How to Choose Between Different Camera Drones

With so many available models and an increasingly expanding market, knowing what to look for in order to select the best drone model for you can indeed be challenging.

This nice article by our regular contributor Michael Karp could be very helpful in making an informed decision. Also make sure you check out Michael’s  Drone Business Marketer blog for more great info on dronesHere we go!

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By Michael Karp

The camera drone market is saturated with options. No matter what application you need it for, you likely have many different choices to choose from.

This can leave many pilots in a bind. How do you choose between this drone with a camera or that one?

In this article, I’m going to break down some distinguishing factors that can help you make different purchasing decisions based on your needs.

3D Robotics Iris+ drone
3D Robotics Iris+ drone

Let’s get to it:

Price-to-Features Ratio

The first overall metric you want to look at is the price-to-features ratio. This ratio simply tells you how many features (and what quality of features) you’re getting for the price. Continue reading How to Choose Between Different Camera Drones

Top 5 Mistakes Made by Drone Pilots

While flying or even just handling a drone, a mistake can lead to quite serious consequences.

For this reason I suggest you read with care this insightful article by Aaron Colley, owner of getadrone, as it could save you time, money and some serious trouble in the future. Thank you Aaron for this great contribution!

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by Aaron Colley

It goes without saying that jumping into the expansive and complex world of drones, is no easy task. For novices, the drone world can be overwhelmingly complicated, and at times seem impossible to figure out. With that said, we can all agree that it’s highly probable that mistakes will be made, it’s just a matter of “when” and not “If”. So that’s why we’ve decided it would be a great idea to expose the top 5 mistakes made by drone pilots, and hopefully prevent anyone else from making the mistakes themselves.

Mistake #1

Over Estimating Your Flying Skills

A drone that crashed during a flight
A drone that crashed during a flight

One of the most common mistakes for both beginners and advanced pilots alike, is overestimating their own piloting ability. For beginners, the case is usually moving onto bigger more expensive drones far too quickly. They figure if they can fly their micro drone in the bedroom without injuring their pet cat, naturally it must be time to buy an Inspire Pro and fly over New York City! No, please DO NOT do this! This has led to so many accidents, fly-always, and horrifying stories. Take your time when starting out, starting from a micro drone, move to a smaller toy drone, then to cheap camera drone, then maybe to a phantom, and possibly after a year or so flying the Phantom you can progress to something a little larger and more expensive. This will help you avoid a ton of headaches, believe me, you’ll thank us later. Continue reading Top 5 Mistakes Made by Drone Pilots

7 Small Drones That Are Perfect for Flying Indoors

It’s great to get out and fly your drone in a nice location. However there are times in which it would be great to be able practice your flying skills, or just have fun, without leaving your home. So this Michael Karp’s post on a selection of small drones for indoor flying is indeed of great interest. Thank you Michael for the great job!

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By Michael Karp

Not all drones are created equal.

Some are meant for aerial photography, surveying, search and rescue, racing, and much more.

But most of those drones aren’t meant for one thing: Flying indoors.

They’re usually too big and bulky, so when the weather isn’t cooperating, what are you supposed to do?

In this article, I’m going to break down seven small drones that are excellent indoor flyers. And despite their size, many of them have some surprisingly advanced features.

Let’s get to it!

1) NiGHT LiONS TECH X800S

NiGHT LiONS TECH X800S
NiGHT LiONS TECH X800S

The Night Lions Tech X800S is ultra small. It can almost fit in the palm of your hand. Continue reading 7 Small Drones That Are Perfect for Flying Indoors

Tech startup Makeblock releases Airblock, a Modular Drone that Transforms Into a Hovercraft

Tech startup Makeblock releases Airblock, a Modular Drone that Transforms Into a Hovercraft

SAN FRANCISCO — November 2, 2016 — Shenzhen-based robotics startup Makeblock released the new Airblock, a modular six-axis drone that transforms into various flying configurations, including hexacopter and hovercraft. Airblock combines the best of building blocks with flight physics and engineering to make each flying experience unique.

Airblock, a modular and programmable Drone
Airblock, a modular and programmable Drone

Airblock consists of magnetic, modular parts that are easy to assemble and disassemble without tools. Included in each set are a control core, a hovercraft base, six blade modules, six spare blades, ten blade shields, one wall charger, one lithium-ion rechargeable battery and one USB cable.

The central processor, motors and rotors are all enclosed in a soft foam frame that is durable and strong. Its pieces snap together using magnetic connectors. The large styrofoam base can be configured with the aforementioned pieces to construct a hovercraft that zips over water or smooth terrain. Continue reading Tech startup Makeblock releases Airblock, a Modular Drone that Transforms Into a Hovercraft