PREP HELP: Drone suggestions from any TB2K experts?

[shane]

I don't know anything about what's now available in this fast evolving field.

I'm exploring getting drone for security use out here in wilds of west Texas.

Need ability to see what's coming up our hill well before it gets to our place.

Other methods let me know when I need to get eyes on 'visitor' via a drone.

Appreciate any suggestions and/or explaining range of options now available.

Panic Early, Beat the Rush!
- Shane

 

[Codeno]

Don't know anything about drones, but the all caps HELP in your title caught my eye.

 

[naegling62]

You spelled dog wrong.

 

[Peter]

Picked up the dji mini 2 last month.

https://m.dji.com/product/mini-2?set_region=US

30 min fly time. Comes with back up battery. Very easy to fly. Intuitive. 4k camera. Vid quality is amazing. Little noisy for my liking if using for security purposes. However would guess at 100' to 125' no longer audible. Supposedly dji data goes to China so worth looking into further if opsec with usage important.

 

[raven]

Get yerself a helium tank and a box full of them aluminum heart shaped balloons they sell at valentines day

 

[hiwall]

Supposedly dji data goes to China so worth looking into further if opsec with usage important.

Only way to stop that would be using those that do not use a smart phone

 

[BassMan]

Lots of drones on the market, but what about looking into cameras? Long Range Security Camera: Best PTZ & Night Vision Picks - Reolink Blog

At the above link, the 4G cellular option looks promising, but you would have to run power to it (or use a battery-bank).

 

[savurselvs]

A like minded bud has played with some /farm use.
His main point to me was do not get a small one.
The winds in west Texas are not nice

 

[Codeno]

^^^^^
The farmers here are using them to get a look out in the middle of their fields once the crops get established. They had an expo type thing featuring drones a few years ago at one of the seed plants near here. The drone that they used for their demonstration was fairly big and ran about $1000.

 

[oneGeek]

I think China may have some extra balloons.

 

[GL10mmx15]

Picked up the dji mini 2 last month.

https://m.dji.com/product/mini-2?set_region=US

30 min fly time. Comes with back up battery. Very easy to fly. Intuitive. 4k camera. Vid quality is amazing. Little noisy for my liking if using for security purposes. However would guess at 100' to 125' no longer audible. Supposedly dji data goes to China so worth looking into further if opsec with usage important.

Agree. I have the Mini 2 and love it. Too small to need a license. Nice, sharp videos and pictures. 6 mile range but darn if I have the guts to go that far. Mine was about $600. Lot of fun.

 

[Ractivist]

Get yerself a helium tank and a box full of them aluminum heart shaped balloons they sell at valentines day

Great truth to this idea. A camera hooked to a dedicated viewer above your abode, would give you great range of sight. A simple helium balloon with a weather vane to keep it oriented, with a pan and tilt on the camera platform would provide great value. No signal, just a hundred dollars or so of helium, the large tank, would keep you in good shape for a long time. It would be noticeable in an open area. Easily shot out. But it would be logical for some folks. I'd guess a four to five foot balloon could lift the camera system and the tether to a great height. Enough to increase your view tremendously. Yet it might give away your location. So much to consider given the terrain. Some tree'd area's might lend themselves to such a rig. Thinking out loud.

No longer up to date on drones.....sad to say. Just get one that does not rely on your phone. Transmitter with dedicated display would be key, in my opinion.

 

[Bubble Head]

Agree. I have the Mini 2 and love it. Too small to need a license. Nice, sharp videos and pictures. 6 mile range but darn if I have the guts to go that far. Mine was about $600. Lot of fun.

Been looking at drones myself. Where did you purchase yours?

 

[Hfcomms]

DJI mini pro 3 hands down. Get it with the integrated RC controller and 47 minute batteries.

https://www.amazon.com/DJI-Mini-More-Plus-Tri-Directional/dp/B0B11RQYZV/ref=sr_1_3?crid=MGHNRKNYUIX5&keywords=dji+mini+3+pro&qid=1675676673&sprefix=%2Caps%2C256&sr=8-3

Spend some time on the youtube reviews. With the standard batteries it’s under the FAA limit for registration and part 107 commercial compliance. In addition the ‘pro’ has necessary features that the mini doesn’t and primarily the collision avoidance sensors to help you from an ‘oops’. The video is frankly stunning and it is one of the quietest drones out there. The bigger ones make a lot more noise and are more easily seen.

 

[GL10mmx15]

Been looking at drones myself. Where did you purchase yours?

Best Buy

 

[Mr. Peabody]

I have used 4 different DJI models. The one I chose was the smallest of all of them the Mini for three main reasons. First it is under 250g so it doesn't require remote ID. I sometimes use it in restricted no-fly areas but it can be un-lock with DJI/FAA permission very easily. The larger ones can't fly in these areas at all. Second is the range, I have had it out 3 miles. I've seen on the inter webs where it was flown out 6 miles. Third is the video and picture quality. There is also a return home function that really is a great feature.

 

[GL10mmx15]

I have used 4 different DJI models. The one I chose was the smallest of all of them the Mini for three main reasons. First it is under 250g so it doesn't require remote ID. I sometimes use it in restricted no-fly areas but it can be un-lock with DJI/FAA permission very easily. The larger ones can't fly in these areas at all. Second is the range, I have had it out 3 miles. I've seen on the inter webs where it was flown out 6 miles. Third is the video and picture quality. There is also a return home function that really is a great feature.

Peabody, I have heard that if you fly into restricted airspace the craft will land and it is up to you to go get it. Is that true? I don't wanna try it.

 

[Mr. Peabody]

That is not true for the <250g Mini. The larger late model drones built with this GPS link to the phone, which is all of them, will not even take off inside a restricted zone. They definitely are not allowed to fly into the zone. The small Mini like mine just needs the user to download the 3 day permission un-lock and we are good. The phone is connected to the Mini for the display and some controls and the APP in the phone also connects with DJI through the cell link to enable the un-lock. I fly very near our airport to look for crashed RC planes at our RC airfield. Mine and an older DJI Mavic are the only ones able to fly in this area.

 

[desertvet2]

I want one that does not recquire a phone ..AT ALL.

 

[medic38572]

I want one that does not require a phone ..AT ALL.

Fixed it for you!
You are talking about FPV flying.

Best FPV drone in 2023: racing drones that use goggles for a real adrenaline rush​

Best FPV drone in 2023: racing drones that use goggles for a real adrenaline rush

The best FPV drones let you fly as if you’re sitting in the pilot’s seat using goggles for a heads-up display

www.digitalcameraworld.com

I like this one even though it has a 20 minute flight time.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NQD4FBW?tag=georiot-us-default-20&th=1&psc=1&ascsubtag=dcw-us-1104550385777012500-20&geniuslink=true

Specifications​

Weight: 795g (inc battery)
Dimensions: 255 x 312 x 127mm
Diagonal size: 245mm
Controller: Yes
Video resolution: 1080p at 120fps, 4K at 60fps
Goggles resolution: 1440 x 810 (each eye)
Camera resolution: 12MP
Battery life: 20 minutes
Max range: 10 km / 6mi (or 6km in UK/EU)
Max speed: 140kph / 87mph

 

[Ragnar]

I have been looking at Drones as well. a Buddy just got one of these and I got to see some of the video and it looked great

DJI Avata



This is the new DJI Avata... don't know anything about them other than that.

 

[Repairman-Jack]

Lots of drones on the market, but what about looking into cameras? Long Range Security Camera: Best PTZ & Night Vision Picks - Reolink Blog

At the above link, the 4G cellular option looks promising, but you would have to run power to it (or use a battery-bank).

Defense/Security should be layered. Cameras vs drone fill different roles but can overlap.

As an aside: reolink are garbage, far better DIY/Home Level cameras on the market.

 

[LoupGarou]

I want one that does not recquire a phone ..AT ALL.

I would suggest Yuneec's Typhoon H. Has a serious controller as well as massive "hackability" by the owner, and NO connection to the internet. I have a "few". The camera platform will take anything from the HD one that the base platform usually comes with, to an ultra clear 4K, up to a 8K "low light" one that is paralleled with thermal imager, to a Leica. It is a UAV that is VERY good in high winds (the higher powered versions can deal with winds over 60MPH and can stay in place) and can watch over a LOT of area from up high. Flight times are about 30 minutes, less in high winds.

Typhoon H+ with Real Sense

.notes{ margin:5px; font-size:9px; font-style: italic; line-height:11px; } Estimated shipping time will be 1-2 weeks. CLICK TO COMPARE SPECS

store.yuneec.com

Other cameras and "accessories"...

Accessories

store.yuneec.com

That being said, depending on your terrain and how far you want to be able to go out, you may want a FPV drone (I have two smaller ones from Yuneec that fold up into your pocket). They can speed out to a location a lot quicker and you get a picture of what is happening literally in your face.

 

[lostinaz]

Skydio. You can buy the Skydio dock that allows drones to autonomously patrol your property, then land and charge by themselves. You can program the software to alert based on certain movements or profiles.

 

[Hfcomms]

You can spend big bucks on drones but anything over the 250 gram limit is supposed to be registered and you should have a FCC part 107 drone operator license as well as the remote ID requirements going into effect this coming September. The little drones used only for 'recreation' are exempt from those requirements. I.E. you can patrol your surroundings for fun put you can't use any of the footage for commercial or income producing purposes. Part of their reasoning for this is bigger drones can become more of a hazard and hurt people if crashed or flown recklessly.

How to Register Your Drone | Federal Aviation Administration

Register your drone at FAA DroneZone either under part 107 or the Exception for Recreational Flyers. If you are not sure what kind of a drone flyer you are, check out our User Identification Tool or visit our Getting Started webpage to learn more.

www.faa.gov

UAS Remote Identification | Federal Aviation Administration

Drones or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are fundamentally changing aviation, and the FAA is committed to working to fully integrate drones into the National Airspace System (NAS). Safety and security are top priorities for the FAA and remote identification (remote ID) of drones is crucial to...

www.faa.gov

Become a Drone Pilot | Federal Aviation Administration

In order to fly your drone under the FAA's Small UAS Rule (Part 107), you must obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA. This certificate demonstrates that you understand the regulations, operating requirements, and procedures for safely flying drones. Are you a first time pilot or an...

www.faa.gov

Just like a lot of things many are not going to comply with the rules but if you get caught you can potentially face criminal and legal action.

FAA Fines Drone Pilot $182,000

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an $182,000 fine to a drone pilot for multiple (continued) violations of Part 107 -at least 26 violations to be more precise. Between December 2019 a

www.natlawreview.com

So just like anything else today know the rules and balance everything as to your decision what to do.

 

[hiwall]

Hard to find drones that require no smart phone.

 

[Scotto]

You can spend big bucks on drones but anything over the 250 gram limit is supposed to be registered and you should have a FCC part 107 drone operator license as well as the remote ID requirements going into effect this coming September. The little drones used only for 'recreation' are exempt from those requirements. I.E. you can patrol your surroundings for fun put you can't use any of the footage for commercial or income producing purposes.

I got the FCC part 107 some years ago, but where I lived, cities and townships didn't care when they hired drone operators if they had one or not. Most people making money with their drones just got the FAA certification for $5.

 

[Hfcomms]

I got the FCC part 107 some years ago, but where I lived, cities and townships didn't care when they hired drone operators if they had one or not. Most people making money with their drones just got the FAA certification for $5.

Unless something happens and then there is potential criminal and civil liability. Like anything else go into it eyes wide open and make your decisions knowing the potential ramifications. If you crash into someone and hurt them or cause property damage and you were not 107 certified and were ignorant of the airspace rules and waiver requirements you can be in a world of hurt. Mr. Law doesn't care that you didn't know the rules or ignored them and neither does Mr. Lawyer.

As a pilot myself I have never had an encounter with a drone but I know the hoops I had to jump through in order to fly safely and drone operators need to know the rules of the road as it were as well. We tend to chafe at rules but some of them help keep everyone safe.

Obviously if you live in the boonies like I do and just fly around your own property if you screw up you are only going to be hurting yourself if you crash your drone but some of those bigger ones can do some damage and if you are flying in more of a built up area one does have a responsibility to properly operate such a device safely.

 

[Griz3752]

Unless something happens and then there is potential criminal and civil liability. Like anything else go into it eyes wide open and make your decisions knowing the potential ramifications. If you crash into someone and hurt them or cause property damage and you were not 107 certified and were ignorant of the airspace rules and waiver requirements you can be in a world of hurt. Mr. Law doesn't care that you didn't know the rules or ignored them and neither does Mr. Lawyer.

As a pilot myself I have never had an encounter with a drone but I know the hoops I had to jump through in order to fly safely and drone operators need to know the rules of the road as it were as well. We tend to chafe at rules but some of them help keep everyone safe.

Obviously if you live in the boonies like I do and just fly around your own property if you screw up you are only going to be hurting yourself if you crash your drone but some of those bigger ones can do some damage and if you are flying in more of a built up area one does have a responsibility to properly operate such a device safely.

^^^^^ This

"Mr. Law doesn't care that you didn't know the rules or ignored them and neither does Mr. Lawyer."
In pretty much ever legal code I've ever had to review &/or live with,, the phrase "Ignorance of the law is no excuse/defense" is predominately displayed.

As stated, if you're remote/rural & only flying over your own property, probably a non-issue. Start over flying public or other private property and the risks of crash/equipment failure and resultant injury or damage go up.

I think Shane wanted see over a ridge line or around a curve in a SHTF scenario. Popping up and taking a look would be good OPSEC I think. If I had a few acres, terrain & cover dependant, I probably would. Cruising around might work the other way and lead JBTs or worse home to you.

Crash & hurt/kill someone, start a forest fire etc etc and there'll be a whole lot of other issues to deal with.

 

[Czechsix]

How much area do you want to cover? Any big changes in elevation - mountains, etc? Anything specific you're trying to identify - vehicles, people, spoor? Do you need portability, base station only, or? Any plans on the UAV carrying more than a small HD camera? Price point you're trying to keep under?

I think before recommendations can be made, this is the kind of stuff that needs to be known. All of it will have an impact on choices.

 

[Bubble Head]

How much area do you want to cover? Any big changes in elevation - mountains, etc? Anything specific you're trying to identify - vehicles, people, spoor? Do you need portability, base station only, or? Any plans on the UAV carrying more than a small HD camera? Price point you're trying to keep under?

I think before recommendations can be made, this is the kind of stuff that needs to be known. All of it will have an impact on choices.

I live in a mountain area and need to cover around 3 miles. Highest ground elevation would be around 10,000 feet and normal operating 9300' or a little lower. Required hook up to a smart phone is not possible. Smaller the better. Any suggestions.

 

[KFhunter]

I live in restricted airspace, military

 

[LoupGarou]

A couple of questions may help define/redefine what may be needed and effective...

How far "out" is you area where someone may be "coming up our hill"? Are you talking 1 mile from the house? Less? More?

What is in between you and the bottom of your hill (or other areas that you may want to see out to)? Trees? Other smaller hills?

How will you know when to send your drone out to take a look? Already have sensors out there in those areas? Maybe something like these, put into PVC pipes with an 18650, a nice IR LED or 22KHz "ultrasonic" buzzer (if you have dogs), and hidden in interesting places:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MTWZDQZ

or maybe a few of these if you want to trigger a larger "alert" and have power at those remote locations?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QBHTJS4

Have you thought about sticking a GOOD FPV camera on an offroad Electric RC car controlled by a 5 channel transmitter? The car needs two channels (throttle and steering), and that leaves the other 3 channels for camera control or "other things"...
Since there are 40+ channels on the 5.8GHz analog FPV transmitter spectrum, you can have multiple cameras on a good sized offroad electric vehicle, one for FPV driver view, and others for zoomed in viewing, all operating at once.

Wide angles:

https://www.amazon.com/FPV-Camera-RunCam-Phoenix-FOV160%C2%B0Global/dp/B0BQ2FVKWN

https://www.amazon.com/RunCam-Night-Camera-1000TVL-Support/dp/B09JVG2D5W

With many of the cameras, you can swap out the tiny lenses to get different fields of vision.


5.8GHz Video Transmitters:

https://www.amazon.com/SoloGood-Transmitter-20x20mm-External-Audio-Connector/dp/B094C7M6PD

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1LSXV2Q

Nice thing about the offroad car approach is that you can keep the noise down to a minimum by going slow, stop all noise and just sit there (and if you have GOOD (Quiet) Azimuth/Elevation servos for the camera, make NO noise while watching from afar), and still have the ability to haul back to the home on the return trip if you want.

Or have the cameras "set" and have the extra channels and servos can do other things...



As far as the vehicles go, I can personally vouch for these two living up to their specifications:

1/8 KRATON 4X4 EXtreme Bash Roller Speed Monster Truck, Black | ARRMA

The 1/8 KRATON 4X4 EXtreme Bash Roller Speed Monster Truck, Black by ARRMA is designed Fast and Tough! DONT JUST BASH. BLAST with ARRMA!

www.arrma-rc.com

(And yes, the rated speed IS 60+ MPH over dirt, out of the box with a fresh battery.

1/5 DBXL-E 2.0 4X4 Desert Buggy Brushless RTR with Smart, Fox

The 1/5 DBXL-E 2.0 4X4 Desert Buggy Brushless RTR with Smart, Fox by Losi is a quality built remote controlled product. See all our RC product options online at Horizon Hobby!

www.horizonhobby.com

(This one will do 85-90MPH after you change out the motor (I use the Castle one) and use two 6 cell batteries. Just remember that it weighs around 32 pounds with the bigger batteries and THAT may be cause for concern for anything that is in front of it.) Just sayin'

 

[FireDance]

^^^^^
The farmers here are using them to get a look out in the middle of their fields once the crops get established. They had an expo type thing featuring drones a few years ago at one of the seed plants near here. The drone that they used for their demonstration was fairly big and ran about $1000.

Yep. Saw a guy demo an older drone he wanted $650 for and would go four miles from a flat start, avoid cars and other obstacles and if low on battery or whatever, return to the exact place he launched it. It was impressive compared to what they used to be. You really couldn’t crash the thing like in the “good old days”.

His price was only slightly lower than when it was new. Came in nice aluminum case and return video to his cell was very nice.

 

[subnet]

I bought mine a home depot, its a piece of sht and im a shty pilot...39 bucks
Not sure if the crappy camera works.

 

[Czechsix]

I live in a mountain area and need to cover around 3 miles. Highest ground elevation would be around 10,000 feet and normal operating 9300' or a little lower. Required hook up to a smart phone is not possible. Smaller the better. Any suggestions.

3 linear miles around a perimeter, or 3 square miles?

Would you be using it with FPV, or having it fly a pre-planned route with waypoints?

That's a decent amount of area to cover, plus higher elevation/thinner air/less lift = less duration, range, battery life. For that situation, and with that requirement, I'd start looking into building my own. Look into FPV drone racers - the tech is easy, plenty of info out there. I'd avoid anything by DJI, Hubsan, or the major chicom companies. Always questionable on what/how they're connecting to. Plus their software updates can really mess things up. .

Though there is one possibility that might be worthwhile looking into - getting a used DJI Phantom 3 or 4 and jailbreaking it with Litchi, and then not doing any updates. The reason I mention used is they should already have been connected, and set up to run. Buying a new one means registration with the company, and the companies servers, to activate the UAV. Still going to have to use an old smartphone - only as a display screen, but removing the sim card so there's no cell capability. Run it in airplane mode, controller connecting to drone. Personally...I wouldn't trust it. Especially if you're trying to be noticeable in this current world.

If you need something smaller - something say that fits into an alice pack exterior pocket, look at some of the mavic clones that are out there. Stuff that's on ebay. Still will need an old smartphone for a display though....

Yet another thing you'll probably have to deal with is antenna design - if you're really going out three miles, a yagi would be a good idea. Just another thing to consider.

Plus I'm not going to get into the legalities like Line of Sight requirements, Airspace restrictions, etc, you can figure those out.

I think the answer for you is building or buying an FPV racing drone and customize it for your needs.

Another thought, might not work for you but something to think about, would be making an aerostat and building a mount to take an 8k surveillance camera.......pan/swivel/zoom and you have lots of capability. Easy to see though, unlike a drone. Once you get those high enough...you're not seeing them from the ground.

 

[alchemike]

I have a DJI Spark which i have enjoyed for years. It's a small drone but very capable and a good one to start off with, imo.

Cheers!

 

[shane]

Appreciate all the comments & suggestions, thank you.

Had another PM me that I should also look into fixed wing drones, too, for longer range and time aloft.

Any here had experience with them?

- Shane