Interested in becoming a drone owner

[zoomIQ]

Hi. I'm new to the group, and as a professional photographer, I've thought about adding drone photography to my arsenal of equipment. But as I read some of the comments from your group, I am hesitating making the move. It seems as though unless you live in the middle of nowhere, the places you can actually fly a drone are very limited. Then if there are any human beings in the general vicinity, you cannot fly. And lastly, I read so many posts about drones that crash or fail in some way, getting all but destroyed along the way. Seems that being a drone owner comes with many restrictions and challenges. No?

 

[slup]

Restrictions yeah ... but manageable & mostly wise
Crashes yeah ... but to 90% pilot mistakes due to negligence & ignorance, remedied with knowledge
Fails ... no not many
Challenges yeah ... but that's the fun isn't it

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

Hi. I'm new to the group, and as a professional photographer, I've thought about adding drone photography to my arsenal of equipment. But as I read some of the comments from your group, I am hesitating making the move. It seems as though unless you live in the middle of nowhere, the places you can actually fly a drone are very limited. Then if there are any human beings in the general vicinity, you cannot fly. And lastly, I read so many posts about drones that crash or fail in some way, getting all but destroyed along the way. Seems that being a drone owner comes with many restrictions and challenges. No?

The negative posts you see here are like gambling, only in reverse. It's the nature of gambling to tell others about the winnings, not the loses. It is the nature of this assisting forum to hear about the problems and loses, not the many thousands of successful flights, i.e all the bad news is gathering in one spot. I've flown my Mavic Pro Platinum since August, 2018, with over a 1000 flights, and not one crash. I did have a camera lens failure, but nothing is infallible.

My message to you is read the instructions, follow the rules, and you can be successful. Yes, there are locations where flying will be restricted, but there are systems in place to approve such flights. And given you are a professional, you probably know "you get what you pay for".

One other observation. No professional photographer can ever capture the views a drone can capture, while standing on the shoreline. It's amazing what you can see from a drone, that no one else will ever see using an earthbound camera.

 

[OurAngryBadger]

Keep in mind that 90% of the rules only apply to commercial pilots that have undergone extensive training and have taken a certification test; if you are doing your photography as a hobby, most of the rules don't apply to you and you can just go buy one and do whatever unsafe things with it you want.

Kinda messed up, but that's our bureaucracy at work.

 

[zoomIQ]

The negative posts you see here are like gambling, only in reverse. It's the nature of gambling to tell others about the winnings, not the loses. It is the nature of this assisting forum to hear about the problems and loses, not the many thousands of successful flights, i.e all the bad news is gathering in one spot. I've flown my Mavic Pro Platinum since August, 2018, with over a 1000 flights, and not one crash. I did have a camera lens failure, but nothing is infallible.

My message to you is read the instructions, follow the rules, and you can be successful. Yes, there are locations where flying will be restricted, but there are systems in place to approve such flights. And given you are a professional, you probably know "you get what you pay for".

One other observation. No professional photographer can ever capture the views a drone can capture, while standing on the shoreline. It's amazing what you can see from a drone, that no one else will ever see using an earthbound camera.

Thank you for that very thorough and insightful response. I feel a little more optimistic about possibly becoming a drone owner.

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

Thank you for that very thorough and insightful response. I feel a little more optimistic about possibly becoming a drone owner.

If I may add further to your optimism. You are a professional, I am not. Imagine what you could do so much better than this...

 

[zoomIQ]

If I may add further to your optimism. You are a professional, I am not. Imagine what you could do so much better than this...

Stunning footage! Love it. Question: what is
RC modded w/ Titan 5 & 7dbi whips
AC modded w/Super-Patcher, jkson5

 

[slup]

Titan & Super patched drones are like below pimpmobile

No

Titan is other antennas for the Remote
And Super patcher is a way to mod the drone firmware to lift restrictions and/or gain access to functions normally not possible to change/use

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

Stunning footage! Love it. Question: what is
RC modded w/ Titan 5 & 7dbi whips
AC modded w/Super-Patcher, jkson5

Thanks.

Just so you know, the things I do to the equipment is not normal, mainstream nor necessary for success. It's just messing around.

The "modded" items are modifications to my RC - the Mavic controller and the AC - the Mavic Pro Platinum drone. I disassembled the controller to replace the antennas with a quick disconnect system that allows me to use any antenna I want. The whip antennas that I use are dipole antennas with a 5 and 7 dbi enhancement of the signal. Is it necessary? Probably not. I just like messing with the equipment. I also built a controller platform for adding 2.4 ghz, 3 watt amplifiers. Like putting headers on a hot car. Again, probably not necessary. A car will run just fine with or without headers!

The Super-Patcher and jkson5 are modifications to the firmware of the drone. They allow me to enhance the strength of the signal, slow down the yaw rate to smooth out the video's I capture, and speed up the decent of the drone from roughly 6 mph to 22 mph so I can get out of the way quickly if real aircraft are in the area. It's a safety thing. Of course there are numerous other things that the Super-Patcher offers, but these are the main things I need from it.

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

Titan & Super patched drones are like below pimpmobile

No

Titan is other antennas for the Remote
And Super patcher is a way to mod the drone firmware to lift restrictions and/or gain access to functions normally not possible to change/use

Cool, Dude!

 

[slup]

Cool, Dude!

Sorry ... just felt a bit jokey this cold Swedish evening ?

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

Sorry ... just felt a bit jokey this cold Swedish evening ?

Cold! I have 20 deg F. and 30 mph winds. I've been in my basement all day! I'm not going out there.

 

[slup]

Cold! I have 20 deg F. and 30 mph winds. I've been in my basement all day! I'm not going out there.

Similar here I believe ... -5 deg C with 16m/s winds ?

 

[Djproc]

Thank you for that very thorough and insightful response. I feel a little more optimistic about possibly becoming a drone owner.

I loaded the app and actually looked. There were a lot of no fly spots but in reality there was at least 90% left. A lot of no fly yes, but a lot of lost space no. I just got my drone in the mail yesterday...

 

[Florida Drone Supply]

As mentioned above, there are quite a few restrictions but nothing that doesn't make it worth it, especially from a photographers standpoint. As for crashes, things can happen but a majority of crashes and accidents are pilot error that can be avoided if you take the time to develop smart flying habits. Feel free to shoot us a message with some of your questions and concerns and we would be happy to guide you through the process of getting you started in the drone world!


Thanks,
FDS Team

 

[Marty Markoe]

Keep in mind that 90% of the rules only apply to commercial pilots that have undergone extensive training and have taken a certification test; if you are doing your photography as a hobby, most of the rules don't apply to you and you can just go buy one and do whatever unsafe things with it you want.

As a photograper, see web site, I certified Part 107. Wearing a tee shirt or vest declaring FAA Certified, and being able to show FAA certificate has helped on several encounters where flying the drone was questioned.

 

[Gindra]

As a photograper, see web site, I certified Part 107. Wearing a tee shirt or vest declaring FAA Certified, and being able to show FAA certificate has helped on several encounters where flying the drone was questioned.

Love your photos! Was surprised to see Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. Great location.

 

[Marty Markoe]

Love your photos! Was surprised to see Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. Great location.

Thanks for the positive review. The drone photo of Cannon Beach was taken at sunrise with few people on beach.
Marty

 

[UncommonCents]

Hi. I'm new to the group, and as a professional photographer, I've thought about adding drone photography to my arsenal of equipment. But as I read some of the comments from your group, I am hesitating making the move. It seems as though unless you live in the middle of nowhere, the places you can actually fly a drone are very limited. Then if there are any human beings in the general vicinity, you cannot fly. And lastly, I read so many posts about drones that crash or fail in some way, getting all but destroyed along the way. Seems that being a drone owner comes with many restrictions and challenges. No?

Crashes & Failures
I'll get the easy issue out of the way first: don't worry about crashes and failures. That's what insurance is for and DJI wouldn't be as popular as they are if they didn't have something resembling quality control in place. Here's some practical advice:

• Learn to fly before you learn to take a photo with your drone. Buy the DJI Mini so you can practice with fewer FAA responsibilities (bypass Parts 47 and 48).
• Learn how to put your drone in ATTI mode and practice keeping your drone under control without DJI flight aids. This will help you in case of some malfunctions, interference, or temporary loss of signals.
• Don't ignore warning messages that appear on your controller.

Protect Yourself From Yourself
If you plan to use your drone for commercial purposes (ie, photography) you need to get a Part 107 license. Maybe start studying for that before looking into buying a drone to see if this is something you really want to get yourself into. It is through FAR studies that you start to learn what you can and cannot do. As examples, did you know...

• you cannot fly in national parks without permission
• you cannot fly in the world's most beautiful cities without permission and expensive insurance
• most other picturesque cities and towns have their own anti-drone laws to help retain their quaint environments
• there is no such thing as an app that can fully educate a drone operator and, thus, help prevent you from flying in a no-fly zone. The LAANC system is little more than 3D aeronautical charts with a permission system built in specifically for airport traffic. They show you most FAA no-fly zones but do nothing about local or federal laws enforced by other agencies. Even the FAA's own "B4UFLY" app has this to say on page 1 of the EULA:

"The operator's reliance on B4UFLY for location determination DOES NOT constitute FAA authorization to operate and DOES NOT constitute evidence of compliance with applicable aviation regulations in or during enforcement proceedings before the National Transportation Safety Board or any other forum."
and
"data is intended only to supplement other approved navigation data sources and should be considered as an educational aid to determine location with respect to airports or other restricted airspace areas"
and
"B4UFLY is not guaranteed to be accurate"​

Protect Yourself from this Community
There are a lot of really... and I mean really! dumb people in this community. Unless you wanted to join them, you shouldn't be seeking us out for advice. Professionals should be hiring a lawyer. Once you have your 107, consider getting a job as a drone pilot for another company who already has lawyers and will educate you on the ins and outs of special privileges and responsibilities of including drones in your business.

Example #1
Scroll up and watch the first four seconds of RadioFlyerMan's nice video. It might as well be a signed confession. Because he clearly posts his hardware we know he doesn't have a Mavic Zoom and those shots of the traffic on Mackinac Bridge appear to have been taken with a drone that flew within 1,000 feet of the bridge. That's illegal. That bridge is protected by state law and the DOD. DJI and FAA apps won't help with that.

Example #2
In his short description, this guy admits to the following no-nos:

1. he didn't check to see if he was flying in a no-fly zone
2. he admits that he lost sight of the drone
3. he never recovered the drone, which means someone could claim to have had property or themselves damaged by it, opening himself up to civil litigation, even if it was another drone operator that caused the damage
4. he flew within 5 miles of a hospital helipad without permission
5. he admits that he may have flown too close to NASA airspace
6. he gives his approximate date and exact location, making it easy for any prosecutor to track him down

If he is possibly guilty of all of these things, why would you admit to it online?! and yet these are the people we seek out for advice?

Notice that I am not accusing either person. I'm simply pointing out how easy it is to incriminate oneself, overlook a law, and/or receive advice by people who mean well but shouldn't be giving advice.

I don't know all of the details on the above two examples (they may have special permissions, for all I know), but I am playing devil's/prosecutor's advocate. They might think they abiding by the law, but the evidence suggests otherwise. A prosecutor or police officer would be happy to slap you with the accusation, seizures, fines, and jail time and you'll be left with bill from your lawyer in an attempt to prove them wrong, if they are.

Protect Yourself From What Was True Yesterday
The laws are changing in ways in which some people say the hobby will die. It is clear that companies with deep pockets are trying to claim the drone airspace for advertising and deliveries. If they really want it, they'll get it. They'll push you out of the way with laws and fees. We're currently experiencing the wild west of drone flying but it won't stay that way. All of those aforementioned really, really! dumb people in this community won't be flying soon enough, if they're law-abiding.

Protect Yourself From Me
See "protect yourself from this community," above. I'm just another dufus with a keyboard. I'm wrong about things every day. Hire a lawyer.

Despite All of My Negativity...
...I don't mean to dissuade anyone from enjoying this art. I love my drone. I love flying and its challenges. I'm not dissuaded by all of the red tape now or in the future. It isn't what I thought it would be like but I still love it and will continue to enjoy it for as long as I am able.

 

[old man mavic]

Crashes & Failures
I'll get the easy issue out of the way first: don't worry about crashes and failures. That's what insurance is for and DJI wouldn't be as popular as they are if they didn't have something resembling quality control in place. Here's some practical advice:

• Learn to fly before you learn to take a photo with your drone. Buy the DJI Mini so you can practice with fewer FAA responsibilities (bypass Parts 47 and 48).
• Learn how to put your drone in ATTI mode and practice keeping your drone under control without DJI flight aids. This will help you in case of some malfunctions, interference, or temporary loss of signals.
• Don't ignore warning messages that appear on your controller.

Protect Yourself From Yourself
If you plan to use your drone for commercial purposes (ie, photography) you need to get a Part 107 license. Maybe start studying for that before looking into buying a drone to see if this is something you really want to get yourself into. It is through FAR studies that you start to learn what you can and cannot do. As examples, did you know...

• you cannot fly in national parks without permission
• you cannot fly in the world's most beautiful cities without permission and expensive insurance
• most other picturesque cities and towns have their own anti-drone laws to help retain their quaint environments
• there is no such thing as an app that can fully educate a drone operator and, thus, help prevent you from flying in a no-fly zone. The LAANC system is little more than 3D aeronautical charts with a permission system built in specifically for airport traffic. They show you most FAA no-fly zones but do nothing about local or federal laws enforced by other agencies. Even the FAA's own "B4UFLY" app has this to say on page 1 of the EULA:

"The operator's reliance on B4UFLY for location determination DOES NOT constitute FAA authorization to operate and DOES NOT constitute evidence of compliance with applicable aviation regulations in or during enforcement proceedings before the National Transportation Safety Board or any other forum."
and
"data is intended only to supplement other approved navigation data sources and should be considered as an educational aid to determine location with respect to airports or other restricted airspace areas"
and
"B4UFLY is not guaranteed to be accurate"​

Protect Yourself from this Community
There are a lot of really... and I mean really! dumb people in this community. Unless you wanted to join them, you shouldn't be seeking us out for advice. Professionals should be hiring a lawyer. Once you have your 107, consider getting a job as a drone pilot for another company who already has lawyers and will educate you on the ins and outs of special privileges and responsibilities of including drones in your business.

Example #1
Scroll up and watch the first four seconds of RadioFlyerMan's nice video. It might as well be a signed confession. Because he clearly posts his hardware we know he doesn't have a Mavic Zoom and those shots of the traffic on Mackinac Bridge appear to have been taken with a drone that flew within 1,000 feet of the bridge. That's illegal. That bridge is protected by state law and the DOD. DJI and FAA apps won't help with that.

Example #2
In his short description, this guy admits to the following no-nos:

1. he didn't check to see if he was flying in a no-fly zone
2. he admits that he lost sight of the drone
3. he never recovered the drone, which means someone could claim to have had property or themselves damaged by it, opening himself up to civil litigation, even if it was another drone operator that caused the damage
4. he flew within 5 miles of a hospital helipad without permission
5. he admits that he may have flown too close to NASA airspace
6. he gives his approximate date and exact location, making it easy for any prosecutor to track him down

If he is possibly guilty of all of these things, why would you admit to it online?! and yet these are the people we seek out for advice?

Notice that I am not accusing either person. I'm simply pointing out how easy it is to incriminate oneself, overlook a law, and/or receive advice by people who mean well but shouldn't be giving advice.

I don't know all of the details on the above two examples (they may have special permissions, for all I know), but I am playing devil's/prosecutor's advocate. They might think they abiding by the law, but the evidence suggests otherwise. A prosecutor or police officer would be happy to slap you with the accusation, seizures, fines, and jail time and you'll be left with bill from your lawyer in an attempt to prove them wrong, if they are.

Protect Yourself From What Was True Yesterday
The laws are changing in ways in which some people say the hobby will die. It is clear that companies with deep pockets are trying to claim the drone airspace for advertising and deliveries. If they really want it, they'll get it. They'll push you out of the way with laws and fees. We're currently experiencing the wild west of drone flying but it won't stay that way. All of those aforementioned really, really! dumb people in this community won't be flying soon enough, if they're law-abiding.

Protect Yourself From Me
See "protect yourself from this community," above. I'm just another dufus with a keyboard. I'm wrong about things every day. Hire a lawyer.

Despite All of My Negativity...
...I don't mean to dissuade anyone from enjoying this art. I love my drone. I love flying and its challenges. I'm not dissuaded by all of the red tape now or in the future. It isn't what I thought it would be like but I still love it and will continue to enjoy it for as long as I am able.

wow that was some heavy reading i hope you feel better now you have got it all off your chest,and by the way welcome to the forum