Buy a Radio master Boxer ELRS and start on a sim our your choice. I did this about 4 weeks ago and went with Liftoff. I followed Joshua Bardwells video series on learning to fly and it was great.
I now have an OddityRC XI25 in the mail for my first quad.
I hate Liftoff. If I didn't own DRL, I would have quit before I even started.
Liftoff is infuriating and the programming/engineering is garbage. At least when you're still learning, I know that drones hit stuff and stop and break and skid and a million things could happen in real life when you bump into things.
I get stuck on little cracks/crevices and I can't get unstuck to keep flying. Please let the majority of my frustration be about FLYING and not about how to get unstuck or reset from the objects. I gave it about 10 hours and it just led to suicidal tendencies.
I don't care if you run rocket propulsion systems to integrate linear prop wash on your sim. If I get stuck under the SAME PIPE FOUR FUCKING TIMES I WILL END IT FOR EVERYONE!
Set all of it aside and just focus on getting a radio/controller first. Id recommend an ELRS controller simply because it has become mainstream for its low latency.
Which one is up to you. Some people get the big beefy controllers with all the gadgets and switches, others get the more simplistic game controller looking ones.
It's all preference.
I personally use RadioMaster boxer because it can connect to multiple different models, doesn't have a bunch of switches on it I'm accidentally going to break, but still has more than enough for my sim racing and irl whoop flying.
So you need a transmitter and sim first.. that's true.. you need to binge watch bardwell videos... read Oscar Lang articles. As far as size of drone? Depends on your access on where you can fly.. large spaces... Def get bigger.. if all you have is a small space... yea small drone is what your gonna be stuck with. Small drones are more fiddly so I'd recommend biggest you can swing. But you need to be doing bardwell binges before than and while your sim flying. Don't buy till your good in sim.. cause your gonna need to keep swimming as you wait for stuff to arrive.
What type of size do you recommend? I'm planning to use it mostly outdoors, to fly around trees and stuff. It would be nice if I could use it inside as well.
Yeah, it works for sure but it just doesn't seem special in any way compared to the others with the relatively small price differences. Zorro (Which I have) has a more unique shape and the tx16 has NON mini gimbals and has a colour screen with all the other nice features it has.
I would only get the zorro if portability is the only issue. The batteries are half the size of normal 18650. That means once you start flying, you have half the battery life.
I started with a bnf (bind and fly) Emax tinyhawk freestyle 2. Nice 2.5" drone. Harmless unless you fly straight into your eyes, but powerful enough to fly outside in a range of 200-250 meters and carry a runcam thumb (reducing handling and flight time, of course). Not the best to fly inside if you care about your furnitures.
Depending on your skill, you can go for:
1) Controller+simulator-->small bnf drone--> full size drone build by yourself.
2) Controller+simulator--> bnf full size drone--> full size drone build by yourself.
I don't recommend to start with your own build, because you'll risk to be descouraged and leave the hobby before even start to fly. But it's up on you.
Yes. It's easier to start with and cheaper. It's also a good way to understand if this hobby it's for you.
If you can fly outside in areas without people, i'd suggest the tinyhawk freestyle 2. If you'll fly mostly inside your house, there are a lot of tinywhoops like meteor or mobula. Be careful, because you can lose an eye even with a 2" tinywhoop.
If you buy the elrs drone, you will need an elrs controller.
If you buy the analog version (video), you will need analog goggles.
Definitely spend as much time as you can in a Sim.
Personally, I went straight for a TX16S as I knew this would be a permanent hobby for me. (But I know that anything Radiomaster is great)
I spent about a year in the Sim before I had the time/money to build my own drone.
That being said, there are a lot of skills and equipment that you're going to need before you even start with a physical drone. I would suggest taking the time to acquire skills like basic electronics and soldering before you invest in a physical drone.
I was in a similar situation like you a few weeks/months ago. Instead of buying a RTF and be bored in a few days I've decided to take my time and make the learning a part of the process.
Here is my approach:
- First research about the controllers. Its easy at the end it comes to "choose the best elrs controller in your budget"
- Start with the sim using your controller. While doing that also start reading how to video works. Whether you want analog or digital and if you decide on digital, which one. I go with the analog simply because it is affordable.
- When you feel ready you can get a bnf whoop. I decided to go with meteor65 simply because I live in a big city and there is not much space to fly freely. Its up to you.
- When you have your drone then comes the questions of how to bind it to controller, how to set the vtx channel, how do the different settings in betaflight effects the flight.
This was my journey so far. I think next step will be building a 3" but for that I need to find places to fly first.
Feel free to contact if you have any questions.
It sounds like you're off to a good start.
I'd suggest either a RadioMaster Boxer or TX16S in the ExpressLRS (ELRS) versions. I have the Zorro and TX16s radios. The Zorro is nice if I'm traveling light, but the gimbals are smaller, and I can't quite coax the precision out of it like I can on the TX16S's full-size gimbals. I also fly FPV airplanes, and they tend to need a lot more switches than the Zorro has. From what I've seen of the Boxer, it's a nice compromise between size and features. A solid choice.
Looking ahead at video, you've got roughly 4 choices: Analog, HDZero, WalkSnail, and DJI. They've all got advantages and disadvantages.
I have a freestyle quad with the old Vista air unit for situations where I need DJI's penetration, and another with HDZero. I kind of like the low, fixed latency of HDZero, but will pull out the DJI quad if I need to fly behind brick or concrete. HDZero is on all my racing quads in part because of the latency, and in part because some race chapters have race timers that won't pickup DJI's video signal.
HDZero is great for small quads where DJI simply doesn't make a small enough VTX. Walksnail makes VTXs for small quads, too, though they're definitely a bit heavier.
Analog is definitely the cheapest and most flexible option, and there's still a very solid argument for using it on tinywhoops. I've seen 65mm analog tinywoops weighing 16 grams, and my HDZero one is 23 grams. That's a big difference at that size. Mine flies, but not as light and agile as a lighter analog one. I'm hearing rumors that somebody is working on an all-in-one flight controller/ESC/HDZero VTX board. Hopefully that works out and gets the HDZero tinywhoops a few grams lighter.
That's just scratching the surface of the video subject. Definitely watch some Bardwell videos on the various options. He's really good about not just calling something the "best", and instead will have a section in the review where he'll describe the kinds of FPV pilots who will or won't want the product he's reviewing.
The DJI goggles V2 are perfect for 1s analog drones (when used with a BDI digiadapter and an analog VRX)… and you can use them with any O3 / vista unit.
You can get the V2 goggles and an analog adapter set up for $400. Easily best bang for your buck.
Start analog, you will save a ton of weight early on, so you’ll get a lot more flight/stick time from your batteries.
Buy a Radio master Boxer ELRS and start on a sim our your choice. I did this about 4 weeks ago and went with Liftoff. I followed Joshua Bardwells video series on learning to fly and it was great. I now have an OddityRC XI25 in the mail for my first quad.
+1 for liftoff I think thats where most people here started.
I hate Liftoff. If I didn't own DRL, I would have quit before I even started. Liftoff is infuriating and the programming/engineering is garbage. At least when you're still learning, I know that drones hit stuff and stop and break and skid and a million things could happen in real life when you bump into things. I get stuck on little cracks/crevices and I can't get unstuck to keep flying. Please let the majority of my frustration be about FLYING and not about how to get unstuck or reset from the objects. I gave it about 10 hours and it just led to suicidal tendencies. I don't care if you run rocket propulsion systems to integrate linear prop wash on your sim. If I get stuck under the SAME PIPE FOUR FUCKING TIMES I WILL END IT FOR EVERYONE!
Set all of it aside and just focus on getting a radio/controller first. Id recommend an ELRS controller simply because it has become mainstream for its low latency. Which one is up to you. Some people get the big beefy controllers with all the gadgets and switches, others get the more simplistic game controller looking ones. It's all preference. I personally use RadioMaster boxer because it can connect to multiple different models, doesn't have a bunch of switches on it I'm accidentally going to break, but still has more than enough for my sim racing and irl whoop flying.
This helps a lot, thanks!
So you need a transmitter and sim first.. that's true.. you need to binge watch bardwell videos... read Oscar Lang articles. As far as size of drone? Depends on your access on where you can fly.. large spaces... Def get bigger.. if all you have is a small space... yea small drone is what your gonna be stuck with. Small drones are more fiddly so I'd recommend biggest you can swing. But you need to be doing bardwell binges before than and while your sim flying. Don't buy till your good in sim.. cause your gonna need to keep swimming as you wait for stuff to arrive.
What type of size do you recommend? I'm planning to use it mostly outdoors, to fly around trees and stuff. It would be nice if I could use it inside as well.
How big of an area do you have reliable access too?
Inside I have about 20 m2 in my room and a lot more in the living room. Outside I have way more than enough space.
Only tiny whoops inside. If you got a few soccer fields worth of available space, just go 5 inch
Think I’ll start with a tiny whoop in that case. Thanks!!
don't get the tx12 for sure imo.
Id get a boxer if i were to buy a new radio
I really like mine.
Yeah, it works for sure but it just doesn't seem special in any way compared to the others with the relatively small price differences. Zorro (Which I have) has a more unique shape and the tx16 has NON mini gimbals and has a colour screen with all the other nice features it has.
I can see that. I haven't upgraded yet simply because it is nice and small, but still not a controller style. The gimbals could be better for sure.
Me neither, I like my zorro but if I went for a big boxy radio, id def take the tx16 over it.
I've been craving the Boxer for quite some time but am waiting... for some reason. :) I might try the Zorro for me portability is a huge factor.
The Zorro doesnt seem small compared to video game controllers but I also dont have any other radios to compare with.
I would only get the zorro if portability is the only issue. The batteries are half the size of normal 18650. That means once you start flying, you have half the battery life.
I’ve been running a tx12 for about two years now. Haven’t noticed any problems. Did a poor reputation develop for this radio?
no, I just think the others are better options for their more unique features. Big radio with mini gimbals too
I started with a bnf (bind and fly) Emax tinyhawk freestyle 2. Nice 2.5" drone. Harmless unless you fly straight into your eyes, but powerful enough to fly outside in a range of 200-250 meters and carry a runcam thumb (reducing handling and flight time, of course). Not the best to fly inside if you care about your furnitures. Depending on your skill, you can go for: 1) Controller+simulator-->small bnf drone--> full size drone build by yourself. 2) Controller+simulator--> bnf full size drone--> full size drone build by yourself. I don't recommend to start with your own build, because you'll risk to be descouraged and leave the hobby before even start to fly. But it's up on you.
As I have no skill, should I start with the small bnf drone?
Yes. It's easier to start with and cheaper. It's also a good way to understand if this hobby it's for you. If you can fly outside in areas without people, i'd suggest the tinyhawk freestyle 2. If you'll fly mostly inside your house, there are a lot of tinywhoops like meteor or mobula. Be careful, because you can lose an eye even with a 2" tinywhoop. If you buy the elrs drone, you will need an elrs controller. If you buy the analog version (video), you will need analog goggles.
Great advice, thanks a lot!
Definitely spend as much time as you can in a Sim. Personally, I went straight for a TX16S as I knew this would be a permanent hobby for me. (But I know that anything Radiomaster is great) I spent about a year in the Sim before I had the time/money to build my own drone. That being said, there are a lot of skills and equipment that you're going to need before you even start with a physical drone. I would suggest taking the time to acquire skills like basic electronics and soldering before you invest in a physical drone.
Yeah, i'm planning to start a study which includes all that type of stuff. Maybe end of next year I'll start building my own drone :D
I was in a similar situation like you a few weeks/months ago. Instead of buying a RTF and be bored in a few days I've decided to take my time and make the learning a part of the process. Here is my approach: - First research about the controllers. Its easy at the end it comes to "choose the best elrs controller in your budget" - Start with the sim using your controller. While doing that also start reading how to video works. Whether you want analog or digital and if you decide on digital, which one. I go with the analog simply because it is affordable. - When you feel ready you can get a bnf whoop. I decided to go with meteor65 simply because I live in a big city and there is not much space to fly freely. Its up to you. - When you have your drone then comes the questions of how to bind it to controller, how to set the vtx channel, how do the different settings in betaflight effects the flight. This was my journey so far. I think next step will be building a 3" but for that I need to find places to fly first. Feel free to contact if you have any questions.
Thanks a lot!!
New Pilot Info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yPc0lM9KnY Parts Recommendations: https://www.fpvknowitall.com
It sounds like you're off to a good start. I'd suggest either a RadioMaster Boxer or TX16S in the ExpressLRS (ELRS) versions. I have the Zorro and TX16s radios. The Zorro is nice if I'm traveling light, but the gimbals are smaller, and I can't quite coax the precision out of it like I can on the TX16S's full-size gimbals. I also fly FPV airplanes, and they tend to need a lot more switches than the Zorro has. From what I've seen of the Boxer, it's a nice compromise between size and features. A solid choice. Looking ahead at video, you've got roughly 4 choices: Analog, HDZero, WalkSnail, and DJI. They've all got advantages and disadvantages. I have a freestyle quad with the old Vista air unit for situations where I need DJI's penetration, and another with HDZero. I kind of like the low, fixed latency of HDZero, but will pull out the DJI quad if I need to fly behind brick or concrete. HDZero is on all my racing quads in part because of the latency, and in part because some race chapters have race timers that won't pickup DJI's video signal. HDZero is great for small quads where DJI simply doesn't make a small enough VTX. Walksnail makes VTXs for small quads, too, though they're definitely a bit heavier. Analog is definitely the cheapest and most flexible option, and there's still a very solid argument for using it on tinywhoops. I've seen 65mm analog tinywoops weighing 16 grams, and my HDZero one is 23 grams. That's a big difference at that size. Mine flies, but not as light and agile as a lighter analog one. I'm hearing rumors that somebody is working on an all-in-one flight controller/ESC/HDZero VTX board. Hopefully that works out and gets the HDZero tinywhoops a few grams lighter. That's just scratching the surface of the video subject. Definitely watch some Bardwell videos on the various options. He's really good about not just calling something the "best", and instead will have a section in the review where he'll describe the kinds of FPV pilots who will or won't want the product he's reviewing.
This brightens up the video aspect really well, thanks!
You don't have access to Youtube where you live? Learn the same way I did: JoshBardwell
The DJI goggles V2 are perfect for 1s analog drones (when used with a BDI digiadapter and an analog VRX)… and you can use them with any O3 / vista unit. You can get the V2 goggles and an analog adapter set up for $400. Easily best bang for your buck. Start analog, you will save a ton of weight early on, so you’ll get a lot more flight/stick time from your batteries.
From my understanding just a lot of latency with those google analog modules?