Anyone buying a "drone" as a gift?

[Stewie]

These seem to be a popular item on gift lists. From what I can tell they're glorified battery-powered helicopters (called drones because they have more propellers) with a camera. Unless you want to spend $500+ they're pretty useless. The range is between 120-150 feet and that's with no obstructions. The run-time while using the camera is about 5 minutes. What pictures are you taking that you can't walk and look for yourself? I suppose you could look and see if your gutters need cleaning without a ladder.

[SAUTO]

Better register them...

[Rain Man]

I don't understand why they're "drones" now. These things have been around forever. Is it just because you can put cameras on them now?

[bevischief]

I have a hook on them but need more than one person to get him setup.

[Bugeater]

I can't think of any practical use for one soooo...no.

[cosmo20002]

I don't understand why they're "drones" now. These things have been around forever. Is it just because you can put cameras on them now?

A remote-control plane is what kids had in the 70s.
A drone is what we use to blast goat fuckers in the Middle East.
Which would you want?

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

I can't think of any practical use for one soooo...no.

Now if you lived nest door to some hot chicks that have a nice pool outside that they love to lay around in the nude would that be a thought ? Or is it just me ?

[Katipan]

Yes. But we also bought a remote control tie fighter so I'm not sure we were in the market for practicality.

[lewdog]

I think they are fucking stupid and if you use one above my neighborhood I will be calling the cops and/or shooting it down.

[Bugeater]

Now if you lived nest door to some hot chicks that have a nice pool outside that they love to lay around in the nude would that be a thought ? Or is it just me ?
I would consider that a practical application.

[Rain Man]

A remote-control plane is what kids had in the 70s.
A drone is what we use to blast goat ****ers in the Middle East.
Which would you want?


But all drones don't have guns. Do all drones have cameras? If not, the only thing that all drones have in common is flying, which basically makes them a remote-control helicopter.

[cosmo20002]

But all drones don't have guns. Do all drones have cameras? If not, the only thing that all drones have in common is flying, which basically makes them a remote-control helicopter.

Yes. But if you are marketing your remote-control flying object, do you call it a plane/helicopter or something that vaporizes terrorists?

[Rain Man]

Yes. But if you are marketing your remote-control flying object, do you call it a plane/helicopter or something that vaporizes terrorists?

Well, it is a good marketing ploy. Not as good as something that takes pictures of nude sunbathing neighbors, but maybe it's not illegal to vaporize terrorists.

[eDave]

Yes. But if you are marketing your remote-control flying object, do you call it a plane/helicopter or something that vaporizes terrorists?

Bingo.

[Buehler445]

The "drone" term came about with all the ag application stuff trying to play off the terrorist vaporizing drones. Became a buzz word. Now a marketing technique.

I didn't know it was a general consumer thing until my 10 year old nephew told me he HAD to have one. I was all like "why in the actual F would you want a crop scouting tool." Then he showed it to me in a toy magazine. "Oh." said I.

[Katipan]

The "drone" term came about with all the ag application stuff trying to play off the terrorist vaporizing drones. Became a buzz word. Now a marketing technique.

I didn't know it was a general consumer thing until my 10 year old nephew told me he HAD to have one. I was all like "why in the actual F would you want a crop scouting tool." Then he showed it to me in a toy magazine. "Oh." said I.

I want a lily.
https://www.lily.camera/

[HonestChieffan]

Interesting uses in agricultural research, some practical applications for grazing, crop conditions, fertility, disease/insect outbreaks. Takes more than hobby drone. IR cameras as well as HD. But for aveage Joe, they are toys.

[mr. tegu]

As someone who fishes out of a kayak and from the bank I could actually see a use for one in those scenarios to help know where to go without taking so much time to get there. Though that does remove the fun that can come from searching. But searching is often determined to be fun based on the result.

[HonestChieffan]

As someone who fishes out of a kayak and from the bank I could actually see a use for one in those scenarios to help know where to go without taking so much time to get there. Though that does remove the fun that can come from searching. But searching is often determined to be fun based on the result.

Whats better than a surface hit fishing from a kayak? I fish from a NuCanoe. Love it. And I used to tourny fish from a gofast boat with all the toys.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Photography and videography are two practical applications that come to mind. Lots of photogs starting to use them. I know a guy that used them for some wedding photography.

In the news biz, promotions and breaking news coverage (it's a lot cheaper than flying the helicopter, even if you're lucky enough to have one).

[007]

I can't think of any practical use for one soooo...no.

sure you can. set it up to follow you on your rides.

[Fish]

I've noticed that they tend to really piss off some people. Plenty of videos out there of folks gunning them down in a mad rage.

[hometeam]

I think they are ****ing stupid and if you use one above my neighborhood I will be calling the cops and/or shooting it down.

Just sayin..

A drone is an aircraft under the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). Shooting down an aircraft is a federal crime. The penalties include twenty years in prison under 18 U.S.C. § 32(a). A threat to shoot down an aircraft can get you five years in prison under 18 U.S.C. § 32(c). The government can also impose fines of up to $250,000. This puts a damper on vigilante efforts.

[hometeam]

Photography and videography are two practical applications that come to mind. Lots of photogs starting to use them. I know a guy that used them for some wedding photography.

In the news biz, promotions and breaking news coverage (it's a lot cheaper than flying the helicopter, even if you're lucky enough to have one).

Businesses use them all the time, surveyors, window companies, roofers, etc, etc, to take pictures and help make bids without having to get people to scale straight glass buildings etc.

[hometeam]

I want a lily.
https://www.lily.camera/

There are several of these throw it and forget it drones out there, give it 5 years and you will see people use them just to walk around in daily life and record what they are doing, kind of like a dash-cam for the narcissist.

[Katipan]

There are several of these throw it and forget it drones out there, give it 5 years and you will see people use them just to walk around in daily life and record what they are doing, kind of like a dash-cam for the narcissist.

They don't need a drone for that. They have instasnaptwitbook.

I want to stick the beacon in my kids pocket when he's batting. Have it chase us down a river or over a cliff. See how skinny I can look from 50 feet up. The fact that I'll get to use it for work too is only a bonus.

[Simply Red]

I want a lily.
https://www.lily.camera/

high hun

[mikeyis4dcats.]

there are plenty of useful applications for them, however I do think they should be more tighly controlled and regulated. There have always been hobbyists flying RC planes and whatnot, but for the most part I think those hobbyists have better respect for safety and aviation that the people buying these toys. Combined with the fact that these cheap toys now have ranges and capabilities much higher than the $50 RC helicopters of 5 years ago and now we have an issue.

[Mr. Laz]

I don't understand why they're "drones" now. These things have been around forever. Is it just because you can put cameras on them now?
I thought to really be considered a drone they had to be controlled by satellite signal instead of radio. Military uses official satellite, home users use a cell phone setup. They use cellphones signal/camera to fly so the range is only limited by battery life.

[Radar Chief]

As someone who fishes out of a kayak and from the bank I could actually see a use for one in those scenarios to help know where to go without taking so much time to get there. Though that does remove the fun that can come from searching. But searching is often determined to be fun based on the result.

:thumb:
As a Jeeper it sure would be nice to scout what is up the trail beyond the next obstacle without walking it.

[temper11]

I've been considering one to film my kids skiing behind the boat. I have lots of film of them skiing/wakeboarding but the quality is crap because the boat isn't smooth and so the video isn't smooth. If I can fly the drone from the boat and film them the quality of my video should be much improved.

That is until I crash it into the lake and my drone sinks to the bottom. :)

[temper11]

There are several of these throw it and forget it drones out there, give it 5 years and you will see people use them just to walk around in daily life and record what they are doing, kind of like a dash-cam for the narcissist.

Want one.

[vailpass]

My boys have had AR Drones for a couple years now. Things are a lot of fun...

[Fish]

As usual, the Asians are one step ahead of us......

<iframe width="640" height="420" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-vknRo7aLhc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[lewdog]

Just sayin..

A drone is an aircraft under the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). Shooting down an aircraft is a federal crime. The penalties include twenty years in prison under 18 U.S.C. § 32(a). A threat to shoot down an aircraft can get you five years in prison under 18 U.S.C. § 32(c). The government can also impose fines of up to $250,000. This puts a damper on vigilante efforts.

Well shit.

What if my neighbor has one and is flying it over my pool to see my jimmy? What rights do I have then?

[Fire Me Boy!]

Well shit.

What if my neighbor has one and is flying it over my pool to see my jimmy? What rights do I have then?

Not allowed to fly over private property without owner's permission. Judicial precedent so far says you have the right to shoot it down.

[lewdog]

Not allowed to fly over private property without owner's permission. Judicial precedent so far says you have the right to shoot it down.

Have a guy I know who posted a picture from above his house on Facebook. In a neighborhood here where you could see all the houses from above. I thought how dumb it was and how as a neighbor I'd tell him to fuck off doing that shit.

[InChiefsHeaven]

My son lives in Hawaii, he wants one for scenery pics and mountain hikes. That said, he'll crash the damn thing within a day. Guaranteed.

[rtmike]

They just passed legislation to where drone owners need to register & get licenses. I think it's great. It'll help control the riff raff.

I have a dji Phantom 3 Professional. It takes 16 mp still pix & 4k video, will travel up to a mile (without mods anyways), will fly for up to 25 minutes. The quad's computer knows how much battery power is needed to return to it's HOME so you're never too far out with not enough juice. Also, just hit the HOME button & no matter where you are or what you're doing, it will travel back to the transmitter (radio), as long as you set it up for current position.
I had a guy tell me he had his up several thousand feet. This new legislation will hopefully stop some guys from doing this.
I just got mine so I don't have any cool video.

Reason I bought mine is I like to take pix. There's a lot of places I want to photograph that aren't particularly wheelchair friendly.
From my days of working as a crane oiler I got to know a lot of these construction trades people. I hope to shoot short videos of their employees working for like their websites, etc.

Like anything, there's good & bad.

[Iowanian]

I have a couple of small ones and likely will have some additional ability soon.


There are many, many significant and relevant uses of UAV systems.