Poll on Drone use

Do you use a Drone in your photography or video hobby?

  • Yes, for stills

    Votes: 6 6.4%

  • Yes, for video

    Votes: 1 1.1%

  • Yes, for stills and video

    Votes: 25 26.6%

  • No

    Votes: 62 66.0%
  • Total voters
    94
  • Poll closed .
david357 said:
I hope to be soon, looking to purchase a Mavic 3 shortly for both stills and video. Research makes me think that the micro four thirds camera with adjustable aperture should be better than the Air 2s, which also gets brilliant reviews. I am hoping to find a reasonably priced used one, but there are so many scammers out there :(
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I would just get the mini3Pro for well under £1000 new
I also have the mavic 2 Pro and the extra weight and bulk + din when it takes off just isn't worth it and will stop you using it if anybody is within half mile radius.
Mavic 3 is of similar build.
 
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Thanks Gents, still fancying the mavic, though supposedly quieter than the mavic 2?
 
ah5168 said:
I have been using drones professionally for photography and video since 2017. I have CAA authorisation to fly drones up to 25kg in urban areas day and night, but my most used drone is now the Mini 3. The flexibility of a sub 250g drone can't be beaten and the video quality is outstanding, the stills quality is also good but not on the same level as the video. I have had the Mini and Mini 2 and the video and stills quality wasn't too great but was better than nothing. The Mini 3 is good enough that I am currently thinking of selling my other drones and just using a couple of Mini 3's.
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.... I am not a fan of drones and in fact quite the opposite! But of course it depends where and how they are used. Unfortunately there are far too many flown irresponsibly and which consequently are a disturbance and nuisance.

I must say how excellent I think your photography is Andrew @ah5168 - I checked out your website. A very strong sense of composition and capture of lighting. [I am a 'retired-but-hardwired' professional art director]
 
I rather think Drone photography is a specialist hobby in its own right.
and not one that I am prepared, at this stage of my life, to invest time and money in.

However were I still a working Professional photographer. I would have thought it to be an essential tool.
It would undoubtedly add value for many customers.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
I rather think Drone photography is a specialist hobby in its own right.
and not one that I am prepared, at this stage of my life, to invest time and money in.

However were I still a working Professional photographer. I would have thought it to be an essential tool.
It would undoubtedly add value for many customers.
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.... :agree: but the problem is their irresponsible use and disturbance and hence nuisance.

IMO ALL drones need to be more strictly controlled and this is probably best done by strict licensing :exit:

Do we have to wait for a major loss of life directly caused by a drone before anything is done about them?
 
RedRobin said:
.... :agree: but the problem is their irresponsible use and disturbance and hence nuisance.

IMO ALL drones need to be more strictly controlled and this is probably best done by strict licensing :exit:

Do we have to wait for a major loss of life directly caused by a drone before anything is done about them?
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There is fairly strict licensing in place - you have to register your drone and yourself as an operator - but unfortunately as something that can be bought off a shelf, without having to provide any ID etc., it opens them up to abuse by people who simply aren't going to bother with getting a licence and appropriate training.

As an occasional drone operator who has gone through ample training (A2 CoC and GVC), I'd like to think I'm well qualified to safely fly my drones but I know of others who not only haven't done any training but haven't registered their drones and I'm pretty sure there's plenty more of them.

Probably the best place for these things to be registered would be at the point of sale. I suspect we won't see that happen any time in the near future and I wonder if it's even been suggested?
 
welly said:
There is fairly strict licensing in place - you have to register your drone and yourself as an operator - but unfortunately as something that can be bought off a shelf, without having to provide any ID etc., it opens them up to abuse by people who simply aren't going to bother with getting a licence and appropriate training.

As an occasional drone operator who has gone through ample training (A2 CoC and GVC), I'd like to think I'm well qualified to safely fly my drones but I know of others who not only haven't done any training but haven't registered their drones and I'm pretty sure there's plenty more of them.

Probably the best place for these things to be registered would be at the point of sale. I suspect we won't see that happen any time in the near future and I wonder if it's even been suggested?
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.... Yes it's always the few miscreants who spoil it for the others.

Point-of-sale registration is an excellent idea but will all the international online suppliers comply? Illegal potentially life-threatening recreational drugs and lethal weapon sales online seem to be easy. Golly, I sound like an extremely law-abiding citizen which is not how many would describe me! A Judge once said to me in court that "You seem to think you are above the law" < Too right I do but I didn't say anything and got away with just a fine.

It took years for TV registration and hence licensing obligations to be linked to retail sales in the high street.
 
I can not say I have ever been bothered by flying drones.
Considering the number of drones sold each year accidents, are notable for their absence.
Smaller ones are unlike to cause harm. and larger ones are licenced and heavily controlled.

Rather than spend a lot of police time and money chasing up unlicensed drones. They should be summarily destroyed on the spot if caught flying illegally or unlicensed. Much like those electric scooter things.
 
There's so much bad press about drones and drone users now, the Gatwick Airport fiasco a fews years back was I believe a complete hoax and orchestrated by the government and the media to paint the whole drone industry and drone users in a bad light and to fire up peoples fear, mistrust, panic etc. about drones. Let's be honest here to this day no rouge drone was ever found or nobody was held accountable/arrested for the loss of millions of pounds due to the airport being shutdown/police presence etc. :oops: :$ In this day and age with the tracking capabilities available how come ?????
Not everyone that flies a drone is stupid or irresponsible. The technology is absolutely fantastic and is capable of producing amazing pictures and videos.

Just my two pence worth :exit:

PS
I know you can't have a mid air collision [not that we've had any with all the drones in the world] with an E scooter but I think their a BIG problem and the government do nothing about them !!!!
 
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RedRobin said:
.... I am not a fan of drones and in fact quite the opposite! But of course it depends where and how they are used. Unfortunately there are far too many flown irresponsibly and which consequently are a disturbance and nuisance.

I must say how excellent I think your photography is Andrew @ah5168 - I checked out your website. A very strong sense of composition and capture of lighting. [I am a 'retired-but-hardwired' professional art director]
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Same applies to most things in life really...... :rolleyes:
 
LeeRatters said:
Same applies to most things in life really...... :rolleyes:
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.... Certainly, but does that justify a laissez faire attitude regarding drone use?
 
RedRobin said:
I must say how excellent I think your photography is Andrew @ah5168 - I checked out your website. A very strong sense of composition and capture of lighting. [I am a 'retired-but-hardwired' professional art director]
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Thanks for the feedback on my work, much appreciated.

On the subject of irresponsible drone use. As a professional operator it is quiet frustrating to see how little regard some people have the law or just basic common sense. Unfortunately for the hobby flyers who are law abiding and sensible their hobby is likely to be come more and more restricted due to the behavior of a minority.
 
LeeRatters said:
I didn't say it justified anything. Just stating a fact ;)

I'm sure there are more deaths, damage and injury due to many other things than drone flying.
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.... Again I say certainly to you - Your facts are true but your defensive tone seems to imply that stricter controls on drone flying do not need to be a priority. Apologies if I have misinterpreted you.

There are a great many things in life and death which ideally should be prioritised and it's not a question to be purely decided by presented statistics which have an agenda.

Personally I would like to see a total ban on all drones except for those used for professional purposes which are strictly licensed. Yes, that means a ban on hobbyist use. But I realise this is highly unlikely to happen.

The subject of drones seems to be quite divisive.
 
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As has been found in Ukraine those with the skills to fly drones have proved highly valuable. As have those able to modify them. It is the first Drone war.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
As has been found in Ukraine those with the skills to fly drones have proved highly valuable. As have those able to modify them. It is the first Drone war.
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.... Unfortunately that works both ways in that it's only a matter of time before hardcore activists in somewhere which is not a war zone use them to break the peace. Human beings, eh!

Wherever and whoever flies drones surely need to have skills recognised according to a set of regulations for the sake of everyone's safety. Disturbance and nuisance by irresponsible 'pilots' are not acceptable.

There's a very stylish commercial on TV at the moment in which a robot morphs into a fully armed soldier and launches a mini drone. I think the thrust of the ad is that human soldiers are always going to be needed.
 
4wd said:
No wonder when people campaign to totally ban them for no sound reason.
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.... I think you'll find that those people actively campaigning to totally ban drones believe that they have sound reasons.

Personally, as I posted earlier, my opinion is that controls should be much stronger for everyone's benefit. The hobbyist is mainly where the problems are - Some behave responsibly of course (and doubtless yourself I assume) but too many have no consideration for the environment (human and wildlife) they are operating their drones in.

As a wildlife photographer I have seen animals and ducks chased by camera drones and I find such behaviour outrageous. It's worse than the paparazzi.
 
I HAVE had two a hex quiet large 1mtr in dia and also a phantom 2 with 7" screen
I used go pro hero's on both but had some idiots trying to grab them whilst either taking off or landing.
So they have been locked away in there peli cases for about 7 years now
so answer is NO but they have improved so much now always thinking but they ridiculous in price now
 
RedRobin said:
.... I think you'll find that those people actively campaigning to totally ban drones believe that they have sound reasons.

Personally, as I posted earlier, my opinion is that controls should be much stronger for everyone's benefit. The hobbyist is mainly where the problems are - Some behave responsibly of course (and doubtless yourself I assume) but too many have no consideration for the environment (human and wildlife) they are operating their drones in.

As a wildlife photographer I have seen animals and ducks chased by camera drones and I find such behaviour outrageous. It's worse than the paparazzi.
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Have you actually seen such irresponsible behaviour you seem to imagine they are flying about everywhere causing problems?
I haven't even seen another drone except once with a friend who also has one.
Because they only fly for a few minutes and nothing bad happens.
Even the deranged media have given up on drones nearly killed my baby or were inches from bringing down two jumbo jet stories.
 
It is pretty deranged to think that drones are going to go away any time soon, or that they need even tighter regulation.
Things have settled down since the early deregulated days, and now most users display a very responsible attitude when flying them.
There is absolutely no need to be paranoid about their use. If and when you see one the chances that is has any interest in you is close to zero, unless you are the subject of a police search.
I can not even remember the last time I saw one, and never have while at home.
 
4wd said:
Have you actually seen such irresponsible behaviour you seem to imagine they are flying about everywhere causing problems?
I haven't even seen another drone except once with a friend who also has one.
Because they only fly for a few minutes and nothing bad happens.
Even the deranged media have given up on drones nearly killed my baby or were inches from bringing down two jumbo jet stories.
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..... Yes I have, and on more than one occasion. As I posted earlier :
RedRobin said:
As a wildlife photographer I have seen animals and ducks chased by camera drones and I find such behaviour outrageous. It's worse than the paparazzi.
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..... Also, occasional complaints from surfers, particularly females. But fortunately when the surf is good, drone flying conditions are bad.

And recently a couple of weeks ago one got in the way of my tripod mounted panning photography of a good friend riding his new Harley-Davidson past me. My biker buddy very politely asked him to go and fly out of our way and he did - He would have been asking for trouble if he hadn't because that's the way my friend is.

BUT, I do understand that it's a minority of drone pilots who give others a bad reputation.
 
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Mini 2 for me alongside my a7iv. I bought it to fly up hills and check the view so I didnt have to walk up! After a long spell of illness I use it even more. Mainly photos, doing a few videos now, but nothing spectacular. Pics in order - Talisker beach, Amble pier, Amble farm, Howick and Craster
 

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madmackem said:
Mini 2 for me alongside my a7iv. I bought it to fly up hills and check the view so I didnt have to walk up! After a long spell of illness I use it even more. Mainly photos, doing a few videos now, but nothing spectacular. Pics in order - Talisker beach, Amble pier, Amble farm, Howick and Craster
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Great stuff :)
 
madmackem said:
Mini 2 for me alongside my a7iv. I bought it to fly up hills and check the view so I didnt have to walk up! After a long spell of illness I use it even more. Mainly photos, doing a few videos now, but nothing spectacular. Pics in order - Talisker beach, Amble pier, Amble farm, Howick and Craster
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I purchased mine for photography, not video really, and if I get images like these I will be very happy. The drone has just arrived, not flown yet, but looking forward to the weekend.

Thanks for sharing these!
 
david357 said:
I purchased mine for photography, not video really, and if I get images like these I will be very happy. The drone has just arrived, not flown yet, but looking forward to the weekend.

Thanks for sharing these!
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Pretty sure you'll enjoy it. First few flights are nerve wracking! especially over water. Once you get the confidence that the drone wont just drop out of the sky it starts to be fun :)
 
I had a mini 2 bought specifically to take out on my hikes and capture angles and scenes I couldn’t otherwise.

The imo poor quality of the camera on the mini 2 (I wasn’t expecting it to be amazing just better) aside, I just ended up finding it a faff to use.
It was something else to pack etc and ultimately saw very little use so sold it just before the mini 3 released so still got a half decent return.

I still look at drone photography from the more expensive and bigger sensor versions and fancy another but I know I still wouldn’t get the use from it.

Glad a tried one though.
 
The three photos above are from my Parrot Anafi drone. I bought it because a neighbour had one, & I was able to see the results before buying. I have yet to see a DJI with photos as good at the price. The loco (Clun Castle) is a still from a video from the Anafi.
 
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