My first drone flight

Hurricane

Hurricane

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Well, actually, I've had the drone (Phantom 3) since Christmas but I've been working on upgrades for JW and it takes time to get them right.
The major upgrades being a new tender and anchoring systems.
During the last couple of weeks, I've been out on my own doing engine and generator servicing plus windlass upgrades etc but I allocated some time to play with the drone.
Weather is now hot and JW is ready for her summer so back to the point of this thread.

I flew the drone a few times in Devon before bringing it out to the boat.
Due to screen reflection, I found it difficult to see the drone's camera view whilst it was flying.
JFM and others have said that I should "get my head down and just fly it".
So, thats exactly what I did during the first flight here in Spain.
I use the standard DJI software and exactly the same thing happened - I wasn't sure what images the drone was actually taking.

During my second flight, I used a separate app called Lichi.
Lichi seems to be mainly focused at automatic flying where the drone flies unattended.
There are modes where you set up "missions" and then let it go and run the mission on its own.
There are other modes where you can interactively select a target and it will follow or circulate the target - something that should be good for following a boat.
The Lichi App also has an FPV mode called "VR" where you connect a mobile phone to the controller and then insert the mobile phone into something like this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DW2OVBG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The result is a totally enclosed space where you can see exactly what the drone is "seeing".
The VR mode also uses the mobile phone's sensors so that by turning your head, you can direct the drone's camera onto the shot. It even has a mode where you can actually fly it by turning your head - scary!!

So, my second flight used this Lichi app and the VR mode.
However, I found that it was difficult to create a smooth video using my head to control the camera.
Gimbal operations seemed a bit jerky.
It may be smoother if I were to reduce the gimbal reaction speed
But, for the third flight, opted to manually direct the drone whilst still using the VR mode.
In the VR Mode, you can set up a button on the drone's remote controller to switch (toggle) between the drone's camera view and the camera on the mobile phone. Not confident about this feature yet but I thought it might save me falling off the pontoon!!!

The following video was put together in about an hour this morning from the three clips that I had taken earlier with the drone. I am still amazed at how smooth the gimbal operates.



Or a full screen version at this link
http://www.youtube.com/embed/IUgDmhZlOQs?rel=0

And this is a link to a version in HD on Vimeo
https://vimeo.com/172474781

I've still got a long way to go.
Confidence seems to be the thing.
It is easier to be confident whilst wearing the head/phone viewer but I can see that maybe I will go back to a standard tablet later.

As long as this thing can keep out of the water until the end of the season, I think I will be able to capture some great shots.

I hope you find this post interesting.

As a sideline, you will see from the above video that JW now has a new playmate - yes a brand spanking new MC6 - a forum boat as well.
I will let the owner announce herself - she is well known on here.
BTW - I've been on board the MC6 and it is a very well built boat - solid and well constructed - she will be a great playmate and I can't wait to get JW out to play with her.
 
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Thanks for posting.

Seeing how high and far some drones seem to be able to fly from the operator, can it be flown out of range of the transmitter or when the signal reaches a critical level does it have some sort of self preservation software and automatically return to base ?

Looking forward to you adding a daily drone flyby to the SCM forum :-)
 
Hurricane said:
I hope you find this post interesting.
Click to expand...
You bet M, keep them coming! :encouragement:
If I may throw in a suggestion, I would rather cut the vertical panning moments, because they don't "flow" as nicely as the rest - to my eyes, anyway.

It seems that aside from the very nice Zanzibar neighbor, your new T/T JW has a new pretty playmate too.
Anyway, looking forward to hearing more, spill the beans, whoever you are! :)

Btw, I didn't spot Seralia. Is WL already busy crunching miles?
 
Andy Bav said:
Thanks for posting.

Seeing how high and far some drones seem to be able to fly from the operator, can it be flown out of range of the transmitter or when the signal reaches a critical level does it have some sort of self preservation software and automatically return to base ?

Looking forward to you adding a daily drone flyby to the SCM forum :-)
Click to expand...

Dji software has a return to home should the range start to become an issue, either for the transceiver or indeed the battery life. Not full proof but pretty reliable.
Super important to get gps lock prior to flight and if flying from a moving boat, I'd reduce your flight distance to ensure visible contact at all times....
 
Thats great Mike. My Phantom 4 has been sat next to me here at home since March! I haven't managed to make time for its maiden flight yet. Hope to have a go this week and will then take it out to the boat.
I need to research this, but is there any difficulty in taking these things onto a flight as hand luggage? I guess I would have to ensure the battery was discharged?
 
Nigelpickin said:
Dji software has a return to home should the range start to become an issue, either for the transceiver or indeed the battery life. Not full proof but pretty reliable.
Super important to get gps lock prior to flight and if flying from a moving boat, I'd reduce your flight distance to ensure visible contact at all times....
Click to expand...

and @ Andy Bav
Yep you are correct the standard kit does have a return to base (base set just prior to take off) if either it flies out of range or the battery becomes too low for a return flight.

However, with Lichi (which is mostly mission based), you can override the return to base function for longer missions.
The example that I saw was a guy that sent it off on a mission to his office/work and he met it there.
He recons this makes the P3 closer to the P4 - greater range but I won't be flying that far away.
The Lichi software does have a nice feel to it.
All based on the DJI SDK of course.
I would like to get the "follow object" feature working - maybe next month.
I'm flying back home tomorrow (French ATC permitting) - already been delayed but, hey, can't think of a better place to get delayed.
 
CLOUD9 said:
Thats great Mike. My Phantom 4 has been sat next to me here at home since March! I haven't managed to make time for its maiden flight yet. Hope to have a go this week and will then take it out to the boat.
I need to research this, but is there any difficulty in taking these things onto a flight as hand luggage? I guess I would have to ensure the battery was discharged?
Click to expand...

Good luck
Take plenty of underpants with you!!!
 
I'm thinking of buying one so that can inspect the routes of houses without paying hundreds of pounds a time for unnecessary scaffolding. Does it seem like they would work in this respect?
 
Richard10002 said:
I'm thinking of buying one so that can inspect the routes of houses without paying hundreds of pounds a time for unnecessary scaffolding. Does it seem like they would work in this respect?
Click to expand...
I suppose this isn't directly relevant to boating but here are the rules anyway because it's a while since anybody posted them on here and anyone flying a drone needs to know them. When flying a drone in UK airspace you must comply with the following:
  1. Flight path at least 150m clear of any 'congested area', defined in Article 255 of the Air Navigation Order (ANO) 2009 as any area in relation to a city, town or settlement which is substantially used for residential, industrial, commercial or recreational purposes. BTW, I think this precludes flying a drone in most UK marinas.
  2. Flight path at least 50m clear of any person, vessel, vehicle or structure not under pilot's control
  3. Take off position at least 30m clear of any person not under pilot's control
  4. Direct unaided Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) from pilot to aircraft for entire flight (so it mustn't ever go out of sight behind any obstructions). VLOS is defined as being out to a maximum distance of 500m horizontally and 400 ft vertically from the pilot (and 400 ft above ground level is the vertical limit anyway)
  5. You must not carry out "aerial work" unless you have permission from the Civil Aviation Authority, and here's the definition: 'A flight is for the purpose of aerial work if valuable consideration is given or promised in respect of the flight or the purpose of the flight.' So if you are being paid in any way (a bottle of wine or the revenue from adverts on Youtube would count) you are performing aerial work. It doesn't matter whether you have a promise of payment in advance, or accept something unsolicited afterwards.
  6. There are other restrictions such as not flying within controlled airspace or within 150m of organised open air assemblies of more than 1,000 persons or within an Aerodrome Traffic Zone.
  7. Collection of images of any identifiable individual, whether intentional or inadvertent, is controlled by the Data Protection Act.
Compliance with these rules would effectively preclude the use of drones for property inspections even of your own home unless it is an isolated building in a rural area. However you can obtain permission from the Civil Aviation Authority to carry out aerial work and this permission can extend to allowing you to fly close to structures for the purposes of inspection. To get permission you need 'evidence of pilot competency' which is awarded by a 'National Qualified Entity' (only a bureaucrat could think up a term like that) - ie: a flying school. I don't think the CAA publishes a list of schools but an internet search will throw up a list. Courses typically cost between £750 & £1,500 plus accommodation & travel and the CAA charge between £112 & £224 for granting a permission.
FWIW anyone thinking of raising their head above the parapet by publishing drone footage on the internet probably ought to read these (the leaflet you get in the box when you buy a drone in the UK is, in my view, totally inadequate):
CAP 722
CAA Notice:Small Unmanned Aircraft Operations Within London and Other Towns and Cities:
 
Blatant thread drift we are delighted that Zanzibar II is in SC and in a great berth next to JW! Certainly looking forward to taking Z and JW plus tenders out to play in the Lagoon.
 
TwoHooter said:
So if you are being paid in any way (a bottle of wine or the revenue from adverts on Youtube would count) you are performing aerial work. It doesn't matter whether you have a promise of payment in advance, or accept something unsolicited afterwards.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this info

Fwiw I think you are over reading the law in your comment above. YouTube revenue would count only if earning it were your purpose when flying, eg a pro vlogger. Something unsolicited afterwards could never cause a breach of these rules because by definition it could not be "consideration".
 
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CLOUD9 said:
Thats great Mike. My Phantom 4 has been sat next to me here at home since March! I haven't managed to make time for its maiden flight yet. Hope to have a go this week and will then take it out to the boat.
I need to research this, but is there any difficulty in taking these things onto a flight as hand luggage? I guess I would have to ensure the battery was discharged?
Click to expand...

I have been flying large RC turbine powered jets for many years and for the past 6 years multi rotors or drones as people tend to call them. These all tend to use lipo batteries and these must never be fully discharged. The are safest stored at about 70 percent charge. I have taken mine on a plane a few times in hand luggage but there was a battery size limit which is quite large

A bit scary really as lipos are rather dangerous google lipo fire and you will see what I mean

Dennis
 
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