SchrodingersCar
Member
Hi guys,
Apologies in advance if this is a little rambly. I want to try to voice all my concerns.
I've been a video professional for years, which is what led to my interest in AP. I'm pretty new to the scene, having just completed my first f550 about a month ago... and the biggest question that's tearing me up is trying to find a consensus on safety. So I'm hoping to at least start a discussion here about multi rotor "best practices" - especially when it comes to urban environments.
Like I said, I've had this guy built for a month, and it works perfectly (so far), but it's probably only seen a total of 40 minutes in the air so far because I'm overly concerned that I've built a flying lawnmower in the middle of Chicago. I realize I need a TON more practice to get comfortable yadda yadda, but that's not the issue - let's pretend I'm already a seasoned veteran - that doesn't change the fact that these things eventually CRASH.
I hear it constantly repeated to avoid flying near people, or vehicles, or sometimes even homes... yet almost every drone video I see out there (professional and amateur alike) is full of houses, or cars, or even people. I do realize how stupid it is to fly over large crowds etc... but let's be honest, if every responsible flyer had to stay far far away from people, professional aerial shooters would get no work. So I'm assuming there's some sort of happy medium? Do Aerial professionals even agree? I live in a city, (not even close to downtown) and no matter where I try to fly, I'm always surrounded by streets full of cars and sidewalks full of people. I never fly directly over people, but all I do is envision is the copter failing somehow and managing to fly away straight into someone's baby carriage. Yet if I want to get away from population, that means driving for over an hour+ each time. And ultimately I WANT to shoot near people and things happening. I want to get the really cool shots and become a professional aerial videographer... but I want to do it CORRECTLY and SAFELY. No matter how good I get as an operator, there's still the chance of mechanical failure or interference etc. Anyway I'm repeating myself I guess. Confidence in my personal operation skills will come with practice and time and patience. I'm trying to gain confidence in everything ELSE that comes along with drone flying.
Topics of discussion:
1.) Anyone else fly in a city? How/where do you do it? How do you address the risks?
2.) Outside of complete wilderness, is there even such a thing as "safe" multi rotor flying? Am I overthinking it? Do I just need to grow some balls?
Apologies in advance if this is a little rambly. I want to try to voice all my concerns.
I've been a video professional for years, which is what led to my interest in AP. I'm pretty new to the scene, having just completed my first f550 about a month ago... and the biggest question that's tearing me up is trying to find a consensus on safety. So I'm hoping to at least start a discussion here about multi rotor "best practices" - especially when it comes to urban environments.
Like I said, I've had this guy built for a month, and it works perfectly (so far), but it's probably only seen a total of 40 minutes in the air so far because I'm overly concerned that I've built a flying lawnmower in the middle of Chicago. I realize I need a TON more practice to get comfortable yadda yadda, but that's not the issue - let's pretend I'm already a seasoned veteran - that doesn't change the fact that these things eventually CRASH.
I hear it constantly repeated to avoid flying near people, or vehicles, or sometimes even homes... yet almost every drone video I see out there (professional and amateur alike) is full of houses, or cars, or even people. I do realize how stupid it is to fly over large crowds etc... but let's be honest, if every responsible flyer had to stay far far away from people, professional aerial shooters would get no work. So I'm assuming there's some sort of happy medium? Do Aerial professionals even agree? I live in a city, (not even close to downtown) and no matter where I try to fly, I'm always surrounded by streets full of cars and sidewalks full of people. I never fly directly over people, but all I do is envision is the copter failing somehow and managing to fly away straight into someone's baby carriage. Yet if I want to get away from population, that means driving for over an hour+ each time. And ultimately I WANT to shoot near people and things happening. I want to get the really cool shots and become a professional aerial videographer... but I want to do it CORRECTLY and SAFELY. No matter how good I get as an operator, there's still the chance of mechanical failure or interference etc. Anyway I'm repeating myself I guess. Confidence in my personal operation skills will come with practice and time and patience. I'm trying to gain confidence in everything ELSE that comes along with drone flying.
Topics of discussion:
1.) Anyone else fly in a city? How/where do you do it? How do you address the risks?
2.) Outside of complete wilderness, is there even such a thing as "safe" multi rotor flying? Am I overthinking it? Do I just need to grow some balls?