What Kind of Drone Pilot Are You?

[Tufargon]

What Kind of Drone Pilot Am I?​

Pilot?...not really. Photographer?...not really. Caravanner?...Yes! - who happens to have a drone with a camera.
Love the question...but I cannot question my real love....that of caravanning!
Have learned so much from this forum and am improving on both fronts.
Love the characters who contribute to this forum and often spend hours viewing many parts of the world from a perspective that no chair under any caravan awning could offer.
This was the first photo I took with my MPP inland from the Gold Coast Queensland Australia (below Mt Tamborine).....so much to learn!
Is there anyone out there who like me (enjoys if not yet mastered) all 3 disciplines of piloting, photography and caravanning (RVng)?
Ps I crashed my drone into that solitary Gum tree next to our van...and therein lies the real answer to the question....What Kind of Pilot Are you?

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I'm not a professional pilot or a photographer but really enjoy it. I am also a professional full time RV'er for the past 13 years or so and love it.

 

[Mavic Maxwell]

I'm not a professional pilot or a photographer but really enjoy it. I am also a professional full time RV'er for the past 13 years or so and love it.
View attachment 143007

Love those 5th Wheeler slide outs...but that tow vehicle is a beast!
You have invested in a lifestyle that many would love.....and to be able to enjoy it along with flying and photography is something special.
Safe Travels and Flying
From Down Under

 

[Tufargon]

Love those 5th Wheeler slide outs...but that tow vehicle is a beast!
You have invested in a lifestyle that many would love.....and to be able to enjoy it along with flying and photography is something special.
Safe Travels and Flying
From Down Under

The truck is my baby lol. One ton with 459 HP and 933 ft lbs of torque and has an air compressor powered train horn.

 

[Bsnyder]

I was introduced to photography back in the late 70,s by my younger brothers girl friend. Her father owned the local newspaper. She took me out and we shoot several rolls of back and white film. Back in the dark room we developed the film and later printed some pictures. While at college took some photography classes, and as probably some of you, took lots of pictures and spent countless hours in the darkroom, developing and printing. Started with a Pentax KX, then on to digital. I then became interested in drones, first with out any camera. And then got a used dji pro 1, and now a air 2 s. So mostly # 2 , but I also just enjoy flying.

 

[Robert Prior]

#2. My drone is a camera with a 100 metre tripod

 

[BigAl07]

I'm actually a bit of both.

A) When flying Commercially I am a photographer with a camera on a very dynamic tripod.
B) When flying Recreationally I'm flying a drone that happens to have a camera attached.

Not only is my "attitude" different for each style but how I fly is totally different as well. When I fly Commercially I am flying for a very specific purpose and get the shots and move on to the next shoot. When flying recreationally I'm flying for pure enjoyment and the excitement of FPV flight (low and fast).

 

[Crouching Leopard]

#2 Before Melbournes lockdowns, then #1 to keep me sane, now slowly trying to get back to #2.

During the lockdowns, many times I didn't take video or photos, I just flew to be free. "They can lock down the ground but they cant lock down the sky" was my motto. even though I mostly flew in circles! On a few occasions, after I had had my permitted 1 hours exercise outside the house, I would climb onto the roof of the house and carry on flying. "My roof, My Property, get lost" or words to that effect. I looked like a roof gnome with a controller but got quite a few smiles from neighbours and passers bye. My profile picture to the left was shot using my mini on one such occasion when, I had a bit of fun annoying the local crows. Neither crows nor drone were injured but my car copped a beating when they and their mates crapped all over it in revenge.

 

[Blad_runner]

Play with me on this one for a little bit. Are you:

1) A pilot of a drone, which has a camera attached, or
2) A photographer with a camera, that happens to be attached to a drone

?

I know it's not binary, and that many people have aspects of both, but I think there may be a pattern in how people respond to things, based around this distinction.

I'm definitely "Type 1".

This occurred to me specifically in the context of the choice between the Mini-2 (which I have) and the Mini Se (which I don't yet have). I think the Mini SE would be just fine for a Type 1 drone pilot like me. If you're primarily a photographer, I think the Mini-2 is the only choice, between those two, based on the specs that I've seen.

The one thing I think I'd miss with the SE is the control range. I really like to go out and explore the other side of the canyon, or up the mountain in the other direction. If in my environment I can only get 3000-4000 ft control range on the Mini-2, how much less would that be with the Mini-SE? The specs I see only talk about video transmission range, not control range.

Thoughts?

TCS

A photographer with a flying camera (Mavic 3).

 

[Faster]

#1 for sure!

 

[BrownHound]

BOTH!

I'm just as happy flying around as I am making videos and editing photos. I've been doing the latter much much longer, but drones have really renewed my interest in the photo/videography side.

 

[dronerdave]

I'm mostly in the cat-2 zone. I enjoy getting great photos of scenic areas. I guess if I'm using the drone to explore an area new to me I'd be in the cat-1 phase, but I don't get very pumped up looking at a screen. It's the photographic target that pumps me up. I'm always wanting to get home ASAP to see if I did capture a great shot. Now if I want to have fun or excitement, I fly fixed wing 3D or air combat with other RC pilots. I can imagine true FPV would be fun but like heli's, I'm just not very good at it.

 

[Crouching Leopard]

For the excitement of flying stuff, I take out my FPV and hardly shoot any video or photos with it, just race around the sky at 140Km/hr. Breathtaking.

 

[slozukimc]

For the excitement of flying stuff, I take out my FPV and hardly shoot any video or photos with it, just race around the sky at 140Km/hr. Breathtaking.

Yes. This. Only thing is when I go that fast “oh bleep bleep tree!” Is a common expression. Lol!!!

If I abused a DJI of any sort like I have my Storm racing drone it would be in a box of pieces.

Mike

 

[Crouching Leopard]

I'm not a professional pilot or a photographer but really enjoy it. I am also a professional full time RV'er for the past 13 years or so and love it.
View attachment 143007

Beautiful caravan. I have a 37 year old Jayco dove that I hook up onto the back of my Nissan. Retro inside but looks good, smells fresh inside and has the "vibe" of a caravan that has seen many happy times, and everything works. I take it out at times to the beach, into the riverside forests and even up the sides of mountains. It was never designed for that but hey, always out for an adventure. Best A$6K + modernisation money I ever spent. I take my M2 pro and kayak. So I fly, photo, video, walk and camp. What could be better.

The photos were taken at Chaffe Creek, Big River State Forest, deep in the mountains east of Eildon, Victoria. Described as being "remote" the first vehicle and only I saw in 4 days was a wild boar hunter complete with 2 dead wild boars. In his words "we don't see many caravans up here". Definitely not a place to go for the unprepared, but my old Jayco went in and came out. Also, 2 degrees outside, 22 degrees inside.

Biggest concern in this area, remoteness (not for the inexperienced), very big eagles, Easter Brown and Tiger snakes.

On the "tilt"of the trailer in the photo. No, I wasn't on a slope. It was shot at 3am, 2 degrees outside, tripod had slipped on the ground and Id had a couple of beers. I am sure most of you know the story!

 

[Tufargon]

Beautiful caravan. I have a 37 year old Jayco dove that I hook up onto the back of my Nissan. Retro inside but looks good, smells fresh inside and has the "vibe" of a caravan that has seen many happy times, and everything works. I take it out at times to the beach, into the riverside forests and even up the sides of mountains. It was never designed for that but hey, always out for an adventure. Best A$6K + modernisation money I ever spent. I take my M2 pro and kayak. So I fly, photo, video, walk and camp. What could be better.

The photos were taken at Chaffe Creek, Big River State Forest, deep in the mountains east of Eildon, Victoria. Described as being "remote" the first vehicle and only I saw in 4 days was a wild boar hunter complete with 2 dead wild boars. In his words "we don't see many caravans up here". Definitely not a place to go for the unprepared, but my old Jayco went in and came out. Also, 2 degrees outside, 22 degrees inside.

Biggest concern in this area, remoteness (not for the inexperienced), very big eagles, Easter Brown and Tiger snakes.

On the "tilt"of the trailer in the photo. No, I wasn't on a slope. It was shot at 3am, 2 degrees outside, tripod had slipped on the ground and Id had a couple of beers. I am sure most of you know the story!

Thank you.
Nice story and RV! I very much liked the stars picture.

 

[Crouching Leopard]

Thank you.
Nice story and RV! I very much liked the stars picture.

Thank you. I don't know why I had the wheel clamp fitted as shown in one photo, there was nobody around to be concerned about. Great spot for the dunny tent. Window at the back and didn't need to zip up the door Didn't get any flying done on that trip as a big bad *** looking eagle was hunting every day. Interesting to watch though as much smaller birds attacked it and kept it away from their patch. Got some good DSLR shots though.

 

[OliveViewImages]

#2, as my primary reason for having a drone is to do commercial photography and videography.

 

[Mikieh]

Play with me on this one for a little bit. Are you:

1) A pilot of a drone, which has a camera attached, or
2) A photographer with a camera, that happens to be attached to a drone

?

I know it's not binary, and that many people have aspects of both, but I think there may be a pattern in how people respond to things, based around this distinction.

I'm definitely "Type 1".

This occurred to me specifically in the context of the choice between the Mini-2 (which I have) and the Mini Se (which I don't yet have). I think the Mini SE would be just fine for a Type 1 drone pilot like me. If you're primarily a photographer, I think the Mini-2 is the only choice, between those two, based on the specs that I've seen.

The one thing I think I'd miss with the SE is the control range. I really like to go out and explore the other side of the canyon, or up the mountain in the other direction. If in my environment I can only get 3000-4000 ft control range on the Mini-2, how much less would that be with the Mini-SE? The specs I see only talk about video transmission range, not control range.

Thoughts?

TCS

Definitely #2. I was a photographer first, then a drone pilot. I always pick my drones with an eye for landscapes from the air.
Mavic 2 Pro
Mavic 2 Zoom
Phantom 4 Pro Plus
Parrot Anafi

 

[Grazuncle]

Definitely 2

Like me there seems to be a theme, for some here, of photographers first and using the drone as a vehicle for their hobby.

I'm beginning to enjoy the vehicle more now but the pure change of perspective and angles I can get is making photography enjoyable again for me.

 

[Jake 61]

Definitely 2.
My first grab on the way out the door is the camera.
Drone flying has to be planned for a specific shot or video and isn't as spontaneous as a camera shot.
I enjoy taking my Mavic out, but I can't see me upgrading to anything else, it's a perfectly capable 2018 vintage and good enough.