Recent content by KDan

  1. KDan

    New Peau 3.37mm lens installed - a bit disappointed..

    I bought one of the cheap $12 Chinese lenses and found it to be pretty sharp and it eliminated the barrel distortion. It was more susceptible to lens flare when flying into the sun though. And no, it was not fun to install. However, the worst part was that the reduced FOV amplified the shaking...
  2. KDan

    1.6 mile flight - then threatened by redneck to shoot down my Solo

    "Redneck" seemed like the most apt description based upon his behavior. We have lots of people who fit the profile here in rural Pennsylvania. I have on occasion behaved in a way to at could justifiably earn the title also. I believe in calling a spade a spade, or whatever. All this political...
  3. KDan

    1.6 mile flight - then threatened by redneck to shoot down my Solo

    Yes, I've reviewed the part 107 rules and gone over the material for several hours in anticipation of perhaps taking the test. However, I don't see much of a market for drone photography/videography in the rural area that I live in. Thirty miles away in State College - maybe. But there are...
  4. KDan

    1.6 mile flight - then threatened by redneck to shoot down my Solo

    As for those who are slamming me for flying beyond visual line of sight... What exactly is the limit? Exactly. Simply saying "flying beyond where you can clearly see it" is entirely subjective. As I mentioned earlier, there are a huge number of variables that enter into the equation. I had...
  5. KDan

    1.6 mile flight - then threatened by redneck to shoot down my Solo

    Yes, those cell towers keep things interesting! Believe me, I'm keenly aware of their presence, and I make absolutely sure I don't let either one of them get between the Solo and my home position in the event of an unanticipated RTH :eek:
  6. KDan

    1.6 mile flight - then threatened by redneck to shoot down my Solo

    You're certainly correct there. The media has done a fantastic job demonizing small drones. It has definitely been embedded in the popular culture now that quad-copters are somehow universally malevolent. I often wonder what the motivation was for creating such a negative public image of them...
  7. KDan

    1.6 mile flight - then threatened by redneck to shoot down my Solo

    Apparently not yet. It seems the law is still trying to catch up. However, the fact remains that shooting at or even threatening to shoot at any aircraft - including drones is a federal crime. The act itself is illegal, and has nothing to do with how the drone is being operated. If someone is...
  8. KDan

    1.6 mile flight - then threatened by redneck to shoot down my Solo

    I took a friend and his son out to a local ridge-top on Saturday to show him what camera drone flying was all about. His son is interested in getting into the hobby more and isn't sure what he wants next. I've also been pushing the limits of my Solo's - seeing how far they can fly with a stable...
  9. KDan

    New Peau 3.37mm lens installed - a bit disappointed..

    They aren't really ridiculously easy to install if you follow the Peau procedure of dismantling the camera. A lot of people have gotten into trouble with the small ribbon cable at the top right side. If replacing the lens directly from the outside (without dismantling the camera) these problems...
  10. KDan

    New Peau 3.37mm lens installed - a bit disappointed..

    I can almost guarantee you they also come from China - possibly even the exact same factory which makes lenses that sell at a small fraction of the price. I installed a 4.35mm lens in one of my Hero 4 Blacks, and it only cost me around $10. The installation was a bit tricky, but the result was...
  11. KDan

    Which tablet do you find to work best

    Any recommendation on a good anti-glare screen protector? I've read reviews that claim they don't help much outside - they just cause the whole screen to get washed out vs. localized bright reflections. Sun shields haven't really worked for me - the brightness of the sky directly behind me is...
  12. KDan

    Which tablet do you find to work best

    I have a ZTE Trek 2 K88 which I got for around $60 a few months ago new on eBay. Fantastic tablet for the price. I also bought a nice used Nexus 7 (2013) for about $70 around a month later expecting it would have a much brighter screen (because of many reviews here). That turned out NOT to be...
  13. KDan

    Solo SD Card Image

    It is the latest flyable 2.4.2 version. I believe it includes the 1.3.1 autopilot. You can update the autopilot software separately to 1.5.3, etc if you wish.
  14. KDan

    Leaving the group

    Good idea. Throwing fuel on the fire by calling them out for their arrogant attitudes was never going to help. Just vote with your feet. Seriously... There are friendlier and more helpful forums on the web. It's not worth it to hang around here if it spikes your blood pressure.
  15. KDan

    Lost control on solo

    I've been flying RC Helis for almost 20 years. Although I don't consider myself to be a 3D Heli pilot, I fly loops and rolls and can fly around inverted. Advanced 3D maneuvers are beyond me on my real Heli's, although I do a LOT better on a Simulator;) Funny you mention the WLToys V383. I've...