Put my mind at rest

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so a question I've not seen asked a lot. ( hopefully not just bad searching )

I want to do some flights of my local area, especially some night stuff Because it looks cool.

Do you know what never mind ... straight to the question.

I have his horrible feeling about the phantom just falling out of the sky when flying over some houses or other stuff in a residential area.

Anyone care to ease my mind.

Tomorrow I would like to bring my phantom to work and around 5pm when it starts to get dar I wanna take it up and away for 10 mins to show my work mates.
 
After several years, I kind of still have that feeling. Best I can say is that you learn to accept that gravity may win at any time. It's unlikely but it might happen. Any point in worrying about it? Would it be better just not to fly at all and not take the chance? Truth is, it could also fall to the ground while 10' out and 20' up... Probably going to be the same result. Height or distance is not likely to change the fact that it could fall. I always keep this in mind.
 
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so a question I've not seen asked a lot. ( hopefully not just bad searching )

I want to do some flights of my local area, especially some night stuff Because it looks cool.

Do you know what never mind ... straight to the question.

I have his horrible feeling about the phantom just falling out of the sky when flying over some houses or other stuff in a residential area.

Anyone care to ease my mind.

Tomorrow I would like to bring my phantom to work and around 5pm when it starts to get dar I wanna take it up and away for 10 mins to show my work mates.


Only have 30 minutes after civil twilight to fly unless you have anti collision strobe lights on your drone. Otherwise you'll need an FAA waiver.

Since your asking this question, I'd assume your a beginner, so I wouldn't even try it. Get some hours in, like 5 of flight time then show it to your co-workers.
 
Only have 30 minutes after civil twilight to fly unless you have anti collision strobe lights on your drone. Otherwise you'll need an FAA waiver.

Since your asking this question, I'd assume your a beginner, so I wouldn't even try it..

Get some hours in, like 5 of flight time then show it to your co-workers.[/



Not sure this rule applies in the U.K?

Anyway loads of peeps do it, all the night videos that are available to watch.

Not beginner not experienced somewhere in between,

Get some hours in, like 5 of flight time then show it to your co-workers.

I know how to fly my phantom lol, and flying it isn't the issue, just sharing my thought process about how I feel when I fly anywhere other than open fields.
 
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Also being relatively new to drone flying, but not new to life and analytics, I have two points to contribute:
1- Imagine, or even search if you can, how many drones have actually been sold and flown extensively with no issue, compared to the problems listed here. I suspect the ratio will be infinitesimally small. Don't forget, for the most part people will come to forums when they need help with a problem...
2-as tcope suggests, worrying will change nothing. I hate to quote Yoda but my kids have it in my head... "Do or do not". You can worry and fly trouble free, or have your mind eased and crash... but the actual worrying has no impact on either.

And yes, night flights are INCREDIBLY cool. I've seen one where a guy flew two drones, one following the other, through high rise buildings and a busy city scape and it was insane. And stunning.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots
 
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Also being relatively new to drone flying, but not new to life and analytics, I have two points to contribute:
1- Imagine, or even search if you can, how many drones have actually been sold and flown extensively with no issue, compared to the problems listed here. I suspect the ratio will be infinitesimally small. Don't forget, for the most part people will come to forums when they need help with a problem...
2-as tcope suggests, worrying will change nothing. I hate to quote Yoda but my kids have it in my head... "Do or do not". You can worry and fly trouble free, or have your mind eased and crash... but the actual worrying has no impact on either.

And yes, night flights are INCREDIBLY cool. I've seen one where a guy flew two drones, one following the other, through high rise buildings and a busy city scape and it was insane. And stunning.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Cheers dude, that's the kind of reply I was hoping for lol,

probably still wont stop my heart pounding as I start to fly over someones house lol
 
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Im not preaching the rules as i bend/break some of them myself Just bare in mind they aren't allowed to be flown over residential areas at all here. So be careful, as if it does go down you may have some explaining to do. Best bet is to just fly over non residential areas in the town or around the outskirts town, has the added benefit of better range and video too. Oh ans less likely to be stolen if it goes down in an empty field.

Flying in town at sunrise in summer is a good idea, the light is perfect and the streets are empty.

Its unlikely you will ever have and issue though, make sure the batteries are warm before use.
 
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I'm of a different philosophy. Things only go wrong when it's in the air. So be careful what you fly over. Some fear is good.
 
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Im not preaching the rules as i bend/break some of them myself Just bare in mind they aren't allowed to be flown over residential areas at all here. So be careful,

Yeah I get that. I don't mean I'll be flying over lots of people's houses. Mainly more over outskirts of streets and in parks etc and possibly local Marina.

But as you know we'll know here in uk there is no space between anything it's all so close in proximity together.
 
Yeah I get that. I don't mean I'll be flying over lots of people's houses. Mainly more over outskirts of streets and in parks etc and possibly local Marina.

But as you know we'll know here in uk there is no space between anything it's all so close in proximity together.
Up here in the frozen North we do have many good flying areas, but yes, I agree, in general we are a crowded nation. I sold my last Phantom to someone who lived in central Manchester, good luck flying there, but not my problem.
 
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I have his horrible feeling about the phantom just falling out of the sky when flying over some houses or other stuff in a residential area.

Tomorrow I would like to bring my phantom to work and around 5pm when it starts to get dar I wanna take it up and away for 10 mins to show my work mates.

I don't worry too much about flying over houses. Although there is certainly an amount of risk ANYTIME you fly a drone, if your drone does fall onto a house, it's not likely to be a life-changing event. More than likely, it won't even damage the house, but even if it does, at most you'll probably just have to pay for the repair. Flying over PEOPLE is what scares me, and I try to avoid that to the best of my ability. Depending on where you are flying, you can't always avoid flying over someone, but groups of people pose the greatest risk. If your bird falls or crashes onto a person, you could cause major injury and even go to jail.

So, regarding your question about flying your drone for 10 minutes in a residential area at close to dark time... if it's just flying over some houses, I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as you are knowledgeable about potential obstacles and needed altitude for the flight. On the other hand, if this is your first time flying at dark, I would not recommend doing it while you are showing some coworkers. You will likely be distracted and/or nervous, and there is greater potential for you to make a mistake.

The chances of a Phantom just falling from the sky are very minimal, but there are MANY potential ways for a pilot to cause a crash. Only you know your comfort level.
 
I don't worry too much about flying over houses. Although there is certainly an amount of risk ANYTIME you fly a drone, if your drone does fall onto a house, it's not likely to be a life-changing event. More than likely, it won't even damage the house, but even if it does, at most you'll probably just have to pay for the repair. Flying over PEOPLE is what scares me, and I try to avoid that to the best of my ability. Depending on where you are flying, you can't always avoid flying over someone, but groups of people pose the greatest risk. If your bird falls or crashes onto a person, you could cause major injury and even go to jail.

So, regarding your question about flying your drone for 10 minutes in a residential area at close to dark time... if it's just flying over some houses, I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as you are knowledgeable about potential obstacles and needed altitude for the flight. On the other hand, if this is your first time flying at dark, I would not recommend doing it while you are showing some coworkers. You will likely be distracted and/or nervous, and there is greater potential for you to make a mistake.

The chances of a Phantom just falling from the sky are very minimal, but there are MANY potential ways for a pilot to cause a crash. Only you know your comfort level.
Yes, good post. I also stay away from people for the reasons you mention, and Horse riders,here in the UK we need to be 50 metres away from people not under our control, which is OK, until you are coming in to land, and an interested person comes up to you, and asks questions. Actually I think there are exemptions for take off and landing.
To be fair I have only ever had positive encounters with people so far.
 
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Maybe I should test flight at night somewhere 1st.

Question is. Where? Obviously need some light so I can see and so the camera can pick up stuff at a decent quality.
 
Yes, good post. I also stay away from people for the reasons you mention, and Horse riders,here in the UK we need to be 50 metres away from people not under our control, which is OK, until you are coming in to land, and an interested person comes up to you, and asks questions. Actually I think there are exemptions for take off and landing.
To be fair I have only ever had positive encounters with people so far.


Yeah 50 metres excludes take off and landing.

I've had positives too people just wanna talk.
 
@Dazzauk
Show, or show off, yes distractions, make a safer flight there or in the area, test flight, etc. If you start getting error messages, compass, interference, you won't be ready while others are waiting for you to fly. Test flight, set a flight pattern / route in advance and test it so you already know what to show.

Rod
 
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Our flying toys have no redundancy. Single power source, compass, flight controller GPS and control radio, loose any of the four esc/motor/prop and its over. No ability to glide to a safe impact zone either. I will happily fly to the limit of RC link and battery (including allowing an autoland at critical) on private property in remote areas (cattle stations mainly) and close to suburbia feel most comfortable over the ocean. I won't fly over my neighbours house. As small as a risk it might present its not worth it. And it does annoy people regardless of what right I might think I have to do it.
 
Daz..... GO DO IT ....

Just make sure you take off in a nice clear area and make sure the RTH altitude clears buildings etc. That way IF you lose contact - then the AC will RTH to where it took off.
If it still has control but video fails - it will hover ... then just flick S2 to trigger RTH.

The AC is programmed to RTH and land. Use it - I do !!

Unfortunately the Multi-Rotor world has a lot of paranoid as well as totally idiotic people on the fringes ... most are normal sensible but occasionally the others get a look in !!

Normal RC of course demands a bit more in terms of location and suitability of ... these DJI machines basically allow idiots to fly them in totally unsuitable locations. That leads to controls and regulations that we see created in the ol USA ... with us over here worried those same regs will invade our enjoyment. Luckily so far regs are reasonable and understandable in EU locations.

Anyway - if you look at my video taken in town ... I lost video connection causing a static hover for about 1m 30s ... I edited it out ... but anyway - the video shows that control was there and I completed the intended flight.

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I do not suggest unsafe or stupid acts of just go out and fly regardless. A reasonable assessment of area and surroundings, likely outcomes if good or bad ... then make informed judgement.

Nigel
 

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