Drones

[bradsbrew]

Anyone into Drones?

I went to a charity golf day and walked away a grand lighter but with a DJI phantom 4 Chinese new year edition. This thing is crazy fast. And going by the chunks of timber gauged from one of the guitars in my lounge room, do not fly this inside kids.

 

[gaijin]

I'm not really into drones and apologies for the OT post, but you reminded me of a video I watched showing an incident with a drone at Gatwick airport in the UK . The result of one d*ckhead with a drone causing chaos for 10s of thousands of people.

At least that thing would be visible from a long way off for an approaching airliner.

 

[bradsbrew]

Yep, this thing will go up to 50 metres high and has a 5K range with a top speed of 72km. Planning on getting a bait drop kit.

 

[Hambone]

Just a heads up if you are within 5 km of a registered aerodrome or inside controlled airspace and operate without the appropriate approvals, it's a hefty fine. As some real estate agents have discovered.
Cheers

 

[bradsbrew]

Yep, just joined a drone forum and hope to find out where i can and cant use it.

 

[mtb]

Had a mate's father bring his super-duper-Xwing drone thing to Perisher on our annual trip. This thing had an accompanying headset - exactly like one you use with VR - but it projected a 3D rendition of the drone's camera feed. It was glorious.. but like VR, without a specific purpose for it, I used it to simply dick around.

 

[Bribie G]

I often get accused of droning on about stuff.

 

[evoo4u]

Yeah, I have a Phantom 4. We got it 9 months ago to pre-program a mission low over our olive trees to spook the thieving birds. Works well!

Plus an unexpectedly good quality camera/lens for aerial shots, both stills and movies. Somewhere I read to think of it more as a remote controlled flying camera than a flying machine with a camera stuck on. But a real hoot to fly!

Mine goes a bit higher than 50 metres though .

Aerial shot of grove (with cockpit Photoshopped in - I was bored):

 

[Feldon]

Opens up a whole new world of creative hobby interests...

 

[bradsbrew]

Yeah, I have a Phantom 4. We got it 9 months ago to pre-program a mission low over our olive trees to spook the thieving birds. Works well!

Plus an unexpectedly good quality camera/lens for aerial shots, both stills and movies. Somewhere I read to think of it more as a remote controlled flying camera than a flying machine with a camera stuck on. But a real hoot to fly!

Mine goes a bit higher than 50 metres though .

Aerial shot of grove (with cockpit Photoshopped in - I was bored):

View attachment 109430

500m but default to 120m above take off point.

 

[pcqypcqy]

Yeah, I have a Phantom 4. We got it 9 months ago to pre-program a mission low over our olive trees to spook the thieving birds. Works well!

Plus an unexpectedly good quality camera/lens for aerial shots, both stills and movies. Somewhere I read to think of it more as a remote controlled flying camera than a flying machine with a camera stuck on. But a real hoot to fly!

Mine goes a bit higher than 50 metres though .

Aerial shot of grove (with cockpit Photoshopped in - I was bored):

View attachment 109430

Bit smaller then you're old day job ride roger?

Was the cockpit photoshopped in to cover the mess we made of your paddock at the Swap?

 

[evoo4u]

Bit smaller then you're old day job ride roger?

Was the cockpit photoshopped in to cover the mess we made of your paddock at the Swap?

Yeah - just a little!

The mess? Nature is quite resilient. The burnt patches of grass have pretty well recovered, the fences straightened up pretty well, and we're hopeful the chooks will start laying again anytime now!

 

[Dave70]

I got mine from an army surplus sale. You should see the look on my neighbors faces when I do a fly-by, its priceless!

 

[manticle]

The look can probably be interpreted as “**** that guy”

Yes, I can see the appeal but are owners generally aware of how obnoxious and intrusive these ******* things can be? If not, please change that. Like 7 million mosquitoes on steroids ****** the creepiest stalker ever.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Yep, just joined a drone forum and hope to find out where i can and cant use it.

Well you cant use to get a Bunnings snag

 

[bradsbrew]

Well you cant use to get a Bunnings snag

I can't wait to get the bait drop kit for it. Rig up the rod and use the drone to drop it 300m off shore. Could even set waypoint or plug in coordinates and drop.

 

[Dave70]

The look can probably be interpreted as “**** that guy”

Yes, I can see the appeal but are owners generally aware of how obnoxious and intrusive these ******* things can be? If not, please change that. Like 7 million mosquitoes on steroids ****** the creepiest stalker ever.

You're like the HR Giger of homebrewing forum moderation.

 

[earle]

We were camping at Copeton Waters near Glen Innes at Easter and there were some long distance swimming events on the weekend. A couple of drones were used with the vision shown on a large TV on shore, was good for spectators to be able to see the race progress. They definitely have their uses.

 

[Batz]

I would love a drone and I live in the perfect place to fly one....or loose one.

 

[Andy_27]

I've got a Parrot Bebop drone which is probably more of a flying machine first, camera platform second. The camera is front mounted and 1080p which is awesome. It's also got an app add on where you can program routes, camera angles, hover heights etc. It gets a bit nerve wracking when it flys autonomously out of sight and loses contact with the controller. The 5 minutes or so seem to take ages and you swear a lot at losing a few hundred dollars... but then you hear the buzz of it overhead again!

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I would love a drone and I live in the perfect place to fly one....or loose one.

I found one today, it was up on my roof. All I have to do now is find a controller for it.

 

[manticle]

We were camping at Copeton Waters near Glen Innes at Easter and there were some long distance swimming events on the weekend. A couple of drones were used with the vision shown on a large TV on shore, was good for spectators to be able to see the race progress. They definitely have their uses.

Dunno. When I go camping, not having a giant television screen nearby is something of a welcome bonus.

Get off my lawn.

 

[AlbertP]

Hi bradsbrew get the “can i fly there” app its issued by CASA free on app and play store showing all restricted airspaces, enjoi and I hope you get a nice big Tuna

 

[Phoney]

I bought a DJI Spark just a couple of weeks ago. Loving it so far! Have operated it in about 25kt wind and despite a high warning coming up on the controller it had no problems flying into it.

A mate of mine has a DJI Mavic Pro (basically a slightly larger Spark), him and his wife are in the middle of a sailing adventure from Europe to Australia at the moment, he takes awesome footage of all of the anchorages that they find themselves in. You can find their videos here: http://www.sailingbarefeet.com/blog

 

[Dave70]

I've got a Parrot Bebop drone which is probably more of a flying machine first, camera platform second. The camera is front mounted and 1080p which is awesome. It's also got an app add on where you can program routes, camera angles, hover heights etc. It gets a bit nerve wracking when it flys autonomously out of sight and loses contact with the controller. The 5 minutes or so seem to take ages and you swear a lot at losing a few hundred dollars... but then you hear the buzz of it overhead again!

We're in the draw for one of those in some kind of Bluescope promotion designed to make us purchase more material from them. Looks pretty sweet.
I hope I win it. And I hope its the kind where you wear one of those transponder thingies on your person and the drone chases you. Makes dirtbike footage far more interesting than the old GoPro stuck on your helmet.
More interesting still when I dart under some trees and the thing slams into the branches at full tilt.

 

[earle]

Dunno. When I go camping, not having a giant television screen nearby is something of a welcome bonus.

Get off my lawn.

Agreed, and having a massive swimming comp in the neighbourhood was not not exactly what we were looking for when camping either. but since it was on we thought we would go and have a look.

 

[flocculated]

I have a DJI Mavic for work, and we previously had a Phantom 2. They are great fun.

+1 for the CASA ‘Can I fly there’ app. It will tell you everything you need to know.

CASA allows you to fly up to 120m (except in restricted airspace). You can change your drone’s altitude limit in the software somewhere.

 

[S.E]

Agreed, and having a massive swimming comp in the neighbourhood was not not exactly what we were looking for when camping either. but since it was on we thought we would go and have a look.

Fit ladies in swimmers, why wouldn’t you?

 

[Schikitar]

There's a new DJI drone coming out in a couple weeks that's meant to be 60% quieter amongst other things (saw it on The Verge the other day). I'm not an owner but if it wasn't for this other hobby I have *ahem* I'd love to have the disposable income for a drone! The footage these things capture are phenomenal!

 

[scomet]

Great Drone Bradsbrew, remember your not flying it (the gyros are doing that) your just telling it what to do there’s a big difference, learn simple things over and over like fly a square standard pattern I’m writing safety guidelines for a local school who just bought them for the kids, 4xP4s, schools changed since I was there!! but operational safety is a mine field but I get to play with it for free :-}

Its not just casa regulations you have to be careful of, our local councils are (have) enacting bans on all radio control devises including kids model cars!! $5K fine for operating in a public space! its not about safety, its about who to blame in this neoliberal litigious world we’re being forced into.

Please be safety conscious they have the potential to do serious harm, ie. spit a prop and take someones eye out!! always have a spotter, never fly it behind you or over peoples heads… Have fun they’re great (fun) bits of kit.