Drones.

[toglhot]

I bought a DJI Mini 3 drone a little while ago. This was my first footage, so the camera and flying in't the best. I have had RC aircraft before, a couple of helis and a powered glider I still have. Never could master those helis though, the last one, quite a sizeable thing, rests at the bottom of one of the ponds in the footage.

They were just cheap helis though and very difficult to fly. This Mini 3 is great though, easy to fly, return to home function, circe function, folow me function and no matter the wind, it remains nice and stable and the camera is first class.

The area in the footage is of the wetlands near the Aldinga Scrub, quite a nice area. There are even yabbies in the ponds if one cares to drop a yabbie trap and a lot of mobs of roos. The roos tend to explore the area, even coming up our street most nights, we are only a couple of hundred metres from the scrub. I did capture some footage of a flyer with her Joey, managed to get within about 3-4 metres before they took off. But I've lost that footage, haven't had any luck since, they all take off when you get to within 20 metres of them.

There are literally hundreds of roos in the scrub, divided among half a dozen different mobs. Unfortunately, some dicks tend to let their dogs off lead. A couple of dogs, and people, have been attacked by boomers over the last few years.

 

[TorontoBuilder]

I bought a DJI Mini 3 drone a little while ago. This was my first footage, so the camera and flying in't the best. I have had RC aircraft before, a couple of helis and a powered glider I still have. Never could master those helis though, the last one, quite a sizeable thing, rests at the bottom of one of the ponds in the footage.

They were just cheap helis though and very difficult to fly. This Mini 3 is great though, easy to fly, return to home function, circe function, folow me function and no matter the wind, it remains nice and stable and the camera is first class.

The area in the footage is of the wetlands near the Aldinga Scrub, quite a nice area. There are even yabbies in the ponds if one cares to drop a yabbie trap and a lot of mobs of roos. The roos tend to explore the area, even coming up our street most nights, we are only a couple of hundred metres from the scrub. I did capture some footage of a flyer with her Joey, managed to get within about 3-4 metres before they took off. But I've lost that footage, haven't had any luck since, they all take off when you get to within 20 metres of them.

There are literally hundreds of roos in the scrub, divided among half a dozen different mobs. Unfortunately, some dicks tend to let their dogs off lead. A couple of dogs, and people, have been attacked by boomers over the last few years.

nice, I do kite aerial photography... but they suck for videography since the camera sways too much given the lack of stabilizer on my rig. One day I may try to address that issue.

I keep meaning to build my own drone but something else always comes up.

I watch too much aerial video I'll want to take up powered parasailing... so maybe the lack of a drone is a good thing

 

[Susquatch]

I bought a DJI Mini 3 drone a little while ago. This was my first footage, so the camera and flying in't the best. I have had RC aircraft before, a couple of helis and a powered glider I still have. Never could master those helis though, the last one, quite a sizeable thing, rests at the bottom of one of the ponds in the footage.

They were just cheap helis though and very difficult to fly. This Mini 3 is great though, easy to fly, return to home function, circe function, folow me function and no matter the wind, it remains nice and stable and the camera is first class.

The area in the footage is of the wetlands near the Aldinga Scrub, quite a nice area. There are even yabbies in the ponds if one cares to drop a yabbie trap and a lot of mobs of roos. The roos tend to explore the area, even coming up our street most nights, we are only a couple of hundred metres from the scrub. I did capture some footage of a flyer with her Joey, managed to get within about 3-4 metres before they took off. But I've lost that footage, haven't had any luck since, they all take off when you get to within 20 metres of them.

There are literally hundreds of roos in the scrub, divided among half a dozen different mobs. Unfortunately, some dicks tend to let their dogs off lead. A couple of dogs, and people, have been attacked by boomers over the last few years.

I have several helicopters too. I find they are all hard to fly but that's what makes them fun. The drones are all a piece of cake by comparison.

I had a really nice drone for farm field surveillance till it decided to divorce me. At year end, I bought a replacement for the 2022 tax writeoff. It's a mini 3 - same as yours. I have not flown it yet. I have to wait for some warm weather.

How is yours in the wind? I worry about that because the mini is so small.

 

[toglhot]

I was quite surprised with it stability in the wind, whilst the drone may get buffeted around a bit, the camera remains steady.

You'r right about the heli, they don't swim well either. Mine drowned quite quickly!

The biggest problem with RC aircraft is once they get 100 metres away from you, its impossible to tell which way they are facing or which way they are flying. The Mini 3's RTH function is very handy there, just push the RTH button and it comes right back. The obstacle avoidance is handy too, stops you flying into brick walls. RC aircraft don't like brick walls I discovered.

 

[Susquatch]

I live on a farm so walls are not usually a big issue. But I used my bigger drone to spray tent caterpillars so trees were actually a huge big issue too.

I'd hate to have to press return to home all the time whenever I lost sense of its direction. My farm is about 2km long.

Can't the camera tell you which way it's pointing? Doesn't the view screen have a compass or direction on it?

Isn't this fun?

 

[PeterT]

The biggest problem with RC aircraft is once they get 100 metres away from you, its impossible to tell which way they are facing or which way they are flying.

Nice videography.

I beg to differ about distance, 100m is nothing. For example F3A (precision aerobatics competition) 2m span RC models are typically flown +150m & the pilots (and judges) see even the tiniest of bobbles for scoring downgrades for the entire flight in every conceivable flight orientation (upright, inverted, rolling, yawing, spinning..). In RC soaring events (3-4m span) 400m altitude is boringly common, often much further laterally. Here you have to detect the nuances of lightest thermal/sink conditions. Heli's & 'drone' drones are generally more difficult to see, for sure.

 

[phaxtris]

I agree with @PeterT, 100m is not far for RC, the few fixed wings I have I normally fly at least 100m away

A DJI mini is pretty small, if you step up in size your 100m problem will disappear

Do they make you have drone licenses in Australia for over 250g now as well?

 

[toglhot]

Yep, that's why I bought the mini 3.

 

[phaxtris]

Yep, that's why I bought the mini 3.

If it's anything like the one here just get it, then you can buy larger aircraft/drones/helis

I imagine the setup is similar, a little bs online test and away you go

 

[Susquatch]

I agree with @PeterT, 100m is not far for RC, the few fixed wings I have I normally fly at least 100m away

A DJI mini is pretty small, if you step up in size your 100m problem will disappear

You and @PeterT are blessed. Simple as that.

Had a DJI phantom - hard to see which way it was headed. Have a 400 series 3D acrobatic Chopper - WAAAAY BIGGER - even harder to tell - NO Directional lights.

Guessing my new Mini Pro will be ok. First person video means I can see where I am FROM THE BIRD!

So the real problem here is that you guys have young eyes. I almost lost my right eye to Retinal problems 20 years ago, and now I've had a stroke and am legally blind in the other.

Although I can't tell where my birds are anymore, there is a plus side....... My bride keeps getting better and better looking as time passes.

My machines keep getting better too!

 

[SomeGuy]

Have had a mini 2 for almost a couple years at this point...they're stupidly simple to use and fly, take next to zero skill to be honest. You just point it where you want it to go and if you let go of the controls it just stops and hovers wherever it is. When it gets far enough away that you can't see where it's pointing, just fly by the screen instead (of course keeping it within line of sight per rules).

 

[toglhot]

The only problem with flying by the screen is. If you're out bush, one tree looks the same as the next.

 

[Susquatch]

The only problem with flying by the screen is. If you're out bush, one tree looks the same as the next.

Hmmmm doesn't seem like a huge problem. Don't have to worry about getting home just how to get above the canopy! Once up there, just press "Come Home".

 

[toglhot]

Maybe I'm just not a good a pilot a you.

 

[phaxtris]

So the real problem here is that you guys have young eyes

I'm not sure that my eyes are as good as they once were, trying to solder some 18g wires onto aviation connectors tonight I was wishing for some magnification

Probabaly to many years welding, and to many trips to the doctor to get things dug out of them is taking a tole

 

[Alexander]

I have an older mavic Mini that I've logged 140 hours of flight time on now. You can follow me on Instagram at yycdroneguy. I do slightly prefer the challenge of flying 3-D hellies

 

[PeterT]

Around 2015, I took an 'airplane sabbatical' for a few years when I became burned out on racing. Trained on sim & TREX-450s, then Logo-500. I really enjoyed the mechanics & very different style of flying. Well, they don't really 'fly' do they? They beat the air into submission LOL. But I was unwilling to give up plankers. My brain adapted to left thumb collective vs throttle ok, but some days I really had to consciously think about it vs react. Never buried anything but a few close shaves. Danger was just around the corner, like driving on the left side of the road. Haha. After that I discovered soaring so figured sell the helis. The equipment & technology tends to change rapidly.

 

[Susquatch]

I do slightly prefer the challenge of flying 3-D hellies

I like the 3D helis too. But no way in hell am I taking my 400 and doing any 3D. Can you actually fly 3d or are you just enjoying the power and reality of flying true collective pitch birds like I do?

 

[Susquatch]

Never buried anything but a few close shaves. Danger was just around the corner, like driving on the left side of the road. Haha. After that I discovered soaring so figured sell the helis. The equipment & technology tends to change rapidly.

Very Cool @PeterT ! Wow a big 500!

My first real CP bird was a 200 sized loaner from a fellow who never had the courage to fly it. I had flown twin rotors and a flybar unit and was self taught with no Sim so he figured I could handle CP and just left it with me to try.

One day I did just that. I lost control of it, it flew into the forest and disappeared, so I suddenly owned it. A week later I found it but I felt obligated to keep on owning it as it had seen some rain and weather. I weighted it down to improve stability and finally learned how to fly CP. I still have that bird but got a few more both bigger and smaller ones along the way.

I like helis mainly because the take off and landing space requirement are so much smaller.

3D doesn't interest me at all.

I love the first person provisions of a drone. Next best thing to flying myself.

 

[Alexander]

Can you actually fly 3d

I am definitely trying! I have a Blade 230s. I split my time flying in Real Flight using VR and my dx7 controller. Then I can take the same controller to the field and attempt my maneuvers with the actual Helicopter.