Radio-controlled Whatever

I'm thinking about learning to pilot a recreational drone and the first stumbling block I came to was the LiPO battery charger.

Is there anyone using radio-controlled models or drones who can help me figure out what I need - or just how to figure out what I need?

Also: is there such a thing as LiFePo4 battery packs for these things?

I should never have started down this trail.  I seemed smarter before I did.

- Kevin

It depends on what drone kit you get. Most kits will have 2 batteries with USB charger. Make sure not to get one too big to start with. The larger models require registration, license and training tests.

Thanks.  I understand the drones themselves (on paper - I haven't received mine yet), and am learning about the various batteries, but i'm stumbling about trying to figure out the proper kind of charger that won't damage the batteries or burn down the garage.

As far as I can tell, almost no kit includes a charger, other than those by DJI or unless you're referring to the batteries for some radio controllers that can be charged in place through a USB port.  I'm asking about chargers for the power pack for the drone itself - and not DJI drones.

I could'a explained that part a lot better, huh?

Thanks for chiming in.  I appreciate getting any and all information.

It depends on what drone kit you get. Most kits will have 2 batteries with USB charger. Make sure not to get one too big to start with. The larger models require registration, license and training tests.

I have been fantasizing about drones and aerial coverage of fishing spots.  Also the drone FPV racing looks so fun!  I'd like to get the VR setup for them and start learning that way.  Let me know if you have any suggestions there!

I have been flying drones on and off for the last several years.
One of the cheapest ways to learn is to buy a toy drone and practice joystick skills first.
Most drones come with two batteries and a charger, but you might need to get a couple more due to their limited flight time.
Most batteries last approximately 15-20 minutes of flight time.
The drones are so advanced that they can fly independently and avoid collision.

Paul

I have been flying drones on and off for the last several years.
One of the cheapest ways to learn is to buy a toy drone and practice joystick skills first.
Most drones come with two batteries and a charger, but you might need to get a couple more due to their limited flight time.
Most batteries last approximately 15-20 minutes of flight time.
The drones are so advanced that they can fly independently and avoid collision.

Paul

Paul, I'd sure like to know which drones can get 15-20 minutes of flight time on one battery, because most of those pilots online get ecstatic if they can squeeze 5 minutes out of a flight.  Are you flying the long distance drones that are larger than 7-inches?

I'm serious, not diss-ing on you.  I first started thinking about 20- or 30-minute flights with a UAV and it still bugs me that I'll need to change batteries several times to fly that long.  It must be great.

- Kevin

Joshua Bardwell is a legend in the sport.  Find him here: https://www.youtube.com/@JoshuaBardwell.  A search engine is going to become your best friend because he knows this stuff but he doesn't translate it down to my level ("Idiot").

Get the Liftoff drone flight simulator and follow Joshua's tutorials.  It's better to wreck a virtual drone than a very expensive one.

You could also get an EMAX Tinyhawk III FPV Racing Drone Ready to Fly Kit https://emax-usa.com/products/tinyhawk-3-fpv-racing-drone-ready-to-fly-w-controller-and-goggles or the EMAX Tinyhawk III Plus Ready to Fly Kit https://emax-usa.com/collections/tinyhawk-iii-plus-series/products/tinyhawk-3-plus-ready-to-fly-rtf-kit that would be perfect to fly indoors until better weather next year.

There are a lot of reviewers out there.  The one I like the most are the YouTube video reviews by Justin Davis at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwojJxGQ0SNeVV09mKlnonA.  He seems legitimate, but who on YouTube is 100-percent honest.

Justin test flew both of those micro drones.

I fly-fish, just so you have some point of reference when I say, "It's gonna get expensive..." 

I have been fantasizing about drones and aerial coverage of fishing spots.  Also the drone FPV racing looks so fun!  I'd like to get the VR setup for them and start learning that way.  Let me know if you have any suggestions there!

There's also these folks.  Not sure if you're close to them or not, but I'd be shocked if they wouldn't guide you along better than I can if you started asking questions.

https://dronecampca.org/

Tangentially relevant to this conversation, but there are some pretty awesome drones out there these days. I've seen a guy in Pacifica a few times now, fishing from the rocks, using a drone as a bait delivery system, further out than he can cast.

I'd be careful about using/controlling one while.on the kayak. Any comms link or equip malfunction, and most of them return to launch point.  As a moving platform, that is probably in the water by the time you realize what is happening. A friend of mine lost a $3k drone doing exactly that. It sank very fast, haha.

Tangentially relevant to this conversation, but there are some pretty awesome drones out there these days. I've seen a guy in Pacifica a few times now, fishing from the rocks, using a drone as a bait delivery system, further out than he can cast.

I'd be careful about using/controlling one while.on the kayak. Any comms link or equip malfunction, and most of them return to launch point.  As a moving platform, that is probably in the water by the time you realize what is happening. A friend of mine lost a $3k drone doing exactly that. It sank very fast, haha.

There's a fishing video on YouTube where a fellow in a kayak tried to hand land a drone (pluck it out of the air), bobbled it, and it sank.  Oddly enough, that was the video that got me interested in a drone of my own.

Also, check California flight restrictions.  Up here in Oregon it's illegal to use a drone to aid with fishing and hunting, or to locate fish or game.  The rules are changing all the time, so stay current.

I have been flying drones on and off for the last several years.

[...]

Paul

I figured it out!  Several - many - of the DJI drones can stay in the air for 20+ minutes, but they seem to be the exception, not the rule.  I apologize for being surprised that any drone could fly that long.

I'm not sure I know enough to recognize that I'm still stupid.

I have been flying drones on and off for the last several years.

[...]

Paul

I figured it out!  Several - many - of the DJI drones can stay in the air for 20+ minutes, but they seem to be the exception, not the rule.  I apologize for being surprised that any drone could fly that long.

I'm not sure I know enough to recognize that I'm still stupid.

not exactly... i sent you my phone number, give me a call. i used to build commercial camera drones prior to the FAA takeover

I am a big fan of my DJI Mini 2. A big upgrade on the Mini 1 I think, and a great way to get in the air for not much money. I bought both of my Minis on DJI's official Ebay channel with the Fly More combo. Put them in Nanuk cases that come with custom foam inserts. They are good since they are under 250 grams and thus don't need to be registered (as long as you don't add anything that bumps it up to 250 or more, e.g. strobe lights).

I was happy that I learned to fly on a tiny, cheap toy drone, to get the muscle memory and "reversed" controls when it's flying towards you, etc. Then when you use a proper drone, it seems like cheating it's so stable and easy, with auto takeoff and landing, GPS controlled positioning, etc. Mini 2 doesn't have outward collision detection (just sensing the ground below when landing), but I don't feel like I need it.

If you want my toy drone for real, real cheap, or my Mini 1 for cheap, let's talk. Happy to have one or both go to a good home.

Also, on flight times, there is a maximum flight time, and then real world will be a little shorter depending on wind, altitude, how you are flying it. And you usually set a return to home warning for 20% left of battery so you make sure to get back with a good buffer.

And you can have a fixed home point (where it took off) or a moving home point (where you are now). That said, flying one from a kayak seems like too much messing around to me, since I'm usually trying to paddle, fish, crab, etc. (and the sinking it in water part).

Well, the guy in the kayak had the bow on the beach.  I was watching some trout fishing videos and it seems you don't have proof you caught a fish these days if your video doesn't have a 10-second aerial B-roll in it.

 

Tell me more about your tiny drone.  I would like to have a trainer for a while.  Actually, let me know more about whatever drones you're thinking about parting with, please.

I've got a skydio 2 and a hover x1.

The hover is basically a selfish drone abit bigger than palm sized. It doesn't have collision avoidance, but can follow, and do a lot of other preprogrammed flights. Manual flying is shockingly easy. Gets about 15 to 20 min per battery.
Launch, let it do its thing, then put your ha d under it and it'll land on it. No idea weather it would land on a rolling hand on a yak.

Skydio has collision and all kinds of amazing features. When on an automated flight it's basically start it and forget it until you want it to land. Manual flight is also easy with the collision avoidance, it doesn't usually see branches and stuff, so likely would not see fishing rods.would definitely land on a yak, can land on my boat. Again 15 to 20 for the battery (v1), and a bit longer for the v2 battery