at the list above - I have these sitting around on table tops and shelves and everywhere down in my basement workshop. I need an organizing solution. I'm thinking some sort of pegboard taking up an entire wall, with dozens of quadcopters (I'm fast-forwarding a couple more months here) hanging out of the way but within easy reach when I want to fly them. I thought about stackable bins of some sort, but then I'm taking up floor space. Hanging them from the ceiling is not out of the question since my ceilings are high enough and I wouldn't hit my head walking around.

I restore radios so my "parts and supplies" systems are already pretty good and I already have places to organize motors, props, spare parts, batteries, chargers, etc. Most of the tools to work on quads are already a permanent part of my bench, so that's not a problem.

But what do I do with all these quadcopters when I'm not flying them? I have every reason to believe that more and more are going to come to my house, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I need a solution - they're already starting to take over my workshop and I can hardly set anything down any more. Just wondering how other addicts have solved for this.

 

[LoneRCRanger]

At least this addiction won't kill you unless you hit the return home button and forget to duck...

 

[LoneRCRanger]

I've heard that if you leave the batteries in all those quads, they begin to create a positronic brain with BORG like properties. Eventually they WILL all take off without your control and conquer the world. LONG LIVE THE DRONE KING!!!

 

[Jeff Neese]

At least this addiction won't kill you unless you hit the return home button and forget to duck...

Or walk off the edge of a cliff while you're looking skyward.

 

[dragger201]

So I've been into this hobby for a little over a year now after receiving a Syma X5 as an Xmas gift in Dec 2015, and I've been hooked ever since to say the least!! I still consider myself a beginner (or an advanced beginner lol) as I'm only flying LOS (no FPV) and only flying majority toys with a couple brushless RTF tossed in.. Also using a hobby grade TX (flysky th9x with multi protocol module) to fly majority of my fleet..

Over the past year, if I see a flash sale pop up on an inexpensive popular model from BG or GB, I'll typically pick up 2-3 to have as spares or to give away to friends (or their kids). It's fun turning others onto the hobby I still have (7) unboxed H101's I bought when they were $8.99 on flash sale from GB (the H101 now seems to be discontinued, and it will be tough for me to let one of these go lol).

I've got a few H36's on the way from GB now (11.99 flash sale) that I have no practical need for, just wanted to have a few extra on hand as spares and to (maybe) give away...

Anyone else buy any of these toys for no practical reason other than the addiction ??

Naw, not me(who has 3 X8s) I would never do something like that(building an AP platform on an S500 frame/APM 2.8 FC)......nope can't see myself ever doing something like that(researching the idea of using the APM 2.8 or Pixhawk 4 to convert one of my X8s to brushless)......you gotta real problem there......(can't decide to build an S600 or build from scratch)..............I feel for you..........

 

[dragger201]

Or walk off the edge of a cliff while you're looking skyward.

Hell, that's what scares me about using goggles....................not the cliff so much..........but just walking into other things..........

 

[ArmyVet]

I entered this forum today with the intent of asking a specific question, but your post is a good place to ask it.

Yes, I was addicted from the first time I flew one, just a couple months ago. And in fact, even that was because there was a Radio Shack closing near me, and on impulse I bought a "Dominator 2.0" for $40. What the hell, I've never flown a "drone" before so let's see what everyone is talking about.

Again, that happened less than two months ago. The little Dominator has been modified and it's actually not bad, but I now own:

Syma X5C-1 (2, one for backup)
Syma X8C
Syma X6 clone with the shell removed and a Syma X8C board installed. (Syma X8C stick-build)
Syma X1 with a Syma X5C-1 board installed. (Syma X5C-1 stick build)
Hubsan H107L

And currently in the mail on their way to me:

JJRC H16 (Tarantula X6)
JJRC 1000a BNF (2 of them)
Dromida Ominus with two bad motors but complete and with nothing broken, easy fix (eBay, $17.59)
Two JJRC 1000 flight boards, with vague plans in my head about what I am going to build with them.

I submit to you - is this a product of addiction? It seems to me that it is, and recognizing that, I have this question:

Where do people keep all their quadcopters? Look at the list above - I have these sitting around on table tops and shelves and everywhere down in my basement workshop. I need an organizing solution. I'm thinking some sort of pegboard taking up an entire wall, with dozens of quadcopters (I'm fast-forwarding a couple more months here) hanging out of the way but within easy reach when I want to fly them. I thought about stackable bins of some sort, but then I'm taking up floor space. Hanging them from the ceiling is not out of the question since my ceilings are high enough and I wouldn't hit my head walking around.

I restore radios so my "parts and supplies" systems are already pretty good and I already have places to organize motors, props, spare parts, batteries, chargers, etc. Most of the tools to work on quads are already a permanent part of my bench, so that's not a problem.

But what do I do with all these quadcopters when I'm not flying them? I have every reason to believe that more and more are going to come to my house, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I need a solution - they're already starting to take over my workshop and I can hardly set anything down any more. Just wondering how other addicts have solved for this.

Any Quads you need safely stored mail to me....

Enjoy and have fun!

Bill

 

[MultiRtrAviator]

I buy them and a lot of other folk too. I don't call them 'toy' quads like those that build them do. It still takes a skill to fly them. I like just trying to keep them in the air and not chopping down trees like mine tries to do. Build-it-yourself or out-of-the-box, they are still a challenge to fly.

When I say 'toy' I'm only referring to 'toy' grade as opposed to 'hobby' grade models. I still haven't built my own custom multi yet, and I'm certainly not calling them 'toys' as a means of disparaging anyone. Sorry if you took it otherwise. I agree 10o% it takes skill (and practice) to fly them properly

 

[MultiRtrAviator]

I've heard that if you leave the batteries in all those quads, they begin to create a positronic brain with BORG like properties

You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile

 

[MultiRtrAviator]

I entered this forum today with the intent of asking a specific question, but your post is a good place to ask it.

Yes, I was addicted from the first time I flew one, just a couple months ago. And in fact, even that was because there was a Radio Shack closing near me, and on impulse I bought a "Dominator 2.0" for $40. What the hell, I've never flown a "drone" before so let's see what everyone is talking about.

Again, that happened less than two months ago. The little Dominator has been modified and it's actually not bad, but I now own:

Syma X5C-1 (2, one for backup)
Syma X8C
Syma X6 clone with the shell removed and a Syma X8C board installed. (Syma X8C stick-build)
Syma X1 with a Syma X5C-1 board installed. (Syma X5C-1 stick build)
Hubsan H107L

And currently in the mail on their way to me:

JJRC H16 (Tarantula X6)
JJRC 1000a BNF (2 of them)
Dromida Ominus with two bad motors but complete and with nothing broken, easy fix (eBay, $17.59)
Two JJRC 1000 flight boards, with vague plans in my head about what I am going to build with them.

I submit to you - is this a product of addiction? It seems to me that it is, and recognizing that, I have this question:

Where do people keep all their quadcopters? Look at the list above - I have these sitting around on table tops and shelves and everywhere down in my basement workshop. I need an organizing solution. I'm thinking some sort of pegboard taking up an entire wall, with dozens of quadcopters (I'm fast-forwarding a couple more months here) hanging out of the way but within easy reach when I want to fly them. I thought about stackable bins of some sort, but then I'm taking up floor space. Hanging them from the ceiling is not out of the question since my ceilings are high enough and I wouldn't hit my head walking around.

I restore radios so my "parts and supplies" systems are already pretty good and I already have places to organize motors, props, spare parts, batteries, chargers, etc. Most of the tools to work on quads are already a permanent part of my bench, so that's not a problem.

But what do I do with all these quadcopters when I'm not flying them? I have every reason to believe that more and more are going to come to my house, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I need a solution - they're already starting to take over my workshop and I can hardly set anything down any more. Just wondering how other addicts have solved for this.

Haha you're definitely hooked brutha! The pegboard sounds like a good idea in your case as you already have an organized workshop / workspace. I've seen some pics on rcgroups and YT vids using that kind of set up.

For mine, I keep them front and center on display in my living room of course! I lined up the unboxed ones for this pic ~ there're 39 total:

The ones in the cases to the left of the shelves (and obviously cloaked ) are: RC Logger Navigator, EOX, and EOS. The ones in the cases to the right of the shelves are: X8G, and (2) X5's.

Normally the unboxed ones are tucked away like this as spares or to give away:

For spare parts, I use a couple of toolbags and organizer cases and they're just stashed in the corner. Also have another duffel bag full of various spares upstairs lol..

But then again I have my own townhome and live alone (maybe the quads are why haha?), so no wife or kids to abide by lol. Your situation may vary..

I don't have a proper workshop (nor a proper basement to have one lol) but I'll shortly be setting up a drafting table in a spare bedroom that I plan to (eventually) perform my first build on. It's currently being restored by my younger brother as a bday gift to me after sitting in my parent's basement gathering dust for the past 30+ years. I used to build Estes model rockets on it as a kid, and I'm looking forward to putting it to use again!

ETA -pics attached

 

[MultiRtrAviator]

Well I couldn't upload my pics, keep getting an error message the files are too large. Posting from an iPad. Any suggestions how to upload them directly from my device? I don't have a pic hosting service and would prefer not to sign up for one lol..

ETA - prob fixed

 

[dragger201]

Well I couldn't upload my pics, keep getting an error message the files are too large. Posting from an iPad. Any suggestions how to upload them directly from my device? I don't have a pic hosting service and would prefer not to sign up for one lol..

ETA - well I guess I can change my avatar but it's kinda blurry...

You should have a picture editor/paint program/app on your iPad...........all you need to do is resize them................generally speaking, 800 as your first number should get them to the right size to upload.......

 

[MultiRtrAviator]

You should have a picture editor/paint program/app on your iPad...........all you need to do is resize them................generally speaking, 800 as your first number should get them to the right size to upload.......

Thanks, I think that worked

 

[Jeff Neese]

Any Quads you need safely stored mail to me....

Enjoy and have fun!

Bill

When I say 'toy' I'm only referring to 'toy' grade as opposed to 'hobby' grade models. I still haven't built my own custom multi yet, and I'm certainly not calling them 'toys' as a means of disparaging anyone. Sorry if you took it otherwise. I agree 10o% it takes skill (and practice) to fly them properly

Actually, I'd say it's more accurate that flying "toy" quadcopters is more challenging and takes more skill and practice, than higher-end models with automated features (headless, return to home, GPS, failsafe modes, etc.)

I read a post in another forum by a guy who had decided to take the camera and all the other crap off his DJI Phantom 3, so he could practice flying in "Sport Mode". He said he wanted to learn how to do those banked turns he had been reading about. I thought "You have a DJI Phantom 3, and don't even know how to do banked turns? I learned that my first day flying a Syma X5. I thought it was a basic skill you had to master."

So I'm proud to be flying "toy quadcopters". At least it means I actually do know how to fly. And I'm getting better every day. That's the fun, for me.

 

[MultiRtrAviator]

Actually, I'd say it's more accurate that flying "toy" quadcopters is more challenging and takes more skill and practice, than higher-end models with automated features (headless, return to home, GPS, failsafe modes, etc.)

I read a post in another forum by a guy who had decided to take the camera and all the other crap off his DJI Phantom 3, so he could practice flying in "Sport Mode". He said he wanted to learn how to do those banked turns he had been reading about. I thought "You have a DJI Phantom 3, and don't even know how to do banked turns? I learned that my first day flying a Syma X5. I thought it was a basic skill you had to master."

So I'm proud to be flying "toy quadcopters". At least it means I actually do know how to fly. And I'm getting better every day. That's the fun, for me.

You nailed it, Jeff! That's the fun for me too If one can learn to master theses 'toys', one will be a better pilot as they progress through the ranks IMHO.

That's one of the reasons I think I buy some of these inexpensive models impulsively when I see them on flash sale for a decent price.. I've passed out quite a few over the past year, and have turned at least 6 other people onto this hobby. Doing my best to fly safe and promote a positive image of M/R!

My brother-in-law was given a P3S last Xmas as a gift from his employer. He's a complete newbie to R/C, and he's being responsible and hasn't attempted to fly it yet. He's been flying the piss out of an H101, E8 mini, and E010 I gave him, and he'll be a fine (and responsible!) pilot when he maidens his P3.

Unfortunately (as you've observed) I don't think every new Phantom flyer will take the same approach

So bottom line, 'toys' are good

 

[Jeff Neese]

You nailed it, Jeff! That's the fun for me too If one can learn to master theses 'toys', one will be a better pilot as they progress through the ranks IMHO.

That's one of the reasons I think I buy some of these inexpensive models impulsively when I see them on flash sale for a decent price.. I've passed out quite a few over the past year, and have turned at least 6 other people onto this hobby. Doing my best to fly safe and promote a positive image of M/R!

Interesting. I don't keep an eye out for any flash sales. Maybe I should, but what I have been doing (and have scored twice now) is looking at Craigslist and eBay, fishing for quads that don't work. We all know that there are millions of toy quadcopters received as birthday or Christmas presents, that are taken out of the box once, and somehow they determined it "didn't work" and they put it back in the box. The chalk it up to "it's just cheap Chinese crap" and that's the end of that quad. In some cases they may have played with it long enough to burn out their first motor, and of course that's the end of that. Cheap Chinese crap indeed.

So far I bought a Syma X6 clone that the guy on Craigslist admitted he didn't know if there was something wrong or if he just didn't know what he was doing, but either way he wanted that big box out of his apartment. $20 and it was 15 minutes away. It did have a problem - the transmitter wasn't Syma and it just flat out didn't work. No matter - I took the big foam/spaceship shell off, turning it into a stick quad, put a Syma X8C board on it, and now fly it with my X8C controller. The board was about $12 so my total cost on that quad was $32. And it flies great - I couldn't believe it.

The other day I found an Ominus Dromida on eBay, and the only thing the seller knew was that it was complete, but two of the motors don't work. Apparently DOA, or shortly afterwards. That was $17, and I'm thinking that it's just a few dollars worth of motors and I have another toy to fly. Of course it could be something more, but even if it's the board, that just gives me a chance to do something different. I wonder how it would fly with a Syma X5C-1 board, or one of the JJ 1000 flight boards that I have on the way.

Everyone's different but as a "tinkerer" and amateur electronics tech (restored hundreds of antique radios, dozens of Telechron clocks, fixed untold numbers of various electronic and mechanical "stuff"), I'm going to be just as attuned to finding quads that I can fix, and then fly. My thinking is that anybody can just go online and buy one (and obviously I'm doing a lot of that too). But to unplug the soldering iron, but a battery in it and go outside and fly something that I fixed/modified/built, is very satisfying. Somehow Frankenquads are appealing to me - I've already created two and I'm just still a newbie.

It's really comforting to know that there's a place to come and frankly admit that I have little interest in floating around above the sky taking videos, and that doesn't have to be my upgrade path. Search Youtube for "drone footage" and you'll realize there's enough of that in the world already - I'm not going to amaze anyone, and programming a flight path can't possibly be as much fun as practicing smooth figure 8s (banked turns and all) or FPV racing. Both the Syma X5C-1 and the X8C come with cameras. I took them off right away and haven't even flown with them on - dead weight. I'd have to get out the manual to see how those cameras even work.

I could see myself buying a used/malfunctioning Phantom of some variety, if it were dirt cheap and I could get it in the air easily. I mean, it is a high-power brushless quad and should be fun, if you turn it back into a quadcopter and not a floating camera platform.

 

[Jeff Neese]

I could see myself buying a used/malfunctioning Phantom of some variety, if it were dirt cheap and I could get it in the air easily. I mean, it is a high-power brushless quad and should be fun, if you turn it back into a quadcopter and not a floating camera platform.

And in the above scenario, isn't that taking a DJI Phantom and turning it into a "toy quadcopter"? A really good toy quadcopter - brushless motors, fast, reliable, plenty of support and parts - but a toy quadcopter nonetheless. You're flying it for fun at that point, which by definition makes it a toy.

 

[LoneRCRanger]

Flying the toy quad is similar to flying the old jenny of yesteryear as compared to flying an F22. They both fly except the jenny is done by the seat of your pants, the f22 wears the pants and the seat you are in is just for the ride.