We NEED a drone

[bizzard]

We need the Amazon

NO!! They sell em on there.

 

There usually is fuss when toys are moved from the garden and imposed upon the General Public.

Imagine the reaction from playing with your Hula Hoop in the queue at Tescos or practising Keepy Up on The M6.

 

I say buy one, use it, play with it ....... don't let it get near me.

Thank you.

Or playing Hopscotch in Oxford st on Christmas eve.

[MtB]

I can immediately remember the following, which like drones soon had a nuisance value which outlasted any practical value.

Especially in the hands of the those who don't respect others.

Usually resulting in new legislation being rushed through.

 

Metal Detectors

Mini Motos

Two-wheeled electric self balancing vehicles

Powered skateboards

 

What else was there that soon became associated with idiots?

 

 

Boats!

[magnetman]

 

[Jim Riley]

The ultimate drone killer? A can of Silly String.

[churchward]

The Dutch Police know how to deal with drones.

 

[rustydiver]

The Dutch Police know how to deal with drones.

 

 

seen that before and i have concerns for the poor bird, mine got big blades and six off them, hate to think the damage they can do to the bird.

[zenataomm]

NO!! They sell em on there.

Or playing Hopscotch in Oxford st on Christmas eve.

 

Never doing that again ...... It was bad enough First Day of The Sales!

[churchward]

 

seen that before and i have concerns for the poor bird, mine got big blades and six off them, hate to think the damage they can do to the bird.

You may be underestimating how good these birds of prey are. Their vision is far superior to ours and they see the blades rotate (rather than see a blur as we do) and their reactions far superior too. The birds go directly for the centre of the back of the drone just as they would do if going for the kill of another bird in flight. It is not impossible that a bird could be injured which is one reason such a method is under trial. However the tests have shown that the birds are very adept at avoiding harm.

 

It is quite a low tech form of taking out a drone that threatens say an airport but there are at least as effective if not better electronic means to do so and you don't have to feed them!

[rustydiver]

I suspect they would be good on four bladers but on my 6 it is all prop not much room for anything else when they are spinning.

But a good low tech alternative if there is a threat.

I don't underestimate them after seeing a buzzard pickup a rabbit in the middle off the m5 and dodge the cars with its tea.

[churchward]

I suspect they would be good on four bladers but on my 6 it is all prop not much room for anything else when they are spinning.

But a good low tech alternative if there is a threat.

I don't underestimate them after seeing a buzzard pickup a rabbit in the middle off the m5 and dodge the cars with its tea.

Yep they are smart cookies, utterly ruthless but smart. I see buzzards and Red Kites pretty much everyday where we are. They certainly keep the rabbit population under check. The local landowner who raises 1000s of grouse each year is not so happy at seeing them although I am not so sure how many get taken by the kites and buzzards.

[Jerra]

The local landowner who raises 1000s of grouse each year is not so happy at seeing them although I am not so sure how many get taken by the kites and buzzards.

The Kite is mainly a carrion feeder which is a why they were common in the streets of London in the middle ages.

The Buzzard feeds mainly on mammals but it does take some birds and even eats earthworms. I once rescued a Buzzard where the entire wing was missing and almost fully healed, it must have been existing on what it could "run down" , worms and carrion. What ever it was getting it was plump and well fed.

[Texasboater]

 

 

This would be my reaction too. But discharging a shotgun in a public place is probably frowned upon by authority I suspect.

 

So given the poxy thing isn't supposed to be there in the firast place (50m from people rule) what legal ways are there of bringing one down? Or even illegal, other than a shotgun?

Catapult?

[cuthound]

Surface to air missile?

 

Given that drones were originally developed for military purposes, a domestic version of a SAM seems like poetic justice.

[Graham Davis]

Yep they are smart cookies, utterly ruthless but smart. I see buzzards and Red Kites pretty much everyday where we are. They certainly keep the rabbit population under check. The local landowner who raises 1000s of grouse each year is not so happy at seeing them although I am not so sure how many get taken by the kites and buzzards.

 

Red kites will not take live prey, as they are carrion eaters. Buzzards generally are the opposite.

[pig]

Well well what an interesting topic! Hadn't realised there was such anti-drone sentiment!

I've been flying a drone for a while now, and it combines my favourite hobbies; flying remote controlled aircraft, boating, video editing.

I completely agree that low flying near people is a no-no, but once these things are at a reasonable height they are inaudible.

The quality of the video and stability is impressive.

Here's a (unedited) sample:

 

 

It was taken using a DJI Phantom3 Standard earlier this year. I've forgotten where!, perhaps someone recognises it?

[RLWP]

GU northern section, below Radford Semele?

 

You seem to take your responsibilities as a drone flyer seriously, so I'm curious about what happens at 5:00 in your video. You took off and flew in clear space for most of the video with no members of the public around, which seems fine to me. At 5:00 a runner is seen on the towpath

 

Do you get within 50M of that runner?

 

Richard

Edited October 9, 2016 by RLWP

[MtB]

Interesting vid, thank you.

 

How high was it flying? Was it high enough not to be heard from the ground? I notice the towpath jogger near the end seemed unaware until the last minute, when he looked up at it.

[pig]

GU northern section, below Radford Semele?

 

You seem to take your responsibilities as a drone flyer seriously, so I'm curious about what happens at 5:00 in your video. You took off and flew in clear space for most of the video with no members of the public around, which seems fine to me. At 5:00 a runner is seen on the towpath

 

Do you get within 50M of that runner?

 

Richard

Oops! I knew I should have edited it before uploading!

In my defence, m'lud, I was concentrating on the aircraft as it descended - as soon as I was aware of the runner, I stopped descending until he had passed.

After it had landed, I chatted to the runner for about 20 minutes, gave him a demo, and he was converted, (not that he was concerned in the first place).

It is sometimes almost impossible to obey all the flying rules that the CAA advise- just look at the manufacturers promo videos - they invariably fly over groups of people at low heights, over cities etc. They also advise the use of a spotter to keep sight of the aircraft - not much use if he's 50 metres away.

I was asked by a friend if I could take some aerial wedding photos recently. Apart from the different rules involved in commercial aerial photography, this seemed like a recipe for disaster- flying over a group of people including children and drinkers. I thought of an excuse and politely declined.

 

I've checked the date stamp on the original video clip, and with the log of that trip I can reveal the location as locks 21/22 on the GU below Radford Semele, so well spotted!

Interesting vid, thank you.

 

How high was it flying? Was it high enough not to be heard from the ground? I notice the towpath jogger near the end seemed unaware until the last minute, when he looked up at it.

Checking the flight log, the height averaged about 65 metres, and yes, inaudible from the ground.

[MtB]

Oops! I knew I should have edited it before uploading!

In my defence, m'lud, I was concentrating on the aircraft as it descended - as soon as I was aware of the runner, I stopped descending until he had passed.

After it had landed, I chatted to the runner for about 20 minutes, gave him a demo, and he was converted, (not that he was concerned in the first place).

It is sometimes almost impossible to obey all the flying rules that the CAA advise- just look at the manufacturers promo videos - they invariably fly over groups of people at low heights, over cities etc. They also advise the use of a spotter to keep sight of the aircraft - not much use if he's 50 metres away.

I was asked by a friend if I could take some aerial wedding photos recently. Apart from the different rules involved in commercial aerial photography, this seemed like a recipe for disaster- flying over a group of people including children and drinkers. I thought of an excuse and politely declined.

 

I've checked the date stamp on the original video clip, and with the log of that trip I can reveal the location as locks 21/22 on the GU below Radford Semele, so well spotted!

Checking the flight log, the height averaged about 65 metres, and yes, inaudible from the ground.

 

 

Very interesting. I want one!

 

Interesting how invasive they can be though. I instinctively dislike people pointing cameras at me when I'm boating although I know they are perfectly entitled to. Then the feeling multiplied the first time I saw someone videoing me with their phone a few years ago.

 

I've yet to see a drone hovering over me on my boat but when I do, I'm imagining the feeling of invasion of privacy will ramp up again to a whole nother level.

[cuthound]

They also advise the use of a spotter to keep sight of the aircraft - not much use if he's 50 metres away.

If you and the spotter used walky-talky's he could advise to to ascend up to half a mile away. You could hang yours around your neck or clip it to a belt. You only need to touch it if you need to talk to the spotter, which if he was telling you to ascend, you wouldn't need to do.

[MtB]

I used to fly radio controlled model aircraft. Presumably a multi-rotor is like child's play in comparison?

(I too dislike the term 'drone'. That's not what they are.)

[cuthound]

I used to fly radio controlled model aircraft. Presumably a multi-rotor is like child's play in comparison?

(I too dislike the term 'drone'. That's not what they are.)

I thought it was the noise they made?

[churchward]

 

Red kites will not take live prey, as they are carrion eaters. Buzzards generally are the opposite.

I agree that is the birds more natural behaviour in feeding but never say never. Either bird is an opportunist and particularly so when hungry. I have seen a kite take a live rat. Their normal behaviour patterns are what enables them to live closely and cover the same ground without fighting over prey.

 

None of which stops the local gamekeeper and land owner complain they are losing too many pheasants to birds of prey (and foxes) They buy in around 17,000 birds each year and the lanes are full of them late summer. The shooting weekends will start soon. Not something I enjoy.

[pig]

I used to fly radio controlled model aircraft. Presumably a multi-rotor is like child's play in comparison?

(I too dislike the term 'drone'. That's not what they are.)

Yes they are ridiculously easy to fly - take your hands off the controls and it just sits there using it's GPS and altimeter to hold station.

If it loses signal from the remote, it returns automatically to the GPS location stored at takeoff.

They are (at least the Phantom range) more aerial photography platforms than flying machines.

If you were to buy one, now is a good time as many people are upgrading to the new DJI Mavic and offloading Phantom3s on eBay.

[MtB]

Yes they are ridiculously easy to fly - take your hands off the controls and it just sits there using it's GPS and altimeter to hold station.

If it loses signal from the remote, it returns automatically to the GPS location stored at takeoff.

They are (at least the Phantom range) more aerial photography platforms than flying machines.

If you were to buy one, now is a good time as many people are upgrading to the new DJI Mavic and offloading Phantom3s on eBay.

 

 

Hmmm yes just had a look. Going rate seems to be about £500 second hand.

 

How big are they? Pretty small I guess comparing the size to the controller. Easy to store inside a boat?

 

I wonder how much use they are really. I bet after a few fights the novelty wears off and they go back in the box until sold again on ebay!