Yea, I Own A Drone...

February 20, 2016  •  Leave a Comment

"Oh, you're one of THEM..."

I get that all the time when I tell someone that I am a drone owner. With all of the negative connotations associated with the word "drone", I'd rather call them "quadcopters". I'm sure you've heard all of the bad stories about drones... crashing into ferris wheels, flying over private property, and there was one crash that almost ended the career of skier Marcel Hirscher (YouTube link - it's in French, but you'll get the idea..)

But have you ever heard of the good? There is a group called S.W.A.R.M. (Search With Aerial RC Multirotor), a volunteer group of drone owners that help find missing persons. Then there is videographer Phillip Bloom, putting together an AWESOME video from drone footage shot on a trip to Thailand.

Phantom 2 dronePhantom 2 droneMy Phantom 2 Non-Vision drone outfitted with a Zenmuse H4-3D gimbal, with a GoPro Hero 4 Black mounted. So this is my drone... it's a Phantom 2 Non-Vision, with a GoPro Hero 4 Black mounted with a Zenmuse H4-3D gimbal. What that all means is that a gimbal is a device used to stabilize a camera, whether it be in the air or on the ground, using motors to stabilize the camera. I've just begun scratching the surface of the Hero 4 Black, but I have used to to take pictures and video. Go to my gallery to see 2 video clips, not put together in any professional way...

This shot was taken on November 15, 2015, at about 400 feet (more about height requirements later...)

 

And this shot was taken on October 26, 2015...

There are 3 rules (not laws) that drone operators SHOULD follow:

1. Do not fly above 400 feet AGL (Above Ground Level)

2. Do not fly within 5 miles of an airport

3. Do not fly over crowds (you don't need to be crashing on someone's head... or skis!)

As long as those rules are followed, there shouldn't be any issues at all... but there are those that DON'T follow these rules, and those are the ones you always hear about.

So when you hear the word "drone", please try to think and know about the good that drones do, not just the bad. I bet you find more good than bad anyway...
 


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