REVOLUTION said:
the quad copters are much more stable than a single for sure. I've been playing around a lot with the indoor copters (airhogs) and I'm looking to up my game to a more expensive outdoor model. Hey, you've gotta start somewhere!
Tim, where do you work? Sounds like a pretty fun place
I work at Hobby Hobby in Streetsville, Mississauga. I basically sell toys for big kids. Everything from RC cars and trucks, to planes helis and multi rotor stuff. I used to race RC cars until (ironically enough) I started working at a hobby store. But now that I spend 50 hours a week surrounded by it, I haven't raced since January in Orlando. (this is where pinball has stepped in
)
mwong168 said:
What is the range for these quadcopters Tim? Seems like the operators can be pretty far away and the video footage captured looks so steady too. My friend bought a RC helicopter and I tried to fly it and was very difficult. I think he crashed it a few times and cost quite a bit to replace the broken parts so the hobby shop recommended a PC software simulator and remote kit to practice on.
The range can be quite far. Unless you install an FPV (first person viewing) system you're limited by how far you can see. With FPV you wear a set of goggles that displays what the camera on board sees. So you're basically flying it as if you were in the plane/heli/multi rotor or whatever you're flying. Again, that's questionably legal today. If you get busted making money for someone (real estate agents and the property they are listing is a common one) you can get stung with a fine in the thousands.
It costs $750 for a machine that you can mount your GoPro onto. An FPV system can cost $500. For the bigger hex/octo copters you're getting into the thousands. Then, for a gimble (basically a gyro operated camera mount that) can cost you in the thousands as well. Some systems have an entirely separate system to handle pan/tilt/zoom etc. That's thousands more.
But if you just want a smaller quad or heli you can fly indoors and out, you can get started for under a hundred bucks.
And yes, simulator are almost a necessity if you want to start flying the advanced stuff. Every wipe out on your PC saves you hundreds of dollars!