New toy (not bike related)

[Lee337]

Bought myself a drone a couple of weeks ago, just a small one that doesn't need a licence to use. After waiting for over a week for the weather conditions to become more favourable, I took it out in the garden today for its first test flight.

Around the garden, adjust the trim as it was pulling one way a little when hovering, take it up to around 2m and...

A big gust of wind took it over the roof of the house, across the road and in to the tree of the farm opposite. 

Managed to get one picture of the top of the tree, fro inside the branches, so I know it's in a tree but no idea how high until I can get hold of the farmer  to go in and try to retrieve it.

It seems a 30m2 garden with fields behind wasn't a big enpugh area. Maybe I'll try the field next, if I get it back 

[Nick Calne]

Ha!

[Lee337]

Got it back  managed to pinpoint its location at dusk when I could see the red/green lights flashing...




40ft up a tree. Retrieved it this morning with a couple of poles taped together.

Think I'll wait until there's no wind & go out into the middle of the field next time.

[Sin_Tiger]

  Glad the batteries lasted long enough to find it.

You might be waiting a while for a calm enough day the way things have been going, 6 named storms inside 30 days 

Starting a narcotics delivery business "Just Snort" 

[ghulst]

Are you sure yours wasn't marked for "indoors use only"?

Drones are nice, but there are a lot of cheaper ones around that really are just pushed around with any amount of wind. And then the ones that aren't, cost a fortune...

They sure are great toys though.

[TC3]

What did you get? I started with a cheap Ryze Tello and did well on calm days as you can see in the lighthouse photo. Then I got a DJI Mavic Mini and a software hack gives it a dodgy follow me feature. It went wrong when I first tried it and the RTH (return to home) feature landed it in a road... see video. 

Any drone with a camera needs to be registered and all users need a flyer I'd. I now am certified so will be getting a decent drone at some point

https://youtu.be/WRWnqDa5fgc

[Sin_Tiger]

Probably a good thing you don't live in the lighthouse then 

That's better than I thought you'd get from those machines, I don't trust a lot of what I see on YT.

Is that the slowest speed you'd ridden 

[TC3]

Probably a good thing you don't live in the lighthouse then 

That's better than I thought you'd get from those machines, I don't trust a lot of what I see on YT.

Is that the slowest speed you'd ridden 

Yeah I had to crawl as it is not a very fast drone. Got some awesome pics from the Mavic mini, far better than expected and that's from someone with a background in photography.

[ghulst]

They are expensive, but I do think that DJI does a good job on their drones. :) I do believe the Mini 2 is a big improvement, but I have no experience with either myself. Just what people have been telling me.


So, is the drone still usable?

[TC3]

They are expensive, but I do think that DJI does a good job on their drones. :) I do believe the Mini 2 is a big improvement, but I have no experience with either myself. Just what people have been telling me.


So, is the drone still usable?

The 2 is better but been holding out to get certified to get a drone that's a step up from the Mini models.

New rules mean a lot of limitations where you can fly and made even more confusing with the new drone grading system being introduced at end of year. Many amateurs will be flying illegally with knowing as many do now.

[Lee337]

I'll see if I can get to grips with the one I have before moving on to a more substantial one.

It's only a light Quad Copter one, has RCHD written on the top of it but who knows what make - I think it's just a generic chinese one. The Wifi camera seems quite good but the phone holder on the remote is appalling., might as well not exist. Mind you, I think an old iPhone 6 might fit, (portrait) but that's about it.

Sadly, I don't have 4 hands, so will have to see if I can fashion some sort of holder for the phone, especially as the phone app is landscape.

Just ordered a new leg/stand for it as I suspect one is still up the tree, it's missing anyway. I'll have another go when the weather improves in a more open area.