Hey guys my name is Aaron. I have been flying for a couple years now. Starting with a walmart special alowly upgrading to higher level toyish brands and models. Welp i finally discovered the hobby side. Ive been in the hobby grade rc scene since a child so i know i am capable of a build i just dont know where to start.

Welcome to the forum

Welcome. Enjoy he ride.....

Welcome 

First, (assuming that you are in the United States) consider the 
FAA regulations and where you want to fit. Whether or not you intend 
to comply is up to you, but at least be aware of the regulations for the 
airspace in which you intend to fly. 

Personally, I am a sub-250 gram guy, I only fly for recreational
purposes because I don't want to register my drones, don't want
to install a remote ID device, and don't want to get a Part 107
pilot's license, but I want to be as legal as possible. 
That is just me. 

Now, determine what you expect from the quad. Do you want a
hi-performance craft of one built for endurance; that is extended
fly time. I wouldn't try to make a one-quad-fits-all build. 

My suggestion is to start with a smaller build such as a 2.5 inch or
3 inch and keep the build simple by utilizing an AIO FC board. ELRS
is the most likely RC protocol and many boards now have this item
included on the FC board. For video, digital HD is better, but more
expensive than analog. Do some research before deciding as there
are several competing digital systems plus analog. I am all analog 
because it is cheaper and I just don't need HD; just me 


Anyway, just my thoughts. Welcome to the forum. 

iFly 

Hey there! Thanks a ton for the input. Sounds a lot like my situation. Recreational. Like you mentioned i wanna do freestyle as i dont currently have much experience. Only personal wants are gps, go pro capable and just a solid reliable system. Id possibly use for surveying hunting and fishing areas but other than that...

Hi and welcome. You're in an awesome place with awesome people, good luck not getting addicted.

(12-Mar-2023, 02:29 PM)Tomkins2010 Wrote: Hey there! Thanks a ton for the input. Sounds a lot like my situation. Recreational. Like you mentioned i wanna do freestyle as i dont currently have much experience. Only personal wants are gps, go pro capable and just a solid reliable system. Id possibly use for surveying hunting and fishing areas but other than that...

                      The FAA would likely consider the surveying of areas to be a Part 107
                      activity, so if you do that, then I wouldn't post any of it. Just keep it
                      on the down low unless you want to fly under the Part 107 regulations.

Hi Tomkins,

No worries, Mate. I am in the United States where all airspace is regulated 
by the FAA. Drones under 55 lbs. have the same basic regulations. If the
flight qualifies for the Recreational Exemption, then a few of the regulations
are waived, however, the drone must first be less than 250 grams including
the battery and any attachments or payloads such as an action camera. 
Everything counts.

The very first and primary requirement to qualify for the Recreational 
Exemption is the flight itself which must be purely and solely for the recreational 
enjoyment of the pilot, FUN Only. If any entity or person gets any benefit of any 
kind (not necessarily money) including promoting one's self, get a like on YouTube 
postings, and surveying one's own property, anything the FAA considers to be a 
Part 107 activity and does NOT qualify for the Recreational Exemption.
 
Yep, if the flight video is used for basically anything, then it is a Part 107 activity.

The second requirement is that the quad must have an All Up Weight including
the battery and payload that is less than 250 grams.

If the flight qualifies in these two areas then the flight could fall under the
Recreational Exemption with the primary benefits as follows:  1) The drone does
NOT need to be registered and the number displayed on the craft, 2) The new
(as of Sept. 2023) remote ID requirement is waived, 3) The pilot does NOT need
to get a Part 107 license. 

Do keep in mind that ALL drones must be flown within Visual Line Of Sight whether
Part 107 or Recreational Exemption. There is no exemption for long range flights.

Consequently, I fly sub-250 gram craft within Visual Line Of Sight on my own property
and I Do NOT post videos to YouTube. I stay away from people when I fly. 

You might find it interesting to check out a document that I have been working on:
Build Methodology for 250-gram drones <- Click Link