For under $90, I can't think of a better quadracopter for the price, as the Syma 8C (which also comes in several different formats) that includes a small camera. Many complain of the "jello" produced by the vibrations and prop wash. I have found that opening up the mounting pod the actual camera is packaged in, and making the following modifications will increase your enjoyment enormously.
First, take a nail clipper or needle nose pliers and break away some of the plastic above the SD Card slot. This will enable you to see the RED and Green, Recording and Standby lights (in that order) during daylight flights. Before putting the camera back in its mounting pod, secure with masking tape so the top and sides are tightly jammed with tape on the camera top and sides with the pod enclosure. This should eliminate the "jello" (a ripple that meanders thru the video recording). You might have to secure the pod in a similar fashion with tape or rubber bands to prevent any "slop" in this fixture with the main 'copter body.
I had it up about 150 feet and a wind came out of nowhere and took the quad higher and downwind, making it way difficult for me to tell direction of travel and orientation. I put the quad into a spin to try and hold its position. Then cut the throttle to drop it, just a little before giving power to the throttle to make for a controlled dissent. This strategy worked well.
The other thing that has saved my ass, is to cut the throttle immediately when losing control near the ground or before colliding with something. That has preserved the props; one of which was bent from a crash to cause more damage. In trying to straighten the bent prop out, I cracked it. Even with superglue over the weakened plastic, during this out of control flight, the prop broke off and had to be replaced.
While we're on the subject, the Syma 8C instructions did not make clear that there are "A" props AND "B" props. Two of the motors spin these props, which are cut differently, in the opposite direction as the other two props and motors. You have to get the right props on the right motors or the bird won't fly. I learned this from a youtube video after experiencing such a mis-installation.
I expect to show loads of great footage of Maui with the new camera I got to replace to one that comes with this drone. Its heavy and must be treated with respect as it will do some damage if you connect with one of its spinning rotors, or god forbid it drops from the sky and lands on somebody?!
Be careful. Start flying on a large, grassy field so when you do crash it, the injury if any, will be small. Its unbelievable how much crashing this flying camera platform has indured and still gives great flight.
https://youtu.be/Ux1D4k0P3nM
that resulted in my first abusive crash on Jan 5, 2015. There have been other repercussions, but I'll probably not write about them unless someone comments and or asks for a laundry list of what has been repaired in the first month of flying.
Here's the video from the crashing copter:
https://youtu.be/T5PXlOedpi4
Cheers and Blessings,
Peter, Curious About Quads
