Drones

[B-Guy]

Who’s flying drones and what are you using them for?

For me I fly mine for pleasure, taking high quality aerial images that I couldn’t obtain from terrestrial locations and to evaluate and aid in our farm production.

I fly a Mavic 2 Pro with the Hasselblad Camera. Great camera and solid drone!

 

[Walt34]

I've been flying R/C models off & on, mostly on, for almost 40 years now. No quads though, they're just too easy. For video I just use a Runcam or two:

 

[audreyh1]

We bought a drone this year, and the only thing we used it for was to inspect the house gutters and roof. We got a good look.

 

[ERD50]

We bought a drone this year, and the only thing we used it for was to inspect the house gutters and roof. We got a good look.

I've been meaning to research a cheap drone with camera just for stuff like that. So many options out there, hard to narrow down.


-ERD50

 

[audreyh1]

I can’t claim that what we bought was cheap. Skydio 2+

DH wanted one from an American company and you can’t crash it.

One of these days we might try more artistic stuff but we already have too many hobbies!

 

[B-Guy]

I didn't know a person could have too many hobbies!

 

[B-Guy]

I've been meaning to research a cheap drone with camera just for stuff like that. So many options out there, hard to narrow down.


-ERD50

You are correct, there are a lot of options. With that said, it really depends on what you want to use it for. You can get a decent drone for looking from viewpoints that you couldn’t or shouldn’t for a $100.00 on up to commercial rigs. I would classify mine as a prosumer grade drone. Is it perfect, no, but it does almost everything I’m looking for in a drone.

The two things that seem to really drives up the cost is what camera it’s using and safety features. I’d take a hard look at what you really are looking to use a drone for and go from there. I would venture to guess that most people would be happy with a $200 - $500 drone unless you’re going to use it commercially or are passionate about photography.

I was a commercial photographer for a time and having a quality camera was one of the key decisions when I decided to purchase one. A drone was the perfect tool to get shots that were unobtainable without one for me.

 

[Ronstar]

I have a DJI Mavic Mini that I fly around my property and occasionally taking aerial pics of friends properties. Took some videos of tornado damage.

Wanted to frame this pic for my friend's mancave, but I'm going to reshoot on an overcast day to eliminate highlights and shadows.

 

[B-Guy]

I have a DJI Mavic Mini that I fly around my property and occasionally taking aerial pics of friends properties. Took some videos of tornado damage.

Wanted to frame this pic for my friend's mancave, but I'm going to reshoot on an overcast day to eliminate highlights and shadows.

That’s a nice image, but your right a pre-dawn or overcast morning will make it shine. I have been out shooting pre-dawn and maybe the first 15 minutes of light for months to try and capture the essence of our farm. After 200-300 images, I feel like I’m close.

 

[Ronstar]

^ That's a sweet shot!

 

[Crewer]

DS sometimes helps a friend with the friend's gutter cleaning business. They fly his drone to scope out the job before starting it especially when doing big old homes in a heavily treed suburb.

 

[B-Guy]

^ That's a sweet shot!

Thanks, but I'm still hunting for that elusive image that captures the essence of our farm. I know it's out there. Good thing I'm retired!

 

[B-Guy]

I have a DJI Mavic Mini that I fly around my property and occasionally taking aerial pics of friends properties. Took some videos of tornado damage.

Wanted to frame this pic for my friend's mancave, but I'm going to reshoot on an overcast day to eliminate highlights and shadows.

Show us what you capture when you get an overcast day. I'd like to see what you come up with...

 

[Ronstar]

Show us what you capture when you get an overcast day. I'd like to see what you come up with...

Just went today.

Trying to figure out what kind of frame to make.

 

[B-Guy]

Just went today.

I like this one better. What do you think?

 

[Ronstar]

I like this one better. What do you think?

I do too. Just don't like the shadows on the sunny one, and the highlights were just too bright. That shiny sheet metal calls for overcast conditions IMO

 

[Yipper]

I have the DJI Mini 2 and it's just right for me... not nearly as much fun as flying RC planes, it's perfect for taking some great aerial shots and for inspecting things up high that I have no interesting in climbing up to inspect.

Here's a nice one I took last summer:

 

[petersth]

Who’s flying drones and what are you using them for?

For me I fly mine for pleasure, taking high quality aerial images that I couldn’t obtain from terrestrial locations and to evaluate and aid in our farm production.

I fly a Mavic 2 Pro with the Hasselblad Camera. Great camera and solid drone!

I had no idea you can change camera on a drone? How do you change it?

 

[B-Guy]

I had no idea you can change camera on a drone? How do you change it?

Depends on the drone. The drone I have, I chose because of the Hasselblad camera it had, but it is not interchangeable.

DJI now as an even nicer drone with a better Hasselblad camera on it.

 

[Badger]

I used to do quite a bit of photography and darkroom work many decades ago when photography meant film and Hasselblads (which was not in my budget) were beautiful beasts. That was my mental image when thinking of what kind of drone would be able to fly with one strapped below.
Photograph is so much different with all the technology.
Your drone/camera sounds like the "bees knees"!

Cheers!

 

[B-Guy]

I used to do quite a bit of photography and darkroom work many decades ago when photography meant film and Hasselblads (which was not in my budget) were beautiful beasts. That was my mental image when thinking of what kind of drone would be able to fly with one strapped below.
Photograph is so much different with all the technology.
Your drone/camera sounds like the "bees knees"!

Cheers!

I too did a lot of photography and B&W darkroom work back when I worked commercially. I primarily did architecture and product photography which meant mostly running a 4X5. had a Hasselblad 500 C/M with an 80mm and 150mm lens. Now I mostly shoot with Canon (35mm equivalent) equipment just for me if I have the time to get it out. But a good portion is shot with a smart phone.

The technology changes but the art of photography still need quality light and a tasteful eye to compose an image.

 

[B-Guy]

I have the DJI Mini 2 and it's just right for me... not nearly as much fun as flying RC planes, it's perfect for taking some great aerial shots and for inspecting things up high that I have no interesting in climbing up to inspect.

Here's a nice one I took last summer:

View attachment 43212

I love the reflection in the still water.

 

[street]

Great Pictures!
I have thought about getting one and would be awesome for some shots over the ranch and river scenery. I just haven't done it and not sure I will. My neighbor was a pilot and got one and used it at first, now it just sits. I'm afraid that is what would happen with mine. They sure would be fun to use though.

Walt34 >>> that was a great video and thanks for sharing it.

 

[old medic]

Bought one a few years back just to play with and get some video from our camping places. Less than $100... Its been sitting collecting dust.

 

[DrRoy]

Got a Mavic 3 last year. Haven't been able to do a lot with it yet. I travel mostly to national parks where they are not allowed.