Is a drone worth getting?

[SWWASAS]

One must also remember that it is illegal to fly a drone at night and FLIR has issues with daytime solar heating of objects.  

[vinchyfoot]

35 minutes ago, SWWASAS said:

One must also remember that it is illegal to fly a drone at night and FLIR has issues with daytime solar heating of objects.  

 

Actually that for those with a Commercial license, amateurs are allowed as long as there is adequate lighting on the drone. That said with normal gimbal cameras, flying and filming at night is basically useless.

[NCBFr]

2 hours ago, SWWASAS said:

One must also remember that it is illegal to fly a drone at night and FLIR has issues with daytime solar heating of objects.  

 

I do not believe that o be true.  Here is a snippet from Google on the subject:

 

"As long as you're flying your drone just for fun, then you are free to take off after dark without worrying about legal consequences. ... This exception to the rule means that Part 107-licensed drone pilots can fly at night without a waiver as long as they do not partake in any commercial drone flight activity."

[norseman]

I bought these.

 

 

[wiiawiwb]

No doubt about Norse, you like your toys!  That's a good thing.

[NCBFr]

You got to post the video of your first attempt to fly it without GPS assist. 

[SWWASAS]

3 hours ago, NCBFr said:

 

I do not believe that o be true.  Here is a snippet from Google on the subject:

 

"As long as you're flying your drone just for fun, then you are free to take off after dark without worrying about legal consequences. ... This exception to the rule means that Part 107-licensed drone pilots can fly at night without a waiver as long as they do not partake in any commercial drone flight activity."

I stand corrected.   I am not as up on the amateur rules as much as I am Part 107.  I see rules violations all the time with media use of drones.   I saw a bigfooter fly a drone inside a convention center full of people.    Had he hit someone,  he would have been sued for everything he ever had.     In this thread we have had people advocate for flying under the tree canopy,   fly out of radio range in the trees,   and now suggest night flying in the trees.      All I can say is let me know when you are going to do this stuff and I will come help you pick up the pieces.  Because very much of any of that will create a lot of pieces.  I say that missing front teeth that were knocked out when I was retrieving a RC model airplane out of a tree when I was in college.   Big trees love snagging drones and RPV's out of the sky.  .  

[norseman]

2 hours ago, SWWASAS said:

I stand corrected.   I am not as up on the amateur rules as much as I am Part 107.  I see rules violations all the time with media use of drones.   I saw a bigfooter fly a drone inside a convention center full of people.    Had he hit someone,  he would have been sued for everything he ever had.     In this thread we have had people advocate for flying under the tree canopy,   fly out of radio range in the trees,   and now suggest night flying in the trees.      All I can say is let me know when you are going to do this stuff and I will come help you pick up the pieces.  Because very much of any of that will create a lot of pieces.  I say that missing front teeth that were knocked out when I was retrieving a RC model airplane out of a tree when I was in college.   Big trees love snagging drones and RPV's out of the sky.  .  

Im only stating facts. And keep in mind this is my experiences flying a Phantom 4 Falcon edition. I’ve already done it. It’s in one piece.
 

1) It will avoid obstacles well. Automatically. It will dead stick. And will stop and hover.

 

2) If it loses connection it will fly back to its home point. Automatically. While avoiding obstacles.
 

3) I did not claim to fly in trees at night. The Lumen cubes make it impossible to see anything through the camera. You must fly it by line of sight like a RC Plane. Not FPV.

 

4) It crashed once in snow. It was my fault. The update upload was only partially done. The computer went on the fritz and just turned off all four motors. I broke the carbon propellers.

 

5) It’s dummy proof because I’m a dummy. I’m not a accomplished pilot like you are. When I fly it in sport mode it’s in a field with no obstacles. 
 

It’s an amazing tool. Like having a Helo in your trunk with a 40 minute run time per battery charge. It came with 3 batteries. That’s a 2 hour run time. But nothing replaces real flying. But for the price, the ease to fly it, no pilots license or fuel or insurance, and if you crash you don’t die? Pretty cool

 

 

 

 

[Huntster]

17 hours ago, norseman said:

....... if you crash you don’t die.......

There's the best part.

[SWWASAS]

21 hours ago, norseman said:

Im only stating facts. And keep in mind this is my experiences flying a Phantom 4 Falcon edition. I’ve already done it. It’s in one piece.
 

1) It will avoid obstacles well. Automatically. It will dead stick. And will stop and hover.

 

2) If it loses connection it will fly back to its home point. Automatically. While avoiding obstacles.
 

3) I did not claim to fly in trees at night. The Lumen cubes make it impossible to see anything through the camera. You must fly it by line of sight like a RC Plane. Not FPV.

 

4) It crashed once in snow. It was my fault. The update upload was only partially done. The computer went on the fritz and just turned off all four motors. I broke the carbon propellers.

 

5) It’s dummy proof because I’m a dummy. I’m not a accomplished pilot like you are. When I fly it in sport mode it’s in a field with no obstacles. 
 

It’s an amazing tool. Like having a Helo in your trunk with a 40 minute run time per battery charge. It came with 3 batteries. That’s a 2 hour run time. But nothing replaces real flying. But for the price, the ease to fly it, no pilots license or fuel or insurance, and if you crash you don’t die? Pretty cool

 

 

I meant no offense.   Most of what I said was not directed at you but ideas others who were voicing  methodology on the thread that seemed sure to cost them their equipment.   You have had your drone in operation long enough now that you must be using a lot of prudence in operation.     Even if techniques seem risky,  most of us certainly would weigh the risk VS reward and pursue risky operations if there was a good chance of success in imaging BF.       There are some supposed drone successes but nothing much noteworthy I am aware of.        There must be hundreds of drones in use looking for BF at this point.    I would say at this point, that like other methods of photography,   drone photography is just a  more complicated and expensive way to photograph  without much sign of improving chances of success.   Future events could prove me wrong,     Perhaps someone will find the right use of the drone tool and start having success.      Certainly it does not hurt to throw new technologies at the problem.  In many ways I consider BF research may be solved by engineering advances combined with boots on the ground.  If anything is going to work,  it has to be something we are not doing.  Old methods have proven to be ineffective.  

[SWWASAS]

Watch out it you have a Phantom 4.     Eagles apparently don't like them.   

Bald Eagle In Michigan Takes Down And Destroys A Government Drone

  

NEWS  3 Days Ago BGR — Mike Wehner

 

 

• Michigan government workers were doing a survey of shoreline erosion on Lake Michigan when a bald eagle attacked and took down their drone.
• The drone splashed down in Lake Michigan and hasn’t been recovered after reportedly landing in roughly four feet of water. 
• The state plans on replacing the drone with a newer, more advanced model, but that won’t necessarily mean it can stand up to an eagle attack. 

---

We’ve all heard plenty about how nature is making a comeback in various ways since so many humans have been isolating the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a small silver lining of this whole crappy situation, but in Michigan, it seems that at least some of the wildlife is now actively pushing back against human interference, and it’s kind of amazing.

As NBC News reports, a Phantom 4 Pro Advanced quadcopter was cruising along the shores of Lake Michigan. It was being operated by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and was mapping shoreline erosion on the lake when a bald eagle decided he had seen enough. The bird attacked the drone, effectively “killing it” and sending it tumbling into the lake.

 

 

The drone is a pricey piece of equipment, with a price tag of around $1,000. That didn’t matter to the bird of prey. It’s unclear exactly why the eagle attacked the tiny aircraft, but the damage reportedly included “tearing off a propeller and sending the aircraft to the bottom of Lake Michigan,” the department said. “The attack could have been a territorial squabble with the electronic foe, or just a hungry eagle.”

Whatever the case, the bird didn’t seem to have much trouble hunting the drone, which was traveling at 22 mph when it was attacked. Department employees attempted to recover the drone, which landed roughly 150 offshore, but their attempts were unsuccessful. At a depth of around four feet, the water in that specific area of the lake was just too deep for searchers to spot the defunct device, even with snorkel gear.

This is hardly the first time a bird has been documented attacking a drone-like aircraft, and hobbyists have been dealing with the risks of flying their devices in areas where large birds are present. Nevertheless, losing the pricey drone isn’t great news for the folks trying to monitor the shoreline of the lake.

The one upside, according to the report, is that the department considered the drone “obsolete” at this point due to its age and are planning on replacing it with a newer and more advanced model. That’s great and all, but we’ll have to see what Mr. Bald Eagle has to say about it. I might be writing this same story again in a month when another drone ends up at the bottom of Lake Michigan. Time will tell.

Sign up for BGR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  

Edited August 18, 2020 by SWWASAS

[vinchyfoot]

4 minutes ago, SWWASAS said:

Watch out it you have a Phantom 4.     Eagles apparently don't like them.   

Bald Eagle In Michigan Takes Down And Destroys A Government Drone

  

NEWS  3 Days Ago BGR — Mike Wehner

 

 

• Michigan government workers were doing a survey of shoreline erosion on Lake Michigan when a bald eagle attacked and took down their drone.
• The drone splashed down in Lake Michigan and hasn’t been recovered after reportedly landing in roughly four feet of water. 
• The state plans on replacing the drone with a newer, more advanced model, but that won’t necessarily mean it can stand up to an eagle attack. 

---

We’ve all heard plenty about how nature is making a comeback in various ways since so many humans have been isolating the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a small silver lining of this whole crappy situation, but in Michigan, it seems that at least some of the wildlife is now actively pushing back against human interference, and it’s kind of amazing.

As NBC News reports, a Phantom 4 Pro Advanced quadcopter was cruising along the shores of Lake Michigan. It was being operated by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and was mapping shoreline erosion on the lake when a bald eagle decided he had seen enough. The bird attacked the drone, effectively “killing it” and sending it tumbling into the lake.

 

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The drone is a pricey piece of equipment, with a price tag of around $1,000. That didn’t matter to the bird of prey. It’s unclear exactly why the eagle attacked the tiny aircraft, but the damage reportedly included “tearing off a propeller and sending the aircraft to the bottom of Lake Michigan,” the department said. “The attack could have been a territorial squabble with the electronic foe, or just a hungry eagle.”

Whatever the case, the bird didn’t seem to have much trouble hunting the drone, which was traveling at 22 mph when it was attacked. Department employees attempted to recover the drone, which landed roughly 150 offshore, but their attempts were unsuccessful. At a depth of around four feet, the water in that specific area of the lake was just too deep for searchers to spot the defunct device, even with snorkel gear.

This is hardly the first time a bird has been documented attacking a drone-like aircraft, and hobbyists have been dealing with the risks of flying their devices in areas where large birds are present. Nevertheless, losing the pricey drone isn’t great news for the folks trying to monitor the shoreline of the lake.

The one upside, according to the report, is that the department considered the drone “obsolete” at this point due to its age and are planning on replacing it with a newer and more advanced model. That’s great and all, but we’ll have to see what Mr. Bald Eagle has to say about it. I might be writing this same story again in a month when another drone ends up at the bottom of Lake Michigan. Time will tell.

Sign up for BGR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  

Smaller drones will also draw the ire of Crows and the like.

[norseman]

 

[NatFoot]

On 8/18/2020 at 5:45 PM, SWWASAS said:

Watch out it you have a Phantom 4.     Eagles apparently don't like them.   

Bald Eagle In Michigan Takes Down And Destroys A Government Drone

  

NEWS  3 Days Ago BGR — Mike Wehner

 

 

• Michigan government workers were doing a survey of shoreline erosion on Lake Michigan when a bald eagle attacked and took down their drone.
• The drone splashed down in Lake Michigan and hasn’t been recovered after reportedly landing in roughly four feet of water. 
• The state plans on replacing the drone with a newer, more advanced model, but that won’t necessarily mean it can stand up to an eagle attack. 

---

We’ve all heard plenty about how nature is making a comeback in various ways since so many humans have been isolating the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a small silver lining of this whole crappy situation, but in Michigan, it seems that at least some of the wildlife is now actively pushing back against human interference, and it’s kind of amazing.

As NBC News reports, a Phantom 4 Pro Advanced quadcopter was cruising along the shores of Lake Michigan. It was being operated by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and was mapping shoreline erosion on the lake when a bald eagle decided he had seen enough. The bird attacked the drone, effectively “killing it” and sending it tumbling into the lake.

 

 

The drone is a pricey piece of equipment, with a price tag of around $1,000. That didn’t matter to the bird of prey. It’s unclear exactly why the eagle attacked the tiny aircraft, but the damage reportedly included “tearing off a propeller and sending the aircraft to the bottom of Lake Michigan,” the department said. “The attack could have been a territorial squabble with the electronic foe, or just a hungry eagle.”

Whatever the case, the bird didn’t seem to have much trouble hunting the drone, which was traveling at 22 mph when it was attacked. Department employees attempted to recover the drone, which landed roughly 150 offshore, but their attempts were unsuccessful. At a depth of around four feet, the water in that specific area of the lake was just too deep for searchers to spot the defunct device, even with snorkel gear.

This is hardly the first time a bird has been documented attacking a drone-like aircraft, and hobbyists have been dealing with the risks of flying their devices in areas where large birds are present. Nevertheless, losing the pricey drone isn’t great news for the folks trying to monitor the shoreline of the lake.

The one upside, according to the report, is that the department considered the drone “obsolete” at this point due to its age and are planning on replacing it with a newer and more advanced model. That’s great and all, but we’ll have to see what Mr. Bald Eagle has to say about it. I might be writing this same story again in a month when another drone ends up at the bottom of Lake Michigan. Time will tell.

Sign up for BGR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  

 

If that's not a sign to get yourself ready, I don't know what is.

 

Bald eagles taking down government drones?!?

[BlackRockBigfoot]

6 hours ago, NatFoot said:

 

If that's not a sign to get yourself ready, I don't know what is.

 

Bald eagles taking down government drones?!?

That's like a Nostrodamus prediction of one of the signs of the apocalypse