Drones

[Honda]

I'm thinking about buying a drone. I looked around and you can spend just about anything you want to on one of them. I certainly would like one that will film while it is flying and I would like a decent amount of range. I'd like to know if any members here have any experience at all with consumer-grade drones. If you do I wood love to hear from you

[Truckman]

All I know is the more you spend on one, the more money you'll lose when it gets stuck in a tree, and you can't find anyone dumb enough to climb up and fetch it...There's one in a tree behind my house now......Ben

[CactusCurt]

Theres one in a tree behind my house now......Ben

My kid's is downstairs with broken propellers. Dad flew it into a fence. I'm not very good at flying them because of the whole backwards thing. Its like backing a trailer only faster so with enough $ and practice I'm sure I could master it. Battery life and pitcher quality would be what I would shoot for. And the virtual reality goggle thingies take care of the trailer backing issue.

I have a nephew who is going to college to learn how to fly them. I will see him next week and ask him. It will give us something to talk about.

[FredK]

Figure to spend in the 2-5K range if you really want a good one with extra batteries, etc....

We quit selling them in our store because people would come in and say their bro got one for less than 150 and works great and was delivered 3 days before they ordered it from China. Go figure.

We still get some that come in and want one engine to fix their cheap x-mas drone they bought at the local gas station for $25.

[wacojoe]

I’ve thought that there is a business with drones waiting to happen for releasing cremated remains over areas that the deceased wanted to be scattered along with on-board video of the release. People like for remains to be scattered over the ocean, a forest, their city...the Grand Canyon. What better way than by a drone?

Having experienced the high costs of funerals and cremations, I can imagine there is a good business opportunity there.

[Truckman]

I’ve thought that there is a business with drones waiting to happen for releasing cremated remains over areas that the deceased wanted to be scattered along with on-board video of the release. People like for remains to be scattered over the ocean, a forest, their city...the Grand Canyon. What better way than by a drone?

Having experienced the high costs of funerals and cremations, I can imagine there is a good business opportunity there.

Now THERE is a business idea......Ben

[Phillbo]

Drones are not allowed in National Parks.... Grand Canyon is out.

[wacojoe]

Drones are not allowed in National Parks.... Grand Canyon is out.

We can all picture the reasons behind that.

[Honda]

Well after looking around a bit it seems that a unit that can stay in the air over 15 minutes and has decent range is wayyyyyyyyyy more than I am willing to pay. I don't want one of those 99.00 toys that can fly 8 minutes no more than 300 yards. So I will do without.

[Truckman]

I will do without.

We had a member here who once engineered his own flying camera platform which worked quite well...I remember witnessing it in action...But he let politics take precedence over friendship, and left in a huff to pout on other websites...Sometimes that happens when we lose sight of the more important things......Ben

[mgrist]

I've bought three of them each one better then the last and all cost about the same, the price keeps coming down. At a certain weight you have to register them or at least that's what it said on the box. My son got them all of course, the last one had goggles, made it look like you were sitting in it. I never flew the last one I learned my lesson on the first two. I'll try and remember to ask him the specs tomorrow, I think I paid about $400. two years ago so it's probably $200. now.

[Honda]

Thanks for the response. Are they pretty good at flying themselves and coming back to you?

[Phillbo]

Yes, you can set it to follow you anywhere you go at an altitude you determine and then when the battery power reaches a set limit it will return to you.

All it takes is $$$$$

[mgrist]

My son didn't have a clue as to the actually specs. He did pretty much echo Phillbo though

[Truckman]

He did pretty much echo Phillbo though

I wouldn't worry much until he starts jumping out of airplanes......Ben