Does anyone else get that pit in their stomach...

[Rchawks]

Well heck I couldn't imagine flying from a site such as yours and not be nervous, impressive I think most of us would say that, how could they not? You've got big kuhonies.

 

[nealh]

... when flying over water? And/or do you get nervous the moment you can no longer see your quad (even though it's techincally in LOS)? It has just occurred to me that one of the reasons for flying is to be able to capture things from a perspective that no other traditional method has been able to (economically) do until now. So while one can totally avoid those circumstances, it doesn't make any sense to as those scenarios are a large part of why we get drones in the first place.

I suppose I haven't become that seasoned yet to fully trust the technology or even fully understand what the camera is showing me- or can't show me. Does anyone else get hyper-alert to the point of nerves as soon as you take off? I think all these rules, regulations, ordinances, authorities ready to pounce make me a bit apprehensive as well.

So, what is your level of anxiety or plain ol' matter-of-fact attitude when you take off, whether it be over water, when your drone becomes no more than a spec in the sky- somewhere up there?

You hit the nail on the head. I still feel nervous that I may lose my drone, but definitely feel like I am violating some local law and am afraid I will get fined or experience some other misfortune. However I will continue to fly, as this is one of my passions that I truly enjoy. I try to be stealthy about it and been flying for many years now and have hundreds of videos. Many are over water and I have never lost a drone over water. I will continue to do so. Good luck and try to not worry as much and enjoy it more!

 

[nealh]

Hey, I was a bit busy last few days. I haven't had time to learn how to edit my videos yet, so here is a completely unedited flyby of my neighbourhood. If you look very closely at the end, you can just about see the pilot and his landing/take off roof.

Very impressed on this unedited version. Once you start the post process you will see a great improvement in video quality and content. Stay with it.

 

[BubbaDan]

I get nervous when flying to the point of having anxiety/panic attacks that I hyperventilate and have to breath into a paper bag....
I get worried every time I fly that I might lose or crash my expensive Mavic Pro.

I pay State Farm $60 a year for a $1700 coverage on my Mavic Pro. I got a little extra so it covers the accessories, in case someone rips off my carry case or something. Fully covered, no worries

 

[LA 2020]

... when flying over water? And/or do you get nervous the moment you can no longer see your quad (even though it's techincally in LOS)? It has just occurred to me that one of the reasons for flying is to be able to capture things from a perspective that no other traditional method has been able to (economically) do until now. So while one can totally avoid those circumstances, it doesn't make any sense to as those scenarios are a large part of why we get drones in the first place.

I suppose I haven't become that seasoned yet to fully trust the technology or even fully understand what the camera is showing me- or can't show me. Does anyone else get hyper-alert to the point of nerves as soon as you take off? I think all these rules, regulations, ordinances, authorities ready to pounce make me a bit apprehensive as well.

So, what is your level of anxiety or plain ol' matter-of-fact attitude when you take off, whether it be over water, when your drone becomes no more than a spec in the sky- somewhere up there?

Hi, I am in the middle of studying for my FAA part 107 license and boy does it answer a lot of questions about weather and dangerous weather conditions with respect to drones. Over water and under certain conditions there can be sudden wind shears that will cause a drone to be pushed down suddenly and crash. I suggest to every drone pilot they study for the Part 107 test even if you don't continue to take the final FAA test. You will learn a lot that will help in flying safely

 

[ICEMANMAZ]

This was my first flight over water mavic air 2 1 day old.Castle island

 

[hdjones]

... when flying over water? And/or do you get nervous the moment you can no longer see your quad (even though it's techincally in LOS)? It has just occurred to me that one of the reasons for flying is to be able to capture things from a perspective that no other traditional method has been able to (economically) do until now. So while one can totally avoid those circumstances, it doesn't make any sense to as those scenarios are a large part of why we get drones in the first place.

I suppose I haven't become that seasoned yet to fully trust the technology or even fully understand what the camera is showing me- or can't show me. Does anyone else get hyper-alert to the point of nerves as soon as you take off? I think all these rules, regulations, ordinances, authorities ready to pounce make me a bit apprehensive as well.

So, what is your level of anxiety or plain ol' matter-of-fact attitude when you take off, whether it be over water, when your drone becomes no more than a spec in the sky- somewhere up there?

 

[hdjones]

No anxiety whatsoever...for me, if I can't trust my drone to fly over water, I can't trust it over land either. However, I've flown drones for years and RC helicopters and planes for 20 years prior to that. If you don't have a lot of air time, I guess I can see how someone might have "anxiety " with their aircraft.

 

[Wayne Bayer]

... when flying over water? And/or do you get nervous the moment you can no longer see your quad (even though it's techincally in LOS)? It has just occurred to me that one of the reasons for flying is to be able to capture things from a perspective that no other traditional method has been able to (economically) do until now. So while one can totally avoid those circumstances, it doesn't make any sense to as those scenarios are a large part of why we get drones in the first place.

I suppose I haven't become that seasoned yet to fully trust the technology or even fully understand what the camera is showing me- or can't show me. Does anyone else get hyper-alert to the point of nerves as soon as you take off? I think all these rules, regulations, ordinances, authorities ready to pounce make me a bit apprehensive as well.

So, what is your level of anxiety or plain ol' matter-of-fact attitude when you take off, whether it be over water, when your drone becomes no more than a spec in the sky- somewhere up there?

I get that fear/anxiety every time.

 

[Killfox]

This is a really good thread.

I’ve only logged 35mins with my MA2 and mostly over water. Absolutely never-wracking but exhilarating at the same time. To quell my fears, I usually start with higher alts (like 10-20 meters) then, building-up courage, work my way down to 1-2m. Never tried skimming. Probably never will LOL.

I‘m glad this question got asked.

 

[MMPerrish]

Great thread to read and I feel the same as many of you. I get that cautious anxiety when I fly but just want to be properly careful. Tomorrow I plan on visiting the local pier and have been wanting to get ocean shots. I know the limitations of my little Mav Mini though, so we‘ll see how the weather is !

 

[Tony McDrone]

No anxiety whatsoever...for me, if I can't trust my drone to fly over water, I can't trust it over land either. However, I've flown drones for years and RC helicopters and planes for 20 years prior to that. If you don't have a lot of air time, I guess I can see how someone might have "anxiety " with their aircraft.

The reason for the nervousness for me is due to the difficulties involved with a water retrieval. Many of us purchased the DJI care refresh, and need possession of the drone in order to use the insurance.

 

[wanderer]

We have it easy! I fly over water almost exclusively and I couldn't lose my MP or MA2 if I tried. These things are really reliable and the safety/avoidance/RTH features give you an extra layer of security. No hesitation whatsoever.

Now back in the days of the Phantom 2, things were different. These drones often had a mind of their own sometimes. Plus, no phone controllers, apps, or maps, and if you wanted live video you had to rig up Tx/Rx system yourself. Flying long distance (> 1.0 miles) over water always made my fingers tremble especially when the video feed went to snow.

I lost a Phantom 2 with GoPRO HERO 3s into the Pacific before I bought a DVR for recording the video from the GoPro. Unfortunately, the second one also went into Davy Jone's Locker but at least I captured the video. Still doesn't explain what happened lol.

 

[Dougcjohn]

Not much experience over large water bodies. But can appreciate the anxity!

When downtown in a City, flying a construction block survey grid or a video loop a bit future out over city streets. Those make me a bit anxious, I always time it on a dead Sunday early AM if possible. Although the known variables of RF, and the electronics & battery of platform (Inspire 2) make one aware of the possible failures. Add to that, both I2's have had zero failures... statistically adds to the margins.

Kinda kin to a Rollercoaster... it's not the ride. It's the mech eng knowledge and thinking about the pins, bolts, and Whom assembled it.

Feel safer on a UH1D, doors off and feet on skids than a roller coaster!

 

[John Locke]

I was nervous of flying over water until I discovered its actually safer than flying over land in many respects. There's generally no wires , no trees , and you have a perect line of sight out to a greater distance. I found this to be especially true flying at night .
I now plan all my nocturnal activities over water for this reason.

Exactly! Flying over water is safer from hurting anyone or anything, and less risk of getting sued. That's why I rarely fly over towns, houses, traffic and especially people. 95% of the time I'm in the mountains, deserts, or local hills flying. The only time I flew from a hotel rooftop was in Monterey, CA, 10' from the ocean so I could fly directly out over water. If I fly near people, over buildings or traffic, I'm the most concerned of an incident. That's when I get the most nervous. I personally don't worry about losing a craft, but I do worry about hurting someone or property, turning into a court battle for all my possessions. Because of that concern I fly under my S Corp name to limit my liability. Losing a craft, I'm OK with that. Losing my house and savings, not OK.

One time in Maui I was flying over Honolua bay, capturing surfers and snorkelers from a distance. I was not concerned about wires, didn't even think to look for any. However there was a small thin telephone wire, or power wire (I don't know which) running across the cove I was flying. When I ascended straight up, I see this wire go by, about 5' away. I thought to myself, WTH was that? Close call, just about crapped my pants. So I stopped my ascent and took a close look. A wire! I was too complacent about wires over ocean waters, given the remote area. Lesson learned.

 

[ajkm]

"the moment you can no longer see your quad (even though it's techincally in LOS)"

How is an aircraft "technically in LOS" of you can no longer see it? Perhaps that's where your problem lies? It would be good to abide by the VLOS regulation both "technically" and practically.

 

[Mavrick77]

... when flying over water? And/or do you get nervous the moment you can no longer see your quad (even though it's techincally in LOS)? It has just occurred to me that one of the reasons for flying is to be able to capture things from a perspective that no other traditional method has been able to (economically) do until now. So while one can totally avoid those circumstances, it doesn't make any sense to as those scenarios are a large part of why we get drones in the first place.

I suppose I haven't become that seasoned yet to fully trust the technology or even fully understand what the camera is showing me- or can't show me. Does anyone else get hyper-alert to the point of nerves as soon as you take off? I think all these rules, regulations, ordinances, authorities ready to pounce make me a bit apprehensive as well.

So, what is your level of anxiety or plain ol' matter-of-fact attitude when you take off, whether it be over water, when your drone becomes no more than a spec in the sky- somewhere up there?

Every time and I don’t go far but jeez what a ride

 

[MROJAS]

... when flying over water? And/or do you get nervous the moment you can no longer see your quad (even though it's techincally in LOS)? It has just occurred to me that one of the reasons for flying is to be able to capture things from a perspective that no other traditional method has been able to (economically) do until now. So while one can totally avoid those circumstances, it doesn't make any sense to as those scenarios are a large part of why we get drones in the first place.

I suppose I haven't become that seasoned yet to fully trust the technology or even fully understand what the camera is showing me- or can't show me. Does anyone else get hyper-alert to the point of nerves as soon as you take off? I think all these rules, regulations, ordinances, authorities ready to pounce make me a bit apprehensive as well.

So, what is your level of anxiety or plain ol' matter-of-fact attitude when you take off, whether it be over water, when your drone becomes no more than a spec in the sky- somewhere up there?

I do get nervous. Having flown RC Helicopters for 9 years I have seen and experienced too many crashes. I know Drones are far more safe and automated and fly by themselves, but the feeling (and the possibility) remains there.

 

[vindibona1]

I do get nervous. Having flown RC Helicopters for 9 years I have seen and experienced too many crashes. I know Drones are far more safe and automated and fly by themselves, but the feeling (and the possibility) remains there.

Helicopters are another thing entirely. I don't know how people can fly them with such precision. I took a few computer classes on helos and was even gifted an actual lesson. I declined the lesson knowing that I wouldn't be able to afford to continue if I liked it. Drones are a bit safer, but without any sensory input it's kind of scary, especially once you can't "really" see them...

...Which leads me to my next thought... You're supposed to keep them in line-of-sight so you can see them without any visual aids (i.e. binocs.) I can't believe that most drone pilots don't break that rule from time to time, maybe often. Let's be real... Once you're past 1000 feet out if you don't have binoculars you have super vision if you can really still see your drone. Even if you have a spotter, if you're sending your drone out 5000 ft unless your spotter is chasing it, can he truly see it? I don't expect anyone to fess up in writing publicly.

 

[Thomas B]

Firehouse ARC XLs. Certified to 3500’... I can actually see them most days at 1500-2000’. Full distance as claimed at dusk or night.