The WHY DO YOU FLY? Poll

We’ve asked Grey Arrows Drone Club members what they fly - now we’re asking why you fly!

Maybe you bought your drone for sport, maybe for photography or maybe just for sheer fun. Let your fellow members know by voting in the poll below (multiple choices are allowed).

Then, if you feel like it, drop a few words in the comments section saying how successful (or not) your choice has been, along with any useful tips you’ve picked up along the way.

  • Photo & Video
  • Racing
  • Commercial work
  • Mods & DIY
  • Just plain fun
  • Other reasons

0 voters

2 Likes

For me, it’s all about the photos :+1:

And for the fun!

I’ve wanted a drone for years but could never justify the cost (Phantoms, etc) but then when the Mavic Pro came along, I just had to have one.

So yes, two reasons for me, one to take amazing aerial pics and two, just for the sheer fun of flying, it’s all new hobby :slight_smile:

7 Likes

Yes, all about the photos for me as well - such a different perspective

2 Likes

Yes fully agree,for photos and video,and also just the fact that i can!I also now find myself taking my mavic everywhere,and find myself looking for an excuse to fly,really relaxes me,well most of the time,except for the odd brown trouser moment,lol:rofl::rofl::+1:t2::+1:t2:

4 Likes

Just fun for me. Enjoy aerial views of everything.

2 Likes

I have always had a fascination with flying for as long as I can remember (and that’s a long time). Played with RC planes years ago then stopped after a crash when it was beyond effort of repair (my fault). A long time passed and I did other things. I tried a model helicopter, but the unstabilized model crashed and burned pretty fast - the learning curve was too steep - no gyros or flight controller. I even tried flight sims with Oculus Rift on PC.

Fast forward and in 2017 I discovered DJI and ordered the Mavic Air to fly ‘just for fun’ - then I started my research online (I know I should have done that first). I knew the UAV had a camera but I hadn’t really considered it much - I just wanted to fly but as there was a camera I also purchased goggles (combo) to try FPV. After a few weeks I realised that I wanted wireless FPV so purchased a Mavic Pro for Ocusync thinking I’d sell on the Air. Having flown both I decided to keep both for their different characteristics.

Now I realise that the UAV gives me the ability to create cool photos and videos, so I consider that a new hobby to learn and improve on which for me is a bonus but its still for the fun of flying for me. I get such a buzz when I hear ‘Take Off. The home point has been updated’. Realising that I need spotter for FPV and getting sucked in further through YouTube, I bought the Epson Moverios which is the BEST of both worlds for solo AR FPV.

As an added benefit, I have found some great forums, especially this one. Have made some good virtual friends (who I hope to fly with some day) and have learned a huge amount in a short time.

Sorry for length of post. David.

8 Likes

No apologies necessary, David. Insights such as yours are why we created this poll. It’s always useful to know how other members arrived at our shared passion. It just shows how versatile the current drone scene is.

1 Like

It’s the photos and video for me too, and the main reason I went for the MA, rather than the Spark, was because it shoots in Raw and good 4K.

1 Like

It’s the photos, and it gets me up at 5 am to get to places I wouldn’t usually go. But I’ve seen a couple of drone racing clips and whilst I wouldn’t want to do something so ridiculous with my mavic, it does look like fun!

3 Likes

It’s just different experience to see things you saw on the ground from different angle and from different point. Also to see things and places beyond your reach. And sometimes just having some fun (safe and secure).

1 Like

The chance to see things from a different angle - particularly when I get the goggles out which are sitting in the drawer not doing anything.

The fun of buzzing about overhead.

My wife runs a travel blog, so we will be incorporating footage into that.

The idea of getting something really, really fast and racing it is very tempting…

1 Like

Hope you’ll post a link to that and give us some details about how you shot videos for it.

1 Like

Will do!

Coming soon: Wiltshire & the Norfolk Broads. Not in the same post.

Or the same flight! LOL! :wink:

1 Like

Haha that would be one hell of a battery mod. Do you think that counts as beyond VLOS?

1 Like

I think even @My-Mavic-My-Rules would struggle to fly that kind of distance :rofl:

1 Like

Is your name really Steve Austin? If so - no probs!

1 Like

Austin 3:16 says I just whipped yo ass!!!

Oh wait…

Wrong Steve Austin!

3 Likes

For me it’s the viewpoint as you fly along, the photos and videos were secondary but as I do more are becoming more interesting, trying to improve both the quality of the video and the smoothness of the flight present a great challenge.
Also, although just zooming around a nearby field is a lot of fun, trying to find new, interesting ( at least to me) places to film can be quite difficult.