Drones!

Starting to think about planning for Alaska this summer and the idea of taking a drone to get photos of the boat and surroundings came up. Anyone here use one off their boat? I have never flown one but it looks like the DJI Mavic Pro is a good option and someone sells a water landing kit so it doesn’t sink if you crash.
Especially curious about launching and recovery since I have masts/rigging.

Also I’m happy to hear (and ignore) people’s rants about how irritating drones are

AC

I also am pondering the same purchase for this years cruise North.
My son in law has a DJI Mavik and it's pretty sweet. Easy to handle and land.
Now I'll put on my flack jacket.

Bill

Arthurc said:

Also I’m happy to hear (and ignore) people’s rants about how irritating drones are

AC

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I like drones; they're great for target practice. Need to dig out the old sling shot.

Ted

I have a DJI Phantom III that I pretty much only use on the boat. I use my bow to take off just by setting the phantom on the bow. I bring it back in by catching it by hand by grabbing the landing gear. I have flown it while underway as well as at anchor, not too difficult

Mrhutt30 said:

I have a DJI Phantom III that I pretty much only use on the boat. I use my bow to take off just by setting the phantom on the bow. I bring it back in by catching it by hand by grabbing the landing gear. I have flown it while underway as well as at anchor, not too difficult

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Same here. My Phantom 3 Standard was only $399 several years ago and I've taken it to Alaska and back twice, with probably 100 flights each summer.

Last winter we put together an article/presentation about flying drones from boats. Some of the laws may have changed since then, they're constantly evolving. Flying Drones from Boats – Slowboat

The biggies: don't hit rigging, know how to cancel return to home before the drone lands where the boat was, and make sure the boat is stopped (or you account for the motion) before launching/retrieving. Even a few knots of speed can make things difficult.

The drone has been a ton of fun and allows a whole new angle for photos/videos.

It's not that hard to avoid altercations with drone skeptics, either. If I'm sharing an anchorage and want to fly, a quick visit in the dinghy and the promise of aerial photos of their boat quickly alleviates any concerns.

We have both a mavic pro and a phantom 3. I would recommend both of them depending on your needs and budget.

It seems like a fun idea but you would have to know the laws everywhere you use it and that would be federal, state and local laws.

You also have to understand that many folks view drones as an invasion of their privacy and there is a chance of your drone being shot down by one of these people.

I wouldn't mind having one but it seems like an expensive toy.

aboatman said:

It seems like a fun idea but you would have to know the laws everywhere you use it and that would be federal, state and local laws.

You also have to understand that many folks view drones as an invasion of their privacy and there is a chance of your drone being shot down by one of these people.

I wouldn't mind having one but it seems like an expensive toy.

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In populated areas this is a problem, but through much of the Inside Passage (especially north of Vancouver Island) the OP will be all alone. Each person must decide if they're comfortable potentially breaking some laws when there's nobody around to enforce them...

I have been using the Mavic Pro the past year, and it has been a lot of fun. The majority of flying is over the ocean while sitting on the beach. I also fly it off the boat fairly often. Be careful if you hand catch, those blades can cut deep so getting a cut offshore is always a concern where I can't get stitches. I therefore land it on the boat. A few dicey landings on the boat so far, and my drone has used 7 of his 9 lives. The larger Phantoms are able to be hand caught easier so I may buy one eventually. Everyone I know with a drone is trying to find a place to get away from people. IE, ocean and wilderness shots.

Some buds and I have used a drone out offshore while fishing. The guy who owns the boat and drones is made of money and he did not blink at all when he splashed the first two. Last trip I was along and we set up one dude (experienced, not boat owner this time) on the controls and another dude (me) as launcher and catcher. It worked well but a little dicey being on the slick bow of a sportfish with it pretty bouncy out.

I don't know the controls that well, but i think retrieving from a moving boat would require expert level control to do single handed.

Really neat machines. I'll end up getting one in the future.

We were in "No Name Bay" in Tracey arm and a boat in the anchorage flew his drone over us as we partied on the bow. I was great and fun to watch. Later that evening he brought over a memory stick with the drone over us.

O C Diver said:

I like drones; they're great for target practice. Need to dig out the old sling shot.

Ted

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Shotgun would be my choice. Don't mess around.

I have a Phantom 3 Advanced and fly it off the boat.

Here are some examples.

My Drone is equipped with air to surface missiles, and it fires back.

OP - Check out the Mavic Pilots forum. They have sub categories for the Mavic, Phantom, etc. I spent quite a bit of time on there the first few months I had it and learned a lot. They cover topics involving software upgrades, batteries, camera skills, etc. There is the usual assortment of web characters you get with any forum, but overall it is a very good site.

I've never owned a drone but do like the idea.

There have been many comments made about the noise and intrusiveness of them in quiet anchorages but I'd never experienced one at anchor until last summer.

There was one flitting all around Grace Harbour (Desolation Sound) and it was so unobtrusive I really wouldn't have known it was there except that it caught my eye as it flew by.

No idea what make/brand it was other than it was white.

Happy to share the anchorage with drones if they are all like that one.

Arthur,
The Mavic Pro is a great drone to for what you are thinking of.
We flew one last summer on our various trips around the San Juans last summer and it worked great. We hand launch and recover off the stern, no big deal. Taking off from dirt and decks gets prop wash debris on the lens cover, one of the reasons we hand launch and recover.

It has a lot of automation and features that make using it easy and safe. It is very rugged. We hauled one in a dry bag on a dirt bike for almost 2000 miles of 2-track forest and wagon roads in MT, ID and WY and it worked perfectly.

Here is a simple "circle the boat" video, that is a basic command function. It recognizes the subject (boat) and flies at constant speed, altitude and radius around the subject all by itself.

It is an amazing way to see the world from a different perspective.


And another from our terrestrial travels

An easy summary of rules, regs and the no-fly map is here...
http://www.quadcopteracademy.com/faa-drone-regulations/
FAA rules on this stuff here, I can't say who rules in BC, but that shouldn't be hard to ascertain.

Great! Mavic Pro it is!

Any eagles in the chosen cruising region?

slowboat.com has a good presentation on the use of drones from boats. Look in the "Mastering the Inside Passage" section.

BruceK said:

Any eagles in the chosen cruising region?

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That can happen, they are territorial. But it is rare.
We encountered a falcon in Montana last summer that dive bombed the drone but didn't take it out. An eagle would be a different ending.

SOP for me is end the mission and come back to home base. The defense is to go max vertical when they approach, as the bird can't do that as fast as the drone.

I have seen no issues with Ospreys and similar hawks.

If you are respectful of other boats and people, you probably won't get complaints (often). I go remote to see and do things, some drones and some people would compromise my outdoors experience. If one group wants to see bears and one group makes noise to scare them away, and they are in the same area, conflicts will take place.

If you fly one regularly around other people you will offend someone, you can count on it. If you only do it once in a while, they will probably give you a pass... If I have one buzzing around a lot I am sure I will be annoyed.

While Congress and the FAA dicker over who regulates the space in which these aircraft fly it is generally accepted that following AMA Safety Code will keep you on the right side of safety, the law, and knowledgeable people.

http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf

Yes, there will always be those (and I have had them) say "keep that away from my windows/property/me," suggesting that it will be used for peeping. What these people don't realize is that I have a couple of pairs of binoculars that can be just as effective at peeping if I wanted to - and just maybe they need to make sure that there is nothing to see through un-curtained windows!

BTW, make sure to apply for, and mark your aircraft with, a Small UAS Certificate Number. That is now the law.

“BTW, make sure to apply for, and mark your aircraft with, a Small UAS Certificate Number. That is now the law.”

The last thing that I want is more Govt intrusion however I think that droans should be required to have a transceiver that is transmitting a Govt issued “registration” whenever it is in the air. Something that could be traced when in a populated / restricted area. There are too many real bad things that can happen with a drown in the wrong hands. And as usual a few idiots can spoil it for everyone. I watched a kid fly one within a mile or 2 of a military airport last summer. He thought that it was a big joke. C-130’s were flying low altitude training missions at the same time. He came right out and said that it was illegal while he was flying it and kept doing so. What’s to stop a bad guy from doing the same thing but with a lethal payload? Just my 2 cents as I do not know much about the subject.

Easting said:

“BTW, make sure to apply for, and mark your aircraft with, a Small UAS Certificate Number. That is now the law.”

The last thing that I want is more Govt intrusion however I think that droans should be required to have a transceiver that is transmitting a Govt issued “registration” whenever it is in the air. Something that could be traced when in a populated / restricted area. There are too many real bad things that can happen with a drown in the wrong hands. And as usual a few idiots can spoil it for everyone. I watched a kid fly one within a mile or 2 of a military airport last summer. He thought that it was a big joke. C-130’s were flying low altitude training missions at the same time. He came right out and said that it was illegal while he was flying it and kept doing so. What’s to stop a bad guy from doing the same thing but with a lethal payload? Just my 2 cents as I do not know much about the subject.

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Drone.

So, in your mind, what is the difference between a drone and a model airplane, which have been around for decades?

AKDoug said:

If you are respectful of other boats and people, you probably won't get complaints (often).

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While we were anchored last summer a nearby boater went around the anchorage telling everyone he was going to fly a drone around and take pics of his boat. We thought that was extremely polite.

I just got a drone a couple of weeks ago, flew it 2 times. I would suggest a less costly model to start with. They are relatively easy to fly but it does take some practice esp if there is a breeze. Mine started to get swept away, but thankfully I remembered the "RTH" (return to home) and speed increase buttons.

Have fun.

menzies said:

Drone.

So, in your mind, what is the difference between a drone and a model airplane, which have been around for decades?

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I understand your point. We have gone from a few dedicated enthusiasts building and flying model airplanes to anyone with a grand or even much less in their pocket having access to a vehicle that can deliver a deadly payload capable of mass destruction. I can see someone using for chemical warfare or the like.
Not too much different from guns I guess and I am not a gun control guy. Not sure what the answer is?

Current laws do not adversely affect drones. DJI is the undisputed leader in drones. The difference between a Phantom and a Mavic is range. The Mavic can be flown more than a mile away. The Phantom has less range. Range is not an issue Taking boat pictures, but you will regret not having more range if you enjoy photography. You can purchase a remanufactured Mavic for less than $800. I had a Phantom and soon got the Mavic. Love it. I highly recommend going to State Farm and taking out an insurance policy on the unit for the annual fee of $50. You have a 50% chance of being glad you did. [emoji41]

menzies said:

While Congress and the FAA dicker over who regulates the space in which these aircraft fly it is generally accepted that following AMA Safety Code will keep you on the right side of safety, the law, and knowledgeable people.

http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf

Yes, there will always be those (and I have had them) say "keep that away from my windows/property/me," suggesting that it will be used for peeping. What these people don't realize is that I have a couple of pairs of binoculars that can be just as effective at peeping if I wanted to - and just maybe they need to make sure that there is nothing to see through un-curtained windows!

BTW, make sure to apply for, and mark your aircraft with, a Small UAS Certificate Number. That is now the law.

Click to expand...

I don't believe mandatory registration to be factually correct.

ghost said:

I don't believe mandatory registration to be factually correct.

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https://registermyuas.faa.gov/

Last winter we put together an article/presentation about flying drones from boats. Some of the laws may have changed since then, they're constantly evolving. Flying Drones from Boats – Slowboat

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Slowboat, Thanks for that link. I watched it earlier and never thought of having my photography bug wife take the pics while I operated the drone. We just went out and tried that and it works great. Just learning that one thing made watching worth while.
Thanks again!!