My experience with prop guards

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I have flown 20-25 flights without prop guards. I have flown 5 flights with prop guards. Maybe not a great number but I do have opinion.

I've flown around my house with wind and without wind. The prop guards for sure drag your drone down to a lower speed. With a tail wind I noticed I was getting 40-45 mph without prop guards on. With prop guards about 25-30 mph. If that's a big deal to you? No prop guards.

When you accelerate, the prop guards get in the way of your camera. (I don't have mine set to above 0 horizon) and several other times (turning) I noticed the prop guards were in the camera view. If you care about your video, don't use prop guards.

I have crashed my drone several times without the prop guards on and actually ruined one drone. So here's my final analysis:

If you are just starting out with drones and learning how to fly them? For sure get prop guards. They will save you getting a replacement drone like I did.
If you want to treat your drone like a toy and be a little careless and reckless with it, get prop guards.

If you will treat your drone with kid gloves and take off and land carefully and only fly in the open (not near trees) you will probably not need prop guards.

I hope this helps someone new to the forum like I was 2 weeks ago. Please post your thoughts.
Gary
 
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If you fly a little slower while recording video, those prop guards may not be visible at all. Sorry I Can't comment on crashing and sparing the drone, I've never crashed any of my RC quads or helicopters, to a point that mattered. So prop guards aren't an insurance policy here, or something I would consider adding to my Phantom 3 Pro'.

If they make you feel more confident, or help you crash better, all the power to you... Definitely Not for mine.

RedHotPoker
 
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I'm learning as I go much like many people do. I don't agree with flying slower and prop guards won't show up. You have to fly REALLY slow for them to not show in your camera view.

For brand new users of drones I still recommend them in case of user error. Kinda like training wheels for bikes. haha
 
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It's a camera platform not a racing drone.
& I never used training wheels on bikes either.

I Rode Hard and Fast, and wound up riding into a Ditch... Chuckles

Ah, but I didn't start my RC flying hobby with a DJI Phantom 3.
So, it was like riding an old favorite bike, either my Italian made Bottecchia ten speed, or the Japanese Nishiki Bushwacker Mountain Bike. Either way, no stopping me...
I have training wheels now when I rYde mY new bYke, a '13 Can Am SpYder RS-S Roadster. ;-)

RedHotPoker
 
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Yeah I've got them but only flown once with them on - didn't really like the experience.

For one they were much noisier on, and they also did get in the way of horizontal shots; especially when the P3 is holding itself in a head wind towards the direction you want to photograph.

They'll come in useful for indoors or tight spots I guess.
 
It's a camera platform not a racing drone.
& I never used training wheels on bikes either.

I Rode Hard and Fast, and wound up riding into a Ditch... ;-)

Ah, but I didn't start my RC flying hobby with a DJI Phantom 3.
So, it was like riding an old favorite bike, either my Italian made Bottecchia ten speed, or the Japanese Nishiki Bushwacker Mountain Bike. Either way, no stopping me...
I have traning wheels when I rYde mY new bike, a '13 Can Am SpYder RS-S Roadster. ;-)

RedHotPoker
Honestly, I rode hard and fast 2 weeks ago on my first drone experience and it cost me the price for a new drone and battery. Luckily it was only $400. I like your spirit. It would be cool to see your drone chasing you in your spyder roadster. :) haha
 
When Follow Me is available, you will see that.
I can promise this to be true... ;-)

Come on Firmware update... Hahaha
By the way, there is no in.
We rYde just like a reverse trike, just have the dual wheels upfront.

RedHotPoker
 
I have flown both ways also, Imho I think they suck! anything that disrupts the flow of air is taking away from what the quad is designed for. They cause turbulence especially in the wind and that is not good. I don't know what % percentage less runtime you will get but I am sure it would be a bit. I ate a telephone pole with them and I ended up replacing the shell :mad: **** prop guard's anyways! If your learning get out in a open field so you feel comfortable, Practice until your confident on your maneuvers.

~Duke.
 
Yes, like I stated, the Phantom 3 is not my first quad, and I had plenty of practice flying the smaller ones. Read my SIG. And they are actually way more difficult to maintain in the air. The Phantom 3 is like a helium balloon in comparison, to the others. Most quads are flown much like an actual helicopter model, with plenty of constant stick input just to hover in one place. I haven't even broken a Phantom 3 prop. Knock on cherry wood... Hahaha

RedHotPoker
 
I fly over a lot of woods, trees and water. For me the prop guard are like big hangers just waiting to get caught in a tree limb. Did I mention the tree here grow to a height of 135 ft. Long way to have to club up to try to get one off a branch.
 
I fly over a lot of woods, trees and water. For me the prop guard are like big hangers just waiting to get caught in a tree limb. Did I mention the tree here grow to a height of 135 ft. Long way to have to club up to try to get one off a branch.

This sounds like a great reason to use propguards! i would much rather have to climb a 135ft tree to get my perfectly working P3 than have it plummet 135ft and have to collect all the pieces. I stacked mine into a tree and the guards saved my ***, hooked good and proper securing my bird from the fall - Adam
 
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I used prop guards in the beginning and then I found myself using them less and less as I found myself getting more secure with flying the aircraft. however, I can say that I found very, very little difference in battery runtimes between flying with and without them.
 
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I used prop guards in the beginning and then I found myself using them less and less as I found myself getting more secure with flying the aircraft. however, I can say that I found very, very little difference in battery runtimes between flying with and without them.
I agree. I got prop guards the day I took it out for the 1st time. I flew without n felt I didn't need them. Got home n they just arrived so I installed them anyways. Took it out n don't really care for them. I may use them again. Kinda helps spotting the P3P in the air.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
 
I agree. I got prop guards the day I took it out for the 1st time. I flew without n felt I didn't need them. Got home n they just arrived so I installed them anyways. Took it out n don't really care for them. I may use them again. Kinda helps spotting the P3P in the air.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
If you are flying in tight quarters-- with a lot of trees, they are very handy and have saved a few props for me. Take them off when I am shooting in the open.
 
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If you are flying in tight quarters-- with a lot of trees, they are very handy and have saved a few props for me. Take them off when I am shooting in the open.
Good point. I will use them indoors. That's one thing I want to do.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
 
I have flown 20-25 flights without prop guards. I have flown 5 flights with prop guards. Maybe not a great number but I do have opinion.

I've flown around my house with wind and without wind. The prop guards for sure drag your drone down to a lower speed. With a tail wind I noticed I was getting 40-45 mph without prop guards on. With prop guards about 25-30 mph. If that's a big deal to you? No prop guards.

When you accelerate, the prop guards get in the way of your camera. (I don't have mine set to above 0 horizon) and several other times (turning) I noticed the prop guards were in the camera view. If you care about your video, don't use prop guards.

I have crashed my drone several times without the prop guards on and actually ruined one drone. So here's my final analysis:

If you are just starting out with drones and learning how to fly them? For sure get prop guards. They will save you getting a replacement drone like I did.
If you want to treat your drone like a toy and be a little careless and reckless with it, get prop guards.

If you will treat your drone with kid gloves and take off and land carefully and only fly in the open (not near trees) you will probably not need prop guards.

I hope this helps someone new to the forum like I was 2 weeks ago. Please post your thoughts.
Gary

Flying near trees, prop guards do NOTHING for you. Tree branches have a way of reaching beyond such guards and entering the props. This is a fact.

Props guards are useful for ONE thing only. Flying inside or VERY close to structures. They prevent maximum authority and performance. So outside of that very specific flight envelope, they're more damaging than helpful IMO. A simple Hubsan X4 will demonstrate this to anyone.
 
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Flying near trees, prop guards do NOTHING for you. Tree branches have a way of reaching beyond such guards and entering the props. This is a fact.

Props guards are useful for ONE thing only. Flying inside or VERY close to structures. They prevent maximum authority and performance. So outside of that very specific flight envelope, they're more damaging than helpful IMO. A simple Hubsan X4 will demonstrate this to anyone.
I would have to respectfully disagree-- as I said I have saved a few props in tight quarters flying clos to tree trunks-- the prop guards cause the Phantom to bounce off and it does not bring the Phantom down.. and that is fact.. because it has happened to me several times. I certainly don't try to fly in the canopy of the tree, with or without prop guards.;)
 
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I would have to respectfully disagree-- as I said I have saved a few props in tight quarters flying clos to tree trunks-- the prop guards cause the Phantom to bounce off and it does not bring the Phantom down.. and that is fact.. because it has happened to me several times. I certainly don't try to fly in the canopy of the tree, with or without prop guards.;)

You did not, until now, mention flying within the confines of a tree trunk. Neither did the OP. Also, you didn't clarify that in tree canopies, you'd not use those guards. Until now.

I stand by my recommendations.
 
You did not, until now, mention flying within the confines of a tree trunk. Neither did the OP. Also, you didn't clarify that in tree canopies, you'd not use those guards. Until now.

I stand by my recommendations.
And I stand by mine:)
 
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And I stand by mine:)

Fine. You're still wrong because you didn't qualify your statement by clarifying in close proximity to tree trunks rather than branches.

I can do this all day. I'm very attention to detail oriented.
 

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