Just wondering if anyone has used a drone to get a first look at a potential site before going in? Looking for openings, security, cameras, dogs, escape routes, etc.

I haven't yet but I plan to use my drone for checking stuff out. Just haven't had much time to checkout the sites I want to.

I worked with a professional pilot. The drones are not what you would call stealthy, but I could see that there could be some uses.

I don't think it'd help much with scouting a location, I don't think you'd be able to notice on camera the details you'd notice in person with your intuition. Plus security would probably not like it so much (though the image of guards chasing one as it expertly maneuvers away warms my heart).

That being said it would be really neat to do an aerial tour of a location that's inaccessible to humans would be amazing!

The DJI Phantom is noisy, but you can't hear it above about 150m, especially if there's a breeze. I plan to use mine to check some things out (and maybe make some UE videos) when I get it.

I know of an abandoned site that's right beside an active sight, just for kicks the last thing I'd do is fly it over the active one shooting 4K video to see what they're up to.

Personally I think the opposite works better. I have a little FPV setup I use to "explore" locations that I've manually scoped out before. I make sure I find an entrance/exit before flying over anything. Last thing you want is to go down over enemy lines due to wrong battery/sudden signal loss and not know how to get your toy back.

I also don't think you can get the same sense of 3D perspective from 2D video/images, even if you have a fancy camera. I look for stuff I want to look at before, and then I don't see it later.

Ive never seen a DJI phantom in person yet, are they that noisy? I have the Parrot ArDrone 2.0. Good little entry drone, it has a range of 50-200 meters (depending on conditions.) Its pretty quiet too, pretty much silent at about 20 meters up. It has a 720p hd camera, live feed, and can fly with a gopro attached, can get it as low as around $350. Good for scouting out roofs or other entry/exits.

Posted by Masakari Ive never seen a DJI phantom in person yet, are they that noisy?

Hmm. They're noisier than I had expected, seeing one for the first time. But yeah, once you reach the 15-20m mark, if it's windy at all, the wind drowns out the noise. A drone about 30ft away is about as noticeable as a fly in the room. So long as you don't need to fly right up to doorways or anything, you can probably scout nearly any site without detection.

Especially considering the DJI P3 Pro is 4K, you can get a lot more out of an image, so your distance to see detail is greatly increased. 12MP stills from 50ft or so could give you a lot of information you wouldn't otherwise have.

Let's get this party started. Videos as soon as I feel the urge to take my brand new $1,500 white/gold aircraft to an abandoned location.

1.

Update:

Posted by flySparro Let's get this party started. Videos as soon as I feel the urge to take my brand new $1,500 white/gold aircraft to an abandoned location. 1. click to view

$1500, huh? I thought these things cost twice that.

So shooting that video, did you need a separate remote for the camera?

Posted by Darendor $1500, huh? I thought these things cost twice that.

Nope! Coming to annoy house near you for the low low price of $1,399 USD, with FREE shipping!

So shooting that video, did you need a separate remote for the camera?

This one is a single pilot deal. Horizontal movement (fore/aft, L/R), altitude and yaw, while viewing what the drone sees on a mobile device. You also simultaneously control camera tilt up/down as well as exposure settings, still/video recording and playback. It's a bit like playing the drums with all four limbs..

Posted by flySparro Update:

this was so fucking cool.

I'd never seriously considered the uses of drones in UE, but properly modified for stealth that would make one hell of a recon tool....

Posted by Technomancer I'd never seriously considered the uses of drones in UE, but properly modified for stealth that would make one hell of a recon tool....

Fly high enough and you'd never notice it. Also very effective at observing downward-facing security systems (99.9% of security systems).

Up close? Anyone actually on the site? Forget it unless you can pilot from a secure location and get the drone out without revealing your home base.

Well, I don't mean to drone on about the subject, but I was wondering about what happens if the unit loses the signal? Does it crash?

Posted by Darendor Well, I don't mean to drone on about the subject, but I was wondering about what happens if the unit loses the signal? Does it crash?

2 points for the pun. Only 2.

If it loses signal for a full two seconds, it initiates what's called Smart Return to Home (RTH).

1. It points directly to the home point (usually the takeoff location)
2. It ascends to a predetermined height above ground level. You set it to, say, 20m to fly above trees, or 150m to fly above moderately-sized buildings.
3. It flies directly toward the home point, maintaining altitude.
4. Upon reaching the home point, it descends in a straight line and lands automatically.

• At any point in this sequence you can regain control and resume flying.
  
• If your mobile device dies, you lose all battery, GPS, and avionics data as well as video capability, but the joystick remote still functions. When the craft comes into view you can cancel the RTH with a big button on the remote and land it yourself.
  
• If your remote dies, you're basically stuck watching it land itself. The remote battery lasts a very long time (10+ flights) and has a clear battery indicator on it though. If your remote dies, it's probably your fault.
  
• If it's out of visual range and it loses signal, you pray to the UAV gods that RTH functions normally.

On a cold winter day in December I flew mine over a ridge and down behind a thick bunch of trees and the Li-ion batt in my phone quit. I mashed the RTH button and hoped for the best as the light on the remote blinked. Losing your phone isn't enough to trigger RTH but without the screen you have no confirmation if RTH is active. You just wait. About 60-90 seconds later, over the trees came the drone. I cancelled the RTH, rotated it to face away from me (easiest to control) and landed it safely on the riverbed where I was standing.

Hmm.


I'll have to see about landing myself one of these, just as soon as the job situation takes off.

Right now the odds of it turning around seems remote, though, so...yeah.



...

Posted by Darendor
"
Hmm.


I'll have to see about landing myself one of these, just as soon as the job situation takes off.

Right now the odds of it turning around seems remote, though, so...yeah.
"


You're doing this on purpose. lmao