I’ve been thinking about the older drone models lately. They may not be fancy anymore, but they’ve got some charm. Is anyone else here still flying them or just reminiscing?
That radio looks wild for its time.
Willow said:
That radio looks wild for its time.
It really was ahead of its time. Pretty advanced stuff back then.
Willow said:
That radio looks wild for its time.
It really was ahead of its time. Pretty advanced stuff back then.
It’s crazy how Hubsan just faded out. They made some solid drones back in the day.
@Willow
Totally agree. I still have a little indoor FPV drone from them, and it works like a charm.
Blane said:
@Willow
Totally agree. I still have a little indoor FPV drone from them, and it works like a charm.
Back then, every toy drone seemed to copy their X4 series. They were everywhere.
@Willow
Hubsan teamed up with Exo drones. Now all the new Exo drones are just rebranded Hubsans. That’s why you can’t get Hubsan directly in the U.S. anymore. Honestly, I’m hoping Exo moves on so Hubsan can come back here.
@Willow
I loved my Zino back in the day!
@Willow
Same here! My first drone was the H107C. Actually, it was my second too, after the first one had an unfortunate swimming accident. Shockingly, even after being in a pool for a month, it still almost worked!
Willow said:
That radio looks wild for its time.
It used Google Maps for setting waypoints. Pretty futuristic for something from 2018.
Willow said:
That radio looks wild for its time.
It used Google Maps for setting waypoints. Pretty futuristic for something from 2018.
My 3DR Solo uses QGroundControl for missions. Got it back in 2015, and it still works great.
I’ve got a bunch of older drones that I’ve flown for years:
- 3DR Solo: Upgraded the GPS and added a dual helical antenna to the transmitter for better range. With 4 batteries, I still get 25-minute flights.
- Parrot Bebop 2: Rebuilt the batteries to keep it flying. Parrot didn’t manage battery storage well, so you have to rebuild them to keep capacity.
- 1st Gen Autel Evo: Battery management is excellent, and it still flies as well as it did when I bought it.
I’ve got a couple of drones from Horizon Hobby—200 QX and 350 QX. Both are amazing for sport flying. Also have a Traxxas Aton.
Blane said:
I’ve got a couple of drones from Horizon Hobby—200 QX and 350 QX. Both are amazing for sport flying. Also have a Traxxas Aton.
I used to have the Traxxas Alias. It wasn’t big, but it was my first outdoor quad and so much fun. Unfortunately, one windy day, I flew it too high, and it just drifted away over the neighborhood. Never saw it again.
How do you like the Aton? I switched to 3D helicopters for a while after losing that Alias.
Yes, definitely interested! Let me know if you have anything available.
The early models really show how much drones have come along. They’re interesting to look back on.
I’d love to get one that size, but I bet finding batteries for it is impossible now.
You can still find batteries, but they’re all aftermarket replacements.
What kind of range can you get with one of these? They look awesome.