Coda1
Full Member
Posts: 242 
Likes: 303
Location: Hunting north of Staples, MN
Zone: 3B
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Post by Coda1 on Jan 3, 2020 22:22:05 GMT -6
I'm thinking of buying a drone. It would be useful for checking out properties for sale. I'm leaning towards the Dji Mavic Mini. It's got plenty of flight time for what I need but I am not sure the controller will have enough range. I'd like to be able to go a half mile or more. I've seen a lot of videos showing range tests on drones and some go a couple of miles but that is not with heavy tree cover. Anyone have any experience flying a drone over heavy tree cover? If so what drone and how far could you go?
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Post by Tooln on Jan 4, 2020 0:14:25 GMT -6
I have a DJI phantom 3. I've never gone for range/distance. When flying over wooded property make sure your high enough not to get caught in the tree tops. Or in open area's close to trees. A good gust could be put you in them. Yep it happened to me. Out come the chain saw.
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Coda1
Full Member
Posts: 242
Likes: 303
Location: Hunting north of Staples, MN
Zone: 3B
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Post by Coda1 on Jan 4, 2020 9:59:23 GMT -6
Hopefully it survived without damaging anything but a propeller. You labeled it tree crash 1. Sounds like you already have plans for tree crash 2.
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Post by biglakebass on Jan 4, 2020 10:07:48 GMT -6
My friend crashed his in a tree on his backlot.
An oak about a foot in diameter.
He cut the fuckin tree down to get his drone.
I asked what if the tree crushed it. He said he had to try.
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Post by Tooln on Jan 4, 2020 14:14:12 GMT -6
Hopefully it survived without damaging anything but a propeller. You labeled it tree crash 1. Sounds like you already have plans for tree crash 2. No damage other than one prop guard. It was the first and only time. It was all my fault. Wasn't very experienced in flying it yet. |
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blackjack
Junior Member
Posts: 65
Likes: 50
Location: Central MN
Zone: Zone 4B
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Post by blackjack on Jan 8, 2020 6:09:56 GMT -6
I've lusted after a drone, it would be fun to do some aerial scouting, but its a pretty expensive little toy that can crash and go boom in a heartbeat.
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Post by Bwoods11 on Jan 8, 2020 7:14:04 GMT -6
We have a DJI Mavic 2 Pro...we use for for work. My son researched this, he felt it was the best for the $$.
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Post by biglakebass on Jan 8, 2020 9:00:24 GMT -6
I've lusted after a drone, it would be fun to do some aerial scouting, but its a pretty expensive little toy that can crash and go boom in a heartbeat. I have a cheapo $150 one. They are pretty cool. Flight time is up to 10 minutes, which isnt a big deal. I do have issues with it losing connectivity to my ipad at times. If it loses connection, it does return to where you took off so thats good, BUT its not spot on to where you took off. it lands close...... I learned you better take off from a nice big wide open area or else it may end up in branches coming down. |
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Post by Tooln on Jan 9, 2020 5:27:17 GMT -6
Mine has a few cool functions. One is follow me. You put it up to whatever height you want, put it in the follow me mode and it will follow the controller up to 35 mph. I've use this to video my property line. Also to follow me around the trail system on the 4 wheeler. It will also return to take off position of it lost the connection to the controller.
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blackjack
Junior Member
Posts: 65
Likes: 50
Location: Central MN
Zone: Zone 4B
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Post by blackjack on Jan 9, 2020 5:49:47 GMT -6
Mine has a few cool functions. One is follow me. You put it up to whatever height you want, put it in the follow me mode and it will follow the controller up to 35 mph. I've use this to video my property line. Also to follow me around the trail system on the 4 wheeler. It will also return to take off position of it lost the connection to the controller. It would be neat to try that 'follow me' mode while pheasant hunting.
How long will one of those drones stay in the air?? I 'assume' that they're running on a rechargeable battery??
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Post by Catscratch on Jan 9, 2020 6:10:45 GMT -6
Mine has a few cool functions. One is follow me. You put it up to whatever height you want, put it in the follow me mode and it will follow the controller up to 35 mph. I've use this to video my property line. Also to follow me around the trail system on the 4 wheeler. It will also return to take off position of it lost the connection to the controller. It would be neat to try that 'follow me' mode while pheasant hunting.
How long will one of those drones stay in the air?? I 'assume' that they're running on a rechargeable battery??
I think the high end consumer grade drones will stay afloat 20-25 minutes per battery (depending on conditions), the cheaper ones probably good to get more than 10 minutes. I think 10 minutes is plenty of time to fly most places for scouting or mapping purposes. Getting a kill shot on a pheasant hunt would be different. 10 minutes in that situation wouldn't be long at all. |
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Post by Tooln on Jan 9, 2020 12:17:53 GMT -6
Mine has a few cool functions. One is follow me. You put it up to whatever height you want, put it in the follow me mode and it will follow the controller up to 35 mph. I've use this to video my property line. Also to follow me around the trail system on the 4 wheeler. It will also return to take off position of it lost the connection to the controller. It would be neat to try that 'follow me' mode while pheasant hunting.
How long will one of those drones stay in the air?? I 'assume' that they're running on a rechargeable battery??
I get about 15-20 minute flight time. In the winter in colder weather it's less. |
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Post by biglakebass on Jan 9, 2020 12:36:06 GMT -6
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Coda1
Full Member
Posts: 242
Likes: 303
Location: Hunting north of Staples, MN
Zone: 3B
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Post by Coda1 on Jan 11, 2020 12:03:35 GMT -6
Ended up with a DJI Mavic Pro. Found a used on on Craigslist for $400 that the guy said he got as a gift and has never used. Now I need to buy a battery to see if it even works. DJI's stupid "Intelligent flight battery" has a circuit board that slowly drains the battery in storage. Then the charger refuses to charge it because the voltage is too low. I tried tearing that battery apart to manually charge it but destroyed the case trying to get it apart. DJI makes decent drones but I really dislike some of their business practices. Now I just have to hope the proposed FAA regulations for remote ID don't go into effect. It would likely make all current drones illegal to fly and DJI will likely send out a firmware update to make sure you can't fly. I also need to get a tablet or smartphone to use with it. My Nokia flip phone ain't going to work.
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Post by Catscratch on Jan 11, 2020 12:41:20 GMT -6
Ended up with a DJI Mavic Pro. Found a used on on Craigslist for $400 that the guy said he got as a gift and has never used. Now I need to buy a battery to see if it even works. DJI's stupid "Intelligent flight battery" has a circuit board that slowly drains the battery in storage. Then the charger refuses to charge it because the voltage is too low. I tried tearing that battery apart to manually charge it but destroyed the case trying to get it apart. DJI makes decent drones but I really dislike some of their business practices. Now I just have to hope the proposed FAA regulations for remote ID don't go into effect. It would likely make all current drones illegal to fly and DJI will likely send out a firmware update to make sure you can't fly. I also need to get a tablet or smartphone to use with it. My Nokia flip phone ain't going to work. Location through broadcasting a signal? Is that how it would work? Can drones/controlers be retrofitted with a transmitter, or will older drones become obsolete? |
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