E-Biking and Flying Your Drone Remotely

[Bob in Savannah]

Hello. I'm wondering if anyone with an eBike travels with their drone on their back to go fly somewhere normally inaccessible by car? Like on trails? Or even just biking in town and then flying?

I recently purchased an electric pedal assisted bike that is designed for offroad/trails and have found it quite enjoyable. I have to pedal for the motor to assist me so I still get a workout. I just get more miles under my belt (speed) for the same amount of effort. It has a small amount of batteries which compliments the "normal looking" design of the bike.

My bike is a "sleeper" ebike that looks quite stealthy with no signs of being electric assisted. There is no "throttle" on MY bike. Its a "no-frills" electric bike with enough hidden battery to get me 25+ miles here on the flat streets of Savannah, GA or close to 20 on trails around here off road, etc.

I have the Mavic 3 and the "convertible" backpack that comes with the Fly More package and have found it quite convenient to bike around in my neighborhood (ten square miles staying away from Metropolitain traffic here on the coast) and have my drone to fly as well as room in the backpack to stop at the store for a six-pack if I feel the urge.

Just wondering if anyone is flying their drone via biking..?

 

[mavic3usa]

Nice bike! Yes, I have been doing that for a year or two now. I have a Jetson so it folds up and I keep it in the backseat of my car. When I get to my destination, if there is no place to fly from that isn't in the path of other cars or peds or that cannot be easily seen by them, I fire up the bike and strap on a backpack and I go for a ride whether it's down the path and around the corner or across the field (because the bike is capable of off-road) to a tree line or open area. I've been known to go about a half-mile away but that's about it. If I go further, it is because I'm scouting the AO and perhaps looking for other places to fly from. I make sure to go somewhere that I can relax and pull out all my gear and no one can walk up to me. Anyone coming in my direction, I'm going to see/hear them even if I'm FPV.

If I am in the city park and I can sit on the curb next to my car in the parking lot because nobody else is in the park, I still might break out the bike and park it next to my car. I like to take a quick bike ride (instead of walking) thru the gate entrance around the buildings and statues and structures and playgrounds just to make sure no one is there so my FPV won't meet anyone coming around corners or I encounter someone on the playing field. It is often I can fly at the city park and no one else is there for an hour or two. I take the car because I usually take about 3 drones with me.

Finally there are a couple of spots near home which I can start with the bike with only one drone in the backpack and ride less than a mile to the location instead of taking the car. It involves sidewalks, a bike lane, and a couple of busy street crossings at the light which I'm not a big fan of. When I get there if the parking lot is full because of a soccer game in progress, I have to turn around and come home; there's no where else nearby to go. That happens about 50% of the time.

 

[Deleted member 170519]

I have a RC N1 mount that I have on my ebike handlebars that works really well for when I am out.

 

[mavic3usa]

I have a RC N1 mount that I have on my ebike handlebars that works really well for when I am out.

That sounds like a good idea; I havent tried that. So far I only have the Skydio beacon mounted so I'll ride the e-bike while tracking.

 

[slup]

...I'm wondering if anyone with an eBike travels with their drone on their back to go fly

Bought my pedal assisted eBike 4 seasons ago (throttle isn't allowed in Sweden if it gona be considered to be a bicycle & not a moped or motorbike)... just passed 10 000km with it, so it's my main transportation vehicle during the snow free month. So yes, I'm using it when going out to fly my FPV quads, the threshold distance where the trip turns from plain transportation over to a dedicated biking activity is for me around 40km round trip, so it extends the action radius considerably compared to a ordinary bicycle.

Some regarding exercise & eBikes that I've found...

Research shows that going the same speed over the same distance, an eBiker will use 70% to 85% of the energy of someone on a traditional bike. However, research also shows that they don’t go the same speed or the same distance. Typically a rider on an ebike will go 50% faster than on a traditional bike, they will also cycle for one and a half times longer. By going faster and cycling for longer, eBike riders go further and end up getting more exercise. Also riding an eBike is a lower intensity exercise, which according to physios is better for muscles and joints. This means recovery is easier and injury less common, ensuring you get back on the eBike more often.

My isn't so stealthy, but it outputs 75Nm torque & the battery lasts 120km on the ECO setting...



This years upgrades... a Brooks Swift saddle with a Redshift Shockstop seatpost



Besides the eBike I have other "2-wheelers" to use before I end up with the car

 

[JD1964]

That fat rear hub gives it away to me instantly. It’s not stealthy in that regard. Nice bike. I want one!

 

[Bob in Savannah]

I have a RC N1 mount that I have on my ebike handlebars that works really well for when I am out.

What a great idea! I'd love to see a pic. This would be optimum for Active Track.

 

[Dbez1]

My wife and I got Lectric e-bikes and have really enjoyed them. So far, I haven’t taken the drone out on them as the others in our group would not be big on stopping to fly. I guess that’s something I’ll have to do on my own. Another issue is most of our bike trails are shaded by a canopy of big trees. I’d have to be very careful with the drone. However, this thread is motivating me to get out and try it.

 

[Deleted member 170519]

What a great idea! I'd love to see a pic. This would be optimum for Active Track.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DC6T5B5/?coliid=I14XB3OI9DKAWG&colid=R3S2Z0NXJHJ9&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

A nice trick is to use one of those silicone phone mounts to secure the phone to the controller so that you can also ride on bumpy terrain.

 

[JoelP]

I own the Mavic 3 and ride with a Giant Road E. My drone fits nicely in a backpack. I bought a handlebar mount for my controller with the plan to use active track while with my group on the trails near San Jose. That was when I learned that all trails in Santa Clara county require a permit to fly a drone. The permits is priced so high as to make it unaffordable for anyone to fly without a commercial sponsor.

 

[Dbez1]

I own the Mavic 3 and ride with a Giant Road E. My drone fits nicely in a backpack. I bought a handlebar mount for my controller with the plan to use active track while with my group on the trails near San Jose. That was when I learned that all trails in Santa Clara county require a permit to fly a drone. The permits is priced so high as to make it unaffordable for anyone to fly without a commercial sponsor.

That a bummer. So you have to leave the county to fly/bike? Are your trails really that crowded?

 

[dave canada]

[ carry a drone alot on the ebike never thought I,d be riding a bike but I,m 68 and having a blast

 

[JD1964]

Here’s my silliness. Schwinn FS scooter. Somebody tossed it out by the dumpster at work. I adopted it. All it needed was new batteries and I had to buy a charger too. $65 for that and fix some frayed wires and I was cruising.

24v and kinda lame in the performance department. I couldn’t leave it alone so I bought a third battery and wired them up in series for 36v. I stood them up in the battery tray so they would fit and built spacers from 1/2” copper pipe to raise the foot deck.

Now we’re cooking just within the fun zone! She’ll pull me up a pretty good hill, do 20mph on flat ground with a range of about 8 miles. The basket can carry the drone and controller wrapped up in a towel.

I tell the Mrs. “I m going for a scooter blast”. She just shakes her head and rolls her eyes. I pop in my EarPod pro 2’s, crank up some good tunes and I’m gone! Well, gone for maybe 30 minutes.

 

[tuxon64]

Pretty cool bike, what brand. Plus it looks like a belt drive. You have to pretend you're tired are you will give it away.

 

[Jimmid]

While not actually a e-bike I take my drone with me on my 1600cc Kawasaki Vulcan.
I mount my controller and a tablet on the handlebars for follow-me videos.

 

[PhoebeSnow]

I have 5 DJI drones but on my Lectric ebike always take my Fimi X8SE 2022 V2 drone. I got a 5 inch remote screen for it and it is easier to see than a phone that I must use with the DJI drones. Plus it has level 8 wind resistance and flies farther. No sensors but flying as long as I have you don't need them if you are careful. Otherwise, I fly the DJI drones most other times.

 

[Ronny St.]

I took an old wooden box (like the one one the left in the photo) and transferred it to some in which my SC fits. And then I bought a holder on internet to fix it to the clamp which is normally used for a bike basket:

 

[Bob in Savannah]

Pretty cool bike, what brand. Plus it looks like a belt drive. You have to pretend you're tired are you will give it away.

It's a Ride1up Gravelster. Yes, it has a Gates belt drive. It's pedal assist so I still get a workout... I just go faster doing it..

 

[Bob in Savannah]

I took an old wooden box (like the one one the left in the photo) and transferred it to some in which my SC fits. And then I bought holder on internet to fix it to the clamp which is normally used for a bike basket:

What a marvelous idea! The box is a better way to carry the controller I think compared to the "phone holder" design which inevitable transfers a ton of vibration.. Certainly off road. +1

 

[KLRSKIR]

I ride a Kaabo Wolf King GT Pro and a Honda XR150L. Both get me to very out of the way places. The drones go in a Nelson-Rigg Tail Bag on the thumper and in a backpack on the scoot.

I only use a Skydio 2+ for activetrack because it's just too darn good, and so easy with the Beacon.