Drones shooting bushfires
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Australia - South of where I'd like to be !
Age: 59
Posts: 4,261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
" Those LEDs that cyclists use are very effective, highly visible and lightweight with low power draw."
If you are talking those 3 flashing light LED's that substitute for lights,
I disagree. Most seem to be so low intensity and need a bit of beef to them.
Doesn't take much to increase the light output by using a better LED globe.
If you are talking those 3 flashing light LED's that substitute for lights,
I disagree. Most seem to be so low intensity and need a bit of beef to them.
Doesn't take much to increase the light output by using a better LED globe.
I am an RC hobbyist and fly quad copters similar to the one used in the video. Mine has an all up weight with camera of about 1KG and could produce similar footage (or better with an ND filter).
I never fly it near airports or other full scale flying machines and never will however I WOULD fly it in the manner in the video. Failure resulting in loss of control is VERY rare and I have not yet heard of someone being injured by an out of control quad.
We risk ourselves everyday, from driving in cars at speed with one hand on the cell phone to flying clapped out 40 year old GA piston singles over the suburbs and yet there is an uproar when a small plastic quad arrives on the scene!!!!
I never fly it near airports or other full scale flying machines and never will however I WOULD fly it in the manner in the video. Failure resulting in loss of control is VERY rare and I have not yet heard of someone being injured by an out of control quad.
We risk ourselves everyday, from driving in cars at speed with one hand on the cell phone to flying clapped out 40 year old GA piston singles over the suburbs and yet there is an uproar when a small plastic quad arrives on the scene!!!!
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: south pacific vagrant
Posts: 1,334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
nah, there are some white ones they use as headlights. too bright and highly focused. brighter than a car headlight and are blinding if not pointed down a bit. some flash and are highly distracting. 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Mel-burn
Posts: 4,875
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A crop-duster banging along at 80 knots or whatever is not going to see even an aircraft grade strobe on a half metre by half metre UAV floating in front of him.
Hopefully if they only weigh a kilo is will simply hit the prop and cause little damage, but it could be far worse.
There's a time and a place for UAV's and that doesn't include entering a police crime scene at 3 ft when not authorised.
Hopefully if they only weigh a kilo is will simply hit the prop and cause little damage, but it could be far worse.
There's a time and a place for UAV's and that doesn't include entering a police crime scene at 3 ft when not authorised.
via oicur12.again:
...flying clapped out 40 year old GA piston singles ...
...flying clapped out 40 year old GA piston singles ...
My 'old' aircraft are maintained just the same as new aircraft. I think the saying about the farmers axe best describes... "Its a good old axe, only three new handles and two new heads in all the years i've owned it"..
.
via tartare:
VH-XXX - do you know if CASA will also mandate any kind of anti-collision strobe being fitted to them?
Those LEDs that cyclists use are very effective, highly visible and lightweight with low power draw.
I wonder if that could address two problems - make them much more visible to pilots of full sized aircraft...
VH-XXX - do you know if CASA will also mandate any kind of anti-collision strobe being fitted to them?
Those LEDs that cyclists use are very effective, highly visible and lightweight with low power draw.
I wonder if that could address two problems - make them much more visible to pilots of full sized aircraft...
Probably the answer is the work being done re the drone itself taking see and avoid action independent of the drone operator thus leaving the piloted aircraft to continue on in blissful ignorance.
.
COMMUNICATION.
Tell both the Helo Pilot and the Drone operator of the others position and intentions and all should be ok.
Lights are nice but in daylight highly ineffective as a first line of defense.
This needs to be officially coordinated.
End of story.
Until then.........keep away.
Tell both the Helo Pilot and the Drone operator of the others position and intentions and all should be ok.
Lights are nice but in daylight highly ineffective as a first line of defense.
This needs to be officially coordinated.
End of story.
Until then.........keep away.
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: The Last Resort
Age: 52
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Transponder
Fit transponder and modern avionics with traffic avoidance for both parties and have operators and pilots trained and briefed together.All on the same frequency and off we go. Hate to break it to you but the FPV equipment has 3 axis autopilots, stability augmentation, GPS, can fly in cloud with artificial horizons and full auto return home. All in contained in less than the size of an GA radio unit see Hobby King for details coming soon to CASA's backyard near you. Pizza delivery anyone?
Look here
and for the speed freaks
Look here
and for the speed freaks
Last edited by Oracle1; 15th Nov 2013 at 05:23.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Australia - South of where I'd like to be !
Age: 59
Posts: 4,261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bringing in regulations and laws and getting this info to owners
are two different things. And getting people to understand and
adhere to them ?
A fair few will have had nothing to do with the aviation world,
thinking it's just like a RC model.
are two different things. And getting people to understand and
adhere to them ?
A fair few will have had nothing to do with the aviation world,
thinking it's just like a RC model.
via 500N:
Bringing in regulations and laws and getting this info to owners
are two different things...
Bringing in regulations and laws and getting this info to owners
are two different things...
Sounds difficult enuf to see and avoid one drone over a fire. Imagine having to avoid dozens of separately tasked drones on a single flight..
.
“A crop-duster banging along at 80 knots or whatever is not going to see even an aircraft grade strobe on a half metre by half metre UAV floating in front of him.”
This is very true, but any quad copter flyer with half a brain and a set of ears will here the crop duster way before it arrives on scene and simply land. The vast majority of the time my quad spends in the air is less than 200’ or about 5 seconds from touch down. It is NOT going to be mixing it up on airways used by aircraft and creating a hazard.
“if you are aware of a "clapped out" aircraft being flown i suggest you contact the relevant authorities”
Really mate, you don’t think GA has a problem with clapped out old s&$@box aircraft cutting corners on maintenance? Maybe things have really changed since my time……..
There are far greater threats out there worthy of cyber time than a 500 buck quad.
This is very true, but any quad copter flyer with half a brain and a set of ears will here the crop duster way before it arrives on scene and simply land. The vast majority of the time my quad spends in the air is less than 200’ or about 5 seconds from touch down. It is NOT going to be mixing it up on airways used by aircraft and creating a hazard.
“if you are aware of a "clapped out" aircraft being flown i suggest you contact the relevant authorities”
Really mate, you don’t think GA has a problem with clapped out old s&$@box aircraft cutting corners on maintenance? Maybe things have really changed since my time……..
There are far greater threats out there worthy of cyber time than a 500 buck quad.
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Regardless of all that has been said so far, the bottom line is that in the event ot a near miss or colision with a piloted aircraft, there will never be any life risk to the drone operator.
...hence the pilot of the manned aircraft should take as much care as possible, since his/her life is at risk.
via oicur12.again:
This is very true, but any quad copter flyer with half a brain and a set of ears will here the crop duster way before it arrives on scene and simply land. The vast majority of the time my quad spends in the air is less than 200’ or about 5 seconds from touch down. It is NOT going to be mixing it up on airways used by aircraft and creating a hazard.
This is very true, but any quad copter flyer with half a brain and a set of ears will here the crop duster way before it arrives on scene and simply land. The vast majority of the time my quad spends in the air is less than 200’ or about 5 seconds from touch down. It is NOT going to be mixing it up on airways used by aircraft and creating a hazard.
oicur12.again, i've been practically under a helicopter water dump and the first i knew of it were the 'bubbles' blowing past me. Standing near a working bulldozer, multiple trucks with pumps full on, the fire crackle, and the noise affecting heat probably what covered up the noise of the chopper.
oicur12.again, your an accident waiting to happen.
via oicur12.again:
...you don’t think GA has a problem with clapped out old s&$@box aircraft cutting corners on maintenance?...
...you don’t think GA has a problem with clapped out old s&$@box aircraft cutting corners on maintenance?...
I would suggest though that you don't confuse a faded paint job and bugs on a windscreen with airworthiness.
.
“Hmmm... lucky for you fires are such quiet affairs..”
Good point, fair enough. I have never stood amongst fire crews and did not consider the high noise levels to which you refer. I have no doubt that had I been present, I would have chosen not to fly my quad as I will only fly when I have line of sight and can clearly hear my surroundings for people, vehicles, planes etc.
I did not mean to suggest sneaking up to a fire fighting scene with a quad and secretly flying it overhead in the hope that no fire bomber collides with it either. Not cool.
BUT, quads offer huge potential to enhance safety and awareness of fire crews and emergency service workers in general and trust me; they WILL become an integral part of any rescue scene.
In California where I live, every fire department/EMS/Police force is testing quads with downlink and LOVING the opportunity they provide.
“your an accident waiting to happen”
I suggest you think about this comment a little more before becoming so arrogant.
“…..if you are aware of an un-airworthy aircraft being flown i recommend you report it to the relevant authorities.”
No, it appears from your comments that GA in Australia has radically changed in the last 20 years since I was involved and all GA lighties are now maintained in tip top shape. That’s fantastic to hear.
Good point, fair enough. I have never stood amongst fire crews and did not consider the high noise levels to which you refer. I have no doubt that had I been present, I would have chosen not to fly my quad as I will only fly when I have line of sight and can clearly hear my surroundings for people, vehicles, planes etc.
I did not mean to suggest sneaking up to a fire fighting scene with a quad and secretly flying it overhead in the hope that no fire bomber collides with it either. Not cool.
BUT, quads offer huge potential to enhance safety and awareness of fire crews and emergency service workers in general and trust me; they WILL become an integral part of any rescue scene.
In California where I live, every fire department/EMS/Police force is testing quads with downlink and LOVING the opportunity they provide.
“your an accident waiting to happen”
I suggest you think about this comment a little more before becoming so arrogant.
“…..if you are aware of an un-airworthy aircraft being flown i recommend you report it to the relevant authorities.”
No, it appears from your comments that GA in Australia has radically changed in the last 20 years since I was involved and all GA lighties are now maintained in tip top shape. That’s fantastic to hear.
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Europe
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Binghi
" if you are aware of an un-airworthy aircraft being flown i recommend you report it to the relevant authorities."
I gotta say, I almost pi#$%@ myself laughing when I read this.
I dont think there were ANY AIRWORTHY aircraft around back in my day in GA.
" if you are aware of an un-airworthy aircraft being flown i recommend you report it to the relevant authorities."
I gotta say, I almost pi#$%@ myself laughing when I read this.
I dont think there were ANY AIRWORTHY aircraft around back in my day in GA.
BUT, quads offer huge potential to enhance safety and awareness of fire crews and emergency service workers in general and trust me; they WILL become an integral part of any rescue scene.
