Author Topic: Drone Thoughts  (Read 704 times)

Offline JohnyMac

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Drone Thoughts
« on: January 23, 2022, 01:35:12 PM »
I am in the market for a drone. I am sure that many folks here have experience in this area and I would love to read your comments on the good, bad, and ugly.

Just thinking out loud, I would think that a drone that had a 60-minute run time would be optimal especially when running security on 35-acres or so. Obviously, a camera that can send back a signal to the redoubt.

Heck, I do not know what i do not know.  ;)

I am sure others here would love to listen and learn from the experts.   
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Offline Felix

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Re: Drone Thoughts
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2022, 04:19:45 PM »
Hamstrung by "budget crunch" lately, my wish list of thermal sensing capabilities goes unfulfilled.   Looking at prices for good thermal scopes is exciting.
 Checking out thermal pricing on programable drones with thermal camera boosts the "exciting" into stratospheric "breathtaking".
I would really, really like to have both.   The first to meet threats, the latter to detect them in time to prepare.   A routed 20/39 minute sweep with thermal at an altitude of 200 ft about the trees of the Compound/neighborhood would spot a nighttime hamburgler well enough...   done at dusk and then again before turning in...

www.dronefly.com

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?pli=1#search/thermal+drone/FMfcgzGkZsxHDdMKLWbrWlBJLGznMCJK

Offline FeedingFreedom

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Re: Drone Thoughts
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2022, 09:19:26 AM »
I have the Mavic Mini and Mavic Air, both of which you've seen JM. The mini is a good, low-cost option, and the Mini 2 is out now which bumps the video up to 4k and some other improvements. Flight time is around 25 minutes, range is pretty much LOS. The Air (also an Air 2 out now) is great, takes great video and photos, flight time is around 25-35 minutes and range is allegedly 10 km, which is technically a violation of FAA regulations (supposed to maintain visual contact with the drone). The return-to-home feature is nice if you lose signal, although it is not a pleasant experience the first time, waiting to see if the $1,500 you just spent is actually going to return like it's supposed to, or if it's headed out over the Atlantic.

The DJI Mavic Enterprise is available with a thermal camera, for about the price of a decent used sedan. I'd love to have one, but I also like living inside the house.  :whip:

One of these days when the weather is warmer, we can meet up and you can try flying them and see if you like them. I bought both with the "Fly More" kit, which includes 2 extra batteries and some other goodies that are very nice to have. Both will charge off USB-C, and it's pretty fast, you can pretty much fly constantly since by the time you go through the 3rd battery, the first is already charged.

Any other questions, let me know. Both the wife and I are going to get our licenses, her so she can use it at school, and me so I can make money doing it. Even if you make a few cents off Youtube videos of your drone flying, the FAA will come down on you to get a license. The Mavic Air has to be registered with the FAA, the Mavic Mini is 1 gram under the limit so that one doesn't have to be. All current decent-quality drones will not let you fly until they're registered.
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Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Drone Thoughts
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2022, 10:10:17 AM »
License? Interesting. Here ya' go...

https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/become_a_drone_pilot/

Thx for the invite FF.  :cheers:
« Last Edit: January 24, 2022, 10:13:16 AM by JohnyMac »
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Offline DMCakhunter

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Re: Drone Thoughts
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2022, 03:45:04 PM »
Recommend you get an insurance policy to cover accidents and or negligence. Or an umbrella policy that does not exclude drone operation.