Before I purchased my Phantom I bought a couple cheap ones to practice on. One was the UDI which I thought was junk, the other a Syma X5c which I thought was a lot of fun. I also have a Blade Pico which is fun. I got pretty good with the Syma but it is light and I was being stupid flying it in wind, lost orientation and then signal and lost it. I was kinda testing its limits so I knew it might happen and for around $50 I got my monies worth. I ordered another last night lol. What do you guys recommend for around the $100 mark?
What's the best inexpensive quad just for fun
- Thread starter ccase39
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msinger
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ccase39, Hubsan is the way to go if you're looking for something good under $100. Here are some popular options:
Hubsan X4 (good):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IZC ... WBH2GARU5L
Hubsan X4 with 0.3 MP Camera (better):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P79 ... ECTR2KEQQY
Hubsan X4 with HD 2MP Camera (best):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ILY ... AFEDROXSMI
Hubsan X4 (good):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IZC ... WBH2GARU5L
Hubsan X4 with 0.3 MP Camera (better):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P79 ... ECTR2KEQQY
Hubsan X4 with HD 2MP Camera (best):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ILY ... AFEDROXSMI
+1 on the Hubsan X4, Just got one with a 5 pack of batteries, what a hoot to fly and learn how to control the bird.. done about 18 flights so far and am getting better with it. no major crashes just a couple small one's
msinger
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yea from what I hear the Hubsons are definitely pretty tough. Mine comes tomorrow. I have to say that Syma was tough as nails. I had some hard crashes, several in fact when I fist started and It never missed a beat. I got it stuck in trees, light water, and hit the pavement at full speed several times and never even had to change the props. Only reason I lost it is because I was being stupid when there was a lot of wind. I knew better. For 60 bucks it is going to be hard to beat.
I love my Hubsan x4 Code Black and my UDI u818. However, as the owner of a Phantom 2 Vision+, I realize it's not even worth it for me to use the camera on the toy drones. It's night and day compared to the Phantom. I'm spoiled by the gimbal. But the toys are fun to fly in the house when the weather prevents me from flying the phantom outside. Getting back into my truck with freezing fingers is getting old real fast.
Got my Hubsan today and man was I surprised. This thing is a friggin Beast. It is heavy for its size and the shell almost feels like metal but man will it fly. And fast. I hadnt bought one up until now because based on its small size I did not think it would do well outdoors at all but given its weight and power it should be just as good to go outdoors as the UDI (maybe even more so) and the Syma. I cannot believe this thing is 40 bucks. I do find the camera useless because the Vision has spoiled me but it is quite capable for fun. These things are a blast to buzz around inside on days when its raining and all you can do is look down at your Phantom while it mocks you.
Another Hubsan X4 flier here. I have the H107L model, 7 batteries, multi charger, crash pack with all kinds of replacement parts, and prop guard. I bet I don't have $75 in everything. It is a great quad.
Anyone know the Dromida Ominus?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrn_kUxLEGI#t=56
It's about 70Euro. Looks nice and is supposed to be unbreakable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrn_kUxLEGI#t=56
It's about 70Euro. Looks nice and is supposed to be unbreakable.
I had and have a Dromida Ominus. I too was stupid/cocky and under estimated the winds and lost it. But I have another, it is very stable, flys great indoors and out. If you go high have a large open area around you. You get 12 minutes fly time, very durable for building confedence.
The Syma I ordered to replace the one I lost came in today. Based on that video I sent it back and ordered a Dromida. If its really that durable its not bad for the price. Looks like a ball. I did not get the Hubson with FPV because 200 was a little steep for me for its size and for what you get. At least now I have something to do while I wait on my Phantom.lake_flyer said:
I think you will be happy with it.
There is a video where a guy added an fpv camera to his. That and goggles would be a lot of fun. Although it adds $300 plus to the price.
There is a video where a guy added an fpv camera to his. That and goggles would be a lot of fun. Although it adds $300 plus to the price.
Most of my Micros cost less than $100 (Or in my case - £75)
Hubsan X4 H107 - £30 (Around $40)
This was my first quadcopter. It's pretty perfect for beginners I think. Very robust. Great indoors and out. Can handle high wind. Has great range. Decent flight times. Can even fly in rain!
Syma X5C - £45 (Around $55)
Great for anyone who is interested in the Phantom range, as I was before I got it. Also great first filming platform. Very robust. Great for outdoors. Can handle moderate wind. Has good range. Decent flight times. Can be modified for FPV.
Eachine X6 - £45 (Around $55)
Great micro-hex. It comes equipped with a camera. Not very robust though. So not ideal for beginners. Good for indoors and out. Can handle moderate wind. Range is great. Flight times are okay but it takes a square lipo, as opposed to the usual rectangular lipo.
Hubsan Q4 - £25 (Around $30)
Surprisingly good for it's size. Handles well outside and inside. Decent range. Can handle high wind. Robust for it's size, but not as much as bigger quadcopters. Flight times are pretty good. You cannot swap lipo's though. Makes it more suitable for indoors.
Syma S6 - £15 (Around $20)
One of the smallest helicopters in the world. Great for indoor use. Flight times are good. It can wobble a lot though due to it being so small and not a quadcopter. Very robust. Can't swap lipo's. Range is limited to whatever room you're in.
Eachine CG022 - £20 (Around $25)
Has a single interesting feature. It has a 'headless' mode. Great range. Not very robust though. It's propellers are very brittle. They are very likely to break if you crash. The quadcopter can be unresponsive at times too.. The lights on it are very nice. Good for night-flight. Flight times are decent. Can handle moderate wind.
Parrot Rolling Spider - £90 (Around $115)
Costs more then you'd like to pay, but is worth mentioning. This quadcopter has a sensor on the bottom, which helps to hold it in place. I've had it outside just once and it did drift about. But it was windy. You use a smartphone to fly it, which is rather unique. It has a camera on the bottom, which is primarily to see the ground. But it works as a camera too. It's range is limited, due to it working via Bluetooth. It can fly in strong winds though. It's prop-guards are also wheels. So it can drive like a car on the ground. It can also roll up walls and on the ceiling, hence it being called the 'Rolling Spider'. It uses a unique battery and propellers. So you will have to pay out for spares, instead of using what you may already have. It has an auto cut-off feature which can be disable when the prop-guards are on. This is to prevent motors burning out, should you get stuck or invert.
Hubsan X4 H107D - £85 (About $110)
Also more then you'd like to pay (And when I last checked Ebay, WAY more then I paid. I've seen them for $300 now!) but also worth mentioning. The FPV isn't great for outdoors if you ask me. This is because looking at your screen can cause you to lose the quadcopter, is it's so small in the air once you fly some distance away. Indoors however, it's quite impossible to lose and I've been able to fly it from my room upstairs, to the living-room downstairs without the video dropping out (Even though it is designed to be LOS) The camera and monitor are still good outside for 'peeks' - To see what it looks like up there. But really you should look at the quadcopter and not the screen if you don't want to crash. The quadcopter itself is very, VERY robust. Great for indoors and outdoors. Great in very high wind. Flight times are okay. Better if like me, you strap on a 720MaH battery. Good for beginners I think.
These are all of the smaller craft I have. They're all good in their own ways. But I do prefer some to others. My Syma X5C is the quadcopter I let friends try and fly. My Hubsan X4 H107D and Eachine X6 are what I fly outside most days for fun. My Rolling Spider is the main craft I fly indoors. The others get used less these days. Anyway, this took AGES to write, so I hope someone reads it, lol!
Hubsan X4 H107 - £30 (Around $40)
This was my first quadcopter. It's pretty perfect for beginners I think. Very robust. Great indoors and out. Can handle high wind. Has great range. Decent flight times. Can even fly in rain!
Syma X5C - £45 (Around $55)
Great for anyone who is interested in the Phantom range, as I was before I got it. Also great first filming platform. Very robust. Great for outdoors. Can handle moderate wind. Has good range. Decent flight times. Can be modified for FPV.
Eachine X6 - £45 (Around $55)
Great micro-hex. It comes equipped with a camera. Not very robust though. So not ideal for beginners. Good for indoors and out. Can handle moderate wind. Range is great. Flight times are okay but it takes a square lipo, as opposed to the usual rectangular lipo.
Hubsan Q4 - £25 (Around $30)
Surprisingly good for it's size. Handles well outside and inside. Decent range. Can handle high wind. Robust for it's size, but not as much as bigger quadcopters. Flight times are pretty good. You cannot swap lipo's though. Makes it more suitable for indoors.
Syma S6 - £15 (Around $20)
One of the smallest helicopters in the world. Great for indoor use. Flight times are good. It can wobble a lot though due to it being so small and not a quadcopter. Very robust. Can't swap lipo's. Range is limited to whatever room you're in.
Eachine CG022 - £20 (Around $25)
Has a single interesting feature. It has a 'headless' mode. Great range. Not very robust though. It's propellers are very brittle. They are very likely to break if you crash. The quadcopter can be unresponsive at times too.. The lights on it are very nice. Good for night-flight. Flight times are decent. Can handle moderate wind.
Parrot Rolling Spider - £90 (Around $115)
Costs more then you'd like to pay, but is worth mentioning. This quadcopter has a sensor on the bottom, which helps to hold it in place. I've had it outside just once and it did drift about. But it was windy. You use a smartphone to fly it, which is rather unique. It has a camera on the bottom, which is primarily to see the ground. But it works as a camera too. It's range is limited, due to it working via Bluetooth. It can fly in strong winds though. It's prop-guards are also wheels. So it can drive like a car on the ground. It can also roll up walls and on the ceiling, hence it being called the 'Rolling Spider'. It uses a unique battery and propellers. So you will have to pay out for spares, instead of using what you may already have. It has an auto cut-off feature which can be disable when the prop-guards are on. This is to prevent motors burning out, should you get stuck or invert.
Hubsan X4 H107D - £85 (About $110)
Also more then you'd like to pay (And when I last checked Ebay, WAY more then I paid. I've seen them for $300 now!) but also worth mentioning. The FPV isn't great for outdoors if you ask me. This is because looking at your screen can cause you to lose the quadcopter, is it's so small in the air once you fly some distance away. Indoors however, it's quite impossible to lose and I've been able to fly it from my room upstairs, to the living-room downstairs without the video dropping out (Even though it is designed to be LOS) The camera and monitor are still good outside for 'peeks' - To see what it looks like up there. But really you should look at the quadcopter and not the screen if you don't want to crash. The quadcopter itself is very, VERY robust. Great for indoors and outdoors. Great in very high wind. Flight times are okay. Better if like me, you strap on a 720MaH battery. Good for beginners I think.
These are all of the smaller craft I have. They're all good in their own ways. But I do prefer some to others. My Syma X5C is the quadcopter I let friends try and fly. My Hubsan X4 H107D and Eachine X6 are what I fly outside most days for fun. My Rolling Spider is the main craft I fly indoors. The others get used less these days. Anyway, this took AGES to write, so I hope someone reads it, lol!
Thanks for the info! This could be very valuable for those who want something to practice and get comforatable with before they go out on their own with a Phantom. As I mentioned I have the Blade Pico and if I had to do it over again I would pass. It advertizes a 6-7 min flight time but it is more like 3-4. It is also extremely prone to gathering stray hairs and even dust that lay around the house which cause the blades to cease up. I spend more time picking the hairs thatIm get tangled up in the prop than flying it. Im not talking about hairs I am talking hair singular as in one strand of hair. I paid around the same price for the Hubsan and would buy that a million times over. May try that tiny Syma you mentioned.
I have the Husban X6 with with camera, on order. A bit more pricey is the Ares Ethos FPV for $299. Four inch color receiver (5.8GHZ) 720P camera, with micro SD up to 32GB. (Comes with a 2GB) A full 1200 camera is available, but not yet.
If I crash it, I might repurpose the FPV components for a cheap FPV for my P2 until I can buy a more advanced setup. I love the canopy on this one! I plan to get a Vacuform machine to make custom canopies and other uses the IRS will support! That, with my 3D printer will be heaven for prototypes, etc.
If I crash it, I might repurpose the FPV components for a cheap FPV for my P2 until I can buy a more advanced setup. I love the canopy on this one! I plan to get a Vacuform machine to make custom canopies and other uses the IRS will support! That, with my 3D printer will be heaven for prototypes, etc.
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