DRONE ZONE

Prospecting Australia

Help Support Prospecting Australia:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Ramjet said:
The demand for the Mavic has been huge. Seen a few falling out of the sky though. :(
Also GoPro has recalled all of their Karma drones. Not good news.
Click to expand...

Yep, one of the testing "experts" lost one after only a couple of weeks, likely dumped it in the drink, as he didn't find it. I think that some push them to test their limits and guess what happens when they exceed them .....

Rob P.
 
Haven't had the drone out much recently but this is a pic I took at work. Looking over the coal stacks and Hunter river towards Newcastle from Kooragang Island.

1484299700_img_20161226_003753.jpg
 
Been into aerial RC for a few years now,...heli's & multi's...

Just a few links to sites i visit...

http://www.archeli.com.au/forums/forum.php

http://www.helifreak.com/forumdisplay.php?s=8d893e3663b4fc82157356650d743046&f=13

www.rcgroups.com/forums/subscription.php?do=viewsubscription&folderid=all

http://www.rctrader.com/new/1_day/0/Main.html

The last is a trading site, though the others do have a 'classifieds' of their own, only the 1st one is an ozzie forum, but the other two also have very good sites for info. and references.

I prefer to buy the kits (usually separate components i make into a kit that is) and build them myself, but i understand how that may not be for one and all.

A great Aussie company for quality high end kits is;

http://www.multiwiicopter.com/

Fly safe, and KNOW your "responsibilities"....just like detecting, there are regulations to abide by. Some have already been prosecuted.

This is definitely one hobby where you truly DO need to read "Instructions".... :8 (ask how i know lol).

Cheers
Gypsy
 
The Mavic has arrived at last, but I have only been able to do a couple of successful test runs inside (no video). Will likely be 3 weeks before I can get out into the open to give it a real try out. First impressions are very impressive, but make sure you read the manual several times and try and understand at least some of the control functions before trying one out.

Rob.
 
I to am a Drone operator as well. Autel Xstar Premium imported from the States am extremely happy with it pretty much the same as a Phantom 4 without obstacle avoidance but that doesn't work very well going by a few Facebook posts! Taking it upto Mt Crawford tomorrow might see some new ground for prospecting or hang a detector from it lol.
 
B5MECH said:
silver said:
Cmon Gypsy, how do you know ? 8) :D :p
Click to expand...
Yeah cmon how do you know?
Are you the sausage man :eek: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :p
http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/11/09/13/02/barbecue-drone-collection
Buggers took the video down :rolleyes:
Edit :eek: here it is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dHQxNCIYUE
Click to expand...

Sorry for the late response guys...well for one i'm not on any video showing dumb behavior or losing flesh....reasons enough in their own right as to reading Instructions.

As to my own circumstance, as noted i don't use plug & play (too many limitations and "proprietary" components, i prefer open-source)....i have to program everything and there are particular "sequences" in which things should be done. Miss any one of those and the result can be fly-away's, premature arming and therefore "injury", and the list goes on...in my case, a simple enough circumstance indoors, the multi armed and shot to the roof (this was with a mini p&p being installed on my Tx to replace the crappy provided one)..no injury other than pride lol.

It was also the first and only time i had worked on a platform with blades on...."once bitten" and all.

I have been witness to a lopped finger tip (as well as palm cuts) from a multi, and a gashed forearm (from a heli)....

Sorry for those who were hoping for a tragic or gory personal reminiscence.. :8

Serious units can be upwards of $100K (loaded) but even the budget range can
"bite" you if you don't follow procedure...(like changing coils while detector is powered.. ;) )

Gypsy
 
Has anyone tried operating a phantom 4 or Mavic in and around heavy tree cover, forests? I am interested in one of these to help locate old mine workings in the mountainous bush in north east Victoria. I have heaps of leads on where old mines may be located but trying to find them on the ground is almost impossible due to walls of blackberries & dogwood etc. Ive often thought of flying over an area and taking Photos for later analysis. just wondering if the object avoidance is good enough to avoid branches etc?
 
jethro said:
Has anyone tried operating a phantom 4 or Mavic in and around heavy tree cover, forests? I am interested in one of these to help locate old mine workings in the mountainous bush in north east Victoria. I have heaps of leads on where old mines may be located but trying to find them on the ground is almost impossible due to walls of blackberries & dogwood etc. Ive often thought of flying over an area and taking Photos for later analysis. just wondering if the object avoidance is good enough to avoid branches etc?
Click to expand...

Sorry, but today was my first flight outside, so I am of little help to you other than what I have read and seen online..

I believe it would depend on how dense the cover was, and how good you were at the controls, as while the avoidance stuff is ok, especially when travelling slowly, I wouldn't try flying around in the foliage of a tree. The drone is relying on interpretation of video images and that is pretty flaky stuff. I have seen an online video of one being flown in winter towards trees that didn't have any leaves on them and it just went crunch, end of flight.

Rob P.
 
jethro
just a question would google earth help or is it because you can't get close enough earth to see a good picture
that how i found what i wanted to see in the forest i wanted to go to
 
jethro said:
Has anyone tried operating a phantom 4 or Mavic in and around heavy tree cover, forests? I am interested in one of these to help locate old mine workings in the mountainous bush in north east Victoria. I have heaps of leads on where old mines may be located but trying to find them on the ground is almost impossible due to walls of blackberries & dogwood etc. Ive often thought of flying over an area and taking Photos for later analysis. just wondering if the object avoidance is good enough to avoid branches etc?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't rely on the avoidance sensors too much. Firstly they are only on the front so doesn't help with sideways or backwards movement. A small twig or leaves may be missed by the sensors but still coukd be enough to bring your drone down.
 
I have just been reading up on the way that you should be managing your drone LiPo batteries, such as not leaving them with more than 40-50% charge in them for more than around about a day.

While I believe that the batteries have some form of automatic process that brings the battery voltage down slowly after about 10 days, it seems that for best battery life, you need to try and finish your days efforts below the 50% and only bring up to about 50% when charging after use. Then maybe put them on charge maybe the day before planned use.

So how do you achieve this in a practical sense, if not using the drone on a daily basis? What about if you have several batteries?

Oh, just had my first couple of outside flights with the Mavic, but kept it within the back yard, just familiarizing myself with the controls a bit. Resultant video was rubbish, as I left the Gimbal cover on and sun glare just wiped out everything.

Rob P.
 
Re; Flight through foliage...will depend upon the 'continual' link between Tx & Rx...they are all different, and different frequencies work better than others, some LEGAL, some not....know the REG's!!!!

For what you want it for Jethro, i'd advise an FPV multi (450-600mm), with race spec Rx....but be warned, it's rare to get more than 20 mins to 1/2 hr flight time on 'most' P&P units...

As to batteries, best behavior is "balance" charge, and use down to 20-25% if recharging for further use. If using once and put into storage charge, recommended @ 75-80%....always be present while charging, and use appropriate charger with "balance" leads...this keeps the single cells healthy longer...

www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?209187-Complete-Guide-to-Lithium-Polymer-Batteries-and-LiPo-Failure-Reports

Proper chargers will also have a "discharge" feature (but it's slower than charging), whilst others make up a discharge (lightbulb) unit.
I use the Revolectrix PowerLab8. Do your homework, and many of the above queries can be found in the links i provided...from battery care, to charger choice, to motors, blades, frames etc et al....worth a look if you have questions.

Here ya go...

http://www.archeli.com.au/forums/forum.php
http://www.helifreak.com/forumdisplay.p 43046&f=13
www.rcgroups.com/forums/subscription.php?do=viewsubscription&folderid=all

Gypsy
 
Thanks for the replies re the flying in forests thing. Perhaps flying just above the tree tops will give me what I need. I have tried google earth but the probliem is that only the very largest mullock dumps show up as most are covered by trees and undergrowth. The other problem is that the coordinates given by Vicmine database are a guide at best. + or - 100metres is as good as most of them get And thats a bloody big area to search on foot in thick cover.
 
Just picked up my mavic last week. Been doing a bit of testing/learning and find it relatively easy to use (much easier to fly than a $100 drone from Dick Smith). Fortunate to have km's of wide open spaces, as surrounded by wheat fields and no neighbours. Very impressed.
Heading out tomorrow for a swing and will take it along with me. Planning on flying over a few diggings, that I haven't visited before, on my way home. Not really sure about what altitude to run it at to get the best footage, but open Ironbark forest so hopefully be able to get a fair idea of the lay of the land.
 
Fizz said:
Just picked up my mavic last week. Been doing a bit of testing/learning and find it relatively easy to use (much easier to fly than a $100 drone from Dick Smith). Fortunate to have km's of wide open spaces, as surrounded by wheat fields and no neighbours. Very impressed.
Heading out tomorrow for a swing and will take it along with me. Planning on flying over a few diggings, that I haven't visited before, on my way home. Not really sure about what altitude to run it at to get the best footage, but open Ironbark forest so hopefully be able to get a fair idea of the lay of the land.
Click to expand...

Congratulations, I believe that the most important height is to set the return home height well above any trees in the area, just in case it needs to get back "home" by itself. Other than that it will likely depend on the terrain, density of the ground cover, trees, etc. Suck it and see and let us know how you go as others may be able to benefit.

I will likely not use mine where there is heavy tree cover.
 

Similar threads

Araratgold
  • Locked
DJI Phantom 4 Pro Plus Drone fro sale
Replies
5
Views
2K
Jaros
Jaros
R
My New Fridge/Cooler
Replies
17
Views
6K
Ridge Runner
R
Ditherer and Son
Ditherer & Son Camping at Coles Bridge April 13-15
Replies
10
Views
5K
WalnLiz
WalnLiz

Latest posts

Top