stonecherub Loc: Tucson, AZ

Is anybody shooting with a photodrone? Quadcopter? Anything?

The technology is here and as a photographer of volcanic rocks, I sure could use it. Alas, I am too old and too poor to be an innovator, here, but would like to know other people's experience.

My ideal drone could climb to 1000 feet over a volcano and fly a circle of at least three miles distance. It should have a GPS to locate images and to find it if it crashes.

If I can't get a drone in the sky, can I get pie?

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Go for the flying saucer on which they'll serve your pie in the sky.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

Do army surplus have "Predators" yet? more than fill the bill. VBG, Bob.

colo43 Loc: Eastern Plains of Colorado

i think i would try to grow some wings..
:)

Utah Native Loc: Utah

i had one but my wife found the pictures of the neighbor lady suntanning in the nude and took it away from me.

shutterbug65 Loc: Oakville, Canada

First off do you have AMA insurance for your drone. If not you should just to protect yourself from any legal action if you happen to crash into someone or something. Insurance is Highly recomended. If you decide to fly outside an AMA sanctioned area you are pretty much on your own from an insurance point of view. These planes are not toys and can do some serious damage to people and property.

Secondly do you have any experience in RC flying. ie. do you have your wings through a local club. If not you should get your wings first. Else you first flight experience will be very short. But crash videos are always interesting. Especially when shot from the cockpit of the plane. Usually very short videos though when done by the inexperienced pilots. Joining a club is your best bet to get into this hobby there is a lot to learn before venturing into videoing a flight.

FPV (first person view) is becoming very popular now with model flyers now. There are some restrictions on the size of plane you can do this with though. You should become familiar with the limitations set for this kind of thing.
There are many systems available and various costs for system as well. Depends on how much you wish to spend and how complicated you wish to get.

If you do not want to do FPV flying and just want to do video work from a plane, buy a large RC model. There are many out there. And fit a small video recorder in it.
Electric powered planes are better than nitro or gas due to the motor vibration created.

You can also set up video systems that will transmit to a ground receiver and video record your flight. A little more complicated. There are distance limitations on the transmission associated with this mthod.
Buy using an onboard video camera distance is not a problem. Weight and video quality become the issue.

So there is lots to think about here. There is lots to have fun with but do some invetigation first and make sure this is for you.

stonecherub Loc: Tucson, AZ

Thanks, shutterbug65, I don't nave anything to insure, just an interest. Where I'm working is truly the "middle of goddamn nowhere" the desert east of the head of the Gulf of California.

I went to the local RC club to see if anybody was doing anything of this nature where I ran into a guy who was just out of the Air force but he got a job and left Tucson.

I think I'll try them, again. Thanks for the recommendation.

shutterbug65 Loc: Oakville, Canada

Hey stonecherub, well if you are out in nomans land then your insurance issues are not a problem. Also if you don't have a plane you are really safe.
All this technology is just coming into fashion, brought about by you guessed it the issues in the middle east.
Drones will become a huge business in the coming years with things like looking for illegal border crossings down your way, illegal grow ops anywhere. Law inforcement will use them to monitor highways for accidents etc. I am sure there are many more ideas. Its an interesting segment of my other hobby flying. But combineing it with photography is a great combo. I have not ventured into FPV yet, but I do have a small video camera we use to find downed planes in our local forest.
But I do suggest you join a club and learn to fly as a first step. There is more to these planes than you realize. There is also a cost associated with the hobby as well. Its right up there with cameras and lens. The skies the limit (bad pun).
So take your time do some homework.
Search on youtube for FPV and onboard video there is some good stuff and some crap but it will give you an idea of what to expect. I saw one video of a camera mounted on a electric motorized glider flying through the desert somewhere down in the southwest USA very impressive and georgeous country side. I can see why you would like to do this.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

Have you seen a wireless remote that will transmit 3 miles to a still camera? The only drone, balloon, or RC shooting I've seen usually stays no higher than 100 feet for aerial real estate shooting. It seems that a 1080p hi-def video camera shooting continuously throughout the flight would be a better and cheaper concept for what you are doing.

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

this months popular photography has a photo taken by a camera attached to a r/c helicopter of 2 people walking on the beach with their shadows and a real interesting pattern to the sand. I just checked and unfortunately the article does not include an email address for them but perhaps popphoto can help you get in touch with them.

shutterbug65 Loc: Oakville, Canada

Ya the issue is more can you see the airplane/whatever vehicle you choose to fly with 3 miles away. I know my eyes are not that good. The transmitters may go that far line of sight.
In order to do a 3 mile shoot you need a FPV system.
Triggering the still camera can be accomplished through the transmitter using one of its switches to do the triggering. Then you need a servo and some mechanical mechanism of your design to fire the camera.
But I guess I am wondering why do you need to fly 3 miles away. You are correct in stating most video or stills are done close by. Shooting 3 miles a way is a hit and miss thing you have no idea what you are getting stills or video

stonecherub Loc: Tucson, AZ

My plan was to use something like the Go-Pro, just turn it on, turn it loose and not worry about triggering a camera. I have no intention of putting more than a couple of hundred dollars worth of camera on something that may permanently wind up in the middle of an un-traversable lava flow.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

The photographer is Chico Lima. Try http://vimeo.com/user7050385

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

As much as I'd like to do that, I have two problems: the cost of the flying equipment and the cost of the camera equipment, since I'm assuming I would lose both. :D

stonecherub Loc: Tucson, AZ

The Pop Photo shot was made using a Hexaprod. Their website quotes no prices but the rig looks expensive.