[LaurenOE]

Well, I suppose this is the section to post some stuff using my drone(s). I'm still a Pentaxian, but since I haven't shot much video on my Pentaxes in a long time, I've got to show "something" as a contribution...and stay connected to this site.

So here you go. Something I shot in Scotland, on the Isle of Arran.
Black and white and moody on a cold moor in Scotland.

Vimeo

and another, from all over Scotland.

Vimeo

Enjoy.

Maybe this thread will "take off"

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Last edited by LaurenOE; 01-13-2019 at 07:46 PM.

[repaap]

I hope so too. Looking good already. Little hard to find the excuse for my wife to get a drone, as if defending my lens purchases already would be little hard... but one can never say never. But looking for some inspiration here! Hope you won’t mind me lurking around

[LaurenOE]

I hope so too. Looking good already. Little hard to find the excuse for my wife to get a drone, as if defending my lens purchases already would be little hard... but one can never say never. But looking for some inspiration here! Hope you won’t mind me lurking around

I suppose I can keep posting here then! Drones give me an angle and ability that I could only dream about a few years ago.

Here is another from the same trip.

Vimeo

[MarkJerling]

Nice drone footage Lauren. Thanks for posting!

That last house is a bit of a "handymans dream" as the property agents would say!

[lesmore49]

Looked at the last one, very nice, parts of it are like an opening for a British historical documentary. I know nothing about drones, how to work and control them, but I did note you kept the pictures on the level and seemed quite good at changing altitude, etc.

It seems to me that there would a fair learning curve to be able to control the flight of a drone that smoothly. You my have mentioned it and I may have missed it, but what kind of camera do you have attached to your drone ? Is the drone used very large or relatively compact ?

[Adam]

Great videos! I recently picked up a Spark, which is tiny and thus perfect for travel. There's a bit of a learning curve to get interesting footage, but the drone is incredibly steady on its own and a breeze to fly. Sadly most places I recently visited didn't allow any drones at all, but I might have a few clips to share later on

[LaurenOE]

Nice drone footage Lauren. Thanks for posting!

That last house is a bit of a "handymans dream" as the property agents would say!

The folks that manage it, I gave them the video for their promotion purposes. They were very happy! Look up "Friends of Cambusnethan House"

Looked at the last one, very nice, parts of it are like an opening for a British historical documentary. I know nothing about drones, how to work and control them, but I did note you kept the pictures on the level and seemed quite good at changing altitude, etc.

It seems to me that there would a fair learning curve to be able to control the flight of a drone that smoothly. You my have mentioned it and I may have missed it, but what kind of camera do you have attached to your drone ? Is the drone used very large or relatively compact ?

I am a certified FAA drone pilot...and I do quite a bit of flying for my job. I actually HATE flying the drone per se...but I love what I can get as far as imagery. Photography is the first step, then Cinematography, then taking your camera to places and move it to capture images you only dreamed about. The learning curve is SEVERE.

Great videos! I recently picked up a Spark, which is tiny and thus perfect for travel. There's a bit of a learning curve to get interesting footage, but the drone is incredibly steady on its own and a breeze to fly. Sadly most places I recently visited didn't allow any drones at all, but I might have a few clips to share later on

Thanks Adam!

Yep. Drones are either love or hate depending on where you go. I make sure that I am not a dronetard, and the lessons I learned as a photographer come in handy when dealing with "drone hate". As an FAA pilot, I know my rights, but I also know a scene is not going to get me anywhere. I try and fly either with permission (even when I don't need it), early in the morning, when people are not around..etc. etc.

I'd LOVE to see some more Pentaxians with some drone footage!

[photolady95]

Is your drone controlled with a camera or a phone? My daughter and her boyfriend, both have drones, they are not young kids, and my daughter is a member here with her own Pentax camera. We were out one day they were flying their drones, one drone got into an area where a message showed up on the screen that said they were in a restricted area and needed to move out of that area. I just wondered if you control your drone with your Pentax or with a cell phone as they do. Daughter says they are certified to fly their drones most anywhere.


Here's a photo of one of their drones. I don't have any footage of what they were shooting though.

[LaurenOE]

Is your drone controlled with a camera or a phone? My daughter and her boyfriend, both have drones, they are not young kids, and my daughter is a member here with her own Pentax camera. We were out one day they were flying their drones, one drone got into an area where a message showed up on the screen that said they were in a restricted area and needed to move out of that area. I just wondered if you control your drone with your Pentax or with a cell phone as they do. Daughter says they are certified to fly their drones most anywhere.


Here's a photo of one of their drones. I don't have any footage of what they were shooting though.

I fly either a DJI Phantom 3 or a Mavic Air. The photo of your daughter's drone looks like a Phantom 3 advanced with some aftermarket landing gear.

Many people operate their drone from a controller, and their phone is only used for display of the live video. Very few phones actually control the drone, since most phones are WiFi. That being said there ARE drones that can be controlled by a phone and they can be very unpredictable in terms of the reliability using Wifi.

I think the early DJI drones could be controlled by a phone, but fly-aways are more likely with Wifi control. so not many people use phones to control the drone.

There are two types of drone operations (technically more) that are either for hobby or commercial. The rules for each are a bit different depending on the drone and what you are flying for. When I am flying about, just doing my thing, I am flying as a hobbyist. When I am flying commercially, I fall under the my professional license that I had to take a test for, from the FAA, and I am a certified drone pilot.

Depending on the airspace B,C,D,E and G has restrictions on what you can and can't do. With LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) which has not been rolled out 100% nationally, you can fly in certain spaces without having to go through the lengthy authorization or waiver process.

The rules of flying a drone are very convoluted, and since I fly all over the world, varies quite a bit.

As for "certified to fly almost anywhere" that depends. Often I am legally allowed to fly places or there are "warnings", but irate people don't really care about legal issues. Kinda like street photography.

Airmap is a great way to see what is happening and the airspace you are flying in or will fly in.

[TerryL]

Great videos! I recently picked up a Spark, which is tiny and thus perfect for travel. There's a bit of a learning curve to get interesting footage, but the drone is incredibly steady on its own and a breeze to fly. Sadly most places I recently visited didn't allow any drones at all, but I might have a few clips to share later on

Hi Adam,
I love Drones, too. I have the entire line of Phantoms, 1-4 Pro. I think the 3 Standard is still in production. Best value of all. The camera on the 4 Pro is great, and the body is beautiful. Largest Drone manufacturer in the world. But, if you need a Spark, not much better to pick from.
Terry

[LaurenOE]

Hi Adam,
I love Drones, too. I have the entire line of Phantoms, 1-4 Pro. I think the 3 Standard is still in production. Best value of all. The camera on the 4 Pro is great, and the body is beautiful. Largest Drone manufacturer in the world. But, if you need a Spark, not much better to pick from.
Terry

Awesome! Lets see some vids then! Show your drone love!!!

[photolady95]

Lauren, thanks for the more in depth review. I'm not sure they actually controlled the drones with their phones, as you say it might have been just as a visual aid to see where they were going. Their drones did have cameras on them, I know that much. And there was a base unit set on a table they set up before flying them. They are more hobbyists than actual working people. But I do know that if their drones go into an area that is restricted, they pull them out of that area immediately. They're afraid of losing they're drones through tickets, etc for flying through no fly zones.

[LaurenOE]

Lauren, thanks for the more in depth review. I'm not sure they actually controlled the drones with their phones, as you say it might have been just as a visual aid to see where they were going. Their drones did have cameras on them, I know that much. And there was a base unit set on a table they set up before flying them. They are more hobbyists than actual working people. But I do know that if their drones go into an area that is restricted, they pull them out of that area immediately. They're afraid of losing they're drones through tickets, etc for flying through no fly zones.

Good for them to be so concerned...but no-fly zones...they don't just "pop up" unless there is an emergency. Surely they should know beforehand.

Sounds like they are responsible drone operators. Awesome!

L.

[photolady95]

Good for them to be so concerned...but no-fly zones...they don't just "pop up" unless there is an emergency. Surely they should know beforehand.

Sounds like they are responsible drone operators. Awesome!

L.

I'm not sure the zone she was in was a "no fly zone" but she got a warning that said she should move out of the area. That area she was flying in, is mostly government owned wildlife preserve land and may be that was why the warning was given.

And like I said, they are not kids. My daughter is in her 50s and her boyfriend is in his 60s. She has common sense, at least.

[LaurenOE]

I'm not sure the zone she was in was a "no fly zone" but she got a warning that said she should move out of the area. That area she was flying in, is mostly government owned wildlife preserve land and may be that was why the warning was given.

And like I said, they are not kids. My daughter is in her 50s and her boyfriend is in his 60s. She has common sense, at least.

Yeah, wildlife preserves...national parks...protected seashores...not drone friendly, and for good reason. In California there are places on the coast where you can't fly, and there are places you can. Even the places you can, you can't come close to wild life.

I shot a video a few years back where I digitally zoomed in on an Otter that was playing in the surf. The otter may have seemed like I was close, but I wasn't. Thank goodness for 4K shooting, and delivering in 1080p!

I have one of the few authorizations from the FAA to fly our corporate campus, which is in a flight path, permission from our building facilities and all the permissions, so I know what it's like to fly in restricted airspace.

But...its awesome to be able to fly where no one else is allowed...not that its selfish, but satisfying to jump through all the hoops to do it.

Here are two where I had that authorization. Some of my footage has been on CNN and Reuters, so its all worth it.

Vimeo

and

Vimeo

These two are the "Director's cut" of footage that my company used in other media. Its nice I get to keep my versions!

Enjoy.