Find That Perfect Spot With Your Drone

[SV DestinyAscen]

I don't understand some of the responses. Andrew used his drone in a responsible manner, found a use for it - and gets asanine responses about how they disturb the peace.

If he was in a known anchorage with other boats, he wouldn't be droning the location would he?

Drones make interesting videos - I've seen them flown during canal crossings and it sure adds some nice perspectives.

Watch his video. Don't watch his video. But what's with the negativity.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

Great idea for exploring! I am certainly not even slightly knowledgeable, but somewhere I've recently read about drones for the consumer market that will "automatically" (my word, so do put too much into it) return to the home base if contact with the controller is lost or the battery becomes low. I do not own one, and have never flown one so that is the limit of my information. I do not even recall the source, which could be anywhere from the internet to a magazine in a doctor's office.

Modern systems that rely on GPS and/or GLONASS can record the take off point and return to that point. It is common to find a RTH (Return To Home) button on the controller. If the signal from the controller is lost or the battery gets low the RTH function can be set to activate automatically. Some of the modern systems also have a follow me function whereby the UAS will follow the controller. It is also possible to have the RTH be dynamic so the platform will return to where the controller is.

The trick for doing this on a boat is unless the water is flat the boat is moving up and down and and to a lesser extent side to side and back and forth making landing problematical. A common solution is to hand catch the UAS; and conventional wisdom is to use something like welders gloves to minimize the chance of injury.

As I posted earlier Trump has a UAS transition team providing input to the FAA who make rules/laws for flying in the US. The maximum fine for taking down a UAS is currently around $US250,000 and six months in jail. If firearms are used there are usually additional charges depending on local laws.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by tomfl

Modern systems that rely on GPS and/or GLONASS can record the take off point and return to that point. It is common to find a RTH (Return To Home) button on the controller. If the signal from the controller is lost or the battery gets low the RTH function can be set to activate automatically. Some of the modern systems also have a follow me function whereby the UAS will follow the controller. It is also possible to have the RTH be dynamic so the platform will return to where the controller is.

The trick for doing this on a boat is unless the water is flat the boat is moving up and down and and to a lesser extent side to side and back and forth making landing problematical. A common solution is to hand catch the UAS; and conventional wisdom is to use something like welders gloves to minimize the chance of injury.

As I posted earlier Trump has a UAS transition team providing input to the FAA who make rules/laws for flying in the US. The maximum fine for taking down a UAS is currently around $US250,000 and six months in jail. If firearms are used there are usually additional charges depending on local laws.

I feel a sudden urge to build an autonomous attack drone. Enemy drones would be fired upon, with lots and lots of silly string. Kewl, or what?

[Pelagic]

If you believe people at anchor, have a right to privacy, then the onus is on the Drone community to restrict their filming to long shots without details of OPB (other people's' boats).

If you don't believe that and take a TMZ attitude, you will have conflicts

It would be good for those who use them to promote etiquette in their use and set "distance off" standards.

What is the zoom factor of these drones?

[John Holbrook]

Fully agree

Love the drone footage. I'm getting a $120 version for Xmas to see if it like it then go bigger if I do. Looks perfect for remote places.

Originally Posted by SV DestinyAscen

I don't understand some of the responses. Andrew used his drone in a responsible manner, found a use for it - and gets asanine responses about how they disturb the peace.

If he was in a known anchorage with other boats, he wouldn't be droning the location would he?

Drones make interesting videos - I've seen them flown during canal crossings and it sure adds some nice perspectives.

Watch his video. Don't watch his video. But what's with the negativity.

[HopCar]

If a damn drone flew over me, know what I'd do!
Smile and wave.

It's not like a jet ski. Hardly any noise.

Privacy? If you're on the deck of a boat, any other passing boat is going to see you. You can't expect privacy if you are in an open area.

If you don't like it just go below for a minute or two and it will be gone.

[Nordboen]

If a damn drone flew over me, know what I'd do!
Smile and wave.

It's not like a jet ski. Hardly any noise.

Privacy? If you're on the deck of a boat, any other passing boat is going to see you. You can't expect privacy if you are in an open area.

If you don't like it just go below for a minute or two and it will be gone.

Nope, I will not go below deck because there will be a drone.

The pilot of the drone know that he or she must not violate privacy.

It is with that going on board, then you can be see, but if you are in Cokpit, so it is estimated protected.

Now I do not know the rules in the United States but in Denmark there is not legal to fly over other people.

I fully agree that a drone can be very good and provide some spectacular pictures, and it's OK, but to use it to find a good spot, well, if you are alone at the anchorage, otherwise not.

[Undadar]

For the folks in the USA that insist on destruction:

"A drone is considered an aircraft by the FAA and shooting down aircrafts is a federal offense per the 18 U.S.C. 32 of the federal statute on Aircraft Sabotage."

Yeah, I know... federal law is for other people.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Undadar

For the folks in the USA that insist on destruction:

"A drone is considered an aircraft by the FAA and shooting down aircrafts is a federal offense per the 18 U.S.C. 32 of the federal statute on Aircraft Sabotage."

Yeah, I know... federal law is for other people.

It's only against the law if you get caught.

Some folks have used drones to fly over other people's property and photograph their wives and daughters sunbathing. Some folks have shot down these drones.

I wonder if it would be illegal to have your own "attack" drone to defend your property against other drones?

[HopCar]

"It's only against the law if you get caught."

The thing is that the drone owner will have a photo of you shooting at his drone.

[John Holbrook]

Did their wives and daughters know the owner of the property or were they trespassing?

Originally Posted by rwidman

Some folks have used drones to fly over other people's property and photograph their wives and daughters sunbathing.

[Seaadventurers]

I can tell you that flying a drone off of an anchored boat and retrieving it is not for the faint hearted! I recently took my drone to my month long sailing adventure in the Caribbean and tried to launch and retrieve from our anchorage in 10 knot winds. The drone ended up hitting the catamaran and bouncing off. I thought I lost it, but it righted itself and continued to fly. I feel very fortunate to have gotten it back. Flying a drone off a moving boat is damn near impossible in my opinion, but I have seen it done. I assume they are much better pilots than I am!

No one complained about my use of the drone, but I was careful not to hover over another boat. As for noise, I'll bet I could fly over the top of your mast in 10 knot winds and you would NOT hear it. I don't believe the average drone flyer is out to see you in your bikini! Also, to answer another question, my drone has NO capability to zoom. The camera is set at a wide angle and there is no ability to change that remotely.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

SNIP

What is the zoom factor of these drones?

The camera is similar to a smart phone. You need to be about 20 feet away to see the person's face; same as a smart phone. It also requires a little more skill to take pix/video since you not only have to compose the image; you have to compose the image while piloting the platform.

Here is an example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_eV6UEDZ1E

[Seaadventurers]

Originally Posted by tomfl

The camera is similar to a smart phone. You need to be about 20 feet away to see the person's face; same as a smart phone. It also requires a little more skill to take pix/video since you not only have to compose the image; you have to compose the image while piloting the platform.

Here is an example

Just to be clear, you can zoom a smartphone camera, but you cannot zoom the most popular drone cameras like the DJI Phantom 3.

[smj]

A drone is a toy and not a navigational aid, but used correctly could ad some enjoyment to your cruise. There's a huge list of "must haves" that people consider requirements or necessities before they go cruising. One can cruise without any of those "must haves" and the drone doesn't come close to entering that category.
And Tomfl, if your drone comes within extendable boat pole reach of my boat, it's going swimming:-)