Drone advice needed

Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi (Brent)
Hello BARF family. I'm looking for some advice on how to get started with Drones filming real estate, landscaping, scenery, not really much city stuff. I would like to know how to get started for less than $500 for a learning drone that will end up having the same controls and feel of the high end sets if I enjoy it, and looks like a good way to go.
Do I just buy a low cost DJI?
Do I buy one with goggles?
Do I buy one that uses my smartphone?
What else am I missing?
 
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stan23

stan23

Well-known member
Mr Pepsi said:
Hello BARF family. I'm looking for some advice on how to get started with Drones filming real estate, landscaping, scenery, not really much city stuff. I would like to know how to get started for less than $500 for a learning drone that will end up having the same controls and feel of the high end sets if I enjoy it, and looks like a good way to go.
Do I just buy a low cost DJI?
Do I buy one with googles?
Do I buy one that uses my smartphone?
What else am I missing?
Click to expand...

Get a used mavic pro.

Dont do googles when learning, I bought a dedicated iPad mini with GPS to fly with. The bigger screen is well appreciated for any photography work.
 
Sharky

Sharky

Well-known member
There are a bunch of options, but the used market is flooded with camera quads. Unless you have your pilots license, you won't be able to legally make money using your camera drone.

I would check out RCgroups. They have a robust community and many of these for sale. CL is also a good place.


You might do just fine with a monitor. I fly racing quads, and for those goggles are a MUST.
 
mean dad

mean dad

Well-known member
Mr Pepsi said:
Is that a state regulation or FAA?
Click to expand...

FAA.

Any commercial use of a drone needs a licensed pilot.
Of course, any job done in California for more than five hundred dollars requires a contractor's license and there's plenty of folks that make a living without one.

There may be a BARFer or two that has made a few bucks with their drones without the license. ;) :shhh
 
Kestrel

Kestrel

Well-known member
Pro Trip: Don't try to skirt the law on this one - the FAA does not mess around.

For what it is worth, if you are already an active licensed pilot (about 0.002% of the USA population, so not many of you!), the remote pilot certificate is relatively easy to obtain.
 
byke

byke

Well-known member
I dunno, tried to file a complaint with the FAA once and the phone number doesn't have an option to speak to anyone and it took them two months to reply to a message, then a week to respond once more because the person didn't actually read what I wrote and nothing after that. They really gave the impression that the FAA is just a 50yo guy named Rick that lives with his mum and does what he can between gaming sessions.
 
mean dad

mean dad

Well-known member
:laughing

I'm sure they have a large budget dedicated to rogue videographers.
Got a whole department doing nothing but watching Youtube videos and chasing down certificates.
 
Hoho

Hoho

Ride to Eat
mean dad said:
FAA.

Any commercial use of a drone needs a licensed pilot.
Of course, any job done in California for more than five hundred dollars requires a contractor's license and there's plenty of folks that make a living without one.

There may be a BARFer or two that has made a few bucks with their drones without the license. ;) :shhh
Click to expand...

:thumbup

The license falls under FAA Part 107
 
Kestrel

Kestrel

Well-known member
byke said:
I dunno, tried to file a complaint with the FAA once and the phone number doesn't have an option to speak to anyone and it took them two months to reply to a message, then a week to respond once more because the person didn't actually read what I wrote and nothing after that. They really gave the impression that the FAA is just a 50yo guy named Rick that lives with his mum and does what he can between gaming sessions.
Click to expand...

mean dad said:
:laughing

I'm sure they have a large budget dedicated to rogue videographers.
Got a whole department doing nothing but watching Youtube videos and chasing down certificates.
Click to expand...

All it takes is one screw up in the wrong place at the wrong time for the the FAA and a dozen cop cars to show up at your residence. I've seen it happen.... Intentional violations of the law (and then flaunting such an attitude on a publicly accessible forum) is a sure way to win yourself some clout in the court room! :thumbup Go shout bomb on an airplane, and see how well they treat you. :laughing

Is there a penalty for failing to register?
Failure to register an unmanned aircraft that is required to be registered may result in regulatory and criminal penalties. The FAA may assess civil penalties up to $27,500. Criminal penalties include fines of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years.
Click to expand...
 
FXCLM5

FXCLM5

bombaclaud
Passing the drone test shouldn't be that hard, literally like common sense stuff yea? Just wondering cuz I see all these test,guides,study videos on how to pass it.

Like it's your lsat or gmat tests
 
mean dad

mean dad

Well-known member
Kestrel said:
All it takes is one screw up in the wrong place at the wrong time for the the FAA and a dozen cop cars to show up at your residence. I've seen it happen.... Intentional violations of the law (and then flaunting such an attitude on a publicly accessible forum) is a sure way to win yourself some clout in the court room! :thumbup Go shout bomb on an airplane, and see how well they treat you. :laughing
Click to expand...

Not positive, but that quote looks like registration of the drone, not possession of a certificate/license for commercial use.
But to your point, I'm aware that I may see literally twelve or more police cars on my street as they accompany the Federal Aviation Administration's tactical division in their quest to keep America's airspace clear of scofflaws.
Top of their priority list for sure.

FXCLM5 said:
Passing the drone test shouldn't be that hard, literally like common sense stuff yea? Just wondering cuz I see all these test,guides,study videos on how to pass it.

Like it's your lsat or gmat tests
Click to expand...

Harder than you'd think. Not unpossible but definitely not sauntering in and nailing it.
Lots of rather esoteric information.
 
carries an axe

carries an axe

meat bone meat meat meat
FXCLM5 said:
Passing the drone test shouldn't be that hard, literally like common sense stuff yea? Just wondering cuz I see all these test,guides,study videos on how to pass it.

Like it's your lsat or gmat tests
Click to expand...
Drone video is a saturated market. You won't be raking in $$$

Here the best 107 attorney around:
https://jrupprechtlaw.com/part-107-knowledge-test

Also, all the rogue operations typically don't know the rules of where and when it is legal/safe to fly and cause a lot of headaches for industry operating within the guidelines. Don't be that guy.
 
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