Where's the Christmas Swarm?

RussA · Dec 27, 2014

For days I've been hearing on the news that authorities were expecting a flood of new "drones" to be unwrapped on Christmas Day and crowding the skies. all sorts of disasters were predicted from kids or newbies crashing their drones or otherwise causing problems. Two days of news cycles later I haven't heard of either a large volume of new UAV pilots/owners out there or any problems. I'm sure there have been a few, but so far as I can tell, not any more than usual. Does anyone have some coverage I missed?

fly-catchers · Dec 27, 2014

I personally feel that the bulk of these Christmas Drones are the much small indoor flying quads. Where I work several people have got the Hubsan Nano Q4 Quadcopter for Christmas. And they would think that a £700 plus investment in a Phantom far too much to spend on a hobby! So would be very surprised in see loads of Phantoms flying around. In the 16 months since getting my P1 have not seen a single other Phantom flyer. Though do know from youtube there are at least two others living nearby. I am sure there will now be the odd new one but not the vast numbers the press/media love to go on about.

derrickduff · Dec 27, 2014

I saw a story on the Verge Christmas day of people crashing their drones. I was surprised they were out so quick. But I agree, they don't seem to be flooding the sky as predicted. Most of these drones in the story are the cheap kind you buy in the mall kiosk or toy store.

http://www.theverge.com/tldr/2014/12/25 ... s-presents

RussA · Dec 27, 2014

Most of the stories I saw pre-Christmas were about the FAA effort to warn people about safe flying. I think the FAA PSA's were the origin of the news stories, but the networks sort of carried it from there. It seemed like most of the video footage they used was either of Phantoms or some 6-rotor craft, in other words, big expensive ones, not the toys, but that's probably just because the videos are better for TV. Those are more controversial and scary to some viewers.

PsychopathRC · Dec 27, 2014

There's certainly less then I hoped. Saw a kid today in the park with a helicopter. I was there with my Eachine X6. I'm too alone!

sdtrojan · Dec 27, 2014

I joked with my wife Christmas morning when I opened the door that the "skies were filled with drones!" I did see a boy down the street flying a Hubsan. Other than that, I was the only drone in the skies that I saw. Took my 13 year old jock son out to the park today to fly for his first time. He is one of those "cool kids" that would never get caught dead doing this kind of thing with his Dad, especially if he might be seen by a girl. After his first 16-minute flight, he said he wanted his own!

kitari · Dec 30, 2014

I don't know, but it would be really nice to see someone flying around where I live. I wish I could get my wife into it, but she just doesn't care for it.

noiseboy72 · Dec 31, 2014

Not a drone, but watched a family on a windy sand dune trying to fly a co-axial helicopter. I know from experience that these things will only fly in a dead calm, but it was quite entertaining watching them chasing after it...

Scottintexas · Dec 31, 2014

I'm one of the ones flooding the sky with drones. My wife gave me a Phantom 1 for Christmas. I got my GoPro attached and have flown it in my living room and my back yard. No serious crashes yet. The blades have been slightly abused, a wind chime got a couple of chimes cut off and my Phantom tried to attack me once. Other than that it is fun with a large learning curve. My brother-in-law got one also. He and his daughter took it out Christmas day and were flying it at some park and it flew away. They have no idea where it went. If all the people that the news was waiting for went out without doing the proper set up and research then they sky would only be full of drones for about 15 minutes. Then all the batteries would die and the drones will drop from the sky in places they can't be found.

But if it isn't drones flying around killing people then it is the oranges from Mexico, or the lettuce from California, or the Mad Cow Disease from England. If there is nothing for the media to create a panic over, then there is nothing to report in the news. What a miserable life newsies must live. They get up every morning and begin to think; "What crisis can I invent today?"

russianfront · Dec 31, 2014

RussA said:
For days I've been hearing on the news that authorities were expecting a flood of new "drones" to be unwrapped on Christmas Day and crowding the skies. all sorts of disasters were predicted from kids or newbies crashing their drones or otherwise causing problems. Two days of news cycles later I haven't heard of either a large volume of new UAV pilots/owners out there or any problems. I'm sure there have been a few, but so far as I can tell, not any more than usual. Does anyone have some coverage I missed?

Just wait a bit. Tales of woe will trickle out. When I watch youtube videos I am constantly shocked at how and where people are flying these ticking time bombs.

Happyflyer · Dec 31, 2014

Low number just may be the blasted cold. I sure do not want to fly in 20-25 degrees F
As it warms up in 2015 you just may see the increase you are looking for.

crash1sttime · Dec 31, 2014

Cold weather or not, ive been out with mine, thats what gloves, hat and scarves are for.

As i write this it has just turned new year, so happy new year to you all.

Khudson7 · Jan 1, 2015

Here is an article about some that are new with their Xmas presents....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/31/holiday-drone-fails_n_6400222.html

Buckaye · Jan 1, 2015

Khudson7 said:
Here is an article about some that are new with their Xmas presents....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/31/holiday-drone-fails_n_6400222.html

Reminds me of my first flight with a single rotor heli... Spent a lot of time on a simulator...thought I was ready... Took off...panicked and crashed into the driveway 11 seconds later...

I've come a long way since then... But I'm sure a lot of people had similar Experiences at Christmas

PsychopathRC · Jan 1, 2015

Hahaha! That rolling spider in the girls hair..

Happyflyer · Jan 1, 2015

crash1sttime said:
Cold weather or not, ive been out with mine, thats what gloves, hat and scarves are for.

They don't do much good when it is snowing most of the time.
You don't get much/any there do you?

MadMitch88 · Jan 1, 2015

Happyflyer said:
Low number just may be the blasted cold. I sure do not want to fly in 20-25 degrees F
As it warms up in 2015 you just may see the increase you are looking for.

I'd have to agree with you. Flying in the bitter cold isn't that fun, so hopefully this cold spell in the Northeast and Midwest is keeping a lot of these noobs indoors where they can't hurt anyone!

You'd think they'd use the indoor time to study the User Manual and watch YouTube videos to better learn their new machine. But alas, stupid inane Facebook and Tweets occupy their idle time.

crash1sttime · Jan 1, 2015

Happyflyer said:
They don't do much good when it is snowing most of the time.
You don't get much/any there do you?

We had an inch on boxing day, but otherwise its mainly just wind and rain at the minute

Happyflyer · Jan 1, 2015

crash1sttime said:
We had an inch on boxing day, but otherwise its mainly just wind and rain at the minute

Well, both of them can mess up a day!

crash1sttime · Jan 1, 2015

To true, as you may know my quad recently had a debate with a tree and i'm trying to get out to test fly it, but today has been the wettest since before Christmas.

MadMitch88 said:
But alas, stupid inane Facebook and Tweets occupy their idle time.

Thats fine, let them fly for 25 seconds before their expensive non replaceable Christmas present hits the ground or a tree and wont fly anymore, which is what is going to happen to many I expect :evil: