Mini 2 A recent trip to Vietnam

BrianA · Dec 17, 2022

I recently spent 6 weeks with my wife's family in Central Vietnam. I've wanted to fly the rice paddies since my first trip 3 years ago. The weather was crappy the entire time we were there but I managed to sneak in a few flights in the narrow weather windows we had. This time of year, these fields should be dry. But, this flight was only a few days after a series of storms. Typhoon Noru scored a direct hit, followed by a tropical depression, followed by another low pressure system. Sorry for the lack of background music or better quality video. I'm a still photographer and don't have my video editing skills up to par yet.

Romanbydrone · Dec 18, 2022

BrianA said:
I recently spent 6 weeks with my wife's family in Central Vietnam. I've wanted to fly the rice paddies since my first trip 3 years ago. The weather was crappy the entire time we were there but I managed to sneak in a few flights in the narrow weather windows we had. This time of year, these fields should be dry. But, this flight was only a few days after a series of storms. Typhoon Noru scored a direct hit, followed by a tropical depression, followed by another low pressure system. Sorry for the lack of background music or better quality video. I'm a still photographer and don't have my video editing skills up to par yet.

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Hi. Did you have any problems sorting permission to fly there? I started looking in to it but it seemed bit of a minefield - and very expensive!

BrianA · Dec 18, 2022

Romanbydrone said:
Hi. Did you have any problems sorting permission to fly there? I started looking in to it but it seemed bit of a minefield - and very expensive!

I didn't have any issues flying. I got a stern lecture from the immigration guy at the airport, but, if you know how things work there, it was all for show. It is expensive IF you follow the rules to the letter. However, most of the time, "officials" don't operate by the rules. If they can get some "coffee money" from you, they'll look the other way. Just how it is most of the time. That said, I didn't fly in city areas. I stayed with my wife's family in the countryside and made sure there were few, if any people around when I did fly. It is a beautiful country and I have been wanting to fly around and get a birds eye view since my first visit 3 years ago.

Whisky · Apr 4, 2023

I'm not hearing the "pings" of small arms rounds hitting the drone - sets me into a frenzy of remembrance of oh so many years ago

BrianA · Apr 5, 2023

Whisky said:
I'm not hearing the "pings" of small arms rounds hitting the drone - sets me into a frenzy of remembrance of oh so many years ago

I understand. I have watched all kinds of documentaries on what was happening there "oh so many years ago." I can't even imagine being in such a scenario. My wife has her own story about how she got out and it's horrible. Often times when I'm walking, or in this case, flying around the area, I often have some eerie feelings of what it must have been like to be there way back then. Especially when my wife starts pointing to things and places where a lot of bad **** happened that she was witness to. BUT, times and attitudes have certainly changed in that country. The Vietnamese people are some of the most friendly and generous people I've ever met, especially in the countryside. AND, the country is SO beautiful, it is photographer's 'target rich environment'. I can't wait to go back.

Walleye Hunter · Apr 5, 2023

Whisky said:
I'm not hearing the "pings" of small arms rounds hitting the drone - sets me into a frenzy of remembrance of oh so many years ago

Thank you for your service and sorry you had to endure that. I can't imagine what it was like.

I like your footage but I'm a simple kind of guy. And I usually mute the music anyway. Congratulations on being able to see that region and thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it. How come the cows are out there eating all the rice?

BrianA · Apr 5, 2023

Walleye Hunter said:
Thank you for your service and sorry you had to endure that. I can't imagine what it was like.

I like your footage but I'm a simple kind of guy. And I usually mute the music anyway. Congratulations on being able to see that region and thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it. How come the cows are out there eating all the rice?

Those aren't cows. They are water buffalo and eat the vegetation that grows when fields aren't in use. Those fields have already been harvested. They should've been dry but we got hit by a typhoon a few days before I shot the videos. The buffalo are used to plow and plant the fields as they are the ultimate 4wd vehicles and are a critical part of the overall ecosystem.