genuinely asking because i keep going back and forth on this. i mostly fly in grassy fields and sometimes at the beach and i know the sand thing is a real concern but i feel like a landing pad is one of those accessories that looks cool in youtube videos but maybe isnt actually necessary? like the drone is going to fly through dust and pollen regardless so does it really matter if it kicks up a little on takeoff and landing.

the other thing is i saw some really cheap ones on aliexpress for like 8 bucks and then theres the hoodman ones that are like 40-50. no idea if theres actually a difference or if theyre all just the same orange circle. anyone have thoughts, im mostly just trying to figure out if this is a real problem i should solve or if im overthinking it

beach flying changed my mind on this completely. took my air 2s out without one and spent like 45 minutes cleaning sand out of the motor gaps when i got home. now i bring the pad everywhere. honestly for 8 bucks just get the cheap one, the main point is just giving the motors a clean surface on takeoff and landing, its not a complicated piece of technology. i have a no-name one that folds up small and it works exactly the same as my friends expensive branded one

yeah the cheap ones are fine, the only real difference ive noticed with the pricier ones is they have a bit more weight so they dont blow away as easily when theres wind. my budget one flipped over on me once right as i was landing and it was a whole thing. if you fly somewhere windy a lot maybe worth getting one with corner stakes or just throw a rock on the edge. but honestly youre not overthinking it, its a genuinely useful thing to have, small enough that theres no reason not to bring it