Drones... do you have one, which one and why???

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The Chairman

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Of all the videos I have shot, I feel I don't give topside enough press. Most of that is due to a limited perspective. Drones seem to give some great, great options to this and hell: they're fun to fly. So what do you think? Do you have a drone or are you looking for one? If you have one, which one did you get? I recently picked up a DJI Mavic Pro mostly because I can easily travel with it. No, it's not bullet proof and I've had to repair it already. That wasn't successful, and I'm headed to Miami in a few moments to visit Scorpion Drones to see if they can help. I do want it for my trip to Anthony's Key this coming weekend.
 
Without a doubt, drones can add that extra facet to vacation movies that would otherwise be unachievable. The perspective that they can offer is amazing. (I have recently seen some "home movies" that someone shot using a drone on a Live Aboard while the boat was moving that was incredible.)

It is, however, incumbent on the operator (pilot???) to be aware of and abide by any local laws concerning their use. As examples, in most cases, drones are forbidden in National Parks in both Canada and the US, near airports and other areas. If you are abroad, do not count on not being aware of a law as an effective defence strategy. Other countries will have their own restrictions. Be sure to check these out before you launch your drone.
 
I wonder how easy it is to fly a drone? I would hate to spend my money on one and wreck it during the very first flight.
 
Excellent! I had considered buying a Mavic for the Anthony's key trip but decided on full facemasks instead :wink:

Now I can just enjoy your videos instead of making my own!

The "follow me" feature would be awesome while a dive boat is on the move heading to/from sites.

I wonder how easy it is to fly a drone? I would hate to spend my money on one and wreck it during the very first flight.
Older drones like my parrot ar.drone 2 are somewhat difficult. The AI in DJI products make them extremely simple. They'll automatically detect and go around obstacles, automatically return to the operator if you lose connectivity etc.. Automation is where it's at for drones.

As examples, in most cases, drones are forbidden in National Parks in both Canada and the US
That is a real shame. Fortunately, it's only a temporary ban. Let's hope they come up with a better solution.

Drones are noisy when close but if you get the things a few hundred feet up they can't be heard on land. I've operated and been around many a drone at the local beaches. It's not like you have to go to extreme distances to get the things out of earshot. The problem stems from pilots who want to be 20' from their video subject.

Drone manufacturers could help address the pilots wanting to be nearby if they added some decent glass with a decent zoom to the stock cameras.
 
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I picked up a Syma X5 for ~$50 to learn how to fly knowing I'd crash it and not wanting to destroy a $1000 machine. 4th flight and it spent a week in a tree.

Personally, since our sport is around water, waterproof is a must for me. The splash drone is at the top of my list, but you can build one for about half the price.

Ultimately I have the same goal, to add aerial footage to my videos.
 
I know you guys know this and are cognizant of others privacy but drones are a pet peeve of mine. One recent example, in Bonaire we were third floor ocean front, wide open view to ocean and the drone hooving off my balcony.

But I agree that they give a wonderful perspective on trips.
 
Interestingly, last year when we asked my 83 year old mother what she wanted for Christmas, she said she wanted a drone. When we asked her why, the only reason she came up with was she thought it would be fun.

I know everyone's probably seen it on the news by now but, I found it fascinating that they're using overhead drones along a lot of beaches now to monitor shark activity and in some cases are even equipping the drones with speakers to warn swimmers if there are sharks nearby. It got me to thinking that we as scuba diver's might use overhead drones to identify entry points for shore dives that we might otherwise overlook.
 
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In regards to Canadian National Parks ... if you really want to, you can fly them .... by the letter of the park rules regarding aircraft, only the take off or landing of UAV are prohibited ...


The park rangers and local visitors don't see it that way (including myself).


_R
 
In regards to Canadian National Parks ... if you really want to, you can fly them .... by the letter of the park rules regarding aircraft, only the take off or landing of UAV are prohibited ...


The park rangers and local visitors don't see it that way (including myself).
Yeah, pretty sure the US ban is worded similarly. Well, you also cannot be inside the park while you operate. I'm sure it's not because they want you to stand outside the park and fly over it, it's more of a jurisdiction issue with owners of land not having jurisdiction over the airspace above that land.

I wonder if Honduras has any rules at all about drones. I would be surprised if they did.
edit: a quick search shows some reasonable rules

General Honduras Drone Laws
Drone use is allowed in Honduras, but there are several Honduras drone laws that need to be followed when flying in the country. Operators must ensure that they follow the following laws when flying in Honduras,

  • Do not fly your drone over people or large crowds and gatherings
  • Keep your drone within visual line of sight at all times
  • You must fly during daylight hours and only fly in good weather conditions
  • Do not fly your drone near airports or areas where aircraft are operating
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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