Best $40-ish Copter?

Which copter should I get for Misa?

  • Proto X Nano

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Hubsan X4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 1 100.0%
  • See answer in post

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    1
  • Poll closed .

starcat

Member
This is a gift for a beginner (adult) and I want to spend around $40+/-

I initially wanted to get the Estes 4606 Proto X Nano R/C Quadcopter but a lot of people who sound like they know their copters say it's too faulty. Also looking at the Hubsan X4 which seems more reliable. The Blade Nano sounds great but a little too pricey. Also, I am not limiting it to quads and haven't looks at others only because I don't know what else is out there.

What I like about the Proto is how much "fun" everyone says it is to fly. Funliness is the most important factor, as is tininess - the smaller the better. I don't mind if the copter typically lasts only a few months (although being able to repair it is a *major* bonus) but I want it to be exciting, addicting and easy enough to use so it isn't destroyed immediately. The recipient is a gamer of sorts, so she could handle a bit of a challenge.

I would greatly appreciate any input - Amazon reviews are far too fickle. Oh, and I need to buy it today or early tomorrow and prefer one I can send with Prime.
 

genesc

Member
For what it is worth, I am a beginner and of course new with Quads. I went through a couple mini quads until I found the U816A. It has been a learning experience but what I do know is I have not had any hardware issues outside of a few crash's and it did not break. I practice almost every day when there is no wind, but I do fly it in my house now when it is wet out or windy.

I do not know if this is what you are looking for but for me it serves the purpose of orientation and gimble skills which I had no clue about in the beginning. It also has easy mode for the very new quad pilot and you can switch it to a more robust acro mode once you get your confidence up.

Hope this helps
Gene
 

starcat

Member
Gene,

Thank you SO much for your input! That one looks awesome, too. I guess the others I mentioned don't do the 360... It's definitely another contender!
 

Jake Bullit

Fly,crash,glue,repeat!
The Husan is good,very stable and easy to fly,quite robust as well.

Heres my 10 yo daughter hovering it in the back garden:
 
Last edited by a moderator:

starcat

Member
Gosh, you have such a beautiful house and backyard! Thank you so much for posting this video (and I saw a few others;).. It is very helpful to see it in action. I think I am leaning toward this one... though it looks bigger in the video than I thought.

You both have mentioned the copter being "robust"... Can you help define what that means in the copter world?

Thank you again so much for your response!
 

starcat

Member
Does anyone know about the Top Race® 4 Channel Micro Quad Copter TR-MQ1 (Smallest Quad Copter in the world) seen here: http://www.amazon.com/Top-Channel-C...id=1403666376&sr=1-6&keywords=quadcopter+nano

I don't want junk, but I can't tell what's what. It appears to be "marked down" over $70 ?

For example, Black & Decker makes a $30 barrel-grip jigsaw and it has almost 5 stars on Amazon, but no craftsman (even a beginner) would buy that vs the Bosch model for $150, also almost 5 stars. My point is... I don't want a B&D grade copter. Please let me know if I mention one that is.

Thank you all so much for your input!
 


IM0001

Member
+1 for the Hubsan X4 + the Crash Kit + Prop Guard. Best bang for your buck and the crash kit will keep you in the air for a good long time before you have to buy more props or anything else really.
 

dronebuff

Member
Would definitely recommend the X4. The Hubsan X4 is a great quad, big enough to be very stable and easy to see, yet small and light enough to fly indoors and take little to no damage. Plus it's just a lot of fun.
 





I_am_Chris

New Member
Even though this thread is a year old, the question in the title is still worth answering.

Many people recommend the Syma X1, however, for a true beginner, I would recommend the Syma X11 or the Hubsan X4. The X1 has 3-axis stabilization and, in my experience, has trouble compensating for even a small breeze when being flown by a beginner. The X1 does not come with a prop guard or any LED's. The X11 and X4 are 6-axis and will be easier to control, they are also about 60% the size of the X1 making them suitable for indoor and outdoor flying. The X11 comes with a prop guard and LED's to help with visibility and orientation. It's also less expensive than both the X1 and the X4.

There are video reviews on YouTube where people have compared the X11 and the X4. Check out the videos for more information.

I would recommend against a Nano-Quad like the Cheerson CX-10 as the first quad. It's a fine device, but due to its size, it fails to deliver on the Quad experience in the same way an X11 or X4 will. Better yet, buy both the CX-10 and the X11 for about 40. Make sure you have a prop guard and replacement propellers for the CX-10 as it does not come with a guard and the propellers are easy to damage due to their small size.
 




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