Nervous
- Thread starter PatR
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[emoji95][emoji95][emoji91][emoji91][emoji939]Hope those all show up! Won’t be shocked if they don’t.
Hey Pat
Here is a video from a friend in France. He said he has flown there many times but this time he got distracted by some nearby children. It shows two things that these UAV's can do some amazing stuff and that even experienced pilots get distracted. He got lucky twice in one flight.
He was flying a Autel X-star at the time.
Here is a video from a friend in France. He said he has flown there many times but this time he got distracted by some nearby children. It shows two things that these UAV's can do some amazing stuff and that even experienced pilots get distracted. He got lucky twice in one flight.
He was flying a Autel X-star at the time.
Got the car show done, which ended up larger than the organizers thought it would. 260 restorations, customs, and street rods! As I knew it would, the 920+ performed extremely well in a challenging environment. There were some good lessons learned in the process though.
Any type of public event where a drone might be used requires event organizers make all that will attend aware that a drone will be employed during the event. The method could be as simple as a couple of signs posted at the entry areas. More helpful would be periodic announcements made over the event PA system as a reminder. It's our responsibility to educate all the event staff about what we will be doing and what we need them to do. If we assume they know nothing about drones and flight safety we'll be right 99.9% of the time.
If you are not well insured, don't accept the engagement. Even if well insured, carefully review the location and conditions before flying an event and review the conditions constantly. Make event organizers aware and understand that event conditions can terminate flight operations at any time.
The flight time of the Zippy batteries makes it real easy to put in more flights than the ST-16 battery can handle on a single charge. Have at least one spare battery for the controller if you plan on a good day of flying. Two spares would be even better. No matter how many flight batteries you have, you'll wish you had more.
As the show was open to the public, flight control and aircraft positioning was critical. The use of any automated or assisted flight mode was not possible and the operator had to remain quite close to the 920 at all times to assure separation from spectators. Unless you are shooting before an event is open to the public forget getting that long, smooth low level shot because someone will always get in the way. Although a marked, isolated, and barricaded LZ location was provided, at show center to reduce over flying the cars and crowd it was necessary to carry the 920 to different locations for the take off, walking and working towards the landing zone or safe LZ alternate. If there is any doubt about safety, abort!
In such an environment more spotters and helpers are desirable. I had but one. having 3 or 4 full time to direct people away from the flight path would have been better. Being assertive while being polite is not the easiest thing to do. Enlist volunteers as needed at the location should it be possible. One car club offered their help and did a great job keeping things clear for the 920 to hold a good line.
Pedestrians and spectators can be pretty dumb, or worse, a bit cantankerous, when they are asked/directed to move from their current location or intended path. They will walk directly under a drone, even one at relatively low level, if not prevented from doing so. Be in a position to prevent that from happening, not re-directing them after the fact. Be prepared to abort the flight by diverting the aircraft away from the area as soon as the possibility of over flying a human becomes probable.
Review your kit and anticipate your equipment needs beyond what the aircraft requires several times before the event. Make a checklist and use it. Once there what you didn't take you won't be able to back fill.
Have a set of good ND filters on hand. Having them you get to choose to use them, or not. If you don't have any you don't have that choice and could end up paying a price for that failure. I regret that I had yet to obtain any for the CGO-4 lens. Dealing with the the rapidly changing light conditions and highly reflective subjects in post is a battle I'm losing with the software at hand.
Surprisingly, the public was a lot more friendly towards use of a multirotor than anticipated. A great many smiled and waved as it passed. There was considerable public interest that filled up much of the time between flights with questions and answers. Be a good ambassador. Some of the people attending will likely be requesting your services for a later engagement.
One of the participants:
Any type of public event where a drone might be used requires event organizers make all that will attend aware that a drone will be employed during the event. The method could be as simple as a couple of signs posted at the entry areas. More helpful would be periodic announcements made over the event PA system as a reminder. It's our responsibility to educate all the event staff about what we will be doing and what we need them to do. If we assume they know nothing about drones and flight safety we'll be right 99.9% of the time.
If you are not well insured, don't accept the engagement. Even if well insured, carefully review the location and conditions before flying an event and review the conditions constantly. Make event organizers aware and understand that event conditions can terminate flight operations at any time.
The flight time of the Zippy batteries makes it real easy to put in more flights than the ST-16 battery can handle on a single charge. Have at least one spare battery for the controller if you plan on a good day of flying. Two spares would be even better. No matter how many flight batteries you have, you'll wish you had more.
As the show was open to the public, flight control and aircraft positioning was critical. The use of any automated or assisted flight mode was not possible and the operator had to remain quite close to the 920 at all times to assure separation from spectators. Unless you are shooting before an event is open to the public forget getting that long, smooth low level shot because someone will always get in the way. Although a marked, isolated, and barricaded LZ location was provided, at show center
to reduce over flying the cars and crowd it was necessary to carry the 920 to different locations for the take off, walking and working towards the landing zone or safe LZ alternate. If there is any doubt about safety, abort!In such an environment more spotters and helpers are desirable. I had but one. having 3 or 4 full time to direct people away from the flight path would have been better. Being assertive while being polite is not the easiest thing to do. Enlist volunteers as needed at the location should it be possible. One car club offered their help and did a great job keeping things clear for the 920 to hold a good line.
Pedestrians and spectators can be pretty dumb, or worse, a bit cantankerous, when they are asked/directed to move from their current location or intended path. They will walk directly under a drone, even one at relatively low level, if not prevented from doing so. Be in a position to prevent that from happening, not re-directing them after the fact. Be prepared to abort the flight by diverting the aircraft away from the area as soon as the possibility of over flying a human becomes probable.
Review your kit and anticipate your equipment needs beyond what the aircraft requires several times before the event. Make a checklist and use it. Once there what you didn't take you won't be able to back fill.
Have a set of good ND filters on hand. Having them you get to choose to use them, or not. If you don't have any you don't have that choice and could end up paying a price for that failure. I regret that I had yet to obtain any for the CGO-4 lens. Dealing with the the rapidly changing light conditions and highly reflective subjects in post is a battle I'm losing with the software at hand.
Surprisingly, the public was a lot more friendly towards use of a multirotor than anticipated. A great many smiled and waved as it passed. There was considerable public interest that filled up much of the time between flights with questions and answers. Be a good ambassador. Some of the people attending will likely be requesting your services for a later engagement.
One of the participants:
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Great info Pat.
There are some really cool stuff coming out this year like this cable cam. Might be a nice add on in your flight box. when you can't get the hex in there for that one shot.
Wiral LITE - The First Easy-To-Use Cable Cam
There are some really cool stuff coming out this year like this cable cam. Might be a nice add on in your flight box. when you can't get the hex in there for that one shot.
Wiral LITE - The First Easy-To-Use Cable Cam
Pat,
Thanks for being a good ambassador!!!
We need for all of us to always be conscious of how we are perceived in the public eye. Sounds like all of your preflight preparations paid off for capturing this event, as well as your diligence while it was taking place. Very good to hear that most of the public was receptive to the 920+ being used.
Also a big thanks for being a mentor for many on this forum, such as myself.
Thanks for being a good ambassador!!!
We need for all of us to always be conscious of how we are perceived in the public eye. Sounds like all of your preflight preparations paid off for capturing this event, as well as your diligence while it was taking place. Very good to hear that most of the public was receptive to the 920+ being used.
Also a big thanks for being a mentor for many on this forum, such as myself.
Great info Pat.
There are some really cool stuff coming out this year like this cable cam. Might be a nice add on in your flight box. when you can't get the hex in there for that one shot.
Wiral LITE - The First Easy-To-Use Cable Cam
That certainly would have been useful. Whole lotta cable set up’s though. Partial view of the location from a quick screen capture. Note the fenced off area near middle-right. That's the LZ. Directly across from that was the county Sheriff's personal car. No problems.
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Pat,
Thanks for being a good ambassador!!!
We need for all of us to always be conscious of how we are perceived in the public eye. Sounds like all of your preflight preparations paid off for capturing this event, as well as your diligence while it was taking place. Very good to hear that most of the public was receptive to the 920+ being used.
Also a big thanks for being a mentor for many on this forum, such as myself.
Thank you. I can be a bit grumpy and out spoken but I try
LOL who you Pat grumpy I don't believe itThank you. I can be a bit grumpy and out spoken but I try
Get away from my Hex you Pedestrian
Interested in how the law compares with the UK for such events. Over here, non commercial pilots are not allowed to fly within 150m of a congested area or gathering of more than 1000 people or fly directly above. Those with CAA permissions are not allowed to fly within 50m of a congested area or gathering of more than 1000 and not directly above. Take off and landing needs to have 30m clearance.
The above is except for those under your control, so those fully briefed in the operation. Guidelines say a PA announcement is not sufficient to class as under your control.
The above is except for those under your control, so those fully briefed in the operation. Guidelines say a PA announcement is not sufficient to class as under your control.
Your regs are much more limiting. I won’t say better or worse but will say provide a greater margin of safety for those not directly involved. That might change on either side of the “pond” as technology is better understood.
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Indeed, it seems those of with CAA permissions are more restricted than those without and unfortunately the CAA who are happy to take the money for 'licensing' do not have the resources to police it. This drives a race to the bottom in both prices and standards.
Similar applies here. Recreational can do most anything while commercial has to license to do less and obtain specific permissions. For either locale the commercial guy has to push a rope uphill while watching the amateurs pass them by.
Mother, tell your children not to do what I have done...Hey Pat
Here is a video from a friend in France. He said he has flown there many times but this time he got distracted by some nearby children. It shows two things that these UAV's can do some amazing stuff and that even experienced pilots get distracted. He got lucky twice in one flight.
He was flying a Autel X-star at the time.
Pat, when you are doing a job like this, do you wear high visibility vest with company logo? Uniforms command more respect.
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