Casual - What do you do with your drone?

[MavicFlyer]

Bought a Bebop 2 as a retirement present to myself. Now have a Mavic 2 Zoom. As others have stated it gets me out to find new areas to explore and photograph. It rekindled my old interest in photography and flying. Just bought a new DSLR camera and started taking pilot lessons. Who knew retirement could be so expensive!

The costs of retirement vary quite a bit depending on what you want to do in your newly found “spare time “! [emoji4]

I’m a retired systems engineer with over 30 years of experience, and over 6 years in USAF. I’ve loved everything that flys since I was a kid. I learned to fly airplanes and got my PPL more than 40 years ago, but had to reluctantly put that hobby aside due to the expense; flying an hour a month is just not enough to stay proficient, and safe.

After two “lower tier” quads, I bought a Mavic Air as soon as they came out. The MA wasn’t cheap, but FAR cheaper than buying an airplane. I never get tired of the FPV from the quad!!

ENJOY!!![emoji929][emoji576][emoji928]

 

[NetDep]

I live in the desert Southwest (vegas area) and after you’ve taken photos and vids of the desert, the scenery doesn’t change much so it gets sort of boring after a while. I look for unique mountain formations, bridges, changing desert colors, etc. I have to travel to Utah (about 40 miles away) to get some greenery. Heading to Cabo and Puerta Vallarta in September and hope to take some nice beach area shots. Anyone have any suggestions on where to fly at over those areas? Using a MP2 Zoom. Thx

Let me know when you head over to Utah - might be fun to combine some interests?

 

[Shon]

I love drone photography, biking, hiking, Kayaking and travel. Sometimes I combine these interests.

Sometimes I scope out places that might be interesting to fly in, and bring my drone along. On occasion, I’m not able to fly, or the location appears less than ideal, but other times it works out fantastically.

I love the fact that I can film on land, in the sea, or in the air, and the drone is just another tool that helps me accomplish that.

 

[Rockycat]

I fly it over my house and do a live Facebook feed of me mowing my lawn.

Steve, love to see some of those videos, just to prove my theory that here on the east coast we mow in a counter clock wise rotation, and on the west coast you mow clock wise.
Great scientific value here. LOL

 

[AMann]

take it off road and record shotsView attachment 76064

?‍Drone cop does not approve of this sortie


White Rim trail? Such a beautiful place!

 

[synaesthesia]

I sit and look at it not flying, because I live in a highly built up area and obey the rules about not flying it near people or property.

 

[AMann]

I sit and look at it not flying, because I live in a highly built up area and obey the rules about not flying it near people or property.

Well, you could put it on a post and make a remote controlled room fan that takes pictures out of it...

 

[Vortex Pilot]

I use mine to put in my YouTube videos.

 

[Deleted member 93449]

The last few flights have been to photography a relative home (They enjoyed seeing it from the unique aerial perspective), local events (church 4th of July picnic), local golf course (around it, not over it). At other times I fly just to fly and video at random to see what I can see.

 

[Hummingbird.UAV]

As a casual user, I haven't used my Mavic Air for a while. I am not interested in recording forests and fields. Mainly family trips or events but those do not happen often.

How do you use your drone if you are not a professional photographer?

I take a lot of 360° Panos and post them to Goggle Maps. Tens of thousands of views so far. I especially like interior shots. Shot some inside an aircraft museum and even a grocery store.

 

[mfc]

I take a lot of 360° Panos and post them to Goggle Maps. Tens of thousands of views so far. I especially like interior shots. Shot some inside an aircraft museum and even a grocery store.

Curious .. how do you know how many views?

 

[ChrisOutdoors]

Original interest was for aerial reconnaissance for fishing offshore, which has been very successful. Then I started using it during the off season to find good hunting spots on public land which evolved into making orthomosaics, both 2d and 3d. My next step will likely be to go commerical and make cash on the side, I already have a career. I've got a lot of friends who have seen what I do and want what I have yet most aren't able to get from UAS to showing the content on a mobile device.

 

[Hummingbird.UAV]

Curious .. how do you know how many views?

Open Google Maps, click the 3 bars in the top left corner then scan down to "Your Contributions". Then click "Photos" and it will show all of the pics you have uploaded with the view count in the top left. Only the uploader can see the view count. Oh and of course you must to logged in to your Google account.
Here is an example that has 24,000 views.
Delphinus Porto Morelos

 

[mfc]

Open Google Maps, click the 3 bars in the top left corner then scan down to "Your Contributions". Then click "Photos" and it will show all of the pics you have uploaded with the view count in the top left. Only the uploader can see the view count. Oh and of course you must to logged in to your Google account.
Here is an example that has 24,000 views.
Delphinus Porto Morelos

Ah, thanks ... maybe I should post some of mine to GMaps.

 

[Cabo Wabo]

I live in the desert Southwest (vegas area) and after you’ve taken photos and vids of the desert, the scenery doesn’t change much so it gets sort of boring after a while. I look for unique mountain formations, bridges, changing desert colors, etc. I have to travel to Utah (about 40 miles away) to get some greenery. Heading to Cabo and Puerta Vallarta in September and hope to take some nice beach area shots. Anyone have any suggestions on where to fly at over those areas? Using a MP2 Zoom. Thx

I'm headed to cabo in October (Sammy's birthday bash) can you fly drones on mendano beach? It would be super cool to fly over the arch at lands end and get some videos

 

[blackomega]

I started doing nature videography with a spark. But I quickly reached the limitations of a selfie drone. Sold it and picked up a M2Z primarily I do ship spotting videos but soon I be going on vacation and looking forward to doing some aerials.

 

[BigWillie]

So where are you going on vacation? Are you enjoying the new M2Z? I know that I do. I love being able to zoom in/out whenever I want to. The difference in the lenses doesn't matter to me that much as I'm just a hobby for me and the 4k stuff is as good as I need it to be. I'm sure DJI will come out with some big tomorrow. (Aug 13). Anyway thanks for responding. Oh, have you had any battery issues. I bought three batteries from DJI and that all are now swollen. Don' t know if it's something I did (can't imagine) or what. Was advise by this forum and others to trash them. It's hard to trash $420 worth of batteries after only 11 months. I'm I going to have to buy new batteries every year? Anyway, just frustrating. Can I sell them on email as 'for parts only'? Any info would help. I apologize for get back to you so late, just busy with other stuff since I haven't been able to fly my drone until today. It's been about a month.....jeeze!

 

[Thomas B]

The batteries have no parts to sell. They not only create difficulty if not impossible to use, but they are an actual danger. Dispose of them appropriately for the safety of your drone, others near the battery, and yourself.

 

[AMann]

So where are you going on vacation? Are you enjoying the new M2Z? I know that I do. I love being able to zoom in/out whenever I want to. The difference in the lenses doesn't matter to me that much as I'm just a hobby for me and the 4k stuff is as good as I need it to be. I'm sure DJI will come out with some big tomorrow. (Aug 13). Anyway thanks for responding. Oh, have you had any battery issues. I bought three batteries from DJI and that all are now swollen. Don' t know if it's something I did (can't imagine) or what. Was advise by this forum and others to trash them. It's hard to trash $420 worth of batteries after only 11 months. I'm I going to have to buy new batteries every year? Anyway, just frustrating. Can I sell them on email as 'for parts only'? Any info would help. I apologize for get back to you so late, just busy with other stuff since I haven't been able to fly my drone until today. It's been about a month.....jeeze!

How many charge cycles have they gone through, or did you let them discharge from full by themselves in a foam lined case? (they get very hot that way).

 

[Van Shteffy]

As a casual user, I haven't used my Mavic Air for a while. I am not interested in recording forests and fields. Mainly family trips or events but those do not happen often.

How do you use your drone if you are not a professional photographer?