• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

The Drone Thread

lunatic59

lunatic59

Moderati ergo sum
Moderator
This is about what the FAA likes to call Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). We call them drones.*

*NOT members of the Borg collective :p

I just got my very first UAS this week. A Yuneec Q500 4K that I picked up as a factory reconditioned aircraft, for what I consider to be a song. I used to fly fixed-wing models when I was young(er :p) but things have changed so much since then. Then it was simple radio relays and servos, today it's modern avionics!

typhoon-4k_D-649914bb.jpg


Do we have any other drone pilots out there (other than @NightAngel79 ;) )?

Feel free to share your experiences, offer advice, tips, pointers, etc. I really have no idea what to expect. I've barely taken it out of the box, and the weather isn't playing nice so it's probably going to be a while before my first flight.

And just to keep the "Android" in Android forums ... the Yuneec ST10+ controller is built on Android.

4k-features-83_GER2-Copy-2_remote-ea8785ed.png
 
olbriar said:
I'm anxious to read of your first flight. I hope it's not the last. :) I'll be following your thread.
Fascinating!
Click to expand...

My brother got a drone for Christmas. It was a windy day and we warned him not to try flying it, but he did anyway. You guessed it - ended up being blown into the top of a tree.
 
I've already read up on the FAA reg's and registered the 'aircraft'. I've been watching the Youtube videos of more experienced pilots and I want to get out there now! (It's snowing rather heavily at the moment :( )

LV426 said:
My brother got a drone for Christmas. It was a windy day and we warned him not to try flying it, but he did anyway. You guessed it - ended up being blown into the top of a tree.
Click to expand...

And that's the kind of thing I want to avoid if possible. Especially for novice pilots, weather is your enemy. Did he at least get video of the crash? ;) :D
 
lunatic59 said:
I've already read up on the FAA reg's and registered the 'aircraft'. I've been watching the Youtube videos of more experienced pilots and I want to get out there now! (It's snowing rather heavily at the moment :( )



And that's the kind of thing I want to avoid if possible. Especially for novice pilots, weather is your enemy. Did he at least get video of the crash? ;) :D
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, in superb HD quality.
 
Damn drone laws have changed at least 3 times since I've been flying <1 year. For a few months you didn't even have to register your drone anymore, but that law was re-applied in Dec(ish).

The nice thing about the better ones is they are much harder to crash, downward camera and GPS help them stay steady even in strong winds.

That said, I was scared to death to fly close to anything at all. I flew once when I first got mine, 1st week of April, and my fingers froze to death. Definitely want it to be warm for that reason alone. Though if controller is good enough you could fly with gloves...
 
What's the controller for the Parrot like?

The ST10+ would be okay to pilot the craft, but the camera is controlled by the screen which you'd need skin to use.
YUNST10P4KUS_01.jpg


Late winter, early spring around these parts can get breezy, so I need to wait for a clear calm day to take it on it's maiden flight (actually as a re-certified device, it's probably already been in the air before. For all I know, I've got the one LV's brother-in-law crashed ;) )
 
Last edited:
With the department store drones, there is no GPS or telemetry feedback to the controllers and very rudimentary accelerometer adjustment for level and orientation. Communication is often slow, or lagged and camera images are pretty bad as well.

Think of it this way ... what would your Android experience be if your first phone was a Chinese knockoff for $99 vs. an LG G6 or a Galaxy S8+?
 
Tru' that.
Now that you mention it they sell those under $99 Android phones at those stores I mention.

My one remaining department store used to sell Sharp Aquos phones. But that's off topic.

So... What is the minimum price I should expect to pay for a drone that could fly over my triple-decker house, land in the backyard and return to me in the front of the house while I watch on the controller?
 
Last edited:
lunatic59 said:
What's the controller for the Parrot like?

The ST10+ would be okay to pilot the craft, but the camera is controlled by the screen which you'd need skin to use.
YUNST10P4KUS_01.jpg


Late winter, early spring around these parts can get breezy, so I need to wait for a clear calm day to take it on it's maiden flight (actually as a re-certified device, it's probably already been in the air before. For all I know, I've got the one LV's brother-in-law crashed ;) )
Click to expand...
I have the DJI Mavic Pro, and while the phone mounts to controller, and you can change settings and whatnot, all flying is done with controller. You can tilt the camera from controller, but you don't actually move the camera, you move the drone and the camera follows.
dji-mavic-pro-controller-render_1.jpg

dontpanicbobby said:
Anybody ever use those mini-drones you can get in stores like Walgreens?
Click to expand...
Horrible
lunatic59 said:
No, but I've heard they are exceedingly hard to control.
Click to expand...
Impossible. Drone guys told me to start with those, and since they are so hard to control you will be that much better at flying. That is total crap though. I went high end so it helps me fly.
dontpanicbobby said:
Tru' that.
Now that you mention it they sell those under $99 Android phones at those stores I mention.

My one remaining department store used to sell Sharp Aquos phones. But that's off topic.

So... What is the minimum price I should expect to pay for a drone that could fly over my triple-decker house, land in the backyard and return to me in the front of the house while I watch on the controller?
Click to expand...
DJI are the 'smartest' and if 1080 is good enough, this is the best drone for the money: http://click.dji.com/AMTnMLt8B9UqTs2jN0VR?pm=link
DJI Spark for $399


Read Set Drone and Ed Vicker are my two favorite YT channels, with RSD being all drone
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj8MpuOzkNz7L0mJhL3TDeA
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnAtkFduPVfovckNr3un1FA
 
I know the laws. No airports to film the owls. No individual windows stuff like that. No military bases. Basically anything government controlled/owned is off limits.
Trump might change that though.
 
dontpanicbobby said:
I know the laws. No airports to film the owls. No individual windows stuff like that. No military bases. Basically anything government controlled/owned is off limits.
Trump might change that though.
Click to expand...

Well, that's not entirely true... But cool story? These are regulations at best, and drone regulations are super confusing. You *can* fly by airports, if you follow regulations, and there are other restricted places etc... Altitude restrictions as well.

That video is good for any drone pilots to get a handle on the most important things.
 
This guy talks a little too much, but it's all interesting stuff. I'd skip the first minute, though because it's boring. ;)

 
lunatic59 said:
This guy talks a little too much, but it's all interesting stuff. I'd skip the first minute, though because it's boring. ;)

Click to expand...

He grows on you, his stuff was invaluable to me when I first started diving in. It of course helped he was testing/review DJI app and my Drone. I also prefer the 60fps, though I know some do not.
 
Ok, so I'm sitting here doing my forum thing with the Olympic opening ceremony on the TV as background. I turn to see a group of snow boarders coming down the slope with torches. They stop and form the Olympic rings.. Ok. Then I see the sky filled with lit drones, 1200 I believe they said, forming a huge snowboarder. Then they reform in just a moment as the Olympic rings. Amazing!
 
I watched that too. It was incredible, but it wasn't live. They filmed that in December. From what I've read, Intel wasn't comfortable trying the 1200 drone thing live and they suggested only 300 drones for the opening ceremonies.

It was the same type of show that Lady Gaga used during the Superbowl halftime show a year ago.


EDIT: Here you go:

https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/09/intel-olympic-light-show-1-218-drones/
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom