LEARNING TO FLY A DRONE

On Christmas my sister gave me a box to open and said it would be for both of us, but I would be the one that would us it.  Upon ripping off the paper it turned out to be a small drone.  She purchased it through QVC as a Christmas special.  It is a Talon HD (#talonhd) by PCT Brands.

Zero Gravity Talon HD 

The drone comes with the props already on the motors so you have to charge the three batteries included.  With the drone weighting 0.32 pounds, it does not qualify for registration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).   

Underside of the drone with the small camera attached.

 Once the batteries are fully charged, each battery will power the drone for seven minutes.  That means you have to have the two spares in your pocket in order to learn to fly this thing.  After reading the manual and watching the online video at www.myzerogravity.com, I felt ready to fly this thing.  I must say it is easy to fly and the controls are very responsive.  I tried to keep the altitude high enough that the drone would not hit any objects.  This way you can get use to the controls and the orientation of the drone. 

Flying high above my house and shop. 

Since the drone only weighs less than half a pound, the wind will pay havoc with it.  When trying to descend and bring the drone back close to me, flying into a headwind was a little tricky.   

Landing Talon HD on my equipment trailer

 After a week of practicing, it was time to see if the Talon HD could land on a solid platform.  It looks like trying to land on an aircraft carrier.  A successful landing was accomplished in the first try.

You cannot compare this to heavier drones.  A relative of mine has a larger drone, similar to the DJI Phantom 3 and it seems easier to learn to fly since it is heavier.  

For my first drone, this is not a bad choice to learn to fly.  It is limited to 300 feet in altitude and 300 feet distance to the horizon.   This should keep one out of trouble.