Drones

[Polarbear]

I want a drone. I have the latest GoPro hero camera (thanks mrs PB) and want to try flying with it.

I know someone had a drone on here but that was a while ago and I'm sure the technology has moved on so...

any advice, suggestions what would be good and easy to fly. I don't want to lose my camera 1st flight
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[doggone]

Depends on how serious you are, when you already have a GoPro the best option is probably this.
https://www.rcgeeks.co.uk/models/dji-innovations-phantom-2-with-h3-3d-gimbal.html

However you'd still be hankering after being able to see where you are going on a screen (=FPV)
By the time you add that kit on you could have had this which is a very nice all in one package, but the camera is not so good as your gopro.
https://www.rcgeeks.co.uk/models/dji-innovations-phantom-2-vision-plus-2-0-quadcopter-rtf.html

In practice it's not what you have but how you use it

It's a lot to spend, and the dedicated forums are currently littered with wails about how they took off with their expensive Christmas present and totalled it against a tree or when trying to land after flight #1 - having not read the first thing about it.

It is kind of fun though... in a geeky way.

[UrbanRacer]

I'm about to purchase one of these
https://www.helipal.com/storm-racing-drone-rtf-type-a.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsxyV-kgfio

they look a lot of fun

[Stevie GooGs]

lo I've got the phantom 2 with go pro.

What i would advise:

1) Read the instructions, and read them again.
2) Go to a football pitch or or wide open area for you first 10 or so flights.
3) Check the time its meant to fly and set a timer before its meant to run out, watch mobile phone alarm etc.
4) Check wind speed and what the max wind speed you can fly it at, don't risk it.
5) Dependent on model make sure you get gps lock etc before flying, don't get impatient and just take off as you will regret it.
6) Don't fly around people / over buildings etc in a populated space.
7) You need a licence for doing anything for money and its not cheap to do the training courses.
8) Check the law https://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=1995
FPV for the win, i would not fly without it.

Don't be a dick with it, as there are laws going to come in to restrict these and the more and more cases of people being fecking stupid the more restrictive it will become.

They are toys but can be dangerous, i took off and a strong gust blew it back down towards the loch, i automatically put my hand out to catch it to save it from drowning and it cut into my arm and fingers, if the blades were metal i would have no fingers left.
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Current: 2019 Yamaha T7 -> 2015 KTM Superduke R | 2000 Yamaha R1 Past -> 2009 KTM 990 SM -> 2005 kawasaki ZX10r -> 2000 Honda CBR 600 FY -> 2002 Honda XLV 125 Varadero
Bike Pics! -> My Photography Website

[G]

My RC designs style tricopter cost me £110 second hand.
A transmitter needed on top of that (from about £40, but I've got a more fancy one).
Batteries (from about £10, I already had ones that fitted) and charger (from about £12, again I already had them.)

Mine came with a fairly basic controller board - does stability, but no GPS functions.

There are reports of people having issues with using go pros for first person view - the feed just cutting out randomly.

My tricopter didn't come with FPV stuff, but I got a decent setup for £70.

[GhostRider]

Buy a hubsan X4 for £30 (add £5 for spare batteries, £3 for some spare propellers). It comes ready to fly with a transmitter.

Learn to fly that properly - with 5 batteries you can easily get 20-30 minutes flight time.

Cheapest and easiest way to dip your toe in and get used to flying one, whereby if you crash/break/lose it, it won't cost you £900 plus the price of a goPro.

Really no point worrying about the camera until you can comfortably fly the quad itself IMO.

GhoatRider
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I have all the characteristics of a human being: blood, flesh, skin, hair; but not a single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust. Something horrible is happening inside of me and I don't know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflown into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip.

[doggone]

[t121anf]

I've been lusting after a DJI Phaontom 2 but I want it with a GoPro.

As I don't own a GoPro buying everything is a BIG outlay which is putting me off.

[G]

In no way need a gopro - something like a Mobius is arguably better in pretty much every way.

As above, should be able to get an ok multicopter setup from maybe £300, depending on the features you wanted.

If you want to upgrade any part, you can do it one at a time and sell off others, or buy a new kit, but reuse a load of stuff.

Of course, if you're going from a little racing setup to a large dSlr video rig, it's only going to be things like like Tx/Rx, charger and so on that you can share.

[GhostRider]

Yeah but gps can cut out, and I've read enough threads where people have had substantial crash damage/ lost their phantom because GPS cut out and they didn't have a clue how to take over control of the quad.

If you can handle an X4 then everything else should come fairly naturally.

GhostRider
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I have all the characteristics of a human being: blood, flesh, skin, hair; but not a single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust. Something horrible is happening inside of me and I don't know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflown into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip.

[sensi5446]

I was looking into drones the other day as the vids of flying in the clouds and around houses are amazing but maybe illegal

QUOTE
The CAA currently regulates unmanned aerial vehicles according to weight and/or purpose. Those drones that weigh more than 20kg are currently banned from flying in civilian airspace other than in a large zone in west Wales and a smaller one over the military base at Boscombe Down.

Drones that are under 20kg can fly in normal airspace for private use so long as the operator isn't planning to use data or images from the flight acquired by flying close to people or objects. UAVs have to remain 150m from congested events or large assemblies, 50m from a person or building, and within line of sight, which is 500m horizontally and 400ft (122m) vertically. Flights beyond this can be permitted but the operators need to show they can fly the plane safely. Live-streaming from the UAV to the pilot is not considered a good enough measure by the CAA to allow drones to be flown beyond line of sight.

[SlimRick]

I have the Phantom 2. It's pretty awesome, but I've only used it a dozen or so times on the 12 months I've had it. It's a cool toy though.
A couple of uninspirational videos of mine here:

https://www.youtube.com/user/slimrick72/

[Seb]

Do your homework if you've got a GoPro Hero 3+ and are intending on getting a Phantom to go with it. The original 3s and the new 4s appear to be fine though.
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[Polarbear]

[DRZ4Hunned]

Don't fly it in the hood.

https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=193_1419589773

[bladerunner]

I went for a walk up the local quarry yesterday and spotted a couple of guys on trials bikes.....here is what I got with a go pro 3+ silver slung under it....Yes I didn't know them....or which way they would go.....and I need to get better at flying for moving targets....anyhow enjoy




Parys Mountain Bike Trail Dec 14: https://youtu.be/VFzwMwAVJm0
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[stevo as b4]

Sorry for the off topic, but rather than use a specific Drone copter, has anyone ever tried mounting a Go Pro or similar to a proper R/C petrol helicopter, and is there any advantage to doing so?

[Tungtvann]

I've never flown either, but I got the impression that quadcopters are far easier and more stable to fly, lending themselves to camerawork over regular RC copters.

[G]

Electric is generally better than gas because there's vibrations due to their nature.
However, gas can offer a lot longer range of course.

There's plenty of options to simplify flying traditional style helicopters - similar modules are pretty essential for beginners in quad copters too.

There are plenty of options for running these as 'drones' and it's far from a new thing. Usually in bigger setups.

You DO now get commercial quad copters that run with a single power powerplant and traditional controls which adjust the blades. Interesting options there.
Standard electric quadcopters vary the speed of each indivdual motor to control it (tricopter is the only multi-rotor setup that generally moves the rotors at all - and it just turns the rear motor to point to the left or right for yaw control - even on a Y6 (tricopter, but with a second set of paired motors and rotors under the first three, running inverted, they generally don't have the rear moving.)

'Proper' helicopters can generally be more aerobatic overall - because they move by changing the setup of a big heavy spinning blade, they can be setup to run at full power but at a stationary hover, then have the benefit of the rotation momentum 'stored' in the rotor to flip the 'craft very quickly upside down by altering the angle of the blades - while a fixed system which varies RPM for control needs to spin up the motors for movement.

[Llama-Farmer]

[bladerunner]

For fear of boring you guys...I went back up the quarry yesterday and didn't get distracted by trials bikes...this is my 3rd flight with trying to improve my flying for

Parys Mountain Flight: https://youtu.be/obiOhoq3uRw

That's with a go pro 3+silver shooting at 1080p I then resized to 720p as crap internet speeds. I'd love to have the 4k video the new gopro4 offers you lucky Bugger!

Back on track tho dji announced a new H43D gimbal today that is designed for the go pro 4 using the rear connector again as go pro changed the pin configuration on the 4 and it's balanced for the new heavier go pro as well! These things are easy to fly. My 9 yr old could fly it easily first go under supervision but you'll need to spend £100+ extra on fpv if you want shots like in my video as it's easy to compose/know what your camera is actually seeing!
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[covent.gardens]

[bladerunner]

[bladerunner]

[bladerunner]

Damn it 10 hours flight time and zero crashes and I've spotted cracks appearing on one of the motor mounts! Looks like I'm grounded Untill I can reshell the thing!
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's