So it’s almost a year since I got my first “real” drone, a Potensic Atom, and after getting both the Operator and Flyer ID (I know I probably didn’t need the Flyer ID but I thought I’d like to know I could pass the test), I joined the Grey Arrows as a Gold Member (oooer!).
In my first year I’ve learnt the following:
Trees can be dicks!
Birds can make me wince (especially when they’re flying near the drone)!
Rivers can be unforgiving!
Trees next to rivers or ponds can be a recipe for disaster!
I’ve lost 2 drones in rather quick succession for exactly the same reason - hitting a tree and dropping into a river. The first, despite extensive searching by a fishing friend and myself, has never been found. The second, although recovered and dried out quickly, hasn’t flown since. I now have a Potensic Atom 2 and am very, very careful when flying where there are trees and water, generally flying it well above the trees.
I’ve had several people come up to me and ask questions to which I am more than happy to reply to them if I can, and show them what I’m filming. I was out with my wife when two young girls (around10 years old) came over and started talking to us. One of them said that she was scared of drones because a drone had followed her down the street. I showed her what my drone could see and as we talked she became far more at ease with the drone, asking loads of questions about them. I like to think we at least put one person at ease with drones that day.
I find it fascinating to see things through a totally different perspective, and love learning different ways of improving the cinematography of things that I film, and not just stick the drone up at 400 feet and spin it around.
I’ve created my own YouTube channel and even had a few folks watch my videos.
Despite the mishaps, I’ve loved my first year flying the drones and roll on year 2!
