Bushcraft with drone?

Van-Wild

Full Member
Feb 17, 2018
1,526
1,360
45
UK
There's a ton of people on YouTube who document using drones. I'm thinking of getting one myself. Although it may take second place to learning how to free dive. ...

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Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,411
1,698
Cumbria
We had a holiday based around a campsite near Portmadog for a week. Someone had a drone. If ever there was a good reason to own a gun and shoot, well that drone was that. It droned on and on with a whine that just cuts through the air.

Sorry for being negative but please use sparingly if out in the wilds. Of course you'll get some good videos once you've mastered it I'm sure. So there's good and bad with them. Take care too, I hope the blades have guards. The cheaper ones don't but I believe you can get after market guards if not.
 
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Kepis

Full Member
Jul 17, 2005
6,849
2,749
Sussex
You will need to take a competence test and register the thing if it weighs over 250g, https://register-drones.caa.co.uk/, although it has to be said that the kick back against this policy has been huge within the model flying community and only a small percentage of flyers/operators have actually bothered to register.
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,855
3,271
W.Sussex
Just got myself one of those drones with a view to take pics/videos from the air. Anyone else doing that? Perhaps in the northeast?

Nobby from on here just put a video of the Mavic on his YouTube channel Step Away From the Screen.
 

Fadcode

Full Member
Feb 13, 2016
2,857
895
Cornwall
Have a word with Darren aka "Fell Wanderer" on YOUTUBE, he is from your neck of the woods and a very amenable fellow, he is always out in the wild even in the bad weather, and I am sure he will give you some pointers. Some of his videos are epic too.
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,534
700
Knowhere
You will need to take a competence test and register the thing if it weighs over 250g, https://register-drones.caa.co.uk/, although it has to be said that the kick back against this policy has been huge within the model flying community and only a small percentage of flyers/operators have actually bothered to register.
That would be like CB radios back in the day, few people who used them actually bothered to get a licence. I expect the way things are going with technology you will be able to get all you want from a drone weighing less than 250g.
 

Robson Valley

On a new journey
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,669
McBride, BC
Bushcraft. Leave the damn thing at home. Build some sort of shelter, build a fire, cook a really good meal, poke at the dying embers.
Sleep like our ancestors did for thousands of years. I want to spend a snowy winter month living in a big pit house.

Actually, I hired a pilot to fly a big drone around my house and document the new roof for insurance purposes.
He did a video of fireworks but from above. What a weird POV.

Drone racing through the forest is straight out Star Wars with the speeder bikes.
 

Sundowner

Full Member
Jan 21, 2013
891
341
70
Northumberland
All I'd use it for ( once I'm doing ok ) is to get an overall picture/video of where I am!! Won't fly over houses or tourist attractions.
However, love flying down a river, gives it a heck of a perspective.
 

Bob

Forager
Sep 11, 2003
199
2
Dorset
If you do use a drone to document stuff check out (and follow) the Drone Code on the CAA website first. Remember you need landowner permission to take off and land on their property (this covers hand-launching too!) and double-check for airspace restrictions where you intend to fly (Dronesafe or SD Light are easy to use apps for this). Since 30th November it has become illegal to fly a drone weighing over 250g without having a Flyer ID or your drone displaying your Operator ID number. If you do have one weighing less than 250g you don't need the Flyer & Operator ID's but the rest still applies.

Personally I agree with the comment above - use your time outside to enjoy it without the modern distractions and tech which dominates our lives at other times. Birdsong is much more tuneful!
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,297
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
How do the birds react to that Devil's Toy??

We had a few families buy drones to the children about three years ago. At the end, our community board banned all use outside their property boundary.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Son1 has a few of them.
It's certainly interesting to see their view of the world. He put one up over our house....we had the roof replaced a few months later :rolleyes: sometimes you see more than you'd like. He has a few videos of down the Clyde estuary and the sea lochs.

Personally I loathe this modern Peeping Tom world of sly hidden cameras and Big Brother-ish satelite image of everywhere and everyone. The constant prurient filming on every mobile phone around.

I think if you're careful where and when you use it Sundowner, then you might well find it interesting, and some of the videos people show are really excellent.
A couple of Son1's pack into rucksacks so that he can take them up the hills or walk in to where he's going to film.

I'm absolutely certain that they can totally ruin the peace and quiet for a lot of folks if not used with forethought and consideration though.
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,411
1,698
Cumbria
A work colleague told us about a drone that kept flying into people's gardens and filming them. They found the owners were the kids of a local family. They didn't stop their kids being a high tech peeping tom despite complaints from neighbours. Eventually it stopped but not before a lot of angry neighbours.
 

Robson Valley

On a new journey
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,669
McBride, BC
For years, hawks and eagles have been trained here to keep airports clear of pigeons and seagulls.
Very hard to do in an airport like YVR.
Now, the birds are being trained to take out drones. Kill and drop them on the runways.
Want your fancy drone back?
Got a heap of explaining to do before you get cuffed and stuffed in the shade.
 
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Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,855
3,271
W.Sussex
Son1 has a few of them.
It's certainly interesting to see their view of the world. He put one up over our house....we had the roof replaced a few months later :rolleyes: sometimes you see more than you'd like. He has a few videos of down the Clyde estuary and the sea lochs.

Personally I loathe this modern Peeping Tom world of sly hidden cameras and Big Brother-ish satelite image of everywhere and everyone. The constant prurient filming on every mobile phone around.

I think if you're careful where and when you use it Sundowner, then you might well find it interesting, and some of the videos people show are really excellent.
A couple of Son1's pack into rucksacks so that he can take them up the hills or walk in to where he's going to film.

I'm absolutely certain that they can totally ruin the peace and quiet for a lot of folks if not used with forethought and consideration though.

I agree 100%, and it’s interesting to see the polarisation of just about everyone who’s commented. The drones obviously don’t fit in a traditional bushcraft scenario, but also the bushcraft scenario has taken the user to areas that are rich in natural beauty, and the camera drone opens up a totally different perspective.

You should look up that little Mavic Mini, Toddy, the props fold into the body so it literally fits in a pocket. It’s the only drone I’ve considered buying due to its size and foolproof operation.

 
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Sundowner

Full Member
Jan 21, 2013
891
341
70
Northumberland
I know there are ppl who are stupid enough to fly around airports, cities etc. I'd like to do some aerial filming to show beautiful landscapes from an angle most ppl will only see on YouTube. My mavic mini will go with me wherever I go. If I fly it at 50m altitude, I challenge anyone to
A) point it out to me and
B) hear it.
Thanks for all the feed back
 

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