Quadcopter video from our Gulf Islands trip

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I don't want one....I just want to moor close to you. With my motor skills there would be a long, expensive learning process. That is just so cool. I can see that flying ahead of the boat in the Bahamas.....
 
Very cool. I think Rusty has some pro video skills he hasn't admitted to.
 
FlyWright said:
:whistling: well...it doesn't work with my wife, but maybe it'll work fine with David's wife. I think it's worth a try.
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Nope. Won't work with my wife. Found that out the hard way when I gave her a pair of beautiful speaker stands on our first Xmas together. I think that she will still be reminding me of that til the day I croak.
 
The wet blanket:
I can see these things being much less popular than jet skis in the future!
 
I had dreams of doing exactly that this year. I bought an RC Logger Eye One Extreme ($129) and a Mobius ($79) but even though I've put about 2 hours into practice, I haven't gotten to that level of skill (yet).
 
Those are great videos. Really impressed with the shots and the technology. It really does give you a completely different perspective.

I have been wondering if these drones would work giving one an aerial view before going into a narrow/shallow channel. Looks like if the wind speed can be handled by the drone that this would work.

Later,
Dan
 
Look at the power boat at about the 46 second mark. Are they operating on just the port engine?!!! Can we save money if we operate on just one engine?:hide:
 
You beat me to it. I just bought one last month. Have only flown it 3 times so far but plan on doing some good boating vids soon. Great video.
 
We've been using these for some time at work. The best people at this right now are Kopter Kids. But they use a very sophisticated rig that uses a two man crew, one to fly and one to run the camera. We hire them when we really need high quality videography, like following a prototype land attack vehicle on a proving ground. The ones we use ourselves use a GoPro.

But that's for work. I'm not a big fan of them in amateur hands and should one come flying around us when we're out on the boat I suspect I would use it for skeet practice.
 
I have been researching the quad copters for a few months. The thing that has scared me so far is all the product reviews that I have read where the quad copter just took off and the owner never saw it again. It would kill me to see $1500-$2000 just disappearing into the sunset. Maybe the reviews are for earlier versions and the bugs are out of them now.
 
fryedaze said:
I have been researching the quad copters for a few months. The thing that has scared me so far is all the product reviews that I have read where the quad copter just took off and the owner never saw it again. It would kill me to see $1500-$2000 just disappearing into the sunset. Maybe the reviews are for earlier versions and the bugs are out of them now.
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The bigger issue is if it flies off on its own and smashes into someone's face. My sentiments are with the hawk in the video linked above.
 
Just got the latest copy of BoatU.S. Magazine and in the Holiday Gift Guide, they are show a drone called the SeaHex. The gimmick is it floats! The bad news is it is $7700. Guess it won't be under my Christmas tree....sigh.
 
You can also re-set the "home" location while in flight. That may help you get past the 2000' limitation on the Phantoms. I have a F-550 hexacopter. I'd be worried about it's inability to float. :)
 
The latest Phantom that's coming out has a ton of new options. Including launching from a moving boat or vehicle, and being able to return to the controller's home not a gps home.
 
We just love sitting on the back deck enjoying an adult beverage only to have one of those damn drones flying overhead. Makes me want to buy a shotgun.


Bob
 
On my 550 I just Toggle the AIL switch On and Off 3-4 times (confirmed Home point recording by burst of green flashes). That'll set a new "home"
 
BobH said:
We just love sitting on the back deck enjoying an adult beverage only to have one of those damn drones flying overhead. Makes me want to buy a shotgun.
Bob
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Bob if you see one over your property you'd better follow it and take a bat to the neighbors front door or the person operating it! I for one WILL not operate it near anyone's property unless asked. I have taken pics of property owners roofs for inspection and repair. Other than that I have checked my gutters on the roof for clogs & leaves very handy at 3 stories, I have hundreds of GREAT shots of my boat and not at the $250 base price of "boatpix.com" for one shot.

Not all the people with them are disrespectful idiots. :thumb:
 
Lets hope the very recent NTSB ruling that these things are subject to FAA rules will permanently ground them. They are more than a nuisance, they are a hazard to other aircraft and to people on the ground in the event of a mechanical or remote guidance/control malfunction. Virtually all of them are toys that cannot stand up to the rigors of an FAA airworthiness certification. As "aircraft" they will be required to meet airworthiness requirements for deign analysis, as well as rigorous ground and flight test just like any airplane of rotorcraft. That means they will have to endure fatigue analysis and testing, address engine failures, drive system malfunctions, demonstrate controllability following a rotor drive system failure (vertical lift models), identify time limited components, come with an approved and enforced maintenance program, and be inspected by FAA specialists for certificate renewal. Likewise, the "pilots" will have to be trained, tested and licensed. This is a long overdue decision. The cost for a certification will drive the price through the roof...thank goodness. Owners are about to be fined heavily for unapproved operation...excellent. Not all owner/operators are idiots, but enough of them are to demand regulation. I do believe the honeymoon is over.
 
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FAA doesn't have jurisdiction below 500' in most scenarios. They do in control areas around airports and such. I follow this very closely and am both a certified pilot and an avid RC modeler. There are currently rules in place that govern model airplanes and those just need to be adhered to.

The technology is here to stay. It's the poor behavior that needs to be constrained, not the hobby fliers.
 
skidgear said:
...Virtually all of them are toys that cannot stand up to the rigors of an FAA airworthiness certification. As "aircraft" they will be required to meet airworthiness requirements for deign analysis, as well as rigorous ground and flight test just like any airplane of rotorcraft. That means they will have to endure fatigue analysis and testing, address engine failures, drive system malfunctions, demonstrate controllability following a rotor drive system failure (vertical lift models), identify time limited components, come with an approved and enforced maintenance program, and be inspected by FAA specialists for certificate renewal. Likewise, the "pilots" will have to be trained, tested and licensed. This is a long overdue decision. The cost for a certification will drive the price through the roof...thank goodness. Owners are about to be fined heavily for unapproved operation...excellent. Not all owner/operators are idiots, but enough of them are to demand regulation. I do believe the honeymoon is over.
Click to expand...

SomeSailor said:
FAA doesn't have jurisdiction below 500' in most scenarios. They do in control areas around airports and such. I follow this very closely and am both a certified pilot and an avid RC modeler. There are currently rules in place that govern model airplanes and those just need to be adhered to.

The technology is here to stay. It's the poor behavior that needs to be constrained, not the hobby fliers.
Click to expand...

Since there are no persons aboard, the rules are different for design approval. It's simple to design an inexpensive and fail-safe recovery system into the units to prevent personal injury in the event of a catastrophic failure. Think ballistic recovery system.

I tend to agree with SS that they're here to stay and we better get used to them. Rules will guide the operators, but their prevalence will not diminish.
 
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