High-end drones

[AnalogKid]

Does anyone here know anything a lot about drones? I need a short course on the current state of affairs. This would be for personal use.

Question: Do all "decent" or middle/upper class drones need a smart phone and GPS to function? Seems like a lot of complexity just to fly around and take pictures. I get that live streaming would be difficult without the phone, but is there a stable, relatively easy to fly critter that records to an SD card?

Thanks.

ak

 

[jpanhalt]

I do not fly the type of drones to which you are referring. I fly fixed wing and a really cheap heli. None of my aircraft have cameras.

There has been some confusion about the requirement to register with the FAA. That was resolved earlier this month with a new law: https://www.modelaircraft.org/aboutama/faa-uas-faq.aspx

In short, register. If you haven't done so, please do. It is aggravating but relatively painless. Also, if you are not currently a member of the AMA, note that membership insurance extends to drones like you are contemplating.

John

 

[dknguyen]

Does anyone here know anything a lot about drones? I need a short course on the current state of affairs. This would be for personal use.

Question: Do all "decent" or middle/upper class drones need a smart phone and GPS to function? Seems like a lot of complexity just to fly around and take pictures. I get that live streaming would be difficult without the phone, but is there a stable, relatively easy to fly critter that records to an SD card?

Thanks.

ak

Most of them are able to record to an SD card I believe (in any case, it's not difficult since it's a standalone unit you just plop onto the craft). Smartphones aren't mandatary but GPS is because it's more workload than one person can handle to pilot and position the camera for a photo. And even if smartphones aren't required, you still need to be able to stream in some way to know where the camera is pointed.

 

[audioguru]

I have seen the wind blow cheap drones all over the place, but some have a very good gyro stability system.
I saw a light in the park so I went to see and it was actually 4 lights. I thought it was a light on a pole in the ground but it was a drone taking videos of the sunset. It was windy but it did not move.
I saw a guy carry a folded up "chair" to the park then he unfolded the biggest drone I have ever seen. He pushed the button on his controller then the drone flew the programmed flight then landed at his feet. Ho, hum, boring.