. . .After all the negative things I've said about Drone operators. . .

[Phil Perry]

My Two Lovely Girls thought that it would be a novel Idea to buy Dad a DRONE. . .( ! ) for his 68th Birthday. . .

 

The narrative was apparently that, 'Dad's a pilot so he won't have ANY trouble flying that. . .' Oh Dear.

 

It's a very small Quadcopter thingy, WIFI version; with a bracket on the controller to hold a smartphone, this being used to view the output of the Camera. . . .The instructions are in rather badly translated 'CHINGLISH, so I have had to read very carefully, and try to make sense of it all.

 

First of all, I have to download an 'APP' onto the phone, which I have not been able to find yet in the Apps list, but I am assured that it works with an Android App. Big Daughter said, just scan the QR code on the manual, and this will retrieve the correct App.

 

I don't have a QR code scan App on the phone either. ! ! . Daughter says she will do this for me as she is more familiar with messing bout with phones. ( Aren't they all ? ? ) . In the meantime, I've assembled the machine, and clipped the rotor protector shields in place, but have been having difficulty trying to open the battery cover on the aircraft, the pictures in the manual are not as good as they could be ( for Old guys )

 

I've managed to open the Lipo battery cover, and connected the USB charging lead to my Laptop. Nowhere in the manual does it say HOW LONG this battery needs to charge. ( I hope that it doesn't explode ) ***EDIT*** The red light on the USB plug has come on,. . .I'm assuming that means the battery is charged.

 

I've fitted the three AA dry cells into the hand controller device, and am reading up on how to get the controller to handshake with the aircraft.. . . after several reads, I think these instructions would do justice to a 'Cold and Dark' startup checklist on an A320. . . . I do hope that this is not beyond my limited reasoning.

 

I shall consult the two Drone Gurus at the Airfield before proceeding with a 'Live Test' of the aircraft. Can't fly it from home,. . .too close to neighbours with kids and dogs and in any case, this would contravene several rules in the newly published CAA CAP77 directive, Plus Local bylaws which were instigated due to stupid drongoes flying these things in places which were wildly inappropriate.

 

I shall report back after the first crash. . . The fact that it came with many sets of spare rotors in a plastic bag is worrying,. . and I'm wondering what the much Larger plastic bag is for. . .but I can guess. . It doesn't mention this in the manu. . . .. etc. . ..

 

 

[old man emu]

The larger plastic bag is for putting all the broken bits in one evidence bag for later examination.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

The larger plastic bag is for putting all the broken bits in one evidence bag for later examination.

. . . .that was MY guess too . . .

 

The really BIG downside wrt not being able to aviate from home base,; is that being a confirmed pervert, I was hoping to get a better view of the lady in the 3 storey block of flats down the road from here. . .sigh. . .she does 'Keep Fit' exercises each morning in front of her window. . and using my astro telescope is a pain in the neck as the image is inverted. . .oh well. . .

 

:-)

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Chatting with mate 'Dave the Drone' a couple of hours back, he said he was unfamiliar with the model I have, but would have a look at it next weekend. . . he also regales a near miss with a medium sized drone a few weeks ago, whilst flying his 100 HP trike around the Stoke on Trent area, about 20 NM North of here. . . The white coloured appliance passed underneath his aircraft and he said it was a bloody major collision risk, as it's direction was nearly head on, and his cruising speed was circa 75 Kt.. . .He reckoned that the Drone must have been on a reciprocal heading to his, as it passed by very quicky, giving him no chance to see it nor react. . .

 

He admitted that without knowing the size of the contraption,( But being a bit of an expert on the subject ) he guessed the vertical separation as around thirty to fifty feet. . . I asked what height he was flying at and he said around 2,300 feet on the RPS ( Regional Pressure setting ) which equates, in that area, to around 1,800 feet AGL. He was Really Pi$$ed off, as it frightened the heck out of his Girlfriend, who was already a nervous flyer. . .He added that he was most pleased that it had not hit him in the face, and that he's ugly enough already. . . .( Typical Geordie Humour )

 

Reported immediately to the CAA 'Airmiss' Board he says. . . It is this kind of foolishness which will cause grief to a lot of R/C model flyers, who are a very disciplined bunch, but will suffer from any major media blowback. I doubt if mine has the WIFI range to reach that sort of height, even if I lost control of the thing ! It says that it will fly for 7 to 11 minutes on a full charge. . .( After that,. . I shall require that large plastic bag I think OME. . .)

 

 

[Marty_d]

The plastic bag should be filled with water and placed in your freezer.

 

Then, when your fit neighbour's husband catches you, its use will become obvious...