I have done that in the past and while it is legal I have had lenses broken and items dissapear. I now use a "Think Tank" roller bag, with a vest inside for later use. Putting you big lens in a vest for flying could lead to an expensive disaster. I can put two bodies, a 150-600, 2 smaller lenses and lots of additional gear in the roller bag that is overhead legal. I don't have to lug it through the airport, which is a bonus. When I go on trips to shoot underwater I can put my housing, all my ports, camera bodies and 3 smaller lenses, chargers , etc in the roller. My strobes, batteries and other needed items go in a Pelican case in the body of the plane. Camera bodies and lenses are never out of my sight.
I have the D500 and totally love it. I also use the XQD cards and love the storage capability. In Norway I shot hugh files and still had room. I download with a card reader. Fast and simple with no cords to worry about
I just took my D500 n it's first extended wildlife trip to Norway, including polar bears on ice. All I can say is it is a great camera. Worked i all shooting situations and light levels. I also do sports and the speed is better than I had hoped for. Wil now buy 2-3 more bodies and in time convert to using the D500 for my underwater shoting.
I have done quite a bit of this including riding on the skids in a harness. All the above suggestions are very good. I would use an assistant with extra cameras and lenses to pass to you for quick changes of perspective. Always use a higher shutter speed due to vibration and a polarzer for glare.. No loose clothing, hats, etc. and a camera harness is a good idea. Use of a head set to talk to the operater is good, but wind noise is a problem. Vibration becomes a greater problem in a hover mode. It is a fun way to shoot
I have one also and love it. From Colorado company called "the Lightning Trigger" Have had several shots published including a front page shot i the San Diego paper. You can contact them on line or call diectly. Low maintance and reliable.
In shooting sports you are using high shutter speeds, maximum motor drive on moving subjects. A monopod allows you to quickly move your camera system to match the action and get the angles you want. A tripod is difficult to move around quicky. You are often in tight quarters with other shooters and your system will be hit by others trying to move their shooting angle. Plus you will piss of other shooters.
It comes down to individual choice. I have always shot DX cameras both topside and underwater. Including a lot of pro sports and wildlife. I know what area the camera sees and does not see and can make mental adjustments in framing. For years the D300 was my work horse and a great camera. I have now switched to the D500 which is the advanced answer to the D300. It is sharp, very fast, a ton of added features and still a DX camera. I just got back from over a month shooting wildlife (polar bears, walrus, etc) and scenic in Norway and the reults from my D500 were great. I can afford the D5, but can't justify it's cost for what I get. Rather used the extra money on lenses because there are so many new and great lenses out there. I do use the added battery grip because I like the feel, which I used on all my D300's. But the choice is still yours.
I had said to check out Think Tank. I have 2 think tank bags. One is a roller and the ther a back pack. In both I can carry two bodies, my 150-600 and 2 smaller lenses. other accessories and my lap top.. Bags are well designed for pro's and well worth the cost.
I have the Tamron and use it for underwater shooting. Very pleased with results using a D7100 in a Nexus housing
Would be a great shot. Good luck. I'm off to Norway for the next month
At night your camera should be on a tripod. Setting are still manual. prefocus the area you want to cover at infinity. Shutter is set to bulb. F11 still best. Use a remote trigger and then it is quess work as to exposure time. Usually around 30 seconds in an area, such as a city with lights. Longer in a remote area, but you can use a digital light to paint surrounding areas. Then it is up tothe lighting to do it's thing and expect many nithing shots.If you are serious about it the two best areas in the country are Tucon, AZ during monsoon season and Tampa/St Pete, which is considered thre #1 spot in the country. But be careful because in areas like that there are multiple strikes all over the place.A basic rule is that if the thunder is under 30 seconds fromthe flash - you are to close. The shot I really want is a bolt at Ship Rock. Will require timing and a lot of waiting.
I use a lightning trigger and settings are: ISO 200-400, f11, shutter 250 and focus at infinity. All settings are manual, with no auto focus. I have had some excellent results and have had the fromt page shot for our local paper. Look up the Lighting Trigger in your browser. Made in Colorado. Once a year I take off on a trip to shoot lightning. Sometimes a bit scary, but fun if you end up in the right spot.
Your first shot looks clipped and not sure why. The focus in your 3rd shot is off because auto focus can not adjust fast enough. Still they are good shots. Not a time to be playing golf.
I have a macbook pro. I do not remember the specific title of the software, but it was listed for the D7100 in the Nikon software download files. Once you find it you give the download command and it goes into your computer. Then you must open it from your computer to install it.
I do not know about the D5300, but Nikon has software for the D7100 that allows you to directly down load to you laptop. I do iy all the time.
Go to nikonusa.com and go to downloads to find it. I would bet they have it for your other camera