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DroneTrooper

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Hi All, new to drone flying and this forum. Getting a little better every flight with a Mavic Air. I am traveling from the US to the Maldives in February for a scuba trip, will be on a boat for 10 days. Would like to fly off the boat for some air shots of the small islands, the boat, and hopefully follow some whale sharks that swim at the surface. Will try not get any underwater shots with the drone LOL. I have been practicing hand launches and landings.

Two questions:
I plan to pack the drone with my cameras in a protective case, are there any issues with customs etc in bring a drone into a country or across boarders. The Maldives is very tourist friendly but still a rather conservative government?

Also any tips on flying or drone photography from you experienced folks for the boat situation I described.

Thanks for running such a great forum happy to be a member.
 
Hello traveler, not sure about the drone in the Maldives but, you would need to hand carry the batteries since they are not allowed in the baggage compartment. Safe travels.
 
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I found this article detailing the legal rules regarding flying a drone in the Maldives:
 
I would Highly recommend drone Insurance like refresh or State farm, and really should have some sort of floteies for your drone just in case it goes down in the water. with refresh you have to recover the drone to get coverage
 
You want to be reeeally careful flying/launching/landing from a boat. You have to watch your compass(es) very carefully.
The hardware on the boat can influence the compasses, in general, and calibration if done from a boat. If the compasses get confused and they conflict with the GPS, they you may have issues. Remember, it's a dive boat, alot of steel and iron are all around you.

And for the GPS make sure the boat is anchored/not moving at all, or when you do take off, it will seem like the AC is flying away, but it's not. It's "holding" it's position, the boat is what's moving.

Before you go, search here for things like "launching from boat", flew from boat and crashed into water, etc.

I'll get you thinking before you even get your AC out of the case...

Oh yeah, Have fun!!!
 
Great advice guys, I’m so glad I asked. Just followed the links you provided and started the application process. I’m sure I’ll be back with more questions as I learn more about this amazing device.
 
Do searches here with > boat ship hand launch < and the likes, as suggested . . . read up.
If calm (almost flat) water, it's probably not that difficult, but you must be confident doing it before you go, on land, and if possible off a boat a few times.

Also look at settings for flight you may want to / need to adjust.
Bottom sensors if flying closer to water.
RTH settings, it might be best (if the boat is somewhat mobile) to set this to hover if controller connection is lost.

Also check out marine mammals rules for flight over.
Many countries have quite distant limitations to whales (up to several hundred metres), dolphins etc, and rules like no approaches form the front.
 
For what it's worth, see my long ongoing thread in the past week's forums. Briefly, I tried to get this forum's opinion regarding anyone who had traveled to Zambia and Madagascar, for over a year. Never had success. Also tried to apply online to Madagascar equivalent of FAA but application in French. With my high school French, I filled out the application and never heard back from Madagascar either. So in the weeks ahead of departure I packed the Mavic Air in my camera bag, with the batteries in LiPo bags. Never had a problem with customs in either country. They barely gave the camera bag (loaded with bodies and lenses) a look. The problem was that in Zambia my safari lodge and guide would not allow the drone, and in Madagascar, I had no problem flying the drone near the Avenue of the Baobabs or other places. My main fear was of confiscation at customs. That never occurred. As a famous shoe maker says, "Just do it." My 2nd thought is, I would never attempt flying from a boat. I am just too chicken. I'd consider pulling over to shore for the flights. Baobabs.jpg
 
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Have flown in Norway, Sweden, and Ireland with no problems with customs and local regulations. Most residents were friendly, curious, and helpful, enjoying the talk and looking at the drone view on the tablet.
 
What amazes me is that the smaller the country (Maldives is a speck in the ocean) the more important they deem themselves.
 
Great pictures Dale! I applied to the Maldives for a permit. Let’s see what happens, will keep you posted. We are going to be at sea most of the time and nowhere near people so I think I’ll take the “Just Do It” advice. I was introduced to drone flying by a National Geographic photographer flying off of a boat so it seems natural. Nonetheless have gotten pretty good at hand launches and landings. Let’s hope I don’t start a new thread on how I sank my drone in the Maldives. [emoji47]

I was happy to see a few comments back that someone raised the issue of flying over wildlife. I plan to fly over whale sharks if sited, but as an environmentalist and scuba nut I would certainly fly high enough not to have any impact on them or scare them. It’s a good reminder to us all to respect nature.
 
Great pictures Dale! I applied to the Maldives for a permit. Let’s see what happens, will keep you posted. We are going to be at sea most of the time and nowhere near people so I think I’ll take the “Just Do It” advice. I was introduced to drone flying by a National Geographic photographer flying off of a boat so it seems natural. Nonetheless have gotten pretty good at hand launches and landings. Let’s hope I don’t start a new thread on how I sank my drone in the Maldives.
emoji47.png


I was happy to see a few comments back that someone raised the issue of flying over wildlife. I plan to fly over whale sharks if sited, but as an environmentalist and scuba nut I would certainly fly high enough not to have any impact on them or scare them. It’s a good reminder to us all to respect nature.
If you search You Tube you can find great videos of drones following the wildebeest migrations- it certainly does affect the herds. My guide would not allow it even though the lodge was across the river from the national park, and of course, not in the park. Have never caught my Mavic Air in my hand. Afraid of lacerations or worse, although I have watched all the tutorials how to do it.
 
Here is one of the drone views of the wildebeest migration using a drone.


from many I found searching You Tube. Also let's not start a new thread of how I cut my fingers up catching my drone. Just take the darn thing in your camera bag and go from there. If it's allowed, fine, if it's not, just keep it stowed like I did. Always wait for the right opportunity, search around you like a cat burglar, and do the deed.
 
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