The General Drone-Related Thread

jonoooo125 said:
I think I read about the karma at the time, and GoPro was bloated, riding high with no real competition and it showed I think after the hero 7? When they finally added digital stabilisation to match was it the osmo? it’s a shame they didn’t get it safe enough to continue development, like you say the modular aspect was good, like having a flying ronin you could use when not flying.

I was going to say “I would’ve thought insta360 had a drone” but they do, I’ve just googled it and now I’ll have a look at that as well. It’s surprising the main camera companies never tried the drone market though, Ricoh started the 360 camera trend and seems like they gave up after a couple of tries. A canon drone would be expensive but at least the Sony drones would have a new update every 3 months it seems.
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I wouldn't say GoPro were bloated at the time as they were mainly focused on their action cameras. The Osmo was the other way round, GoPro released Hypersmooth digital stabilisation with the GoPro Hero 7 in 2018 and DJI released the Osmo Action with their own Rocksteady digital stabilisation in 2019. It's only more recently that the Osmo Action has emerged from being mostly a GoPro clone to GoPro copying the Osmo features (magnetic mount, front facing LCD screen)

The problem with releasing a drone product is that it has to be extremely good in every way because any problems with the software, communication, obstacle avoidance etc. can be fatal to the drone. You could accept a camera or similar if it generally worked well but had some battery problems (many earlier mirrorless cameras come to mind) but you can't really have the same with a drone.

I was forgetting about the Antigravity drone and not really heard much about it yet although the fact DJI have an Avata 360 supposedly on the way must be a concern for Insta.

Thankfully for us consumers DJI have continued to innovate their products whereas Tesla have really squandered their early market advantage, possibly fatally so given their claims they are no longer a car company.
 
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JohnMcL7 said:
I wouldn't say GoPro were bloated at the time as they were mainly focused on their action cameras. The Osmo was the other way round, GoPro released Hypersmooth digital stabilisation with the GoPro Hero 7 in 2018 and DJI released the Osmo Action with their own Rocksteady digital stabilisation in 2019. It's only more recently that the Osmo Action has emerged from being mostly a GoPro clone to GoPro copying the Osmo features (magnetic mount, front facing LCD screen)

The problem with releasing a drone product is that it has to be extremely good in every way because any problems with the software, communication, obstacle avoidance etc. can be fatal to the drone. You could accept a camera or similar if it generally worked well but had some battery problems (many earlier mirrorless cameras come to mind) but you can't really have the same with a drone.

I was forgetting about the Antigravity drone and not really heard much about it yet although the fact DJI have an Avata 360 supposedly on the way must be a concern for Insta.

Thankfully for us consumers DJI have continued to innovate their products whereas Tesla have really squandered their early market advantage, possibly fatally so given their claims they are no longer a car company.
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I couldn’t remember which way around DJI vs go pro was, the last GoPro I got was the hero 5 black and never used it, it’s still in a GoPro bag upstairs with a bunch of unused mounts but my comment was based on them letting go of a large percent of the staff they had, which I would guess means leading to copying DJI rather than innovating new ideas.

The antigravity looks so complicated to fly properly, Peter McKinnon said it was easy but it certainly didn’t look it, you’d think DJI would be set up to fly it a little easier. The googles on the insta360 means now you would need a spotter the entire time you fly it in the uk?

And Tesla was the only disrupter I could think of haha, I don’t fancy buying one but each to their own. Maybe Tim Apple or mr Dyson would get involved, Apple would make a pretty expensive drone that did the bare minimum. I used chat gpt to mock up an Apple idrone and the dyson air plane
 

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Yes you need a spotter to fly a drone with goggles but I get the impression many people don't bother following the rules. I have an Avata and it's a fun little drone to fly but it is a pain needing a spotter plus it's insanely loud so it's one I regret buying. I don't think GoPro letting go of staff was because they were bloated but because they were in serious financial trouble (and have been for some time) and their products have suffered as a result.

With regards to the rules, I'm trying to work out what the new A2 rules are which the CAA site doesn't seem to list clearly. Originally A3 was 150m away from people, buildings and commercial areas while A2 reduced that to 50m for each, the new A3 rules seem to also reduce the distance down to 50m for people and buildings but keeps the 150m for commercial buildings. I've seen the reference to 30m for A2 near people and less for slow speed control but I'm thinking with the A3 reductions that would be a good improvement for my use without needing to bother with A2.
 
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JohnMcL7 said:
Yes you need a spotter to fly a drone with goggles but I get the impression many people don't bother following the rules. I have an Avata and it's a fun little drone to fly but it is a pain needing a spotter plus it's insanely loud so it's one I regret buying. I don't think GoPro letting go of staff was because they were bloated but because they were in serious financial trouble (and have been for some time) and their products have suffered as a result.

With regards to the rules, I'm trying to work out what the new A2 rules are which the CAA site doesn't seem to list clearly. Originally A3 was 150m away from people, buildings and commercial areas while A2 reduced that to 50m for each, the new A3 rules seem to also reduce the distance down to 50m for people and buildings but keeps the 150m for commercial buildings. I've seen the reference to 30m for A2 near people and less for slow speed control but I'm thinking with the A3 reductions that would be a good improvement for my use without needing to bother with A2.
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A2 applies when you get A2Cfoc. £50-100. Not a big deal if you can afford a UK2 drone (mavic 4 or matrice 400)
C2 / UK2 label gets you down to 30m, and low speed mode - the rest of the way. It should be fine for some architectural stills or roof inspection - you won't be flying a kilometer away and you don't need the speed. 50m applies to older >900g drones
 
The Mavic 2 Pro isn't C marked so there's no benefit unless I want to fly closer to commercial property,
 
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As you may be aware c1 drones can now fly in a1 at least until end of 2027

You can do so with mavic 3 classic or air3s
Mavic 3 pro is c2 so you need a2cfoc and you still have more restrictions. Same for mavic 4

Mavic 3 original is a special case. It was eligible for c1 classification, but unless it was claimed the scheme is now CLOSED. Most in uk will be stuck as legacy drone. In eu this may be the opposite. Unless you get a total proof of c1 registration - avoid early mavic 3 and instead go for classic
 
I've bought a Neo 2 which is obviously very small but I believe still needs the operator ID attached since it has a camera however there's very little space to attach it. Are there any companies that sell stickers that meet the requirements customised to fit the drone? I've found some Etsy sellers with them but many of them look either too large to fit or the text is too small to meet the requirements.
 
JohnMcL7 said:
I've bought a Neo 2 which is obviously very small but I believe still needs the operator ID attached since it has a camera however there's very little space to attach it. Are there any companies that sell stickers that meet the requirements customised to fit the drone? I've found some Etsy sellers with them but many of them look either too large to fit or the text is too small to meet the requirements.
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Quite legal to put the operator ID inside the battery compartment. Which is what I did on my neo. Just has to be on the drone and accesable without the need need of any tools.
 
There's no space in the battery compartment because that's where DJI have put all the regulatory information/serial number etc. There's a small space behind the main camera on the top but I'm not sure it can fit an operator ID with the required font height. Other Neo owners seem to be putting labels on the batteries which I don't think is technically legal (?) but it may be the only workable solution.
 
Filmed entirely on the Mini 5 Pro (sometimes with no GPS) - this church was established in the early 16th century as a chapel of ease of St Wilfrid, Ribchester to serve the residents of Dilworth and Alston. In the 16th and 17th centuries there were periods when the church had no minister possibly due to lack of money. In 1735 land was bought in Preston and Goosnargh to provide the funds to support the chapel and its minister and in 1868 it was made into a parish church.

There has been rebuilding and additions throughout its life with the main ones being in 1716, 1784, 1822, 1841 and a major rebuild in 1900. Although the tower dates from 1841 the clock is from the 1830s and came from a Welsh church via Alston College. The south porch is now blocked up and serves as a chapel, in 1926 a north porch was built at the west end of the nave.

The glass of the north and south sides of the church dates from 1938-40, and is by Powell. The west window is a memorial, by Shrigley & Hunt of Lancaster, to the fallen of the First World War. It records the Allies, and shows Christ flanked by St George and St Michael, with armour-clad soldiers below. It is of their usual high quality. In 1976, Brian Clarke designed ten pairs of stained glass windows that depict local scenes such as the River Ribble, Pendle Hill, Longridge Fell and Fairsnape Fell, and the local reservoirs and quarries, designed in a semi-abstract way.

The tower of St Lawrence holds a 1979 electrically-operated chime of bells alongside one that is probably C14. The lettering on the side of the bell reads ‘Jesu Nazarenus Crwcifexw’.



View: https://youtu.be/fHTWRqRACyY?si=3XPM5Dx4umKvLkXz
 
St Michael & All Angels Church is located to the southwest of the English village of Cockerham, Lancashire. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Lancaster, the archdeaconry of Lancaster and Morecambe, and the diocese of Blackburn.

The first record of a church at Cockerham is from 1134, and although the present church was built later, it still stands on the same site. In 1153, William of Lancaster gave the church and the manor of Cockerham to Leicester Abbey. At first the abbey sent none of its canons to administer the site, but set up a chaplain to run the church.After a rival monastery set up at nearby Cockersand, in 1207 the Abbot of Leicester sent three of his canons to live at Cockerham to make sure their abbey’s rights were not being encroached upon. A chaplain named Reginald, who had been previously appointed by the abbey, was to remain in post at the church for the rest of his life, but after he died a fourth canon would replace him.

The tower that we see today was built in 1586 and must have been a prominent landmark out at sea. Local tradition holds that the bells from the abolished Cockersand Abbey were installed in the tower. This may well be so – the ones there today bear a later date, but may well be the original ones that have been recast.

You Tube Video link (cos sometimes the embedded links don't link!)
View: https://youtu.be/Q7G-4tp816k?si=goriiTpauaPzwtn6



Paul.
 
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The beautiful village of Slaidburn nestles in the rolling green landscape of the Hodder Valley within the Forest of Bowland, and boasts a stunning medieval church and rich history to explore — all in nature's lap.

The confluence of the River Hodder and Croasdale Brook gathers by the bridge on the edge of the village (the brook has a delightful weir close by) and the car park is often the staring point for walkers exploring the Upper Hodder valley.

Since the late 1800s, the King-Wilkinson family have owned much of the property in Slaidburn, and have had a huge influence over village life.

The memorial is a life size bronze statue of a serviceman which is erected upon a octagonal sandstone column within a small paved area. There are five metal plaques attached to the column. The sculpture was the work of Louis Frederick Roslyn ( 1878-1934).The War Memorial for Slaidburn (Lancs) is located at the junction of Chapel Street and The Skaithe in Slaidburn.

Mention to Chris and the 4 delightful ladies I spoke to during my visit, it was lovely to meet you and chat.



View: https://youtu.be/r6y4H0TJ1pA
 
A Mermaid in the stunning scenic valley of the Trough of Bowland.

A relaxing flight in the beautiful Trough of Bowland in Lanashire - a stunning, scenic valley and high mountain pass located in the heart of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Lancashire, England. Reaching at its summit, it is a premier destination for walkers, cyclists, and tourists seeking remote, dramatic landscapes.

"Miranda" is a life-size statue of a water nymph (mermaid) located at the Langden Brook water intake in the Trough of Bowland, Lancashire. The concrete sculpture features a twin-tailed mermaid sculpted by United Utilities engineer George Aldersley in the 1950s (who was employed at the works) and modeled after his wife, Madge. She sits on a wall near the settling pool. The artwork was inspired by the 1948 British film Miranda.

Unlike traditional mermaids, you can see that Miranda does not have the typical large, singular fish tail. She is a twin-tailed mermaid, with her legs tucked under and ending in flat, fin-like structures.

The house was once the administrative building for the Langden Intake. It is one of the collection of intakes and water treatment works in the area that collects virtually pure waters from the valleys here and helps supply water to the Preston and Blackburn areas.

Surprisingly, there is liitle more known about the sculpture, but she is worth a visit. Look out in the video for Miranda, and the accompanying cormorant with her spread-eagled wings on a second baffle wall, who gave a little head-dance for me!

View: https://youtu.be/afVGadzOD64?si=x4_aN_uwXg1i0M_f


Paul.
 
Excellent work Paul and a lovely location ;)
 
Got to say Paul, that you are keeping this thread going single handed (y) my mini 5 pro has not been flown yet, the weather here on Dartmoor has been awful these past weeks/months. We may have some better weather this week though, fingers crossed.
 
TVRTim said:
Got to say Paul, that you are keeping this thread going single handed (y) my mini 5 pro has not been flown yet, the weather here on Dartmoor has been awful these past weeks/months. We may have some better weather this week though, fingers crossed.
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Thank you Tim - the weather has a lot to answer for!

4 flights I have done in the last 2 weeks, and nowt else.

Hopefully this weather might pick up for us all sooner rather than later.

Paul.
 
I have now got mavic 3 classic, but it seems my interest was strictly capped to its acquisition. Basically it goes up if client asks. Already thinking about mavic 4 except maybe i dont actually need it
 
I'm heading to the US in three weeks for a trip to the MotoGP and spending a few days after as well so weighing up whether to take my Mavic 2 Pro drone. I was surprised to find a recent update enables RemoteID so legally it can go to the US but with other equipment I'm taking I think I'll be tight for space. I'm toying with picking up a Mini 5 Pro since it has a similar 1in sensor and a good bit smaller and lighter although the similar size controller means the overall saving isn't as large. It has the added bonus I could use the controller with the Neo 2 as well which might be handy. At the same time though I'm not sure how much use it would actually get otherwise since from what I've seen, it's nowhere near as capable in the wind compared to the Mavic 2 Pro which is a frequent challenge around here.

Another part of me thinks it might be worth going for a Mavic 4 to get the best package since it has the 4/3 sensor, longer battery and USB-C charging plus would be a drone I'd definitely use longterm.

I'm curious what others do here when travelling especially since I'm sure many of you will also be taking dedicated camera equipment.
 
US requires a different level of certification to fly and mini 5 can fit in under the threshold.

Mavic 4 isnt even certified by fcc so who knows if you are even allowed to fly one. Crazy i know
 
DJI avata 360 looks pretty cool, looks much simpler to fly than the antigravity one, haven’t seen the price yet though
 
Barrow Bridge was built in the 1830s as a model industrial village to house the workers of Dean Mills, owned by Robert Gardner and Thomas Bazley. It is historically important as an early example of the pioneering developments of enlightened industrialists attempting to improve conditions for their workers.

Their innovation led to the construction of 13 cottages for their workers. By 1830, the industrialists had acquired the site, demolishing the old mill and replacing it with the impressive Dean Mills—twin six-storey steam-powered structures located at the village entrance.

Managers’ houses were constructed nearby, overlooking the brook, adding to the village’s structured layout. Despite the mill’s closure in 1877 and eventual demolition in 1913, many of these historical buildings still stand today, offering a fascinating window into the past.

The Barrow Bridge Chimney, built in the 1860s as part of the Halliwell Bleach Works, is a landmark that’s hard to miss. Bolton’s Fred Dibnah climbed the chimney in his youth, and later helped secure its Grade-II listing by Historic England.


View: https://youtu.be/ZaCUv-ccSDE?si=tnKZvKEd-h9JaBQM


Paul.
 

Barrow Bridge Chimney Fred Dibnah climbed this for a 10 shilling bet!!!​


As a teenager, legendary steeplejack Fred Dibnah climbed the 262-foot (80m) Barrow Bridge chimney in Bolton for a 10-shilling (or ten bob) bet. During the night, he reportedly secured two Union flags to the lightning conductors at the top, a daring act that helped establish his reputation!

Dibnah placed two Union Jacks at the top of the chimney, which was famously misattributed to Manchester University students, rather than a local teenager. Sources differ slightly, placing the climb at age 15 or 17. It was a dare during his youth.

Despite this youthful climb, Fred later worked on the chimney as a professional steeplejack, conducting significant repairs on it in 1996Built in 1863, Barrow Bridge chimney was part of the old Halliwell Bleach works and is now a local landmark and listed building.

At around 80 metres tall the chimney at Barrow Bridge is visible for miles around and is appealing due to it’s now-rural setting, unlike other preserved remains of the industrial age.

Visitors to nearby Moss Bank Park are treated to a good view and this is an ideal place from which to observe Peregrines when they are at home on the ledge near the top of the tower.


View: https://youtu.be/WzmMAa3fK0E?si=92nQbYTMkzsFVU0K


Paul.
 
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