Hello from Southwest Florida

[SARDG]

Hi from a female Solo user from the Gulf Coast. Like @Perry Lawrence, I seem to be blessed with a multitude of area airports near me, but particularly hospitals with heliports. Must have something to do with the multitude of old people in FL... not me of course.

I've been researching drones (Phantom, Walkera, then 3DR) for nearly 4 years but finally pulled the trigger when Solos were reduced to $600. As a matter of fact, pulled that trigger twice. Have been lurking on this forum off and on for a year I think, but signed up recently.

My background is in electronics and media production, including video production, so I am ready to grab some shots with these new Solos. Always liked to incorporate jib shots in the studio and out, and the Solo is the ultimate jib. I'm also a tinkerer, so don't mind modifying these things. Just a shame that the payload and flight time is so little. I actually seem to tinker, more than fly - though some of the forum tinkerer's information is way beyond my skillset.

I have several GoPros; seem to need them for my toys and hobbies... bicycling, boating, shooting, my drone, and my 3D setup (that I am still experimenting with)... So many hobbies, so little time...

My town has quite a bit of water around, including the canal behind my house. As a matter of fact, there is the Gulf of Mexico, a major FL river and then within my city... 400 miles of canals, so... it's a little nerve-racking flying and considering the possibilities of a flyaway. I've attached the Marco Polo trackers but they won't help me in 10' of water. In the meantime, I practice over land and hope the Solo stays over land until I'm ready.

I am former Navy and now in the Coast Guard Auxiliary and see some value in SAR (Search and Rescue) missions with the new FLIR gimbal and camera setup. I have FLIR on my boat, but would hate to accidentally dunk the Solo and $4500 worth of FLIR and gimbal into the drink.

See you all on the main forum - which lately seems to keep me up at nights reading, and reading...

 

[PdxSteve]

Welcome! I hope you enjoy your solo(s) as much as I enjoy mine!

 

[aidanlou]

Nice to hear other people are worried about heliports. It's all fun and games until you check that box in the airspace map and it lights up like a christmas tree.

 

[Maddog]

Welcome to the forum SARDG- thank you for your service!

Maybe you could post some video of a gator trying to catch Solo!
I see some great photoshop possibilities.
"Gator lassoed by Solo Drone- film at 11".
"Solo Drone pulls Pokemon from gators jaws"

..just sayin'

 

[SARDG]

Thanks, gentlemen. Drones were simply an itch I had to scratch. So far, my close-by neighbors are okay, even fascinated with my Solo, and one is waiting for me to fly over water and get shots of his boat and home. I suppose I am one of those waiting for a reliable boat mode - and more practice!

My home is right at the 5 mile edge of an airport and a hospital heliport. I could see drones interfering more with helicopter patterns than typical fixed-wing patterns at a general aviation airport. The empty oversized lot next to me would even make a nice LZ for a helo.

 

[SARDG]

Welcome to the forum SARDG- thank you for your service!

Maybe you could post some video of a gator trying to catch Solo!
I see some great photoshop possibilities.
"Gator lassoed by Solo Drone- film at 11".
"Solo Drone pulls Pokemon from gators jaws"

..just sayin'

Thanks Maddog... and I'll take those gator flights under advisement. I've done some work for broadcast "news" media and usually if it bleeds, it leads so I'd need some pretty dramatic gator shots. I suppose a drone would be a nice safe way to get those - for me, not the drone.

 

[irek92]

Hello! I hope you enjoy as well as me ;-)

 

[EVILL Genius]

I know how you feel about the water and heliports SARDG. I am Ex Air Force and also volunteered with Civil Air Patrol which has a strong SAR program. I am working with one of the squadrons down here on an SOP for using Drones for SAR with GRound Teams. Definitely a force multiplier. I am using some the techniques I learned while being a Combat Contoller and testing the small Raven platform at Hurlbert. I wonder if anyone has done some float experiments with a solo or iris?

 

[Maddog]

I know how you feel about the water and heliports SARDG. I am Ex Air Force and also volunteered with Civil Air Patrol which has a strong SAR program. I am working with one of the squadrons down here on an SOP for using Drones for SAR with GRound Teams. Definitely a force multiplier. I am using some the techniques I learned while being a Combat Contoller and testing the small Raven platform at Hurlbert. I wonder if anyone has done some float experiments with a solo or iris?

I think there were some videos on YouTube demonstrating floats on Solo. Seems to me they had problems with weight, flight characteristics,etc.

 

[SARDG]

Hi Eddie,

Interesting how ex-AF gravitate toward CAP and ex-Navy or CG toward CG Aux.

The CG, through the CG Aux is investigating drones as a viable SAR tool, as well as pollution investigation and other scouting missions. Right now, they are looking at drones larger than Solo and if the drone program ever gets off the ground (no pun intended), it will likely be run by the Aux, administered under the CG Sectors. With the new FAA rules, it may fall under our air wing - AUXAIR. These things take a long time to implement, so who knows. I was pursuing AUXAIR, but dropped out after a surgery and never returned.

If you search for the keyword "floatation" or "flotation" on these forums, you will find some ideas for Solo. If you search You Tube, you will find vids of several different RTF drones including Solo and DJI, maybe Iris. I haven't found any specific commercial options yet.
Solo hardware