This article first appeared on Propwashed. Click here for the original article.
The relative “crashability” of miniquads is my favorite aspect of this type of aircraft over all others. I not-so-fondly remember the days of my obsession with RC helicopters, where I absolutely dreaded the maiden flight or learning new maneuvers because they risked crashes which were always followed by an expensive rebuild. Often the aircraft would never be the same again after a particularly good wallop. Miniquads, on the other hand, love to take a beating. I have flown quadcopters into concrete walls and trees, re-armed, and flown away countless times. Try doing that with any other aircraft.
Not all quadcopters can claim this kind of crashworthiness, though. Good durability must be built into the quadcopter. For ARFs, this means you will depend on the manufacturers a lot. I recommend you check out our ARF inspection guide for some tips on what to look for with regards to ARF durability.
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