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

[Skybuyer]

... 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?

 

[BigAl07]

I get a bit "anxious" when it's a new aircraft or when I'm flying in a technically difficult area/situation especially with Search & Rescue. But for the most part I don't get anxious at all for flights and it's 2nd nature.

I flew in a "difficult" situation this past weekend for a client. I was there to document their new property for their Architect (they have never seen the property in person). The property was HEAVILY wooded with the only canopy opening barely larger than the UAS itself and I had to ascend through this narrow opening for several feet with fairly strong winds trying to push it off course. I had to pass through this "green leady/branch" column 8 different times and each time it was "Laser Focus" intensity.

 

[MA2 317]

My first quad was / is the Spark and still happily flying it today after three years.

I purchased it with the idea of losing it and the price was at a price that I could accept to purchase another one.

I know your feeling and have been very cautious when flying over the water.

I have trusted myself and DJI over the years that the Spark will come home and always has.

I expect the same results from the MA2.

 

[old man mavic]

... 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?

the moment you think you have completely become at total ease with your drones capabilities ,and indeed with your own flying skills is the moment when you are most likely to end up in a situation beyond your control ,its fine to feel nervous as you say ,when you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation whatever the reasons ,such as loss of visual on the drone after looking down at the screen ,flying over water ,or the presence of large numbers of birds that appear from nowhere, to name but a few ,i always appreciate after a good days flying to be able to pack my gear away ,undamaged ,and without incidents of any kind,

 

[Heindrich1988]

I have a total of 1hr 30mins flight time on my first ever drone that I bought last Saturday.

It was pretty nerve-wracking taking off from the roof of my 30-storey apartment building for the first few times. But I did quite a lot of research before I bought my MA2, so I am fairly aware of what it can and cannot do. After my initial jitters, I am pretty confident that my drone won't randomly drop out of the sky. And at that height, if it did drop out of the sky, the result would be the same whether I was over land or water. So flying over water does not add any additional anxiety for me.

I am however completely terrified at this point of flying at an altitude where I could hit trees/buildings/power lines... which is why I stay so high up. So far, I can't wrap my head around the directions when I am not facing the same direction as my drone. I wish the front and back of the drone was more distinctive, it's quite hard to tell sometimes.

 

[Mazdaman323lx]

I think its whats makes the hobby so interesting. That intensity of , am I gonna lose my drone when you lose signal , those long few nerve wracking seconds , to that feeling of elation and relief when you re-estalbish the signal and bring it home. Or when your heart is in your mouth as fly under a tree covered stream or bridge and re emerge unscathed with a great piece of footage on the other side. Who wasnt had the panic ridden search , with the find my drone app , for a downed drone only to find it intact somewhere in a load of bushes or up a tree , and the relief you have when you find it.
Its that uncertainty , that risk , that makes this hobby so interesting for me. Not saying I want to intentionally lose my drone or anything , but I dont want to capture bland boring footage from 100 feet away at 30 meters height all the time either.
Fly out over the water , and capture something great. That sense of acheivement , as well as the footage make it all the better.

 

[Tony McDrone]

I wish the front and back of the drone was more distinctive, it's quite hard to tell sometimes.

The more you fly, the easier it will become. You might consider attaching a led light to the rear end, so you will always know if you are coming or going. Here is a photo of my setup. The light does not interfere with the sensors. You will get a message if it does.

I get nervous on each and every flight, until my drone is safe on the ground next to me. It doesn’t matter if I am flying over water or solid ground. Flying over solid ground would make it easier to retrieve and use the care refresh program. If flying over water, I always bring my kayak!

 

[Skybuyer]

I have a total of 1hr 30mins flight time on my first ever drone that I bought last Saturday.

It was pretty nerve-wracking taking off from the roof of my 30-storey apartment building for the first few times. But I did quite a lot of research before I bought my MA2, so I am fairly aware of what it can and cannot do. After my initial jitters, I am pretty confident that my drone won't randomly drop out of the sky. And at that height, if it did drop out of the sky, the result would be the same whether I was over land or water. So flying over water does not add any additional anxiety for me.

I am however completely terrified at this point of flying at an altitude where I could hit trees/buildings/power lines... which is why I stay so high up. So far, I can't wrap my head around the directions when I am not facing the same direction as my drone. I wish the front and back of the drone was more distinctive, it's quite hard to tell sometimes.

I can imagine what your launch might feel like. My sister-in-law lives on the top floor of a 30 story building, adjacent to Millennium Park in Chicago. She has line of sight to Navy Pier, only a few blocks to the east and much of the park to the south. I've been flying since late June and haven't yet developed the courage to launch off of her roof.

As far as identifying front from the back of your drone, I STRONGLY recommend colored strobes (and a white one). Velcro is your friend as it gives you mounting options. Initially I got the clear strobe with the "headlight" mount (purchased unmounted). But as I got more courage to send it further and higher I wanted the clear strobe on the bottom and then purchased the red and green strobes. If all you're looking for is orientation the clear headlight is really good. You may also see that I have the red and green strobes attached with elastic bands, the idea which I ripped off from someone on YouTube. All my strobes were purchased from Firehouse Technologies. Here is their 4 light kit, which is the best value (and wish that I had purchased it in a bundle). Firehouse 4 light strobe kit

 

[Repaid1]

I have a total of 1hr 30mins flight time on my first ever drone that I bought last Saturday.

It was pretty nerve-wracking taking off from the roof of my 30-storey apartment building for the first few times. But I did quite a lot of research before I bought my MA2, so I am fairly aware of what it can and cannot do. After my initial jitters, I am pretty confident that my drone won't randomly drop out of the sky. And at that height, if it did drop out of the sky, the result would be the same whether I was over land or water. So flying over water does not add any additional anxiety for me.

I am however completely terrified at this point of flying at an altitude where I could hit trees/buildings/power lines... which is why I stay so high up. So far, I can't wrap my head around the directions when I am not facing the same direction as my drone. I wish the front and back of the drone was more distinctive, it's quite hard to tell sometimes.

A small strobe mounted to the rear will help with orientation at distance Opps should have finished the thread

 

[Mazdaman323lx]

I can imagine what your launch might feel like. My sister-in-law lives on the top floor of a 30 story building, adjacent to Millennium Park in Chicago. She has line of sight to Navy Pier, only a few blocks to the east and much of the park to the south. I've been flying since late June and haven't yet developed the courage to launch off of her roof.

As far as identifying front from the back of your drone, I STRONGLY recommend colored strobes (and a white one). Velcro is your friend as it gives you mounting options. Initially I got the clear strobe with the "headlight" mount (purchased unmounted). But as I got more courage to send it further and higher I wanted the clear strobe on the bottom and then purchased the red and green strobes. If all you're looking for is orientation the clear headlight is really good. You may also see that I have the red and green strobes attached with elastic bands, the idea which I ripped off from someone on YouTube. All my strobes were purchased from Firehouse Technologies. Here is their 4 light kit, which is the best value (and wish that I had purchased it in a bundle). Firehouse 4 light strobe kit

View attachment 113570

Just curious , but in your set up , do the pulses of light show up in the footage , especially in flying at dusk or at night?

 

[BillyDrone]

... 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 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.

 

[Sputterwall]

When I bought my MA2, a big part of my purpose was to get good pictures and videos of the critters that live in a lake near me. At first I was very cautious, staying over land in my yard until I got comfortable, then went through a week or so of confidence building and experimentation over the nearest shallowest spot on the lake.

I learned that I can feel pretty safe at anything over 6' up, and that the drone's behavior is a bit different if I am over Spatterdock leaves, which make a short of floating platform that looks different to the drone. Over those leaves it's like being over land, but it's a definite no-land zone.

Operating over open water below 6', I have noted that even though the altitude shows rock steady on the display, there is some drifting up and down that you gotta keep an eye on. I have needed to learn the ways to visually guage my altitude over the surface and virtually ignore any altitude data. And then there's been a couple of times when it seems to start landing, if I get below the 1.5 meter takeoff altitude. So anytime I operate below 6' I am riveted to the display, watching for early warning signs of trouble. Also, my default recovery action when over water is the opposite of "bottling" - I stay ready to shove both sticks straight up.

With that said, I have yet to touch the water or even the Spatterdock over the lake. It's a learned skill with a high degree of risk to the drone. If you plan to do much of this kind of thing, I recommend the DJI plan for 2 replacements.

Two other things that are more critical around trees is to remember there are no sensors on the top and sides, and no sensors at all in Sport mode. Also, in any sort of tight wooded area, just clipping a leaf ever so slightly can cause the drone to go into it's flight recovery mode where it tries to flip away from the obstruction. When this happens in a tight spot, it's almost certain to end up snagged or on the ground. So operation in the woods, going only by the view from the camera, also takes very close attention and staying aware of things that are out of view. In woods, I try to operate low enough that I can recover it with a pole (below around 30'), and always keep track of where I can go to escape upwards if I need to RTH.

For my purposes, all of this knowledge is critical. I have now recovered my drone from 4 crashes, all involving trees. I keep trying to learn from my mistakes...

 

[THE CYBORG]

For some stupid reason water is my nemesis, no idea why but I get anxious flying over water.

 

[r0adb10ck]

I pretty much only fly over water, and never had a single concern about it until last weekend.

I hand launch and hand catch from a pontoon boat every single time, and I've never had a problem. Last weekend I put the M2P up to grab some quick pictures. I was 200 feet up and suddenly the smart controller was no longer responsive, completely locked up. The drone was then going to return to home. Great, right? Not so much when you are in a boat and the boat has drifted 100 feet away from the home point. Had to get the boat moving and I got there in time to get my hand under it. Got nicked by the prop pretty good, and fumbled it.. only cracked two props, other than that in perfect working order. Haven't pulled the logs yet to see why the SC locked up, but will soon.

Take a look at my IG, and you will see all of the water I fly over!

 

[dronerdave]

... 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)?

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?

The way I figure it is if I'm flying over water, a shear cliff or even a spot I'm unable to reach, if the quad goes down I'm not gonna be able to get it back easily and will probably have to consider it's lost. But I fly a lot of fixed wing, and most planes end up in pieces before they wear out. I except that. It's one reason I like flying fixed wing...the excitement. Even a typical landing can make me anxious. Generally the only time I get pumped up is if something unexpected happens and with a plane it is as easy as loosing attitude of the aircraft. With my MP, fear of a bird strike is always on my mind and I've been fooled a few times when the gimbal went nuts. I've lost video a few times and I got that gut feeling. The worst incident however was learning about ATTI mode over water. Got it down but it was a very confusing and stressful moment. It got so close that on my video screen I could see the prop wash was throwing the surface water around. I was so fixed on keeping my quad in visual sight that I had failed to check my telemetry and it almost landed in the water.
Anything can happen but I've learned about using/trusting my instruments. To me it helps with anxiety. When GPS came out I added a plotter to my bass boat. It has several displays but I learned how to navigate with coarse over ground, heading and off set values...all just numbers. I trust my instruments enough to safely drive miles at night to get to my destination. But I still take extra precautions that are quite different than when boating during daylight. To me It's kind of similar as flying my quad at night. I often fly during low light over water. I usually feel fine unless the unexpected happens...then my BP goes way up, I get an adrenaline rush , and my palms are sweating as I try to fix the situation.

 

[Skybuyer]

Just curious , but in your set up , do the pulses of light show up in the footage , especially in flying at dusk or at night?

I don't recall getting any flashing in my footate. There is only one time I think I got illuminated a building with some red wash from the front legs, but interestingly, not from the strobes. Though I have illustrated the clear strobe as a headlight and then on top of my M2, I only used it for a short while on my Mini until getting the R/G lights. It is almost always mounted on the bottom my my drones so I can see it better up in the air. For full disclosure, before going to strobes I use to mount a continuous LED light on the front of my Mini. That showed up once when I was filming into a glass window. The LED costs about $6 on Amazon. If you have nothing else to help identify when the thing is pointed at you, this is a good starter light. Under 10 grams with male velco. Also, note the orange reflective tape on the front arms. Also helpful in identifying the drone facing you.

 

[Rchawks]

I’ll probably never fly over water.

 

[Brockrock]

I'm also a frequent water flyer. As far as I'm concerned, you truly don't begin to fully enjoy this hobby until you are willing to launch and send your copter off with total acceptance that you may not get it back. I'm not saying to fly hazardously or recklessly. I'm saying do everything in your power - proper preflight, safe flying, legal flying, avoid likely encounters with birds - and go fly, but know and accept that things out of your control can happen. That's part of this hobby. Until you get there, it can be very nerve racking to fly these copters.

 

[Mazdaman323lx]

I was nerous of flying over water untill I discovered its actually safer than flying over land in many respects. Theres 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.

 

[Skybuyer]

I was nerous of flying over water untill I discovered its actually safer than flying over land in many respects. Theres 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.

Ya know... That's a great way to look at it. I hadn't thought of it that way. As far as line-of-sight... it appears that LINE is one thing and SIGHT is quite another. There as so many times when I couldn't see my drones even though they were in plain sight. I try to make it easier with strobes, but these things become tiny specs in just a few hundred yards.