DRONES ?

Bought my first drone (Mavic Air 2) a few weeks ago.....and caught this... (note: No one was hurt in the fire - it was an empty barn)
 

Attachments

  • HouseFire2.png
    HouseFire2.png
    2.6 MB · Views: 44
I have a 2013 laptop with windows 8 and was disappointed to find I can't download windows movie maker since it's been discontinued. I down loaded a program called ice cream for a video editor. It works but there really isn't much to it. I may try open shot or powerdirector since the system requirements fit what I have. I tried Movavi but it slowed my laptop down too much to be of any use. Powerdirector looks good and if the free download works for me, I would be up for purchasing it outright instead of going with the subscription. As a reference, I am a complete noob with editing and have only had my mavic air for a short time but it's been fun.
DJI_0054.JPG
My little corner of the world. If you zoom way down the river, you can see the French King Bridge.
 
 
DJI owns the consumer market on price point and ease of use.

Anduril's only advantage is the U S Government can buy them as DJI products are considered compromised by the Chinese Government or other "bad actors"

Until the FAA allows flights beyond VLOS, above 400', flights over people, flights over occupied roads, etc, they can make the worlds most technologically drones but legally they are stuck in pre school mode.

Based on the stupid things I have seen people do with existing technology, I'm not sure as someone who has flown General Aviation aircraft in the past that I want the Casey Neistat's of the world flying those drones around
 
start studying for a Part 107 license while you are making the decision, it avoids a lot of the limitations placed upon recreational flyers.



 
So, I bought a Mavic Mini - Fly More package. Finally got to run it yesterday. A couple of things:

1. It turns out my house/yard is about 100 yards into a no fly zone (Boire Field Airport Security zone) so I was unable to test it in my yard.
2. There is a little learning curve but I found the drone to be pretty easy to fly
3. The video is fantastic
4. My wife wants one for Christmas.

Anyone using a tablet with DJI Fly app? I'd like a bit more real estate on the screen
 
did you try to get a LAANC clearance to fly?

You may not get 400' but most of the time you can get something
 
did you try to get a LAANC clearance to fly?

You may not get 400' but most of the time you can get something
If you just looked at the local AirMaps there wouldn’t be anyplace fly!
I was surprised at the number of “restricted“ areas called heliports in Mass. seems everyone has one. Add in state/National parks and it looks impossible to fly.
Add in some local town restrictions and it gets worse.
I visit family in York, Maine. Besides my sisters house being under a major approach corridor for pease and Sanford, The whole town is restricted, unless you are a licensed drone operator (photographer, surveyer, etc). My dad and I were walking one day and we saw a guy in a yellow vest walking the neighborhood. When we got closer we noticed his vest...”FAA licensed drone operator”. We asked what he was doing and he said arial surveys. He was flying a mavic by the way.
 
start studying for a Part 107 license while you are making the decision, it avoids a lot of the limitations placed upon recreational flyers.





Please post back when you go through this. I want to get a good idea of how much effort it is to get the FAA license. I have the ham radio license so I'm half way there right now.
 
as a hobbyist, everything within 5 miles of any airport or registered heliport (hospitals !!!) is going to ground you unless you do the notification thing.

As a Part 107 I bypass all of that, and can get LAANC permission to fly in a lot of controlled airspace that is off limits to the recreational flyer

I put in a request to fly in KASH Class D and got instant approval a few minutes ago

Screenshot_20201105-082223.png
 
PS now that Baker has closed driving and flight schools, getting a FAA testing site is going to be a problem if you want to take the 107 exam

I did mine at Eagle East at Lawrence because that is where I flew out of when I was doing fixed wing
 
So, I bought a Mavic Mini - Fly More package. Finally got to run it yesterday. A couple of things:

1. It turns out my house/yard is about 100 yards into a no fly zone (Boire Field Airport Security zone) so I was unable to test it in my yard.
2. There is a little learning curve but I found the drone to be pretty easy to fly
3. The video is fantastic
4. My wife wants one for Christmas.

Anyone using a tablet with DJI Fly app? I'd like a bit more real estate on the screen
i have that, and a pro 2 and zoom 2 drones - mini is a very capably little bird, but, be aware, it is not made for far away voyages, it is not quite capable to fight the strong wind.
if you ended up too far and too high - always try to lower the drone a bit when flying back - do not rely on the automatic return alone every time.
i would say - it is deceptively easy to fly, but if you will remember simple rules - it will be fine.
rule #1 - always presume it can fail and drop down. so, you need to be aware, 100% of times - what do you have down below, so you would not cause any harm.
rule #2 - try not to break of VLOS for no reason - especially with dji mini - it is so small that it will not be seen nor heard at a relatively short distance - and is quite easy to get lost.
rule #3 - before you fly out - always check the direction of the wind. if you can, start your mission against the wind, so on the way back you would return to home with the wind, if you can.
other than that - good luck, it is one heck of a hobby, a lot of fun. just be safe and respect privacy of your neighbors - and it will be no issues at all.
 
i have that, and a pro 2 and zoom 2 drones - mini is a very capably little bird, but, be aware, it is not made for far away voyages, it is not quite capable to fight the strong wind.
if you ended up too far and too high - always try to lower the drone a bit when flying back - do not rely on the automatic return alone every time.
i would say - it is deceptively easy to fly, but if you will remember simple rules - it will be fine.
rule #1 - always presume it can fail and drop down. so, you need to be aware, 100% of times - what do you have down below, so you would not cause any harm.
rule #2 - try not to break of VLOS for no reason - especially with dji mini - it is so small that it will not be seen nor heard at a relatively short distance - and is quite easy to get lost.
rule #3 - before you fly out - always check the direction of the wind. if you can, start your mission against the wind, so on the way back you would return to home with the wind, if you can.
other than that - good luck, it is one heck of a hobby, a lot of fun. just be safe and respect privacy of your neighbors - and it will be no issues at all.
This is a great post.

I started off by limiting the distance and altitude in the app (50ft altitude, 200 yards distance) so I wouldn't get myself in trouble.

Looks like the ONN 8" at WalMart is compatible with the DJI Fly app.
 
I have a set of Cree Strobon 3 mile visible lights on my Mavic Pro, because the lights on the Mavic are not 3 mile compliant for night flights conducted under a 107.29 waiver

There are guys out there that 3D print mounts for the lights that clip on to the arms.

I have found them to be a nice addition to the sUAV ... when it is 400 feet up and a distance away, it is REAL easy to have the drone blend into the background, the strobes make it easier to find if you take your eyes off of it for a second to look at the screen

 
This is a great post.

I started off by limiting the distance and altitude in the app (50ft altitude, 200 yards distance) so I wouldn't get myself in trouble.

Looks like the ONN 8" at WalMart is compatible with the DJI Fly app.
it helps, i agree.

just to re-iterate - a very common mistake a lof of people do - you need to set an RTH altitude high enough to get over forest/trees/structures. it HAS to be set high. it is not wrong.
the issue is - especially with the mini - as you press the RTH button and it climbs to the safe RTH altitude - it may not be capable to overcome the wind force up there, and will be blown away. a lot of people get hit by that, and, even if this is a not most expensive dji model - it still some significant amount of $. jsut be aware of that - if you pressed RTH and see on the screen multiple beeps saying it has not enough motor power to maintain course - you better cancel the RTH immediately, point camera down and either land it where it is or try manually drive it home as much lower and, well, potentially unsafe altitude.
or - which is much better - never fly mini too far where you cannot see it any longer. i bet in 200yd you will not see it already, it tends to disappear against the sky from 50yd somewhat, and you cannot hear it much from 20-30yd. just be aware of that.

strobes are a great tool for bigger drones, but, mini cannot really carry them well - it will make it even less capable to go against the wind.
same thing with a props cage - if you have it - never use it outdoors.
but, as compact drone in your, literally, pocket - on hikes, everywhere pretty much - it is a great tool. i ended up using it much more often than a dji pro 2 as for the latter i need to carry a case, a remote, it is all bulky, and a mini can be simply thrown into a nikon lens bag with its remote and then into a backpack or a pocket. nice small toy, but, it works and takes usabe pictures too, for a family fun.
 
another thing about your RTH altitude is if you are under trees and it goes RTH , and your RTH height is above the canopy, it will shoot up into the canopy and you'll be FUBAR'd

The wind factor is more in play when you are doing something dumb, like flying when it is windy, you get a tail wind out and a head wind back,or a strong cross wind and you burn thru battery trying to get back over long distances. I am very conservative in my flying, I don't normally fly far from my home point and I have my warnings set so that I have an ample reserve.

If you are using 400' as your hard limit for height ( I use 500 in case I have to try to out climb a hawk) the winds are not going to be any different at 400 feet than the are at 100.
 
The wind factor is more in play when you are doing something dumb, like flying when it is windy
one only thing to add here, if we are on this topic - for new pilots - it is ALWAYS windy at a higher altitudes. higher you get - more wind you get. even on a calm day with no wind where you are, on the ground - start climbing up and you will see how your mini will start crying about the wind - do not ignore that warning, that`s all.
 
does it have "tripod mode"?

If so it really slows down the movements, the inputs are muted for slow pans, etc


Does it do turns around a point?

set a center point, pull back X many feet, and it will do a perfect circle around the point... the Mavic Pro does it with the camera facing towards or away fro the center point

BTW at night the sensors are useless, including obstacle avoidance.

Oh and never fly low over water, the downward sensors do not react well to reflective surfaces and it will try to become a submarine.
 
does it have "tripod mode"?

If so it really slows down the movements, the inputs are muted for slow pans, etc


Does it do turns around a point?

set a center point, pull back X many feet, and it will do a perfect circle around the point... the Mavic Pro does it with the camera facing towards or away fro the center point

BTW at night the sensors are useless, including obstacle avoidance.

Oh and never fly low over water, the downward sensors do not react well to reflective surfaces and it will try to become a submarine.
I haven't gotten far enough into the DJI Fly program to find options....
 
Thinking of the mavic mini2

is the anti-avoidance sensors of the more expensive mavic drones worth the extra bucks? - the mini is in a pretty good price spot
 
Thinking of the mavic mini2

is the anti-avoidance sensors of the more expensive mavic drones worth the extra bucks? - the mini is in a pretty good price spot
thinking is a good thing - but i would not be buying it yet.
keep an eye over what people will be writing on that forum, give it a month or 2. with those newer models it is not worth to be a first one to deal with all the possible issues.
non of latest dji product launches were perfect, they do not have a concept of a proper QA.
 
FB_IMG_1604775576781.jpg

I think my altitude was set at 75' for this shot. I'm still getting used to the controls, and to be honest, very nervous about letting it out of my site.

The DJI Fly doesn't have "macros" - set take off cool shot stuff. Thinking about getting the Lichti app so I can fly by program with waypoints.
 
Back
Top Bottom