Drones vs RC planes

[Rchawks]

Even with the yrs of rc behind me it still took a couple of months to become comfortable (much, much longer really) and feel confident with what I was doing with the drone. There are so many ways to make mistakes in a different way than flying rc planes. I really don't think the comments here are intended to put down the drone flying at all, it's just we would have done anything to have that GPS backup back in the day. It's like magic. I think that's the intent here. It's still very, very difficult to coordinate the gimbal and camera movements together with the motion of the drone. To be able to lock onto a moving object like a bird flying past in real time is a skill that still eludes me and a one I'd like to develop in the future. To be clear there are many skill levels to flying drones, and just because you can take off and land a drone doesn't mean you've mastered all that's required, just with rc planes.

 

[halifax]

Even with the yrs of rc behind me it still took a couple of months to become comfortable (much, much longer really) and feel confident with what I was doing with the drone. There are so many ways to make mistakes in a different way than flying rc planes. I really don't think the comments here are intended to put down the drone flying at all, it's just we would have done anything to have that GPS backup back in the day. It's like magic. I think that's the intent here. It's still very, very difficult to coordinate the gimbal and camera movements together with the motion of the drone. To be able to lock onto a moving object like a bird flying past in real time is a skill that still eludes me and a one I'd like to develop in the future. To be clear there are many skill levels to flying drones, and just because you can take off and land a drone doesn't mean you've mastered all that's required, just with rc planes.

Agreed. It takes a lot of skill to fly drones deliberately, to put them where you want them with precision, especially in the case of tracking, as you said. I have to fly out of a lot of dicey places, like out of or through small gaps in the forest canopy, or along narrow, sinuous mountain-brook corridors, and such. I've post-holed more than my share of drones and have completely lost a few along the way, too. I have big respect for people who not only have great drone flying skills but the cine skills as well. And I watch DRL and stunt drone flying and I'm like, in my dreams, baby, in my dreams.

 

[FLDave]

The drone and rc comparison confuses me. Aren't rc fixed wing aircraft and rc multicopter aircraft both drones, as are the huge military fixed wing pilotless aircraft? A drone is a pilotless aircraft; it's not about the physical configuration.
A fixed wing drone and a multicopter drone will have different flight characteristics; it's not about the rc (drone) issue. As an unmanned aircraft less than 55 pounds they also basically follow the same FAA regulations.

 

[halifax]

The drone and rc comparison confuses me. Aren't rc fixed wing aircraft and rc multicopter aircraft both drones, as are the huge military fixed wing pilotless aircraft? A drone is a pilotless aircraft; it's not about the physical configuration.
A fixed wing drone and a multicopter drone will have different flight characteristics; it's not about the rc (drone) issue. As an unmanned aircraft less than 55 pounds they also basically follow the same FAA regulations.

Yes, that is correct as far as FAA is concerned (for instance, we all register at Dronezone). But at least for my posts in this thread, I call multirotors "drones"... it's an old-school thing, I guess. I should probably stick to the term "multirotor". Kind regards!

 

[djwak59]

You don't "fly" photo drones, they fly themselves and you merely tell them where you want them to go without having to care about any of the actual flight physics.
If you want to actually fly a quad you get one that you can fly in manual/acro mode, then it's you doing the flying. Whole different experience.

Agreed. I learned how to fly a drone with my first drone, an MJX Bugs 3. I still have it, NO RTH, NO GPS, NO altitude hold, NO telemetry of any kind. I tell someone who might be interested in flying a drone, to start with one that doesn’t even have any auto features. That way, it’s more YOU that’s in charge and you get a greater understanding of how to fly it.

 

[4 inch pistons]

Hummmmm. Where to start. I agree with everybody and everything said. Started in 1989 with a Great Planes PT40. There were no simulators at that time and every mistake was 3-10 hours rebuild. Dave Brown simulators came around---the Great Planes and suddenly everybody was Jim LeRoy! (You are gonna have to Google all that stuff) I was a regular at Joe Nall for about 10 years. Look it up.

My AMA member number was 4 digits and I finally gave up in 2010. Curtis Youngblood was the thing in Heli and I tried with a small electric but gave up quickly.

NOW----- Vertical stabilization with GPS and return to home makes flying a breeze compared to learning RC planes. You get dis-con-fob-u-lated and you let go of the sticks---look at the screen and home point. I will stop here as I am starting to sound like a "know it all" and "been there and done that way before you guys" only to say I love quads and am glad to have discovered them and the forum.

However let me say that the Cetus X micro quad FPV is quite the challenge and I am still learning how to fly. This never gets old!

 

[Rchawks]

The Guys at lunch today were talking about their new vr games and how easy it was to get motion sickness from the gameplay. I guess if you do it enough you're brain gets used to it, without ill effects. Maybe one day.

 

[ScottTX]

Yes, I flew airplanes for years before trying drones. It's much harder to fly them. They don't fly themselves like drones. Much more subject to wind and stalling. There are many more regulations as far as whereyou can fly. Unlees you are on private property with permission you must fly at an AMA registered airfield. You should become an AMA member which includes insurance as part of the membership, then you canjoin a local flying field that is set up for flying airplanes safely.

Hi - I was thinking about how flying RC Plains, back in the late 1970's used to work. As far as the requirement for having to fly on private property or an AMA registered airfield, do you recall approximately when the AMA registered airfield requirement came into force?

 

[Ty Pilot]

Hi - I was thinking about how flying RC Plains, back in the late 1970's used to work. As far as the requirement for having to fly on private property or an AMA registered airfield, do you recall approximately when the AMA registered airfield requirement came into force?

Though the AMA was formed in 1936 and put on organized events such as the "NAT's" (Nationals), dating back that far, the idea for 'charter' clubs wasn't put into place until sometime in the mid 1960's.

There was no rule that said you couldn't fly RC on a private piece of land by yourself, it's just that the likelihood of you being able to acquire the knowledge, skill and experience to do so (in those days) without help - was extremely low.

Moreover, once RC technology expanded past the days of lightly loaded high-wing trainer type aircraft, a dedicated, purpose-built and maintained flying facility with runways and plenty of open land became mandatory for an overwhelming percentage of RC aircraft by the turn of the century.

 

[BigAl07]

Hi - I was thinking about how flying RC Plains, back in the late 1970's used to work. As far as the requirement for having to fly on private property or an AMA registered airfield, do you recall approximately when the AMA registered airfield requirement came into force?

The AMA Field Requirement was specifically for AMA Members only. Actually, it was the other way around. . . only AMA Members could fly at an AMA Sanctioned Flying site (with the exception of a Guest Flight allowance). If you came to an AMA Sanctioned Flying Field you had to be a member in good standing with AMA as this included AMA Insurance to protect the flying club and the property owner.

Initially the AMA Insurance was ONLY valid when yo were flying at an AMA Sanctioned Flying Site but with Park Flyers this trend moved to, well PARKS and the AMA Insurance was modified to cover SAFE Flight in places other than "just" an AMA Sanctioned Flying site. Now with "Drones" the insurance covers just about any flying so long as it's done within the AMA Safety Code and not "just" at AMA Sanctioned Flying sites.