Camper Drone

jkjenn

DFW is tricky, I have studied that sectional map, before. Lots of smaller airports right there, too.

DougH

@jkjenn : Just played with Kittyhawk and AirMap for the outer green lower class airspace. Couldn't get either to submit a LAANC request without a 107 number.  Finally found a YouTube video saying LAANC is coming to rec users July 23rd.  Guess I'll try it next week.

TerryV6

@DougH,
Did you like the bebop?  Issues?  I saw one on my wife’s Kohl site for $249.

https://mobile.kohls.com/product/prd-2970009/Parrot-BEBOP-2-FPV-HD-Video-Drone-.jsp?pfm=bdrecs-TCom-PDP-Horizontal1-b480-231&bdrecsId=5d6a37f9-db02-4bc7-a6d7-565f4817e50e&selectShip=true&bduri=yes

or are there better ones for same price?  It has a 25 min flight time...  I looked at the Spark too, but for me, $350 is high end on the budget...  I know people who really use these things are talking 2 grand and up.  We are saving up for next years rally....

DougH

@TerryV6 : I had a Bebop 1 and it had occasional painful flyaway issues.  I think most got blamed on the GPS unit where there'd be a sudden 1000m inaccuracy, and off the drone would go, never to be found again, by some folks. 

A dozen updates later most of that was worked out.  I have the original SkyController, HDMI goggles, and the newer stronger Bebop 2 now... and it's been problem free aside from older weaker batteries suddenly dropping from 40% down to 5% with an instant attempt to return-to-home or land.  Once mild flight times drop below 10-15 minutes, replace the battery.  But I just picked up a couple more 3100mAh batteries cheap on Prime Day ($5.09 each instead of $89.99 for std 2700mAh Parrot batteries).  I suspect these won't last that many charge cycles at that price.

I like the Bebop 2.  Powerful, relatively fast (40mph), long range (2.5 miles in perfect conditions), climbs fast (10-15mph), and has long flight times (20-35 minutes depending on battery) for its size.  Good software, with competent automated flight plans and object tracking. It can handle wind and gusts well, the software is very configurable, and it lets you fly anywhere, but only to a 400 ft ceiling.  You can remove many safety checks through a telnet session though, if you wish...

https://youtu.be/xjl81ENSD8o

However... when hovering anywhere, it drifts around several feet. Not recommended for inside use without preflight calibration and safety gear on everyone. I don't think it has a bottom camera for low altitude horizontal stabilized position maintenance, which many other inexpensive quadcopters now have.  Also, the Bebop 1 and Bebop 2 share the same camera, and that video is only 1080p. While digitally stabilized reasonably well, there are sometimes little artifacts (several horizontal lines of more noisy material) when it's fighting off a gust.  And for video, rotation should be limited to 2-3 degrees per second to avoid choppiness. Hence my preference for the newer, quieter 4k camera Anafi even though it's less powerful.  And $600 including a longer range wifi controller (Anafi price) is not too bad.  After the winning lottery ticket comes in.

Since you're interested primarily in the Bebop 2 drone itself, without a SkyController, just know that the range is pretty limited (0.04 miles not 2.5 miles) depending on your phone or tablet.  I'd recommend a Xiomi Mi WiFi+ extender:

https://tech-ish.com/2018/02/03/xiaomi-mi-wifi-amplifier-review/

...or equivalent product to maintain positive control without relying on the return to home function when there's a dropped connection in high wifi interference areas, or just when you fly out of range with your device.  The extenders are often weird to set up the first time, but easy to use thereafter.  It remembers your drones, you plug it into a small portable USB power bank, stick it on the ground, pair phone to it, and it pairs to the drone with no lag.  For just a few dollars when you find one on sale.

I just wish someone would make an 1lb, 80mph FPV racing drone, with beautiful 4k video, built in LAANC authorization, collision avoidance, 30 minute flight time, under 45dB noise, for $200.  Didn't we fly to the moon 50 years ago?  My wishlist can't be that hard. 

In terms of alternatives, I found a Zerotech Dobby under $100 on eBay and snapped it up.  The stabilized video is not even close to the Bebop, but the higher resolution pics are better than the Parrot.  If you just want a tiny, quiet, 5 minute max flight time 13Mpxl camera drone, that's a cheaper alternative to a Spark, and doesn't require FAA registration. There aren't that many sub 250 gram drones with decent cameras that I know of.  And now that I'm retired, I'm not allowed to buy and sell drones every few months anymore (sigh). 

dCliffhanger

jkjenn said:

To each his own. Things I could do without when I camp:

Smoke from wood campfires
People talking loudly after 9:00 PM
Screaming kids
Barking dogs
Smelly foods from other campsites
Bright lights

We all have to put up with things that are not our preference and we enjoy ourselves more when we are able to just smile and be happy that someone is enjoying something we don't. 

I do agree, and always seek to accommodate the lives and pastimes of others. However, like lawn mowers in the morning, some things are just not compatible with the quiet enjoyment of nature.

TerryV6

Yes, I always leave my mower in the garage at home.  

TerryV6

Curtesy has always been my watchword.  You have to always consider your neighbors.  I had Verna for a nearby camper, and I bet she hardly knew I was there...  (except for the near constant begging and pleading for a tour of her then new camper...)

Verna

@TerryV6, and you wouldn’t have known I was there except for the constant stream of those wanting a tour 

TerryV6

Well, you are very much a mentor to many here.  People say, what did Verna get now..?  Jody says, we have to buy that or do that Terry...

TerryV6

@DougH,  I asked about the bebop because you had one.  I just got Drones for dummies from the library.  Like T@bs, much to learn.  Skycontroller?  WiFi amplifier...  

Now, I lost my train of thought.  Warbirds keep flying over.  I live 20 miles from EAA.  Just had a B-29 pass over...

DougH

@TerryV6 : Some criticize the use of WiFi bands by Parrot and other manufacturers, since there's so much interference potential in built up areas.  Parrot sells the "SkyController" device on the left that has a monstrous antenna on it, a holder for your phone or tablet, an HDMI output jack for FPV goggles (a very enjoyable experience until banned by the FAA), joysticks and plenty of other knobs to control the camera, taking pictures, etc.  The second generation SkyController (not in picture) is half the size, but still with enough juice to overcome most interference from house wifi routers.  One pairs one's phone to the SkyController, and it in turn binds and talks to the drone with a signal 10 or 100 times stronger than one's phone could ever transmit. Likewise it can pick up the drone status and video feed from a much greater distance than one's phone ever could. 

In comparison, the white thing at the bottom of the pic below is a WiFi amplifier / extender / router and it's plugged into a little phone battery bank for charging phones.  No fancy joysticks, so you have to control the drone from the UI on the phone or tablet, but less weight / bulk to carry...  and maybe 3-5 times the transmit and receive range of just a phone. Then there's a whole pirate community that illegally ramp the power of their antennas both on the ground controller and on the drone to levels disallowed by the FCC.  <begin rant> Naer-do-wells that could get the whole hobby more tightly regulated. Just like the brain surgeons that fly near / over other people, in national parks, in downtown areas, near airports.  Sigh.  I liken them to the folks on sport bikes that lane split at 80mph while doing a mile long wheelie.  Sure you can do it, but should you? <end rant>

20% of folks seem to accept / prefer just using a phone (usually with a WiFi extender) for short range video capture.  80% of folks prefer a manual set of joysticks and buttons to provide better control, and just more control over the video quality. 

db_cooper

@DougH " Ijust wish someone would make an 1lb, 80mph FPV racing drone, with beautiful 4k video, built in LAANC authorization, collision avoidance, 30 minute flight time, under 45dB noise, for $200.  Didn't we fly to the moon 50 years ago?  My wishlist can't be that hard. "

I just picked up a Syma X5SW as an intro to flying, and commented to the wife that this $40 drone probably had more computing power than Apollo 11. Maybe your wishlist is a bit hard.  

@TerryV6.  The Syma is working well, I'm not using the camera or heads up mode, working on manually using controls.  Got it plus 5 extra batteries for $60.  Gives me an hour of play time to practice.

DougH