Drone for Christmas

SO far... 3 cat calls and one removal (if the cat jumping 20 feet out of the treee to escape me is a removal :lol: ) Got paid though....
One stuck quad coptor .... sent Levi after his own :lol:
Just something about living in the woods......
 
Yeah, he saw me ascending the rope SRT just out from him... the look of "oh hell no, I know what your up to" and he made the leap. The pet owners were thrilled he came down and the hawks and buzzards in the surrounding trees, a tad disappointed.
 
What kinda drone d'ya get treesmith? - What's it like?

Did you mean to put it near the tree? :)

Here's the one I got her.....http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D3IN11Q?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00.

I had flown it out into the front yard from the front porch and set it down about 50 yards away. I then tried to pilot it back to the porch. It headed for one of the maples in our front yard, (about 20' tall), so I hit the throttle to go over the tree. The wind was getting up and got it and within 5 or 10 seconds it was about 70' up and across the road in a red oak. While trying to set a Wraptor line to go get it, I actually threw the bag right through the drone, so I had to use a second line to set my Wraptor line.
 
You can set the throttle at around 18-20% and it will literally scoot across the floor. As it increases, it goes up, but at any point, once you get it figured out, it will somewhat hover. The slightest breeze plays havoc with it though! It has a camera on it that will shoot stills or video. Pretty cool for the cost.
 
React to wind speed as in hold its ground? You need GPS for that, which mine has, but I'm not sure which models from other brands on the lower end have. I know the DJI Phantoms have GPS ability and they cost significantly less than mine.

I've flown mine in gusts up to a recorded 34mph at ground level, I don't know what the wind levels were between the ground and ~1600FT up. That's the day and conditions I got up to 85.5mph, which implies ~35-40mph winds up there but that seems less than I would expect given how fast the clouds were moving.
 
My friend in St. Martin has a DJI Phantom Professional 3 drone...it is about $1400...has a gimballed camera. He got some pretty good video of some yoga we were training there. The day was fairly windy as the tropics can be. He set a GPS marker which told the drone where to stay...it hovered above that point as we went thru the yoga sequence. I am editing that video...will post some of it soon.

He sells real estate there...he is using the drone to gather footage of properties to help sell them.
 
Same here; the Phantom 3 is the one I'd try next - looks to be the best combination of value and ability for those just starting out with drones. From what I read/see - there are also many ways in which it can be modified.
 

Don't mean to derail this thread, and realise that I'm among those who have rope/throwline experience way beyond mine - but I was wondering if the following technique could be used to tie a running bowline just beneath the crown of this tree (I read it somewhere else online, but have never tried it);

You could somehow shoot (apta/big shot/throw, ect) your throw weight straight over the middle of the crown (ideally between the top 'V' of branches. Then at the base of the tree - you tie a running bowline around the trunk with your rope. You can then take the weight off the throwline (or leave it on, maybe) - and at that same end of the throwline - you tie it to the backside of your running bowline. I suppose you could then make make sure that you've tied your running bowline around the other end of the thrownline (or tied some sort of midline knot, alpine butterfly, ect - and use a steel biner to clip onto rope), or even seperate line to keep the cinching knot from tightening until you want it. Either way; I guess what you'd be looking for is for that cinching knot to be pulled right up the trunk (by pulling on the throwline), without it tightening before you reach the base of the crown - and then you'd pull on the tightening end of the rope to tighten it. In theory, I guess this could work for srt - probably would be a way to make it work for ddrt too.

I've never tried this - so it's all just theory for me now.

Maybe someone knows more about this?

I made this video to try and explain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTwC1M8LeVY
 
In the meantime...here is footage from a Phantom Professional drone...taken in St. Martin a few weeks ago. You can FF to 5:00 or so to see Antonio (owner) bring it down to get a group shot of us then he zooms out for an aerial survey of the property. Choose HD if your computer does not do that automatically..very good resolution.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FWi3ta6jbeE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
I bought a cheapy drone for my grandson who is 7 . Might sound a bit too young but the kid is somewhat a mechanical savant .It's only got about 150 feet of range and 7-8 minute flight time .

I know damn well he will crash it but if it survives the ordeal he'll learn to fly it .If he kills it I'll buy him another .He's the only grandson I'll ever have .
 
Good on you. I understand about grandkids...they have a special place.

Mechanical savant sounds cool...sounds genetic to me.
 
On that it's been somewhat implied certain traits are genetically passed on .Music, mechanical intuition etc .

That little fellow can trace his legacy clear back to the middle ages .I just hope once he learns how to pilot that drone he doesn't get the bright idea to buzz the neighbors cat .
 
I made this video to try and explain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTwC1M8LeVY
I see what your doing but as soon as you hit your first branch, then what?
I like thinking out side the box, but I cant think of a spot were this idea would help[/QUOTE]

Of course - you're right, it would not work in that situation.

Was just an idea to try and address the type situation of situation Nick asked about.

Was just wondering if anyone else knew of/used it is all.
 
I find the world of gizmos and gadgets fascinating .These drones can be from a 40 dollar toy to a multi million dollar military machine .

It amazes me they can make even the toys as cheaply as they do .Now keep in mind I understand things like robotics very well but how they do the micro stuff completely goes over my head .Things are changing so fast it's an impossibility to keep up with the technology .Wow!
 
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Okay then ... It has happened at London's Heathrow. British Airways flight from Geneva struck by a Drone and landed safely. WTF !
 
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