Poll: ** DRONES: WHO HAS ONE, WHO WANTS ONE? **

Do you own or a drone or would you buy one?

  • Yes I already own a drone (Post up some images/videos)

    Votes: 40 13.0%

  • I am considering buying a drone

    Votes: 115 37.5%

  • Drones do not interest me

    Votes: 152 49.5%
  • Total voters
    307

Mat

Mat

Mat

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
13,928
I only have a small Hubsan X4 which, after a few days, got a little boring; a few minutes of flight for 20 minutes charging.

I investigated building my own, at one point, but I can envisage the law becoming more and more restrictive with regards to when and where they can be flown meaning the cost would not be worth the limited flight opportunities.
 

Greebo

Greebo

Greebo

Caporegime
Joined
20 Jan 2005
Posts
45,766
Location
Co Durham
Mat said:
I only have a small Hubsan X4 which, after a few days, got a little boring; a few minutes of flight for 20 minutes charging.

I investigated building my own, at one point, but I can envisage the law becoming more and more restrictive with regards to when and where they can be flown meaning the cost would not be worth the limited flight opportunities.
Click to expand...

Thats where the DJI wins at 24 mins fly time and a 5 mile range ;)
 

Glaucus

Glaucus

Glaucus

Man of Honour
Joined
11 Mar 2004
Posts
76,634
Outside the UK, as legally you need line of sight.
All the people ignoring the rules will mean a massive clamp down. I'd put money on needing to acquire a license to purchase them.
 

Greebo

Greebo

Greebo

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Posts
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Location
Co Durham
Glaucus said:
Outside the UK, as legally you need line of sight.
All the people ignoring the rules will mean a massive clamp down. I'd put money on needing to acquire a license to purchase them.
Click to expand...

Line of sight does NOT mean you have to be able to see your drone. People get this confused with visable. I cant see my drone once its 300m away.

It just means line of sight. It can be 5 miles away and clearly you cant see it.
 

Narj

Narj

Narj

Soldato
Joined
19 Feb 2010
Posts
13,254
Location
London
I have one with gimbal, gopro and fatsharks.

Bored with it now tbh and trying to get rid but maybe that's because I actually do the flying myself in my other hobbies.
 

MrRoper

MrRoper

MrRoper

Associate
Joined
15 Aug 2008
Posts
890
Greebo said:
Line of sight does NOT mean you have to be able to see your drone. People get this confused with visable. I cant see my drone once its 300m away.

It just means line of sight. It can be 5 miles away and clearly you cant see it.
Click to expand...

So what does Line of Sight mean then?

EDIT : CAA rules

In essence therefore, provided the aircraft has a mass of 20 kg or less, the current regulations state:

The operation must not endanger anyone or anything.
The aircraft must be kept within the visual line of sight (normally taken to be within 500 m horizontally and 400 ft vertically) of its remote pilot (i.e. the ‘person in charge’ of it). Operations beyond these distances must be approved by the CAA (the basic premise being for the operator to prove that he/she can do this safely).
Small unmanned aircraft (irrespective of their mass) that are being used for surveillance purposes are subject to tighter restrictions with regard to the minimum distances that you can fly near people or properties that are not under your control. If you wish to fly within these minima, permission is required from the CAA before operations are commenced.
CAA permission is also required for all flights that are being conducted for aerial work (i.e. in very simple terms, you are getting paid for doing it).
The 'remote pilot' has the responsibility for satisfying him/herself that the flight can be conducted safely.
 

Greebo

Greebo

Greebo

Caporegime
Joined
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Posts
45,766
Location
Co Durham
MrRoper said:
So what does Line of Sight mean then?

EDIT : CAA rules

In essence therefore, provided the aircraft has a mass of 20 kg or less, the current regulations state:

The operation must not endanger anyone or anything.
The aircraft must be kept within the visual line of sight (normally taken to be within 500 m horizontally and 400 ft vertically) of its remote pilot (i.e. the ‘person in charge’ of it). Operations beyond these distances must be approved by the CAA (the basic premise being for the operator to prove that he/she can do this safely).
Small unmanned aircraft (irrespective of their mass) that are being used for surveillance purposes are subject to tighter restrictions with regard to the minimum distances that you can fly near people or properties that are not under your control. If you wish to fly within these minima, permission is required from the CAA before operations are commenced.
CAA permission is also required for all flights that are being conducted for aerial work (i.e. in very simple terms, you are getting paid for doing it).
The 'remote pilot' has the responsibility for satisfying him/herself that the flight can be conducted safely.
Click to expand...

You got me there :p Didnt realise CAA had defined it as 500m max :(

I see the FAA in the states have authorised autonomous use (waypoints) outside of line of sight.
 

Greebo

Greebo

Greebo

Caporegime
Joined
20 Jan 2005
Posts
45,766
Location
Co Durham
Mat said:
How far do you have to go to be able to make use of that 5 mile range without infringing the law on privacy and proximity to houses etc.?
Click to expand...

The rules on proximity is that you cant fly within 50m of a house or person if it has a camera so thats easily avoided.
 
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