Update: Please note that this video is now quite old and features a Phantom V1. Now that Phantoms and other multirotors have become mainstream and are seen on every street corner, the joy we felt when we bought the V1 (at an obscene price) may seem a little lame. Also, before the Phantom V1 came along, the availability of a Return To Home feature was relatively unknown and we were simply amazed that there was technology available to hobbyists that could bail you out in the event of a problem. Now, because RTH is so common, the thrill we had then is now a basic expectation.
If you buy a Phantom or another type of multirotor, please take the time to understand how to fly it safely. They are not toys. There is a ton of information and help available on the internet and I encourage you to become as well informed as you can before you take to the skies. Happy flying!
Back to our original programming :-)
Larry was the first in our club to get a Phantom, now three of us have bit the bullet and have one. These things are amazing and a "Ready to Fly" dream. A number of us have wanted to get into a decent quad but were shying away because of the learning curve required to put one together and program it properly.
Whenever someone shows up at the club that hasn't seen the Phantom in action, they always want to see it (to believe it) that you can just turn the radio off and it will come home and land itself. Larry is always happy to provide a demo and this time, I thought you guys might like to see it too.
You'll hear a bit of laughter at the end of the video as the Phantom looks like it might want to tip over. It sometimes does this when it's a bit windy and seems to lean towards the exact point of take-off as if it wants to get just a bit closer. When it's dead calm, it always lands without any drama.
When you figure that with a GoPro attached, you've got about a thousand bucks up in the air, it's a great comfort to know that if you fly out of range of the transmitter or screw up, the Phantom will bail you out and you'll get it back. (Although I would never admit it out loud, it saved my butt once already!!!)
This is truly amazing technology, especially at the hobby level.
I hope you enjoy this little video!
Music:
Royalty Free Music:
From Jamendo at www.jamendo.com
Artist: Café Del Chillia
Album: Jazz moods Chillia
Song: Jazz Moods Chillia
Link to Song:
Link to Creative Commons License: /