Tell me how you use a drone

[Colorado_scott]

Hi Guys (and gals) -

For the last 3 months I've considered buying a drone. It started when my kids gave me a drone for Christmas. A decent GPS, visual, drone, which I flew for a few days and returned as the charge time was 300+ minutes. I then bought the Yuneec Breeze 4K, and liked it, but the flight time was under 8 minutes. I then defined what I wanted - much longer flight time, at least 20 minutes, a small, easy to carry drone. The Spark was recommended but the flight time was too short (at altitude in Colorado) for me. The DJI guy at the local store told me to consider the Mavic - with 25 minutes of flight time. Cool!, but its $1000. Then, finding out about such limited air space - everywhere - and looking at videos that show remote beaches, tops of mountains, desert areas - heck, what good is that? I don't visit those places. Looking at the flight zone maps (NFZ), ... totally discouraging for me. Yep, I can fly when I kayak at my local lake, but that's about it.

I'm not a professional photographer, nor do I want to be. I want to take general pictures, movies, and perhaps edit - taking hours - but I've been editing video for years so know how to do this well. Frankly, I'm looking for an application, or a reason to buy a drone - and surely the Mavic Air fits most of my criteria - but it's way overkill for a first real drone - but I'd pay the money if I had a reasonable place to fly it and application - without driving hours for a few flights.

I've been flying full-collective aerobatic R/C helicopters for years and know how to fly them well - and I fly competition Pattern planes, so my piloting skills fall right in line with a drone. I did not find flying the other drones any issue. I've also been taking digital photos and know my way around a camera. So, you see it's a natural progression for me, but I don't want to waste the money as $1000 is a fair amount of money for me.

I'm wondering how you use your Drones on day to day basis. You can't all be professional drone flyers, so for the guys that fly as a hobby - which is how I would characterize my flying, how do you use your drone? You can only take video of school yards so much, or fields.. or the same flying slight near your house.

Comments welcome - thanks.

Scott

 

[gtolover]

i consider it like buying a sports car
it sits alot but its there when you want it

 

[Aerial-Pixel]

I have the full gamut of current DJI drones, I tend to fly my Mavic Pro the most just because of its portability. I fly my Inspire 1 Pro the least just because you have to plan ahead alot and its much bulkier, I only use it for highly cinematic filming. If I want the best quality photos I go to my P4P, it does an amazing job with photos. I like flying the Spark but it doesn't do as well as far as photo / video quality. I did order the Mavic Air, I'm thinking it will take place of both my Spark and Mavic Pro... We will see when it arrives.
I fly all commercial real estate projects and fly some just as a hobby when I get a chance. I shoot everything in AEB to compile HDR's and Iv'e been doing 360 panos for a couple years now before it was mainstream. I shoot about 85% photos and about 15% video.

 

[Simmo]

i consider it like buying a sports car
it sits alot but its there when you want it

An expensive, luxury one that you only take out on Sundays, never in the rain or anywhere where it can get dirty.
You realise that even a slight bump is going to be expensive to fix, so drive it terribly carefully......
And never let anyone else drive it, just in case....

 

[#28]

Try to be creative, and you will see that your field can be amazing even if is not an island in the middle of the ocean.. I received a MPP for Epiphany and still learning to fly while exploring. I will try to track my dog and see which one I loose first..my Siberian Husky or my Mavic PP! XD

 

[Colorado_scott]

The sports car analogy, ???? Tells me nothing about how you use your drone. Stay focused.

Shooting commercial real estate, a good use, but not something I do. You have found a great use for a drone. I know around our neighborhood many have complained about even seeing a drone in the air, you know, they are concerned about their privacy, as if anyone really cares.

Tracking your dog, sort of cool, hope he doesn’t run off. Now that you have lots of dog footage, what do you do with it? Make a movie? Then you look at it once or twice? Post on YouTube for family to see? I say this as I take lots of video, mostly of my kids, make dvd’s for their future watching when they are adults. But I would not fly a drone over a baseball or soccer game, and while a neat idea, too dangerous and I’m sure not allowed over crowds anyway.

There are many videos like this, just pulled two out. Some of my concerns.

 

[Simmo]

Sir if I may use this phrase again today, you are thinking of the glass half empty.
Sure, it may be that you cant fly over ball games, or Times square etc, but there are plenty of places to fly, you just gotta go find them.
I think, you are simply too scared/worried...coz its a lot of money...
If thats the case, dont do it mate!!
If you do buy one of these things, get out and fly and I'm positive that you will love it and it can/will enhance those family moments you speak of!

 

[MDR019]

I’m a project manager on building sites good for progress photos. I use waypoints and do weekly videos, at the end of the job I want to edit it and do a video time lapse, will be cool when the project finishes mid next year.

 

[Jac89]

Im on a farm have over 3000ha to fly in.

 

[#28]

Tracking your dog, sort of cool, hope he doesn’t run off. Now that you have lots of dog footage, what do you do with it? Make a movie? Then you look at it once or twice? Post on YouTube for family to see? I say this as I take lots of video, mostly of my kids, make dvd’s for their future watching when they are adults.

Putting out with this entusiasm not sure you will find a Mavic very usefull to your need...making video with a gopro or your phone will maybe be enough for you. I really love photography and I am not a professional but I enjoy taking landscape shot with professional equipment, what I found fascinating is aereal photography, beside dog funny stuff this is why I enjoy my flights most. I am not the type taking tons of video and shots but I like to explore and I wanted a Mavic because it's the kind of technology that is able to let me take unusual shots. I wasn't planning to make any commercial use of the Mavic but it seems friends has a big interest on it and few already asked me to make a special take of their wedding, not sure I will make them pay more than a pizza..but is cool that a toy can even brings you unexpected work.

Keep flying, cheers

 

[locoman]

A couple of years ago, I bought a $300 quad for my self for Christmas, think is was called a Parrot, My son told me to take it back, there were better quads out there. So though about it for a month and then did. When the Mavic came out, starting reading up on it, like the fact that it folded up to a nice size package. So, when I got some extra $$$, I decided to treat myself.

I got my Mavic Pro last Father's Day, for Me. I fly for fun. Have lots of woods and open area around me to fly over. I like photography and thought this would be another way to expand on that hobby. I will fly at least every other day, weather permitting. I have build and flown RC aircraft and helicopters for over 45 years. Flying the Mavic was the first time I really had "fun" flying. It my be expensive, but there is a lot of "stuff" packed in that little bird, I haven't gotten boarded with it, since there are still many features that I haven't got around to learning how to use yet, like i.e. follow me, FPV, tripod mode, pivoting around a subject, etc. I am even considering trying to get my FAA Part 107 Certification, I feel it would be good for my aging mind, if not for any other reason.

So if you can afford it, go for it. I feel you won't regret it.

 

[Colorado_scott]

Project manager, good application for a drone. That’s not me. What I’m seeing here is very specific applications, job related, where a drone can be used productively. That’s great. From a hobby standpoint I see finding a legal place to fly challenging. Sure, again, head to some local open space and fly around. But other than just flying around taking the same video over and over again? Interesting? We each answer that question for ourselves. I, and others, would have to travel an hour or more to find nice scenery, like those shown in demo videos, to legally fly. I see the main reason to have a drone is to take video. If you don’t take video, it’s similar to flying a helicopter (which I do regularly).

I keep bumping up against reasons to NOT buy a drone, yet it’s a neat concept. Yep, perhaps it’s not for me, as no posts here have given me ideas for a true hobby. So much limited space to fly. It’s a shame as I’d really like to buy one but I can’t just throw away $1000 - but perhaps $200 , but so many limited features on the lower cost drones.

Thanks for your comments. I’ll keep searching for a reason to get a drone. Although, after about 2 months of trying hard to find a reason, it’s doubtful I’ll find something. Too bad for me.

 

[Colorado_scott]

Locoman, thanks for your input. You don’t have to travel any further than your backyard to fly, that’s neat. If I lived in a location like this, I’d get one for sure. But, unfortunately, I don’t live in a location like that. I have an open space about 300 yards from me. I can go there, and neat for a few times, but boring quickly to just fly there after a few times. Glad you found a hobby you enjoy.

 

[colinfowler]

If you can't find a use for a camera drone then you don't need one. As you already said "I don't want a drone I'm going to continue flying planes and helicopters"
But you are putting reasons and obstacles in the way of being able to fly anyway.

 

[joejaxvic123]

It's starting to sound like Deja Vu or something all over again....

 

[colinfowler]

It's starting to sound like Deja Vu or something all over again....

It's ok I've found the ignore button

 

[Colorado_scott]

Thank god, your input is not even close to the topic. Go find something else to do and let people that actually want to help do so.

 

[Flawless]

It's starting to sound like Deja Vu or something all over again....

Well, it's not like he's posting the same thing every few days.

Oh, he is.

This is why I decided NOT to get a drone!

Thinking hard on buying a Mavic.. actual use?

I'll fess-up ; I always found posts like "should I buy this, or that" annoying. Do your research and buy what you want but no one should make the decision for you, and being swayed one way or another is crazy - owners of "something" will tell you to buy it.

 

[dirkclod]

Thank god, your input is not even close to the topic. Go find something else to do and let people that actually want to help do so.

You started it and asked for comments..Again... So
or this thread will end up like your last one .

 

[colinfowler]

Thank god, your input is not even close to the topic. Go find something else to do and let people that actually want to help do so.