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Ask Slashdot: Best Drone For $100-$150?

Posted by samzenpus on from the eye-in-the-sky dept.

andyring writes With Christmas fast approaching, and me being notoriously hard to buy for, I thought a camera drone would be great to suggest for Christmas. But the options are dizzying, and it's nearly impossible to find something and know it'll be decent. What are Slashdotters suggestions/recommendations/experiences with a basic camera drone in the $100-150 range? Looks like all of them do video but I'm more interested in high-res stills although that may be a moot point.

15 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. At that price point, not much... by chaosdivine69 · · Score: 5, Informative

    You'll be getting crap for $100-150. Sorry, but you will. Now that being said, I have found a Syma x5C from Banggood for $63.51 CAD and has a 2MB camera. http://www.banggood.com/Syma-X... and it's not bad for a beginner but it's going to get broken and then you'll be pissed off.

    But you should really save your pennies and buy a Cheerson CX20 but it's $368.40 CAD. http://www.banggood.com/Cheers... Here's an entire thread on it from people who know their stuff on RCGroups: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums...

    Do your research on this on YouTube and the Internet in general. Read the reviews. This is a pretty serious drone for little cost. You can get gimbals and use GoPro cameras (or SJ4000 type cameras too). Anyhow, good drones aren't to be found for under $300. Save your money...you'll thank me later.

    1. Re:At that price point, not much... by imac.usr · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You'll be getting crap for $100-150. Sorry, but you will. Now that being said, I have found a Syma x5C from Banggood for $63.51 CAD and has a 2MB camera. http://www.banggood.com/Syma-X... [banggood.com] and it's not bad for a beginner but it's going to get broken and then you'll be pissed off.

      Not as fucking pissed off as he will be when his $400 drone crashes, eats a prop, gets caught in a gust of wind and wanders out to sea, etc. etc. It's much better to start with a $60 Hubsan or Syma and get some inexpensive practice flying in before moving up to something Phantom-level.

      --
      I use Macs for work, Linux for education, and Windows for cardplaying.
    2. Re:At that price point, not much... by terminal.dk · · Score: 2

      I started with Phantom 2 Vision+. And it was easy peasy to fly. That is why people should buy a GPS controlled drone as their first.
      Maybe start with Microdrones at home (Cheerson CX-10 or Hubsan), but DJI Phantom / DJI Phantom 2 / Cheerson CX-20 / Walkera X350 Pro (not the non-pro) are all OK drones, and where I would recommend starting.

      I now have a cheap indoor drone, the Walkera X350 Pro (returned 2 DJI P2V+ due to bad QC), and are building my own F550 clone with APM 2.6, better motors and simonk ESCs.

      You can build yourself. It will costs around $50 (APM 2.6 + GPS) + 4x motors $45 + 4x ESCs for $45 + receiver $25 = $175
      On top of that you will need a good transmitter, say FrSky Taranis for $250, for step down to the Walkera Devo 10 @ $150.

      So we are talking $350+ if it is not going to be a play short time and throw away toy.

      Nothing beats the out of box experience of the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ @ $1299 incl. extra battery. And it is clearly within 10x the listed price range.

  2. wait for it by turkeydance · · Score: 5, Insightful

    whatever is $500 today, will be $150 tomorrow. time is your friend.

  3. Better Question by eric31415927 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Best way to disable a camera drone?

    If I see a drone outside my second story window, I'd like to take it out.
    Water gun?
    Frequency jam?
    Simple pellet gun?

    1. Re:Better Question by chaosdivine69 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Buy another cheap drone and fly the fucker right into the expensive one. End of problem.

    2. Re:Better Question by koan · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Based on your thinking I would suggest a psychiatrist for your paranoia.

      --
      "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
    3. Re:Better Question by ShaunC · · Score: 4, Funny

      Just show it your penis. The drone will overheat and self-destruct trying to zoom in far enough to get a good picture.

      --
      Thanks to the War on Drugs, it's easier to buy meth than it is to buy cold medicine!
    4. Re:Better Question by uvajed_ekil · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Best way to disable a camera drone?

      If I see a drone outside my second story window, I'd like to take it out. Water gun? Frequency jam? Simple pellet gun?

      Simple: shotgun. Or find the kid operating it, punch him in the eye, and take the controller away from him, or tell his mom he was spying on your wife.

      --
      This is a hacked account, for which the owner can not be held responsible.
  4. Hubsan by koan · · Score: 3

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
  5. Let me revise that by koan · · Score: 4, Informative

    I thought you were only willing to spend $100.

    Get this: http://www.amazon.com/Hubsan-H...

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
  6. Re:THIS "ASK SLASHDOT" IS WE-TODD-DID! by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2

    Maybe you should get a spelling checker for Christmas.

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  7. Re:Gaaa! by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Informative

    Okay, so please enlighten those of us who don't understand the difference on how these RC "toys" are not drones?

    RC toy:
      - Requires line of sight control.
      - May have a camera+recorder, but you cannot see the camera output in real time.
      - May require low level control of pitch/roll/yaw
      - You control it by looking at the toy in the sky.

    Drone:
        - Can fly out of line of sight.
        - Transmits video in real time.
        - Can accept high level commands, such as position and heading, and handles pitch/roll/yaw itself.
        - You control it by looking at the video.

  8. Best drone for cheap? by hyades1 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Any Congressman or televangelist.

    --
    I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
  9. Re:Any 3D printer fanatics wanna chime in here? by Hognoxious · · Score: 2

    Shun the unbeliever! Shuuun! Shuuuun!

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."