Comments on: Disturbing footage from a drone… https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/16/disturbing-footage-from-a-drone/ Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:03:37 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: SDG https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/16/disturbing-footage-from-a-drone/#comment-39742 SDG Wed, 19 Jul 2017 20:20:08 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65566#comment-39742 But really a DJI drone is all I would need in the architecture business. These are lightweight, so I think the liability would not be too high. When 6 miles from an airport you need to alert the tower and aren't allowed to fly over 500' which is plenty high. When they were flying my site a month ago, the operators shut down as soon as a helicopter became visible and waited until it disappeared from view. Took us about an hour to get all the shots we needed with their dji and it pretty much flies itself through software. But really a DJI drone is all I would need in the architecture business. These are lightweight, so I think the liability would not be too high.

When 6 miles from an airport you need to alert the tower and aren’t allowed to fly over 500′ which is plenty high.

When they were flying my site a month ago, the operators shut down as soon as a helicopter became visible and waited until it disappeared from view. Took us about an hour to get all the shots we needed with their dji and it pretty much flies itself through software.

]]> By: SDG https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/16/disturbing-footage-from-a-drone/#comment-39741 SDG Wed, 19 Jul 2017 20:15:14 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65566#comment-39741 The photogrammetry point clouds are pretty impressive and will import into our software without too much hassle. I haven't enough experience yet to believe the accuracy claims however. The photogrammetry point clouds are pretty impressive and will import into our software without too much hassle. I haven’t enough experience yet to believe the accuracy claims however.

]]> By: RL https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/16/disturbing-footage-from-a-drone/#comment-39740 RL Wed, 19 Jul 2017 19:23:56 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65566#comment-39740 The rig you would want would be pretty pricey- would you be better served with a gasoline powered drone with longer fly times? The FAA regulatory process moves slowly, and only when it has to. Getting them to change existing policy is not easy. I have been involved with that process in the past on some issues, and after a few years they did the right thing- but it took a lot of work by a lot of people. I guess it is understandable- if you are responsible for ensuring the safety of all the flying travelers, you probably want to make sure any regulatory change is reviewed extremely rigorously. I heard the FAA was moving to put more reasonable restrictions on drones. I can see that enthusiasts would like to be able to buy a drone and be able to use it to take real estate photos for pay without all the regulatory hassle... But imagine the outrage if an Amazon drone gets sucked into a jet engine and kills a few hundred people all because someone selected the 1 hour delivery on a dildo... The rig you would want would be pretty pricey- would you be better served with a gasoline powered drone with longer fly times?

The FAA regulatory process moves slowly, and only when it has to. Getting them to change existing policy is not easy. I have been involved with that process in the past on some issues, and after a few years they did the right thing- but it took a lot of work by a lot of people.

I guess it is understandable- if you are responsible for ensuring the safety of all the flying travelers, you probably want to make sure any regulatory change is reviewed extremely rigorously.

I heard the FAA was moving to put more reasonable restrictions on drones. I can see that enthusiasts would like to be able to buy a drone and be able to use it to take real estate photos for pay without all the regulatory hassle…

But imagine the outrage if an Amazon drone gets sucked into a jet engine and kills a few hundred people all because someone selected the 1 hour delivery on a dildo…

]]> By: RL https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/16/disturbing-footage-from-a-drone/#comment-39738 RL Wed, 19 Jul 2017 18:56:50 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65566#comment-39738 What is the cost of a LIDAR setup you can put on a drone? Also... Meshlab http://www.meshlab.net/ and Blender can be used together to work with point clouds... both free... What is the cost of a LIDAR setup you can put on a drone?

Also…
Meshlab http://www.meshlab.net/ and Blender can be used together to work with point clouds… both free…

]]> By: SDG https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/16/disturbing-footage-from-a-drone/#comment-39736 SDG Wed, 19 Jul 2017 18:16:18 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65566#comment-39736 That has been one holdup. The regulations have lightened up since about two years ago when I started looking at this seriously. At the start there was a need for an FAA exemption that was very difficult to get. Now things have been relaxed and one can get a certification from the FAA and begin using it commercially. I've downloaded the study material that the FAA provides, which has very little to do with drones actually and more to do with airspace and basics of piloting a fixed wing aircraft. Its all relevant, so no complaints here, and general aviation knowledge has been a hobby of mine since my teenage days in Civil Air Patrol. One of the architects in my firm and I have been talking about starting an LLC just to do our company's work. His dad is retired with a private pilot license, who also read through the certification material and could probably take the test without much study. It would be a nice retirement job for him to fly the sites, then we would crunch the data into usable data. The software to do the crunching is about 6 grand to get started, plus laptop , and a DJI drone, its a bout a 10k startup cost. Not too bad if only we had the time to get it off the ground. (pun intended) For now we hire a company that has all of the credentials in place. One day we might be in a position to do at least some of it ourselves. That has been one holdup. The regulations have lightened up since about two years ago when I started looking at this seriously. At the start there was a need for an FAA exemption that was very difficult to get. Now things have been relaxed and one can get a certification from the FAA and begin using it commercially. I’ve downloaded the study material that the FAA provides, which has very little to do with drones actually and more to do with airspace and basics of piloting a fixed wing aircraft. Its all relevant, so no complaints here, and general aviation knowledge has been a hobby of mine since my teenage days in Civil Air Patrol.

One of the architects in my firm and I have been talking about starting an LLC just to do our company’s work. His dad is retired with a private pilot license, who also read through the certification material and could probably take the test without much study. It would be a nice retirement job for him to fly the sites, then we would crunch the data into usable data. The software to do the crunching is about 6 grand to get started, plus laptop , and a DJI drone, its a bout a 10k startup cost. Not too bad if only we had the time to get it off the ground. (pun intended)

For now we hire a company that has all of the credentials in place. One day we might be in a position to do at least some of it ourselves.

]]> By: RL https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/16/disturbing-footage-from-a-drone/#comment-39735 RL Wed, 19 Jul 2017 13:44:47 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65566#comment-39735 My understanding is: 1) Drones like the DJI phantom in size and larger need to be licensed (not terribly expensive or difficult) 2) the moment you use a drone for commercial purposes you enter a totally different regulatory arena: <a href="http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/for-business-users/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/for-business-users/</a> <a href="https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/fly_for_work_business/becoming_a_pilot/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/fly_for_work_business/becoming_a_pilot/</a> My understanding is:
1) Drones like the DJI phantom in size and larger need to be licensed (not terribly expensive or difficult)
2) the moment you use a drone for commercial purposes you enter a totally different regulatory arena:
http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/for-business-users/
https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/fly_for_work_business/becoming_a_pilot/

]]> By: SDG https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/16/disturbing-footage-from-a-drone/#comment-39734 SDG Wed, 19 Jul 2017 13:34:10 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65566#comment-39734 Mine is a couple years old, and the battery is crap. I have a business use for one, but am cautiously moving in that direction. Recently had a company use their drone to get a point cloud for my construction site. Very interesting, but still trying to figure out how to use it in my work. The potential is high, but the learning curve is extremely steep even after you get the imagry onto your computer. Mine is a couple years old, and the battery is crap.

I have a business use for one, but am cautiously moving in that direction. Recently had a company use their drone to get a point cloud for my construction site. Very interesting, but still trying to figure out how to use it in my work. The potential is high, but the learning curve is extremely steep even after you get the imagry onto your computer.

]]> By: RL https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/16/disturbing-footage-from-a-drone/#comment-39709 RL Tue, 18 Jul 2017 01:30:20 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65566#comment-39709 Got it at a discount on amazon prime day, less than $100 with extra batteries... It has the ability to transmit video to my phone and since I have the samsung gear VR headset I could to the VR flying thing- but until I get used to the controls attempting that will just lead to the drone, and likely myself, having serious damage. <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/14/15967948/drone-racing-league-fastest-drone-racerx-guinness-world-record-163-mph" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The current speed record is 163mph</a>- and I have no delusions of doing any high speed control- I just got it as a toy, and it is fun... My dog finds it funny, as long as it doesn't get too close. She sits there grinning watching it... I swear she is laughing. I really wanted one of those DJI drones with a 4k camera, but now I know how easy it is to lose one I think that just isn't going to happen- I felt stupid enough when I thought I had lost a $90 drone, a $900 loss would be too humiliating... I will stick with my stationary supercomputer as my one extravagant 'hobby'- since it weighs in at over 100lbs, it won't be likely to fly off and get stuck in a tree... Got it at a discount on amazon prime day, less than $100 with extra batteries…

It has the ability to transmit video to my phone and since I have the samsung gear VR headset I could to the VR flying thing- but until I get used to the controls attempting that will just lead to the drone, and likely myself, having serious damage.

The current speed record is 163mph- and I have no delusions of doing any high speed control- I just got it as a toy, and it is fun…

My dog finds it funny, as long as it doesn’t get too close. She sits there grinning watching it… I swear she is laughing.

I really wanted one of those DJI drones with a 4k camera, but now I know how easy it is to lose one I think that just isn’t going to happen- I felt stupid enough when I thought I had lost a $90 drone, a $900 loss would be too humiliating…

I will stick with my stationary supercomputer as my one extravagant ‘hobby’- since it weighs in at over 100lbs, it won’t be likely to fly off and get stuck in a tree…

]]> By: SDG https://habitablezone.com/2017/07/16/disturbing-footage-from-a-drone/#comment-39708 SDG Tue, 18 Jul 2017 00:57:31 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=65566#comment-39708 Luckily it landed in a neighbor's backyard that I knew, so had I been caught it wouldn't have been bad. In my case it was a not very sophisticated quadcopter that got out of my visual ability to tell which way it was pointed. (no camera running at the time either) It ran out of juice and dropped much farther than I wanted, but luckily onto grass. No damage other than my pride. I don't fly it much anymore, because its just not a very good machine. The avionics suck so bad I have to constantly concentrate on the stick to try and hover (mostly unsuccessfully). When I do fly it now its in a gymnasium. That's the problem with being cash poor, but curious rich. Wasted about $300 on it. Quadcopters get much better if you pay at least $600 and that price doesn't seem to be coming down either. I have a friend who races them while wearing goggles. He builds (and rebuilds) his own quads and I'm amazed at his high speed control. Luckily it landed in a neighbor’s backyard that I knew, so had I been caught it wouldn’t have been bad. In my case it was a not very sophisticated quadcopter that got out of my visual ability to tell which way it was pointed. (no camera running at the time either) It ran out of juice and dropped much farther than I wanted, but luckily onto grass. No damage other than my pride.

I don’t fly it much anymore, because its just not a very good machine. The avionics suck so bad I have to constantly concentrate on the stick to try and hover (mostly unsuccessfully). When I do fly it now its in a gymnasium.

That’s the problem with being cash poor, but curious rich. Wasted about $300 on it. Quadcopters get much better if you pay at least $600 and that price doesn’t seem to be coming down either.

I have a friend who races them while wearing goggles. He builds (and rebuilds) his own quads and I’m amazed at his high speed control.

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