Anyone else doing quadcopter or multirotor photography?

[Ezookiel]

Anyone else doing photography from a quadcopter or multirotor?
I've just purchased a carbon fibre DJI Phantom 2, with H3-3D Gimbal, mounting a GoPro Hero4 Black under it.
This can do up to 1080 at 120fps video, or 18mp stills.
It can be flown up to 2kms from where you're standing using the First Person View live video feed to a monitor so that you fly it "virtually" from on the copter itself.
The potential for getting that impossible angle or composition is immense, and I'm quite excited at the possibilities.

I've put a very poor photo up in this thread http://www.ausphotography.net.au/for...landscape-shot] but I wasn't thinking of photos at the time, I was concentrating on the flight, so it's not a great example of what can be done. But once I'm comfortable with the flying, and can concentrate more on the photography, I'm quite excited by the potential. Would love to know if anyone else flies these.

[ricktas]

Someone else posted a video they did some time back. So there is definitely at least one other AP member doing them.

Looks like we are going to see legislation about their use soon to. To stop people using them around bushfires, airports, and other places. So worth keeping in mind when and where you go with it. Commonsense is the key.

[Ezookiel]

My work may well choose to pay for me to do my RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) accreditation.
That would then let me fly for commercial purposes, such as photography for Real Estate etc.
At the moment, since this is under 2kgs and won't be flown above 400feet, and within 30m of people, it comes under the current regulations so long as I don't make commercial use of it. But I'm sure if enough people start buzzing famous landmarks, and being a total nuisance, there will be sure to be major clampdowns, it just takes the idiots like the one that nearly hit the Emergency Helicopter as it came in to land, to make sure the laws will change really really fast. Sadly, in every field, there are seriously stupid people like that one, who make sure the laws will get changed for those who are sensible with how they do things.

[geoffsta]

I have one, But haven't had much chance to get it up yet. Been a bit busy. Nearly lost it once, but turned the transmitter off, and let the GPS bring it home. Still need a lot more practice before I hang the camera under it though.

[Mark L]

Looks like we are going to see legislation about their use soon to. To stop people using them around bushfires, airports, .....

This is already legislated. Though governments are slow catching up when it comes to newer technologies, and more regulation is probably needed.
Ez, you shouldn't fly anywhere in controlled airspace. While some will argue the toss, there is CASA legislation that covers controlled airspace. I imagine Canberra Airport has a control tower and therefore has an area around it that is controlled. Mudgee airport is uncontrolled airspace, so you're welcome to fly your machine into a plane trying to land here.
As soon as their is an aircraft helping fight a fire, anything around the fireground becomes controlled airspace. Not allowed to fly your machine above it (even Chanel 9 have to keep their chopper out without permission). And regardless of arguing that toss, the R.F.S. will shut down all air support as soon as soon as an unmanned aircraft is spotted. Safety. And it has happened when the aircraft where needed.

Hope 2015 is a good year for you.

[J.davis]

I fly model aircraft, at a registered flying field, as governed by the model aircraft assn and CASSA.
The rules you talk about are for use in controlled airspace, not your local park.
I have seen the effects of loss of control, due to mechanical, or electric and radio error.
When you crash, and you will, (I have never seen an aircraft last), not being mean, just truthful. How will you pay for the dinged Mercedes, dog, child etc.
I am covered by insurance that costs a pretty penny per year, how are you covered.
Not trying to spoil your fun but this type of aerial photography has been done to death over the years with planes and helicopters, and all have failed due to cost,
either aircraft or equipment.
End of rant - back to pics.

[enseth]

I have a UAV and also hold a RPAS licence. Mark L is quite correct in saying there is already legislation in place. Do a search on CASA 101-0 and you will get pages of the stuff.

Mudgee airport is uncontrolled airspace, so you're welcome to fly your machine into a plane trying to land here.

This is not quite true. There are 4 different types of controlled air space appropriately named A,C, D & E which have different restrictions & requirements associated with particular altitudes & activities. Without referring to the documentation I would guess that Mudgee is Class D which would prohibit the use of a UAV within 5.5km of the area without CASA approval.

My work may well choose to pay for me to do my RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) accreditation.
That would then let me fly for commercial purposes, such as photography for Real Estate etc.

Under current legislation a RPA Certificate on its own is not enough to undertake commercial activities. An RPA holder needs to operate under the supervision of a Chief Pilot who holds a UAV Operators Certificate, which incidentally cost about $3,000 to obtain on top of the $1,500 to $3000 you have spent obtaining your RPAS.
Have a look at this website which gives a pretty good breakdown of the process. http://www.uavsms.com.au/ . In saying all this one should bear in mind that present UAV regulations are under review and it is likely that after April this year the rules for commercial use of a UAV under 2kg may well be relaxed.

J.davis makes some very valid points regarding safety, insurance etc. Below is a copy of the basic safety CASA regulations pertaining to UAV. If all operators followed these rules many of the current incidents that appear in the press would not occur, but we all know what people are like.

RPAS-Training-UAV-Safety-Information-for-Drones-illegal-to-fly-commercially11 by linecutter, on Flickr

[Ezookiel]

It is the 5.5km radius of an airport that spoils all the best places in Canberra
I'd love to do a circuit of the fountain, or the Carillion, but alas, those all fall within the no fly area around the airport.
Oh well, so far I've had no problems from anyone just by being sensible and courteous - I follow the 30m rule, I don't fly over houses, or overly public places. In the few reserve areas I've flown, I pick a spot a minimum of about 50m off the track and in a big open clearing, I have a spotter with me that keeps track of the quad visually if I'm flying FPV (and if I'm not - extra sets of eyes always help) and so far people have been only interested in watching or asking questions, not in giving me a hard time about it, and strictly speaking, the range I have, I could probably fly over our Police Station from there (probably 1 to 1.5km quad-flies to the Station from me, but they've never bothered to come out and trouble me about it.

There seemed to be some uncertainty on the CASA website. If you EMPLOY people to fly you needed the UAV operator's, but if you fly commercially as a sole trader, it seemed like you didn't. I'll go back and have another read. That was also the way it was explained by a company that does the training.
I'm not totally convinced yet that I wish to head down that track - either of them. My work may well pay for the course, and pay me while I attend, so it would seem silly not to. But it's the old adage that if you do your hobby as your work, what do you then do as a hobby to relax. I kind of love flying it just for the sheer fun and having total say over when, and why I fly. I'm not sure I'm too thrilled at the thought of flying for a boss, or flying to meet someone else's idea of a shot.
Oh well. Decisions decisions. Life is full of them.

[Ezookiel]

Looks like I'm going the whole shebang - RPAS training do a combined UOC and RPC for $5,500
Booked in today.
That has me covered on all counts - even insurance. As the holder of a UOC (UAV Operator's Certificate) I'll be a single person business, employing myself as the RPC holding pilot, and have liability insurance I'll arrange prior to the UOC being approved.
Secondly, planes might crash a lot, but quads are vastly harder to crash. I know many people with hundreds of hours clocked up without a crash. They hover, they're computer controlled and stabilised, and take off and landing can be done to your bare hands - the most dangerous moments for both real and RC planes is take off and landing, but quads take about 80% of the danger out of that part of the flight.
So far I'm now up to 11 hours without a single crash, not even a tip over on landing, and I don't see that changing any time soon. Yes that's a small number of hours, but the first 11 hours of flying an RC plane would rarely be crash free.
I should point out that those 11 hours are on THIS quad - I have probably in excess of 100 hours on small quads, and that's where I did all my crashing.

[J.davis]

Don't worry mate, the "crashing" you done on the little one WILL be replicated on the new one, ever heard of a computer malfunction