Drones

Chucker · Veteran Member

Drones

madaboutled · Guru

The technology of drones (quad choppers just to clarify) have changed so much, to the point they are being now used in many commercial/community applications that less than 3 or so years ago those applications were nothing but a dream. Enevitabilly some moron will use these "toys" for an evil purpose, but it does take some skill to fly one, so we can only hope that the morons are too tied up in their self importance and don't devote the time to develop the skill.

For me I took 2 model planes with me on our last 12 month trip for something to keep me amused. They took up a lot of space and I didn't get in as much flying as I thought I would. So next trip I thinking of buying a Quad Chopper & taking it with us cause it's a lot smaller and doesn't need as much space to fly one. I can only hope my pursuit of enjoyment won't give the undesirible "moron's" any ideas.

NeilandRaine · Guru

Drones are being used in the middle east to spy and drop bombs

ballast2 · Guru

G'day Chucker. I'm sorry but you are a little behind the times. Drones have been used for years for surveillance and have been used extensively for some time to take out specific targets including humans. Not a nice practice but true.

Pete49 · Senior Member

One of the things that stops the recreational drones from being abused to a point is the battery life and distance usually around the 10 minute mark and 200 metres. The one I have is only god for 20 minutes and about 1 km all up but returns when battery is low ..a saving grace. I use it to check out fishing spots and campsites mostly.

Pete

Young Simmo · Guru

If I owned a drone and lived near a Nudist Camp, I promise I will be a good little boy,,,,,,,,,honest.
Simmo.

jade46 · Senior Member

They don't need any skill to fly now .This one will follow a device in your pocket / watch and perform predetermined manouvers without any control from you

www.youtube.com/embed/4vGcH0Bk3hg

-- Edited by jade46 on Monday 14th of December 2015 02:45:06 PM

03_Troopy · Guru

jonathan · Veteran Member

.. My interest in drones dissipated when I learnt of the short flight times due to available battery power.

Technology certainly has increased that duration now and in some of the commercial applications 40 mins is the norm. Defence applications can do for around 3 hrs ..

Nah .. I'll stick to my motorised glider .. only have to replace them every 2-3 years due to fair wear .. full system costs around $360.00 (ready-to-fly) and I've flown up to 75 mins on the standard battery and at distances of 400 metres. Gliding itself draws little consumption ..

Nelly · Guru

My real concern is what about everyone's privacy eg in their backyards etc. Another point was that what Chucker mentioned was the drone was flying over a beach - was it only taking photos of the scenery or of the people on the beach!! Apparently people are not allowed to take photos of their children at swimming carnivals anymore!!

Desert Dweller · Guru

Nelly wrote:
My real concern is what about everyone's privacy eg in their backyards etc. Another point was that what Chucker mentioned was the drone was flying over a beach - was it only taking photos of the scenery or of the people on the beach!! Apparently people are not allowed to take photos of their children at swimming carnivals anymore!!

Which reminds me of when our Postman told us that a 17 year old girl was laying naked beside a backyard swimming pool a few doors away from our house. The letter box is on the front fence how did he manage to see into the backyard behind high gates?

Recoup · Guru

Privacy disappeared when we all bought a computer and went on the net. Flying a Quad , or going for a joyride in a shopper taking photos, what's the difference, I would not waist my money on that. But like allways , there are idiots who will ruining the hobby for some. There are rules when you fly a Quadcopter , not higher then 400 feet , not closer then 30 metres from people, or buildings, 5.5 k from an airport. I would worry more about the one who runs around with a Nikon P900 camera, then the one with a Quad. Cheers

Wizardofoz · Guru

One has just been sighted over Goulburn gaols high security section, apparently a guard shone a torch up into the night sky and there it was hovering above, when spotted the Drone quickly high tailed it and disappeared.

so they are being used for devious purposes already.

Wombat 280 · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote:
Nelly wrote:
My real concern is what about everyone's privacy eg in their backyards etc. Another point was that what Chucker mentioned was the drone was flying over a beach - was it only taking photos of the scenery or of the people on the beach!! Apparently people are not allowed to take photos of their children at swimming carnivals anymore!!
Which reminds me of when our Postman told us that a 17 year old girl was laying naked beside a backyard swimming pool a few doors away from our house. The letter box is on the front fence how did he manage to see into the backyard behind high gates?

He used the bike to stand on to get the height needed to get an eye full

Wombat 280 · Guru

I'm surprised they got into the hands of civilians they had a military purpose which was a fair thing but uncontrolled use is a little risky.. The Yanks now require them to be registered so it won't be long before that applies here , but just like gun laws there are more guns out there now than when little Johnny introduced gun control and there the registered ones

03_Troopy · Guru

Wombat 280 wrote:
I'm surprised they got into the hands of civilians they had a military purpose which was a fair thing but uncontrolled use is a little risky.. The Yanks now require them to be registered so it won't be long before that applies here , but just like gun laws there are more guns out there now than when little Johnny introduced gun control and there the registered ones

They were just a natural progression of the model aeroplane hobby. Model single rotor copters have been around for quite a while, but being very difficult to fly, people just came up with more controllable models. A mate of mine destroyed a brand new single rotor copter, that he paid hundreds for back in the 80's, on it's maiden flight.

diggerop · Senior Member

Drones!? That word covers such a wide variety of remotely controlled aerial vehicles from weapon carrying winged aircraft controlled from 1000's of miles away to tiny little ones with 3 or more rotors, that the slightest breeze will blow away and you wouldn't be able to see 50 meters away to safely control anyway. Pretty much any sort of radio controlled aircraft can be called a drone and hobby type RC model aircraft and helicopters have been available over the counter for many (30-40) years now. So it sort of depends what sort of drone you are talking about as to how some people will take what you mean when the word drone is mentioned.

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dorian · Guru

We can expect to see a lot more of these ...

Toddler's eyeball sliced in half by drone propeller:
www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-34936739

Triathlete injured as drone filming race falls to ground:
www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-07/triathlete-injured-as-drone-filming-race-drops-to-ground/5371658

The Doo crew · Senior Member

They call them target practice in the NT, some have quite a long range from their operator.
Plenty of 12 gauge shotguns up this way & magpie goose season is pretty short, don't know how a "drone" would go in the soup pot.

dorian · Guru

Another one ...

www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-23/alpine-skier-marcel-hirscher-nearly-hit-by-falling-camera-drone/7050084