Contemplating buying a drone and you get what you pay for but I'm not in the market for top end stuff. I've heard that you can get perfectly acceptable one's for around £100.

So long as they are easy to control and not prone to crashing into oblivion without constant input I'm happy. Any tips?  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Could do with vertical take off ideally as I've noticed some drones zoom off at an angle before gaining altitude. Not wanting much am I

Sod the budget, lets have an apache gunship  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I know it's a crappy shopping tv thing but I saw one on ideal world last week had one button take off and landing feature which I thought was cool.

Before you start make sure that you are familiar with the myriad regulations on drone flying. Here in Bristol there are only 3 places that you can legally fly a drone in public.
The very least that you need for stability is some kind of altitude sensor. You'll still get instability caused by the downdraft circulating around any smaller space. I got a parrot airborne night and a proper remote control. Just using a smart phone doesn't work as you've got no home point that you can feel on the screen.
Moved up to a Mavic Pro. GPS, altitude sensors, forward object avoidance. Really great piece of kit originally, now being spoilt by DJI's attempts to control the genie they've let loose. Recent updates to firmware and apps have brought live updates to no fly zones and drones just landing when the update is applied. Not a problem over a treeless park but not a lot of good if your £1000 drone is forced to land in a wood, lake, river, the sea or on someone's roof, not that you should be flying over property or infrastructure.

The nature of a drone and its propellers means all will be able to take off vertically, or forward backwards sideways and up up and away

Good starter drones, have a look at Traxxas

I have the traxxas Alias £89
https://wheelspinmodels.co.uk/i/206613/?gc...gJLkPD_BwE

Or spend a bit more if you want a bit more control/camera on the Aton

Or abit more on the DJI Spark Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Saw this on the news only this morning.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40684581 Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

That looks great value Nick but there's quite a price jump to the Aton. I would like one with a camera but without paying a huge premium over those without. Hmm 🤔 LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I've got some drone advice ! Don't fly one anywhere near me or my neighbours As they become the toy of choice and we have had some very dubious characters flying them around our remote-ish properties there is every possibility that an ounce of No.7 trap shot at 1450 feet per second will be customary greeting  2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

If you have privacy issues then you'd better start disabling all of the cameras on the mobile phones of all visitors to your property or in a 30 metre radius of your person. The detail that can be got from even expensive consumer drones flying at legal height and distance from people or property pales into insignificance with that which can be achieved with casual smart phone use and you probably won't even know that the smart phone pictures have been taken until they appear on the web.
If the drone is close enough to get pictures as good as the smart phone then it's way too close and the pilot deserves whatever's coming as they should be known to you and flying that close with permission.
Now the detail I can get with a 400mm lens on a dslr at distance is something else but it's plainly obvious what I'm doing.

Yorkshire folk can contact me if wanting a drone flying area or non yorksire who like long journeys just to fly a toy
.
the only charge is a copy of the photos taken, they are useful way of keeping an eye on the crops.


 At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

My son is an agronomist now working in Kenya and they have been experimenting with drones for assessing crops on large farms. The first time they tried it the drone was attacked by an Eagle and got smashed up.  3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

This one looks pretty good and gets good reviews. Short range but perhaps it'll be plenty https://www.amazon.co.uk/PowerLead-Babrit-...ith+camera LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I too have the mavic pro and it is a serious piece of kit - amazing but obviously at a price!

Was on holiday last week and our caravan was spitting distance from the beach. Got up at 5am to catch the sunrise and flew the drone from the comfort of my decking, flewq 320 foot in the air and about 500 foot away from me for an hour with no-one around and had a brilliant time and shot some cracking footage, although I didn't have the balls to fly it over the sea!!!

A bit of common sense is needed when flying a drone - go to an open space and only fly if there is no-one around. Now - 2017 BMW X3 M Sport Carbon Black
Gone - 2014 BMW X3 M Sport Space Grey, faultless!
Gone - 2011 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Bali Blue with xenons
Gone - 2008 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Rimini Red with bodykit

^^^^^^

and away from any aircraft flight paths (including keeping a watchful ear/eye out for low flying RAF hedge hoppers )

or alternatively buy a train set  MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings