Anyone got a drone?

[d000hg]

I've loved the idea of having a drone since before they really existed. Though the legal folk seem to be ruining the idea on behalf of idiots who use them irresponsibly I still love the idea especially as we look to move into the countryside... playing David Attenborough, etc.

Anyone got into it or looked seriously into it? More and more cheaper drones seem to be appearing but at what level do you actually get something that can fly more than 3 minutes? Clearly the pro-level drones are really rather serious, expensive bits of kit; is there yet a market for decent, cheaper models that are worth having?

Then there's the seemingly separate market for 'fun drones' like: https://www.parrot.com/uk/minidrones...#parrot-mambo-

My fear there is they'll be like the cheap RC 'copter I have which was fun for about 2 minutes before realising all it does is go up and down and bump into things...

[northernladuk]

I was on the pre-funding for the Lily Drone that automatically followed you while you were out and about as the family is pretty outdoorsie so might have been fun. It's taken so long the idea got boring and lost interest so cancelled.

Friends have one that the kids enjoy. They fly it at bonfire night, clear days over the countryside and then make some pretty cool videos of the view. Without that aspect it would just be gathering dust as you say.

IMO the drone it's self is pretty dull. It goes up and down and moves around, big deal. Going to get very boring after awhile. If you want to use it for something more interesting then the idea has so merits.

Now if you are the hobby type, fitting a painball gun to one would be pretty interesting

[chopper]

Now if you are the hobby type, fitting a painball gun to one would be pretty interesting

Or Fireworks...

[d000hg]

WT actual F.

I think for me there's two potential use cases.

1)Something you can fly outside with a nice camera to explore wildlife and so on. Needs a decent range, generally more serious kit.
2)A toy maybe for indoors or the garden, especially if you can race/fight with a mate. The Parrot one looks fun.

OK, maybe 3:
3)As a coder, there must be cool things you can do. Like a follow-drone as mentioned, or other projects I cannot think of... swarming perhaps, make a real version of robot-quidditch, ...

I'd have thought this is something Kickstarter is brilliant for, little niches in the market.

[SimonMac]

The fun drones are great to play with for a few weeks but mine is stuck in a drawer somewhere never to be seen again.

Most of the big players "prosumer" ones have Follow function, DJI Phantom 3 is the standard barer, the camera is "OK" but You want the Advance or Professional if you want anything more than home movies.

[SueEllen]

WT actual F.

I think for me there's two potential use cases.

1)Something you can fly outside with a nice camera to explore wildlife and so on. Needs a decent range, generally more serious kit.
2)A toy maybe for indoors or the garden, especially if you can race/fight with a mate. The Parrot one looks fun.

OK, maybe 3:
3)As a coder, there must be cool things you can do. Like a follow-drone as mentioned, or other projects I cannot think of... swarming perhaps, make a real version of robot-quidditch, ...

I'd have thought this is something Kickstarter is brilliant for, little niches in the market.

Wouldn't a smarm of drones be shot down?

[MarillionFan]

Fly the fecking thing anywhere near me and I'll shoot the ******* thing out of the sky.

[SimonMac]

Fly the fecking thing anywhere near me and I'll shoot the ******* thing out of the sky.

http://imgur.com/gallery/Y9QzQYq

[darmstadt]

I thought this was impressive:

[SueEllen]

Fly the fecking thing anywhere near me and I'll shoot the ******* thing out of the sky.

That would be a good picture to have.