Resources/Links Page Added!

Hey droNErds- just checking in real quick to let you know I have officially posted the resources page on the blog for anyone looking for quick links to registration, laws, and more. It is still under construction and will be updated as we find more links to add. If you know a great resource we don't have listed here, feel free to let us know. Thank You!

The Growing Uses Of Drone Technology

It is THIS very reason that we started this blog about drones - to share the growing uses and hopefully inspire others to create even more uses. In this article you will learn some of the recent developments that are going to improve and reshape the way many things are done.

With our ever updating modern world we are so fortunate to live in, some things never change. We may change HOW things grow (hydroponics, lighting and watering systems, etc) but plants (veggies) are still plants and require a lot of attention in order to produce the quality and volume needed. Agriculture has always used breaking technology to help them along and currently drones are the new tech in town. Here is a link to an article about Drones Applications In Agriculture from the MIT Review. Basically, they can use the drones with specific sensors to monitor crops, increase their yields and reduce costs. The drones are helping them to be more efficient in their overall production.

It's much the same with the video here from an article about using drones to remove ice from wind turbines which can slow them down so by doing this, they too increase productivity and efficiency with low costs.

Besides these uses, they are being used for search and rescue, roofers, and many more fields. It does not come as that much of surprise to nerds that drones are making many jobs obsolete by being more efficiently done with a drone. On the other side of that coin, there are many NEW jobs already with undoubtedly many more to come as drone pilots, mechanics, and more in order to accommodate these upgrades. I think of it much like how cell phones, airplanes and other inventions have also changed our world and shifted jobs by improving things. There was a time when a person operated telephone switchboards connecting calls now we have people programming phones and other devices rather than connecting them and this is no different overall.

So for others that grew up in the "Nintendo Generation" that were told over and over how playing video games would rot our brains, not so much. In fact, all those video games prepared us for this exactly. Yes, there are of course concerns, especially in the early stages. That's why laws are constantly being implemented and changed as we encounter new dangers alongside the benefits of new tech. I have no doubt that more will come sooner rather than later but that is all the more reason to get educated and get involved. Whether you want to be the pilot or the consumer that uses a drone to make your business more efficient in some way, drones are definitely part of our future and business and jobs involving drones are going to become more and more utilized.

So get out there and get flying, you might just be training for your next job!

Cute Drone Shirt

Another Great Shirt



This one is just whimsically cute I think... I still like the shirts that discourage people from chatting while you operate a drone but this one is just fun. Although, drone enthusiasts are very similar to car enthusiasts- most people USE cars every day for a reason- to commute somewhere while car enthusiasts are into cars on another level entirely. That said, it makes sense that most drone use is actually for business purposes of some kind and not just hobbyists. How do you go from hobbyist to professional? Well that is still the ultimate goal of our journey here, to become official drone pilots able to be hired for drone related work. There is a lot more to it than just being good at flying a drone to even be considering this. I am building an additional page to this blog full of resources for drone users. One of the most important links anyone with a drone should visit before ever flying is the FAA site which also offers a really helpful app (B4UFly) to help you with a number of important resources such as no fly zones to help you stay out of trouble and also offer a wealth of information on the licensure process if that is your goal as well.

Great Toolkit Specifically For Drones!

OMG! I have been searching everywhere for a toolkit like this designed specifically for use on drones. I like this set because you could keep it with you when you take your drone out so you can fix or tweak things on the spot. This is PERFECT!

Hover Camera Passport Self Flying Drone - SO COOL

This is the drone I would like to get soon. Besides the incredible camera options, it just LOOKS really cool! The blades are well protected but I love how sleek it is and it looks like it would control very well and be really great for selfies and easier video making for things like vlogs and such.





It's funny, a year ago I knew NOTHING about drones other than their use with things like Google or the government. Since getting our first little guy and having fun trying it out, I have found SO MUCH bigger of a world of opportunities with drones from fun to careers. I'm excited to be alive during this point of technology. There are so many possibilities out there and we are just learning as we go but we are very ready to delve deeper into taking it farther, getting licensed and more. We thank those of you joining us on this new adventure and hope you will continue to join us and share with us your own knowledge and experiences. Hope you are flying safely, have a great night!

Great Book for Laws About Drones

Just a quick post to include a book I just came across that looks like a really good one regarding legalities with drone use.

Found Our Drone...Along With A Few Concerns. The Potential for Good AND Bad Drone Uses

So as I was saying in my last post, our favorite drone (the DX-4 that came with the VR kit) had gone down the other night while very windy... Last night Justin's phone rang with a stranger asking him why his drone was in her yard. Well, the good news is she believed us that we weren't downed in her yard from creepily stalking her but because the wind pulled the drone off course and we had been searching for it for a few days.

I have to say it is a bit scary to think what others might be thinking/assuming and where that will lead. Justin, like most men, is a big kid and loves his toys, especially nerdy tech toys like drones. I can see the other side of this too though as we have 3 daughters and I am a woman myself of course so I'm sure I too would be a bit uneasy if I found someone's camera drone in my yard.

Since diving into the world of drones, we have found more uses for drones and have theorized even more that can help us in many ways from search and rescue to business purposes and more. However, nothing we create is only good. Everything has the potential for being used for bad in some way when being operated by a person with bad intentions. Computers can be hacked or save lives, guns can protect us but can also be used by murderers... We face this everyday with everything. What it really comes down to is the people behind the items. As long as humans have existed we have battled against the 'bad apples' in the harvests.

Well, first of all, get informed. As I said about reading ALL the instructional manuals before you fly your drone the first time for YOUR protection against losing or breaking it, it is at least as important to find out where you can and cannot fly your drone. Bigger drones require registration before use and whatnot but most people would be starting with something much smaller and less $$$ that does not require such things. If you are that impatient please at least get one of the apps that tell you what no fly zones are near you. There are many apps available to help you not only with knowing where it is OK to fly but that can help you with planning a flight and keeping track of it's location or find it if you lose it (*some can find all drones nearby but some you have to sync with your drones for them to track them). It's been my experience that knowledge IS power and that it is people who make things bad by poor judgement and choices.

While I find that information on drones is still not as easy to find as it will be soon, there are plenty of resources available from apps, books, magazines, videos and more. I will include links and information here as much as I can.

Here is a trilogy of books for the serious drone enthusiast. Drones: The Complete Collection: Three Books In One  Drones: The Professional Drone Pilot's Manual, Drones: Mastering Flight Techniques, Drones: Fly Your Drone Anywhere Without Getting Busted - by Brian Halliday. These books cover a great deal of information that should help anyone become a better drone pilot.

I stumbled upon a free course on Amazon also that is a video series of lessons on specific topics related to drones including where not to fly. Section 6 - Safety, Safety, Safety - 5 - No Fly Zone's

I hope these help.



This is the book from the link above.

OK- So finding a shirt like this might actually be very necessary...

So last night Justin was outside for his nightly flight to clear his head of the day, work, etc. All was normal until one of our extremely chatty neighbors kept trying to talk to him while he was flying. Well, he lost control of the drone just as the wind caught it and it went down. Initially we didn't panic because this wasn't the first time this has happened. Unfortunately, this time it happened to be in an area full of huge trees. As of now, about 24 hours later, after trying several locator apps and common sense, still no drone. Thankfully we do have our phone number on the drone and let a few neighbors know the situation so we hope it will turn up still.

However, it is a good lesson for newbies out there. Not every drone has an auto-return or a self locator in it so if your doesn't make absolutely sure your focus stays with the drone and/or at least the camera feed. It can be frustrating trying to fly a drone in a public area. Every time we have any of our out, immediately people come out of everywhere with all kinds of questions and requests so if you are easily distracted keep that in mind.

As for us- if we don't find this drone, it's more a sentimental loss but we are definitely going to start getting shirts like this to politely discourage so many distractions

"Drone Pilot" Black Baseball Cap

At least we are starting to find more gear out there for droNErds like us....

Creating a course for drone racing....

I have yet to come across a drone racing place which I'm sure are out there but until then Justin and I have toyed with ideas to improve quidditch by using different style/sized drones for the different kind of balls and things like these racing gates for goals. What do you think? I'd really love some feedback on that idea because it sounds better than trying to chase and hit with a broom between your legs.

Instructional Book on Drones

I cannot WAIT for my copy to arrive! See Justin is the pilot but I 'm the mechanic. Since I was little I followed my dad around as he tinkered with broken lawnmowers and TVs... I have always been a nerd at heart so this book sounds incredible. I have learned a little about repairing and even upgrading on my own but why reinvent the wheel??? I will happily let you know if I learn a lot from this. At very least I expect to be able to repair our drones better with the help of this book. Happy Flying!

First Freak Out

Unless you are extremely gifted, chances are the first time you tried to fly your new drone didn't go flawlessly. In theory it is simple but each drone is different, just like cars. That said, while you get the feel of a new drone it is very likely you may crash or catch a gust of wind that takes your drone out of sight. If this happens you could damage the drone or worse yet, lose it for good.

Our first drone was a mini as I've mentioned before. We were able to try it out indoors a few times before taking our tiny little thing outside to really try it out. Boy was that a different experience! Immediately the wind showed us how just a slight breeze has quite an effect on the control. Just on the first few attempts outdoors, we had to retrieve the mini from a few palm trees, a rooftop and a VERY close call on a major highway! Fortunately, they seem to be more durable than you expect.

The first time the DX-4 dropped out of sight induced a lot more panic. It was considerably more expensive to just lose and we hadn't even gotten to use the VR Goggles with it yet at that point. To make matters worse it was nighttime so it was harder to spot a black drone in the grass or parking lot. See, the mini we were used to flying was very basic. The DX-4 has more controls, speeds, etc. Justin and I (like most couples) have very different approaches to situations like these. Since he watched the wind pull it away, he knew where to physically look for it but I looked as quickly as i could for technological assistance. I searched finding a lost drone and found quite a few options. I quickly downloaded an app for finding drones and was able to pinpoint our DX-4 literally simultaneously as Justin was walking up to it. If he had not been lucky in his search, that app would have been the only way for us to find in those conditions. Some models, usually higher end, have built in return functions and/or GPS location but if you are just starting out it is more likely you have a cheaper model that does not have those helpful features. 

After a few scares we figured it would be best to at least make sure our phone number was on the drone in case it dropped where we couldn't get it back easily. It also saved us from ourselves as we have seen MANY postings from beginners who lost their brand new drone on the first flight! I know it goes against nature for many people to ACTUALLY read the directions to something before tearing into something but in this case- please read and research before you get yourself in a mess. Besides losing money, some larger drones require permits and registrations for legal purposes. They might look like toys but owning/using drones requires responsibility as well. 

Like many of you, we are learning as we go. That is why we started this blog. We hope to share information with others so we can all continue to enjoy the drone community. 

Magazine for Drones!

I found this today on Amazon and will be another of our next purchases. It still surprises me how few resources there are on the subject of drones. Anyhow, this is a magazine about drones. There is a wealth of great information and it seems like a good idea just to stay informed as we progress. I hope to find more publications as I search but for now it is mostly smaller independent communities, groups, and such.

Drone Magazine

Funny Drone T-Shirt

Funny Drone Shirt

I came upon this today and certainly seems fitting. Whenever you are in any kind of a public setting and have a drone out you WILL be asked these questions! Repeatedly! LOL... This is a great idea and glad that Father's Day will be here soon. 

Great Drone for Beginners - DX-4 Streaming Stunt Drone

http://amzn.to/2G8cJOo 

So far this is the house favorite that we have tried. I bought this for Justin as a Christmas gift as the next step in his newfound love of drones. Ours has some wear and tear on it as it has crashed a few times since this was the first full sized drone we had tried out learning as we go. I will be sure to post some of the photos and videos we have captured with this model. 

Some of Justin's favorite features of the DX-4 are it's durability, the streaming video is very good and that other than very high wind it handles very well. The DX-4 can be bought alone or in a bundle with VR goggles which can be used while flying or playing videos recorded while flying. We believe it is a great drone for beginners as it can drop a few times and keep going but it was easy enough to repair also. We had a bad crash which we thought killed it for sure but we were able to take it apart, find what had been damaged (in this case the crash caused 1 motor to hit something hard enough to separate parts inside which we repaired easily). While this was the second drone we acquired, the DX-4 remains his go to when he wants to fly. 

This photo is from about 30-35' up on a clear night and you can see rooftops, trees, the hospital about a mile down the road! 

***Useful to mention- Its a good idea to put your phone number on the drone in case you cannot locate it that hopefully it can be returned to you

Welcome Drone Enthusiast!

As long as I can remember, sci-fi movies have helped us dream of tech we hoped we would one day actually have in reality. Many of those dreams have become realities, including drones/dwarves. Like most my fiance and I had our curiosities. One day at a local store we happened upon a mini drone in the clearance bin for only $5! At that price who could resist? So of course we bought it and quickly dove into the rabbit hole.

The mini was the ideal first drone for people like us who might have had a lifetime of video game experience but no experience flying anything like a drone before. Since it was tiny, about 2" x 2", with propeller blades only about 3/4" across, we were able to try it out indoors carefully to get a feel for things. It was good to get a feel for how much delay time there was as well as how much wind can affect your flying. Most of all it was helpful to familiarize with reacting properly when something unexpected happens. We encountered a number of panic moments in the early days when we thought we lost a drone for sure from wrecking or hitting a big gust of wind without knowing how to react to prevent such a thing. More important was what we have learned about how to handle the situation if the worst DID happen. Our hope is to share some of these tips and tricks we learn to help others as we have been helped.

So we look forward to exploring drones with you and Thank You for joining us. Please follow us as we delve into all things drones.