Off To the Beach, and Boat Ramp.

13_Dragons · Jul 16, 2022

Well Once I get done with My Morning Coffee, I am going to take the Mini 2 out for her Maiden Flight, Going to head to one of the Local boat ramps on the Pascagoula River where the river flows into the Gulf of Mexico, do some flying, Maybe get some shots of the Naval ships being worked on at Ingalls Ship Building. But Not too close Navy has smallgun boats out there for security. Always see them watching me when I go through the area in my boat. I will also get some stick time in with my Ruko F11, and the HS 720. The 720s camera sucks since it only has one axis gimbal. But still fun to fly it.

MS Coast · Jul 16, 2022

13_Dragons said:
Well Once I get done with My Morning Coffee, I am going to take the Mini 2 out for her Maiden Flight, Going to head to one of the Local boat ramps on the Pascagoula River where the river flows into the Gulf of Mexico, do some flying, Maybe get some shots of the Naval ships being worked on at Ingalls Ship Building. But Not too close Navy has smallgun boats out there for security. Always see them watching me when I go through the area in my boat. I will also get some stick time in with my Ruko F11, and the HS 720. The 720s camera sucks since it only has one axis gimbal. But still fun to fly it.

Be careful. The FAA says "too close" is 3000 feet horizontally from a Navy vessel.

"These new restrictions specifically prohibit drone flights in this airspace within a stand-off distance of 3,000 feet laterally and 1,000 feet above any U.S. Navy vessel."

I just looked at that area on B4YOUFLY and I'm surprised to see that there ware no restricted or prohibited areas, not even over the Navy base or shipyard.

13_Dragons · Jul 16, 2022

@MS Coast Yeah I will be keeping distance from the Ships, I will just have Pictures/ video From distance. I dont want to upset any Navy personel and dont want to breach any kind of Navy Security of weapons that other not so friendlies would like to look at.
I have been in Military and understand some of the do's and dont's.

I have to travel a bit from my House because I am right by Trent Lott Airport, and the Coast Guard likes to Train in airspace of the Airport. Darn Coasties Buzz My house with their Helicopters all the time. But I am always glad the Coasties are close, since when I am on the water and like that if anything happens they are out there for us Boaters.

MS Coast · Jul 16, 2022

13_Dragons said:
@MS Coast Yeah I will be keeping distance from the Ships, I will just have Pictures/ video From distance. I dont want to upset any Navy personel and dont want to breach any kind of Navy Security of weapons that other not so friendlies would like to look at.
I have been in Military and understand some of the do's and dont's.

I have to travel a bit from my House because I am right by Trent Lott Airport, and the Coast Guard likes to Train in airspace of the Airport. Darn Coasties Buzz My house with their Helicopters all the time. But I am always glad the Coasties are close, since when I am on the water and like that if anything happens they are out there for us Boaters.

Yes, flying is a bit limited around Trent Lott Airport. Northrup Grumman has a UAV manufacturing plant there and they fly the Navy's Fire Scout UAVs there.

13_Dragons · Jul 16, 2022

Yep, I always do my best to stay within the Regs. Once I have my 107 I really dont want to ruffle any feathers. LOL

13_Dragons · Jul 16, 2022

Well Back home and lets do run down of how my three drones did with 4mph wind gusting to 10 mph. LOL yeah I check the weather before I fly. Anyways the HS 720 did well as it could, but video sucked anything over 300 ft video on phone would start breaking up.
So now Ruko F11GIM's turn at bat.... Well drone was all over the place in the wind and with lag between controller and drone, yeah real fun...Not. Then when I landed for a change of Batt. This is 3rd flight for Ruko, I got it in April this year. when changing Batt the fresh Batt had so resistance going in drone, so took it back out inspected battery very closely and there is a crack on bottom of batt, and it has swelled just enough to not slide right in drone. So that batt no good. so that was all for Ruko.

On to the Mini 2. and what can I say I loved it, it responded right away to my input, The Pictures where great. the wide shots and 360 worked great! even in the Gusty wind it held in place better than the much heavier F11 that was all over the place. The Mini 2 was like a Rock, it did not move around at all.I had so much confidence in this drone. wow and talk about good range with out having video break up and I did not go that far with it. Over the water I had no problems with not wanting to risk flying over water. The other 2 drones I dont trust enough over water.
But the Mini 2, yeah water I do not fear you! Now I know why every one likes DJI drones so much!

13_Dragons · Jul 16, 2022

I even bumped the 400ft AGL But then DJI lady yelled at me....LMAO

Capt KO · Jul 17, 2022

Did you fly from a boat? If so, what were your settings for LOS, RTH or Hover? Those are critical when over water flight from a vessel..and the reason I use a Rescue Jacket from PhantomRain. (Land on water).
Glad it all worked so well and looking forward to the pics and vids.

13_Dragons · Jul 17, 2022

Not This time @Capt KO But when I go fishing and camping I may try flying from and over the boat. That is one one the main reasons I got a drone was for doing some shots from the air of my fishing and camp trips. What is the Rescue jacket? I may have to look at that.

Capt KO · Jul 17, 2022

13_Dragons said:
Not This time @Capt KO But when I go fishing and camping I may try flying from and over the boat. That is one one the main reasons I got a drone was for doing some shots from the air of my fishing and camp trips. What is the Rescue jacket? I may have to look at that.

Use the search function at top to look for the Rescue Jacket or Phantomrain. They are an advertiser on this forum and sell wetsuits to fly in the rain as well as the jacket to land on water. Search flying from a boat as well. Much to consider, from takeoff/landing to the best settings to use for a safe and successful flight. Enjoy

13_Dragons · Jul 17, 2022

Here is just a short video of where I flew yesterday. Had to land due to low battery. Anyone ever have a issue like this? Glad this was my Ruko F11 GIM had this been my New Mini 2 I would have been P.O.ed

3dphotodrone · Jul 17, 2022

Most of the time the dogs do not know to look up in the sky. Next time you land in the water you can have the dog retrieve your drone. Lol

13_Dragons · Jul 17, 2022

well thing is not my dogs, and the fact that in my county there is a county wide leash law. The dogs should not have been a issue since they should have been on leash or lead. But what can you do. People do all kinds of stuff. only harm done was a tooth mark on side of drone.

Capt KO · Jul 17, 2022

Exciting end. Glad it wasn't a disaster.

LoudThunder · Jul 18, 2022

I watched your video several times and I do not know where you were located, but I can see those dogs had your drone in their sights long before you started landing. I gotta ask, were you teasing them earlier in your flight?

And then, it seems like you landed the drone right on top of them; at 0:43, the golden one was right under the drone as it settled down, but I guess it was the black one that got it; as at 0:51, I can see the golden one running behind in the video…

I've include two postings I've done in the past concerning dogs and how to discourage them. I also advocate learning to Hand Launch and how to Hand Retrieve just in these instances…

If you anticipate having this issue, I would carry some "Dog Away" (amazon, Petco, other "fine establishments…"). When the drone is about 8 to 10 feet off the ground, you hover it and then if the dogs look like they are going to attack your drone (actually, if you are hand retrieving, they are attacking you…) use the "dog away". Remember, if those dogs are acting up as they were in the video, they are NOT Under the Owners Control and You Have Every Right to Protest Yourself (notice I did not say your drone, I Said You…).

I've also try to anticipate problems in advance and if I think I am going to have issues. I do not run the drone's battery down. And as I mentioned in one of the posts, I used my drone to encourage the dogs to follow it a long ways away (you know, make them chase it…) and then quickly climbed way up and took a circuitous route back, forcing the owners to race after their run away dogs.

Dog attack after 20 minute fixation

Hand catch but remember to grab it from underneath, not on top [emoji15] I used to fly in helicopters in the Army a lot, and it took me awhile to figure out why we didn't use parachutes. :p

mavicpilots.com

Dog attack after 20 minute fixation

Hand catch but remember to grab it from underneath, not on top [emoji15] I used to fly in helicopters in the Army a lot, and it took me awhile to figure out why we didn't use parachutes. :p

mavicpilots.com

One final bit of advice, when I have an issue with unleashed dogs, I snap a photo and maybe a short video and I stash it away in case I have an issue in the future and if it gets Legal, I want to be able to show there is a trend… As I've seen on Judge Judy so many times, dog owners claim that it was a "one-time" occurrence, but one picture is worth a thousand denials…

Here is one such example… As they say, the Proof is in the Pudding and I Practice What I Say…

13_Dragons · Jul 18, 2022

Yeah when I first noticed the Dogs paying Attn to the drone I had drone at about 100 ft in the air, I was trying to move drone to stay away from them. But as Battery was getting low the Drone had to come down no matter what. I did fly Mini 2 before this, Dogs where not around and I did hand catch/ land the Mini 2. But this was the Ruko F11 GIM and it being bigger than a Mini I was not confident with catching it by hand. Onwer showed up a few mins later and was sorry about it, and since there was not any real damage to drone besides a tooth mark on side of drone I chalked it up as a learning exp. I have dogs but they hate my drones and will get as far away from them as they can. so kind of use to that.
Like I said I was just glad it was not the Mini 2. From now on I will try to make sure there are not unleashed dogs around. But cant do too much if they show up during flight. But yep a Learning Exp for sure. No one at the little park seemed to have issue with my drones. Well no one except those pesky dogs...LMAO But I fault the dog owner since in Jackson county we have a county wide leash law. I had not even thought about dogs running loose. I will do what I can to aviod situation in future flights.
This coming Sunday I have a meeting at the Elks lodge, and plan to take the Mini2 with me and get some Video of the work that has been done repairing the pool while I am there. Might even catch some footage of a train, since tracks run right by our Lodge.

LoudThunder · Jul 19, 2022

13_Dragons said:
From now on I will try to make sure there are not unleashed dogs around. But cant do too much if they show up during flight.

If dogs show up while you are flying, immediately try to determine if they have an unnatural curiosity with your drone. If they do, NOW is the time to make plans, while you still have battery power, not when you've exhausted the battery and the drone is sinking…

Like I wrote, if the dogs are uncontrolled and they appear interested in 'tasting my drone, I get their "undivided attention" and I take them across the park, lot, field, etc… for a bit of exercise and then I climb, baby climb, out of the dogs perceptions and fly back home, but not so directly, I do not want the dogs to follow (never know if one is as smart as Lassie…). Let the owners go find their uncontrolled dogs.

I can do this because I do not exhaust my batteries, beside getting into the position you did, it's bad for the batteries to run them down that far…