Drones For Dummies
Overview
The fast and easy way to pick out, set up, and learn to fly your drone
Ready to soar into the world of unmanned aircraft? Drones For Dummies introduces you to the fascinating world of UAVs. Written in plain English and brimming with friendly instruction, Drones For Dummies provides you with the information you need to find and purchase the right drone for your needs, examples of ways to use a drone, and even drone etiquette and the laws and regulations governing consumer drone usage. Plus, you'll discover the basics of flight, including how to use a drone to capture photos and video.
Originally designed to assist in military and special operations
applications, the use of drones has expanded into the public service sector and the consumer market for people looking to have a good time flying an aircraft remotely. Drones For Dummies covers everything you need to know to have fun with your UAV, and is packed with cool ways to expand your drone's use beyond simply flying.
- Pick the perfect drone to suit your needs
- Properly set up and fly a drone
- Use a drone to capture images and footage with a camera
- Tips for maintaining your drone
If you're interested in the exciting new technology of unmanned aircraft vehicles, Drones For Dummies helps you take flight.
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About The Author
Mark LaFay is a tenured entrepreneur. He started two successful businesses in the music industry, and he is the co-founder of Lectio and Roust. Mark is also the author of Chromebook for Dummies.
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drones for dummies
CHEAT SHEET
Drones are high-technology devices that are constantly evolving thanks to a burgeoning community of enthusiastic technologists. Technology has made it possible for multi-rotor drones to be controlled by beginner pilots. But don’t be fooled; while modern drones are much easier to control, they are still dangerous and require the user to pay attention to even the smallest of details.
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Currently, operating a drone for commercial purposes is illegal in the United States. This nationwide moratorium on commercial drone usage has created space for numerous companies to get into the drone business by alleviating the need to quickly race a product into the marketplace. If you are thinking about how you might make some money with your drone, consider some of these commercial ideas.
In Spring 2015, the FAA released a set of proposed rules and regulations to govern the commercial use of drones in the United States. The rules are confusing; they are still changing and will likely be constantly changing as drone use expands and evolves. Here are ten tips for staying in line with some of the changing FAA regulations for commercial use.
Although drones have been around for quite some time, the latest innovations in the technology have revolutionized how the world views unmanned, remotely piloted aerial vehicles. Popularity will drive this forward at increasing faster speeds and like all new technology that catapults itself into the mainstream, there needs to be a user manual for common sense.
Drones are definitely controversial largely due to the general public’s perception of them as a tool for the government surveillance and other violations of personal civil liberties. The government’s expansion of domestic use of drones for surveillance has caused many people to raise concerns, so much so that the ACLU has stepped in and recommended the following list of safe guards for drone usage:
Usage limits: Drones should be deployed by law enforcement only with a warrant, in an emergency, or when there are specific and articulable grounds to believe that the drone will collect evidence relating to a specific criminal act.
If you enjoy the adrenaline rush that comes from extreme sports, you may want an action camera for your drone. Action cameras are small, durable cameras that were originally designed to give extreme sport enthusiasts a high-quality video camera to capture their hobbies up close and personally. Action cameras today are mounted to cars, mountain bikes, surf boards, and more.
Consumer drones run on electricity, unlike their big brothers in the military that use some form of a combustion engine (or solar). Your drone must have a reliable power source, and that means batteries. The problem with batteries is that they are heavy, must be charged, and they are typically expensive. And remember, batteries on motorized vehicles typically don’t last long.
The world is seeing a significant growth in consumer drones. While the majority of the world’s media pines over the plight of modern warfare with unmanned aerial war machines, a bigger story is brewing elsewhere in the world. The booming consumer drone industry is doing just that, booming! The consumer drone industry is a relatively new industry and growing at an estimated rate of 15-20% annually.
If your drone needs a tune-up, don’t worry. You don’t have to send it in to have a repair technician work on it. You can make the repairs on your own. Several resources are available online where you can find the answers you need to repair your drone.
Before you scour random message boards, however, visit the website of your drone manufacturer.
DSLR cameras can be a great accessory for your drone. DSLR stands for digital single light reflex, and the term is used to categorize high-end consumer and professional quality digital cameras. DSLR cameras come with a huge range of features and technical capabilities, which is why their uses span from hobby to professional.
Drones
Most people want a camera for their drone. It’s part of the fun! Camera technology has come a long way in the past 25 years. So far, in fact, that film photography has become something reserved for film purists and nostalgia.
Some would argue that film is still far superior to digital photo much in the way that music purists argue that records are far superior to digital media.
Becoming an expert level drone pilot requires a little extra flight training. By design, multi-rotor aircraft have great navigational control, but that control takes time to master. Airplanes, unlike multi-rotor aircraft, can only fly nose forward which means that if you want to go a particular direction, you need to steer that direction much like you would in a boat.
Drones can’t just fly themselves. Well, actually, they can. But the whole point of flying your drone is actually flying it! Controlling a drone can happen in a number of ways. First and foremost, you must understand how flight controls work.
At the basic level, your drone is equipped with a receiver. The receiver receives information that tells it what to do.
When it’s time to take flight, make sure you are familiar with the different flight modes on your drone. There are several different names and terms to refer to the different flight modes for your drone.
Standard mode
Standard mode, also known as Normal mode (and other names), is the most common flight mode. And probably the safest for new pilots.
A post-flight checklist is an integral part of good drone ownership and operation. Building a post-flight checklist ensures that you do not skip or forget any key steps to shutting down, maintaining, and storing your drone until your next flight.
Flight date:
Flight location:
Weather conditions:
Check
Item
No
Pre-flight checklists are a great way to ensure you have all the necessary gear for flying your drone and that you are taking all the proper precautions to ensure you, your drone, and the people around you stay safe while you fly.
Flight date:
Flight location:
Weather conditions:
Check
Item
Notes
Is the location clear of people,
power lines, and other objects?
Drones are high-technology devices that are constantly evolving thanks to a burgeoning community of enthusiastic technologists. Technology has made it possible for multi-rotor drones to be controlled by beginner pilots. But don’t be fooled; while modern drones are much easier to control, they are still dangerous and require the user to pay attention to even the smallest of details.
Drones have played a role in the theater of war for over a century. From the bomb-filled balloons of the 19th century to modern drones that resemble something from science fiction, drones have evolved as they have taken center stage in modern warfare and domestic security operations.
Currently, the CIA uses drones primarily to carry out surveillance, although they have some authority to use drones to carry out strikes.
Buying a drone that comes with support to add your own camera is a great option for photographers and videographers that have a greater concern for the quality of the images and video they intend to capture. Of course, this option does come with its own bag of goodies and bummers.
The pros to purchasing a drone with add-on camera support include:
Camera options: With this sort of drone, you can control what camera you fly.
If you’re looking into buying a drone because you are interested in aerial photography or videography, your first major decision will be whether or not to purchase a drone that comes with a built-in camera or simply supports an add-on camera. As with anything, there are pros and cons to purchasing a drone with built-in camera support.
All air traffic, including that of drones, in the United States is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Large businesses like Google, Amazon, and big oil companies, and small businesses and hobby enthusiasts, have been pushing for relaxed regulations that would allow for broad commercial uses of drone technology as well as fewer restrictions for hobby flying.
As the drone market continues to explode over the next several years and decades, there will be numerous companies getting into the fray. Currently there are several companies making a lot of noise in the world of unmanned aerial vehicles. You may find it worthwhile to check them out so that you can be in the know on what’s going on in drone town.
Every drone available on the market today comes with its own set of assembly instructions. Some drones require more installation steps than others. Typically, you need to install the following items:
Propellers: Your drone should be packaged with at least one complete set of propellers and possibly even a spare propeller or two.
Drones
Propellers are the blades that are attached to the motors of your drone. When power is applied to the motors, the propellers spin at a high rate of speed. The rotation of the propeller forces air down toward the ground. This flow of air changes the relative air pressure above and below the propellers, which in turn creates lift, and your drone becomes airborne.
Before you can capture cinema quality photos and video with your drone, you must configure your GoPro. You can configure your GoPro by navigating the small screen on the front of the device. Or you can use the GoPro mobile application, if you have an Apple, Android, or Windows smartphone.
Once installed on your phone, the GoPro app gives you the ability to remotely configure camera settings, livestream video from the camera, and even share content to the web.
Drones
The only way to master flying a drone is to put in hours flying, crashing, and tinkering with it alongside educating yourself about the ins and outs of drones and drone flight. Your drone’s manual can help get you started, but in time, you will find that you need access to many more resources to help you excel at flying your drone.
Some drones offer advanced flight controller applications that run on a smartphone or tablet. The Parrot AR Drone 2.0 works exclusively with their tablet application. Here is the Parrot AR drone control interface.
Credit: Courtesy of Andrew AmatoParrot’s control interface is high-tech and slick!
The DJI drones can work with an app in conjunction with an RC.
Flying your drone with a remote control (RC) transmitter means that you will be limited to flying line-of-sight, meaning you can’t fly what you can’t see! Flying with an RC transmitter also means that you won’t have the benefit of advanced communication that comes with smart devices like phones and tablets.
Flying with an RC
Check out this DJI transmitter.
Using forums and social networks to connect with other drone users is a great way to not only get help with your drone and meet people, it’s also a great way to stay informed on drone news. One major issue on the minds of most drone users is how the FAA’s ruling in September 2015 will affect drone flying in the United States and around the world.
Many pilots will tell you that takeoff and landing tend to be where the majority of accidents happen. You can minimize this with your drone by ensuring that your takeoff location is clean, dry, level, and stable. However, even with the best launch pad, landing can be tricky because of the turbulence that you may experience during a descent.
There are a few last steps you must take before you can take off flying your drone. These are more universal as they pertain specifically to launching; however, each task may be slightly different from drone to drone. So refer to your user’s manual when in doubt. When you’re getting ready to launch your drone, your attention must be solely on the task at hand.
Crashes are almost a guarantee with drone flying. There are so many causes for drone crashes that it is almost impossible to plan for and anticipate every scenario. There are, however, several things you can do to reduce the probability of a crash:
Know your environment: Before you get airborne, be sure to scout the area.
Drones
For the most part, the go-to battery used in drones is a lithium polymer battery (LiPo for short). Most LiPo batteries are not a true lithium polymer batteries but rather a hybrid between two battery technologies.
First and foremost, batteries use chemical reactions to produce electricity. A true lithium polymer battery creates electricity with a chemical reaction between dry components.
Drones
Several variables can affect your drone flying experience. You might lose control of your drone because you flew out of range, or you may encounter some sort of radio interference that disrupts communication between your transmitter and drone.
Unexpected precipitation or inclement weather might make flight dangerous.
Drones
If you are hoping to use your drone for photography, you may want to consider buying a gimbal. A gimbal is a support system that allows an object to remain horizontal regardless of the motion around it. Gimbals were widely used in waterborne vessels to keep instruments, equipment, and even drink holders upright with respect to the horizon regardless of the motion of the boat.
Drones
Heard of Facebook? Then you likely have a general idea of what social media is. It’s a great place to meet other drone enthusiasts and experts, doesn’t it? Social media isn’t just for people; it is also for brands. Sometimes companies will interact with their customers and supporters more so on social media because of the residual impact it can have on brand awareness through the increased public chatter.
Drones
Point-and-shoot cameras are small, easy-to-use digital cameras and can be a great addition to your drone. The point-and-shoot camera is a great way to get a digital camera at a low price. These cameras were designed to take pictures without much thought (if any at all). They are great for the beginning photographer or the photographer that doesn’t really care to take the time to set up a shot.
How do most people use their drones? In the United States, the organization that controls all air traffic (private and commercial) is the FAA, which stands for the Federal Aviation Administration. In 2012, the U.S. Congress passed a law requiring the FAA to issue rules for legalizing the commercial usage of drones in the United States by September of 2015.
One of the most common ways to ruin a drone is to get it wet, which is why you need to monitor the weather before you take your drone out flying.
Knowing the water hazards
A spontaneous downpour or even just prolonged flight in misty conditions can cause enough water to build up to short out the electronics in your drone.
Before drone technology advanced to where it is today, getting cinematic-quality aerial video footage required expensive equipment and crew. Heck, a lot of the really great aerial shots are captured with helicopters or airplanes. That simply isn’t an option for the hobby videographer.
Thankfully, expensive photo shoots are a thing of the past thanks to drones.
Drones
Cameras for your drone that have many features and capabilities can cost more, even much more, than their simpler counterparts. While money may not be an initial driver in your decision-making process, you will find that cost can, and will, spiral out of control very quickly. Your best bet is to identify a camera that neither exceeds nor falls short of your needs.
Flying your drone indoors presents a unique set of risks and challenges, such as flying into people, furniture, ceilings, and floors. If you have pets, you have to be concerned with their curiosity with the flying chew toy. All of that aside, in case you want to fly inside, here are some tips to set you up for success.
Drones
The best weather for drone flying is when it is sunny, a reasonable temperature (75 degrees Fahrenheit, for example), and little to no wind. The reasons for this are simple: sunny days are beautiful, 75 degrees is simply the perfect temperature, and flying in the wind is a pain in the rear. Besides being a more enjoyable experience, there is some science to flying in mild temps.
If you plan to fly a drone, you need to understand how it is controlled. For an object that is heavier-than-air to get airborne, you must create lift. Lift is a force that pushes an object upward into the air and is created by varying the air pressure above and below an aircraft.
Airplanes create lift by moving air above and below a wing.
When you hear the word drone, what is the first thing that comes to mind? If you’re like most people, you have visions of military jet-powered aircraft taking out bad guys in a warzone. Or maybe you think of a helicopter hovering outside your home gathering surveillance footage of your mom’s secret meatloaf recipe.
You should know a few things before you go drone shopping. Buying has gotten a lot easier these days thanks to the Internet. Buying has also gotten a lot harder these days because of the Internet. Not only do you have limitless options on products and product variations, you also have limitless information about each product, its features and the value of the features, and feedback from purchasers (qualified and unqualified).
When you’re ready to buy a drone, your best option is to purchase online. Most manufacturers sell direct to consumer so your best bet may be to go directly to a manufacturer’s website. The other obvious answer when buying online is to go to Amazon or other massive e-retailers to see what sort of drone options you have.
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