Oops, I bought a drone

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I have had a drone for years but it required a Go Pro camera and videos and photos had to be taken by guesswork from a point on the ground. I haven't used it for a long time because it's just too unwieldy; the transmitter is as big as the drone. I happened to be sitting here with 59p in credit on my credit card and succumbed and bought a DJI Mini 2. It seems that the law has moved on and to legally fly my existing drone I would have to pay £9 and do an exam! I mean, I used to fly model helicopters that would almost take your head off if they hit you (and it often nearly did) and now I'm some sort of idiot who has to take a test. Same thing happened when I started riding, as a learner, a 250cc motorbike in the seventies (didn't take my test then, big mistake) and then didn't go near a bike until the nineties and found I couldn't ride over 125cc and had to take a test just to go on the road. Anything that gets popular suddenly attracts the attention of the government.

Anyway, I hope to use the drone to get photographs that would otherwise be impossible and since the drone is very small I can pack my X100V for general photography and use the drone in lieu of a massive telephoto lens on an SLR -- a big bonus when packing a motorbike for a biking holiday. That's the plan anyway although I realise the drone can't give me the same quality.

We'll see how it goes.
 
killy said:
If it has the follow function it would be interesting if it could follow you on your motorbike.
Click to expand...

I don't believe this drone has that feature, one of the few things it doesn't have, which is probably just as well, riding motorbike at my age needs enough of my attention without wondering where a drone was. too. :whistle:
 
You will love it. I had previously had the original Mavic pro. Sold that through lack of use and then last year I got a Mini 1. Sold that over winter and got a Mini 2. Absolutely love it.
 
No, the Mini 2 doesn’t have the follow feature as it has no obstacle avoidance sensors. Great little drone though, and really love mine. You don’t have to take the exam by the way; for the Mini 2 you just pay the £9 to get an operator ID. The Flyer ID exam is worth doing and it’s free. Have fun with it. I wish I could get out more with mine but the weather has been shocking!
 
You have to pay the £9 regardless now to get the Operator ID.
You will need to take a small online test for the flyer ID. It's mostly common sense though.

In a couple of years the flyer ID exam will vary depending on the type of and where you plan to fly the drone.

Some good info here
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9EP-Q8uTu8
 
I can’t wait to see some of your images Martin, get posting ;)
 
Snap - got a Mini 2 for my 40th on Sunday :D

So far it's been in the garden, and gone up, down, left and right. Then rain stopped play, which seems to be set in for the rest of the week.

39/40 on my Flyer ID test. The fact they tell/encourage you to have the answers open in a new tab gives a you a good idea of the level of difficulty involved (I tried to do it without any research, only checked when it referenced specific classes/weights of drones - hence getting something wrong!)
 
I don’t need a drone to take the test though do I?
 
Is it worth considering whether to have a thread in the ‘Sharing and Critique’ section for aerial/drone photography.

I love to see those images (y)
 
Nikon_Nick said:
No, the Mini 2 doesn’t have the follow feature as it has no obstacle avoidance sensors. Great little drone though, and really love mine. You don’t have to take the exam by the way; for the Mini 2 you just pay the £9 to get an operator ID. The Flyer ID exam is worth doing and it’s free. Have fun with it. I wish I could get out more with mine but the weather has been shocking!
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The Mini 2 doesn't need an Operator ID as it is under 250g even though it has a camera but you do need to get a Flyer ID which doesn't cost anything although you still have to do the test.
 
well I am going to acquire both regardless (y)
 
Norkie said:
well I am going to acquire both regardless (y)
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Thats best. The Flyer ID test is largely just common sense to be honest, but it does help to gain some knowledge of the 'Drone Code'.

On the face of it, the whole thing does appear to be a little backward to be honest. The fact that you dont NEED a flyer ID to fly one seems strange, but there you go :)
 
Nikon_Nick said:
On the face of it, the whole thing does appear to be a little backward to be honest. The fact that you dont NEED a flyer ID to fly one seems strange, but there you go
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It's just for the next two years which is a transition period where the flyer ID is still based on weight. After the two years everybody will require a flyer ID. One of three categories will be available depending on where you intent to fly the drone.
 
Well, that's disappointing. Just forked out my nine pounds and seemingly I get nothing for it apart from a few lines in my registration details. When I took the test and got my Flyer ID I could at least print out a credit card-sized proof, for the Operator ID I get nothing apart from a digital receipt.
 
ecoleman said:
You have to pay the £9 regardless now to get the Operator ID.
You will need to take a small online test for the flyer ID. It's mostly common sense though.

In a couple of years the flyer ID exam will vary depending on the type of and where you plan to fly the drone.

Some good info here
Click to expand...

Now that IS interesting. I sahll also subscribe to this blokes channel on YouTube as a lot of his other stuff looks interesting too.


Norkie said:
I can’t wait to see some of your images Martin, get posting ;)
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When it arrives, I'll see what I can do (y)
 
Think getting nothing for your flyer Id is bad. I did the A2COFC and expected a nice card or certificate or something and got b****r all. The screen just said well done 100% score you passed and that was it.
You'd think for £250 they could at least give you a bit of paper in the post.
 
TCR4x4 said:
Think getting nothing for your flyer Id is bad. I did the A2COFC and expected a nice card or certificate or something and got b****r all. The screen just said well done 100% score you passed and that was it.
You'd think for £250 they could at least give you a bit of paper in the post.
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You didn't even get anything formal for your PFCO either tbh, just a CAA approval number.
 
TCR4x4 said:
Think getting nothing for your flyer Id is bad. I did the A2COFC and expected a nice card or certificate or something and got b****r all. The screen just said well done 100% score you passed and that was it.
You'd think for £250 they could at least give you a bit of paper in the post.
Click to expand...

And the course is now £99! I ordered a card with the details on from here:

www.droneusermagazine.com

A2 CofC personalised ID card set | Grandad's Shed

If your have taken and passed your new CAA A2 CofC course, you will be given a certificateWe have produced an ID card showing all your details to save you having to produce your paper certificate. Our cards now reflect the new change in transitional period Our ID cards are the highest quality...
www.droneusermagazine.com www.droneusermagazine.com

Whilst it's not official, it keeps all the info easily obtainable show if needed.
 
T_J_G said:
And the course is now £99! I ordered a card with the details on from here:

www.droneusermagazine.com

A2 CofC personalised ID card set | Grandad's Shed

If your have taken and passed your new CAA A2 CofC course, you will be given a certificateWe have produced an ID card showing all your details to save you having to produce your paper certificate. Our cards now reflect the new change in transitional period Our ID cards are the highest quality...
www.droneusermagazine.com www.droneusermagazine.com

Whilst it's not official, it keeps all the info easily obtainable show if needed.
Click to expand...

While not quite so fancy, I have printed off my Flyer ID card, written the OPerator ID on the back and laminated it. It'll do if I'm away on a UK holiday and some jobsworth asks to see it.
 
I haven't flown my new toy yet as the weather has been rubbish today but I have managed to look at some of the features on the app and one of them was very interesting: the bit that tells you where there are flying restrictions. According to the app, most of the mid to west of Cornwall is temporarily on a no-fly restriction, fortunately I am just outside the area. I expect that has been caused by the coming G7 summit in St Ives/Carbis Bay. It's one hell of an area they have shut off although quite how much damage someone with a DJI Mini 2 could do to the most extensive security network ever to come to Cornwall I can't imagine.
 
Flew it today. Nothing of note to upload at the mo as was just experimenting but what a cracking camera on it.
 
Cum’on, get posting Martin :D

I can’t wait!
 
Excellent (y)

You live in a very beautiful part of the world there Tim :)
 
Last edited:
Took mine out for its first proper flight at lunch today - just to actually get used to flying it. Didn't crash, went more-or-less where I wanted it to.

@ShinySideUp - there's a couple of weird UI quirks that some YouTubers have mentioned - e.g. quickshots default to 1080p even if your standard videos are 4k. You can change it, but not in a normal way. Same for JPEG+RAW resetting too...

Still waiting for the rain and mega-gusts of wind to go away!
 
Norkie said:
Excellent (y)

You live in a very beautiful part of the world there Tim :)
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It's the reason we moved here from west London 10 years ago, always surprised that the same part of the moor can look so different from day to day.
 
With the Mavic 2 Pro it's usually worth doing exposure bracketing even if you don't use them because you often have very big contrasts between dark(er) land and sky.
It's not as if you usually take dozens of photos per flight.
 
TCR4x4 said:
Think getting nothing for your flyer Id is bad. I did the A2COFC and expected a nice card or certificate or something and got b****r all. The screen just said well done 100% score you passed and that was it.
You'd think for £250 they could at least give you a bit of paper in the post.
Click to expand...
That's odd, I got a certificate when I did mine, luckily it was only £49 too.
 
rick448 said:
That's odd, I got a certificate when I did mine, luckily it was only £49 too.
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I did it as soon as it was announced.. prices dropped like crazy after a while. I should have waited.
 
TCR4x4 said:
I did it as soon as it was announced.. prices dropped like crazy after a while. I should have waited.
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Yeah I saw that when I booked mine, I would have happily paid a bit more, but £250 seems excessive. I assume you did yours on in person too? Mine was all online, which also saved time and money on travelling. I can't decide whether to do the GVC or not, I'll hang fore for a bit I think.
 
rick448 said:
Yeah I saw that when I booked mine, I would have happily paid a bit more, but £250 seems excessive. I assume you did yours on in person too? Mine was all online, which also saved time and money on travelling. I can't decide whether to do the GVC or not, I'll hang fore for a bit I think.
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Nope, all online. I guess I helped pay for the setup of the course!
 
Durbs said:
Took mine out for its first proper flight at lunch today - just to actually get used to flying it. Didn't crash, went more-or-less where I wanted it to.

@ShinySideUp - there's a couple of weird UI quirks that some YouTubers have mentioned - e.g. quickshots default to 1080p even if your standard videos are 4k. You can change it, but not in a normal way. Same for JPEG+RAW resetting too...

Still waiting for the rain and mega-gusts of wind to go away!
Click to expand...

Yes, I saw a YouTube vid that told me about the 1080/4k anomaly, have changed it already but thanks anyway. So much to learn but I'm fortunate that I'm already a relatively experienced flyer having had a drone in the past. Before that I 'flew' helicopters. Not a good experience sometimes because unlike modern drones where if you get into trouble you just let go and the drone sorts itself out, if you start a helicopter going sideways, it will keep going sideways, faster and faster, until you make it stop. Over-compensate and it starts to go faster the other way and if this is combined with a slight movement on the sticks that makes it also go forward or backward, you have to stop that too. If the helicopter is also facing you then everything you do has to be done in reverse -- and quickly, oh so quickly!

I became less of an experienced helicopter pilot and more a helicopter repair man -- can't count how many mainshafts and rotors I replaced!!
 
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