Hobby UAV (Drones)

[MikeK]

How much would this cost me?

I recall reading somewhere they cost around $750k apiece, depending on equipment (weapons delivery or surveillance system). But I'm sure you can Google more specific information.

 

[alpine]

How much would this cost me?

I recall reading somewhere they cost around $750k apiece, depending on equipment (weapons delivery or surveillance system). But I'm sure you can Google more specific information.

I dont need the weapons

just the base model, with sports package

 

[MikeK]

If a tree branch is hanging over your property, it's yours. So your theory needs work.

A hanging tree branch is a permanently imposing physical presence. A passing aircraft is not. Nor is it "yours."

 

[MikeK]

I read this sometime last year. This man was arrested for shooting down drone.

Kentucky Man Shoots Down “Peeping Tom” Drone Over His House… | Weasel Zippers

But there still will be yokels who believe they are living in 1800s Dakotas. Even in places where there might be some local ordinance prohibiting flying a kite over someone's property (if it can be proved), that fact would not excuse the malicious destruction of private property.

 

[Pop23]

Considered getting one, but the flight time for the ones I'd put money into sucks.

There presently are four grades of UAV capability and performance available:

Toy: Price range; $20 to $100. Average flight duration; 5 - 7 minutes.

Hobby: Price range; $100 to $400. Average flight duration; 10 - 15 minutes.

Serious: Price range; $500 to $2,500. Average flight duration; 15 - 25 minutes

Professional: Price range; $2,500 to --->? Average flight duration; 45 - ?

What level were you considering?

I should tell you there are some really nice Toy grade drones (Syma x5c, for one) which have 5 - 7 minute flight duration but their batteries are cheap, rechargeable, quick and easy to replace. This drone costs around $40. Extra batteries around $2. So you can fly as long as you wish to keep popping in fresh batteries.

I have a Syma X5c. Been a blast. Have had to change out 3 of the motors, but they are relatively cheap, so no biggie. The camera is not the best, but even though, seeing video from 100 feet or so is fascinating

I have several friends with farms, so finding a place to fly is easy.

 

[MikeK]

He doesn't get it.
Law or no law I would shoot it down without hesitation. And I would not be arrested for it. Hardest thing for me would be stopping the officers from stomping on the damn thing getting pieces all over the place.
We don't live in a liberal la la land here. I live where if you shoot someone trying to break in your house the cops will help you drag the body in your door step so you can claim self defense.

You need to understand that one offense does not justify another, whether in Indiana or New York.

If you park your car in front of my driveway, does that mean it's okay for me to take a sledgehammer to your car? If you don't know, rest assured your local cops do. So don't expect them to tell you it's okay for you to shoot down someone's drone -- even if you think it's spying on you.

 

[MikeK]

I have a Syma X5c. Been a blast. Have had to change out 3 of the motors, but they are relatively cheap, so no biggie. The camera is not the best, but even though, seeing video from 100 feet or so is fascinating

I've changed two motors in mine so far. (Magnetic screwdriver makes all the difference.)

The x5c is a hell of a lot of fun for the money. I notice Syma has come out with a new model. It's black and boasts a "six axis gyroscope" which supposedly makes it even more stable in hover than the original.

True, the camera's not the best. But it does take surprisingly good pictures and video considering the price of this drone. When mine got hung up in a tree the camera filmed the crash and it kept recording until the battery died. While it was still recording a curious bird was checking it out and I had clear images of its eye and its beak.

As mentioned earlier, it was up there for two weeks during two heavy rainstorms. It finally was knocked down by the tail-end of a hurricane and landed in a bush near the house. Believe it or not I dried it off, changed the battery, and if flew like nothing happened -- and it's still flying like new.

 

[Pop23]

I have a Syma X5c. Been a blast. Have had to change out 3 of the motors, but they are relatively cheap, so no biggie. The camera is not the best, but even though, seeing video from 100 feet or so is fascinating

I've changed two motors in mine so far. (Magnetic screwdriver makes all the difference.)

The x5c is a hell of a lot of fun for the money. I notice Syma has come out with a new model. It's black and boasts a "six axis gyroscope" which supposedly makes it even more stable in hover than the original.

True, the camera's not the best. But it does take surprisingly good pictures and video considering the price of this drone. When mine got hung up in a tree the camera filmed the crash and it kept recording until the battery died. While it was still recording a curious bird was checking it out and I had clear images of its eye and its beak.

As mentioned earlier, it was up there for two weeks during two heavy rainstorms. It finally was knocked down by the tail-end of a hurricane and landed in a bush near the house. Believe it or not, I dried it off, changed the battery, and if flew like nothing happened -- and it's still flying like new.

They actually have one out soon that will have an altitude hold feature as well. That would be handy.

For less than 50 bucks, it was a helluva good starter.

 

[Iceweasel]

If a tree branch is hanging over your property, it's yours. So your theory needs work.

A hanging tree branch is a permanently imposing physical presence. A passing aircraft is not. Nor is it "yours."

You made that up. LOL. It was weak too. Yes, I can cut off anything hanging onto my property, straight on up. Don't try to bullshit people that know better.

 

[Iceweasel]

I read this sometime last year. This man was arrested for shooting down drone.

Kentucky Man Shoots Down “Peeping Tom” Drone Over His House… | Weasel Zippers

Well duh. You can't shoot into the air in a residential neighborhood or threaten lives for walking onto your property.

 

[Iceweasel]

You need to understand that one offense does not justify another, whether in Indiana or New York.

If you park your car in front of my driveway, does that mean it's okay for me to take a sledgehammer to your car? If you don't know, rest assured your local cops do. So don't expect them to tell you it's okay for you to shoot down someone's drone -- even if you think it's spying on you.

Your analogies are getting worse. You don't own the street in front of your house.

In a rural setting where people are more inclined to shoot firearms on their property I think you will find it harder to justify your toy just happening to be there by chance and good luck finding a deputy or sheriff to do anything about your loss.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

He doesn't get it.
Law or no law I would shoot it down without hesitation. And I would not be arrested for it. Hardest thing for me would be stopping the officers from stomping on the damn thing getting pieces all over the place.
We don't live in a liberal la la land here. I live where if you shoot someone trying to break in your house the cops will help you drag the body in your door step so you can claim self defense.

You need to understand that one offense does not justify another, whether in Indiana or New York.

If you park your car in front of my driveway, does that mean it's okay for me to take a sledgehammer to your car? If you don't know, rest assured your local cops do. So don't expect them to tell you it's okay for you to shoot down someone's drone -- even if you think it's spying on you.

Clearly you have never been to Southern Indiana.

 

[blastoff]

How much would this cost me?

I recall reading somewhere they cost around $750k apiece, depending on equipment (weapons delivery or surveillance system). But I'm sure you can Google more specific information.

I dont need the weapons

just the base model, with sports package

Me too! Me too! And, yeah, gotta have stick.

 

[charwin95]

How much would this cost me?

I recall reading somewhere they cost around $750k apiece, depending on equipment (weapons delivery or surveillance system). But I'm sure you can Google more specific information.

Do they really sell this kind of drones to the public? I thought these are the military type isn't it? On top of that you need a good airstrip like deserted highways or airport to launch and land this thing. Not to mention the storage and transporting.

 

[Iceweasel]

Pretty sure the military drone is off the table for civilian use.

 

[ZackB]

Have had a DJI Phantom for about a year, equipped with a GoPro camera. It is awesome if you are into photography. I take it to rivers, lakes, the ocean, swamps, wherever, and film HD videos of the terrain. It is easy to fly; you almost have to want to crash it to make it crash. The biggest danger is that when the low battery light starts flashing you have got to stop and bring it home right then or it will drop.

It has GPS and if it loses your signal from the remote, or you activate the fail safe feature it will automatically rise 200 ft. and then return to the calibration point. It just takes a little time and practice before you can fly it effectively.

I think I paid $500-600 for this DJI plus whatever the GoPro camera cost me. You have had to go online and register them with the FAA since last December, but it's no big deal. If you do it now I think it's like $5.00.

If you are serious about droning go to an RC hobby store and talk to them.

 

[MikeK]

How much would this cost me?

I recall reading somewhere they cost around $750k apiece, depending on equipment (weapons delivery or surveillance system). But I'm sure you can Google more specific information.

Do they really sell this kind of drones to the public? I thought these are the military type isn't it? On top of that you need a good airstrip like deserted highways or airport to launch and land this thing. Not to mention the storage and transporting.

I will assume that if you can afford to own or rent the facilities required to lawfully store, take-off and land a private aircraft and to have a non-weaponized drone built to similar specs as the military versions, and you are or can hire a competent pilot, and you fly your drone in compliance with existing FAA regulations, I can think of no reason for prohibiting you from owning one.

I believe the ownership circumstances are similar to a private citizen owning an Abrams tank. If you can afford to buy one, and you can afford to maneuver though the bureaucratic maze and BATF regulations, and provided the heavy-duty (80mm) weaponry is disabled or removed, you may join the existing collectors who presently own such exotic toys.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

And this is why - for every responsible owner there will be 100 idiots

 

[MikeK]

If a tree branch is hanging over your property, it's yours. So your theory needs work.

A hanging tree branch is a permanently imposing physical presence. A passing aircraft is not. Nor is it "yours."

You made that up. LOL. It was weak too. Yes, I can cut off anything hanging onto my property, straight on up. Don't try to bullshit people that know better.

Made what up?

Is a tree branch overhanging your property a permanent and imposing physical presence, or isn't it? And how does that compare with a passing aircraft? According to your reasoning, so long as you are a property-owning rural yokel who chews the same brand of tobacco as the local sheriff it's okay to shoot down any private aircraft that passes over your property.

If you fly a drone over someone's property and the property owner shoots it down, the pivotal factor in terms of potential legal action is proof. If you can prove it, and if the local cops will not enforce the laws against malicious destruction of private property, the next step is civil action, which, when finalized, will precipitate criminal action. What you need to understand is local authorities are subordinate to state authority and the Common Law. The local cop is by no means the last word.

But let's assume you are a property owner who shoots down someone's hobby drone and the owner of the drone isn't interested in pursuing legal action against you. You don't know who he is -- but he knows who you are.

 

[iamwhatiseem]