Fireworks - chickened out

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I was fully intending on taking video of our fireworks display at my home and I chickened out because there were a LOT of people launching fireworks (some in really stupid ways) and I didn't want to risk getting the Phantom hit. Pretty bummed because we had an outstanding display this year and would have gotten some really good footage... but it was seriously like people were shooting anti-aircraft guns in my neighborhood LOL...

Congrats to all the people who got good footage! Maybe next year (or new year's eve).
 
The odds of being hit by a fireworks display are exceedingly small. The odds of such a hit damaging the drone are remarkably exceedingly small.
 
I didn't fly because of all the idiots that think shooting guns into the air is an OK thing to do. I pictured my Phantom flying over the neighborhood and being purposely targeted by these idiots.

Then I see in today's news a teenager hit and killed by "Celebratory gunfire". The idiots firing guns into the air are not celebrating anything. Their just trying to be cool tough-guys or something. "Hey look at me with my gun".

Idiots......
 
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I tried, I sent the bird up, but "Gimbal Motor Overloaded" was happening, and I tilting the camera up and down was completely unresponsive. I was massively disappointed... I intermittently still have this issue, it's not consistent at all, and now my Micro SD card doesn't "click"... There's no springiness when inserting or removing it. In fact, to remove it I have to use a small set of hemostats to grab it to pull it out... So far my experience with this expensive P3 has been rather lackluster...
 
I tried, I sent the bird up, but "Gimbal Motor Overloaded" was happening, and I tilting the camera up and down was completely unresponsive. I was massively disappointed... I intermittently still have this issue, it's not consistent at all, and now my Micro SD card doesn't "click"... There's no springiness when inserting or removing it. In fact, to remove it I have to use a small set of hemostats to grab it to pull it out... So far my experience with this expensive P3 has been rather lackluster...
Was your gimbal lock still on?
 
The odds of being hit by a fireworks display are exceedingly small. The odds of such a hit damaging the drone are remarkably exceedingly small.
So you're telling me there's a chance?
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The odds of being hit by a fireworks display are exceedingly small. The odds of such a hit damaging the drone are remarkably exceedingly small.
I agree but I pushed those odds this year. For the last two years I have filmed a friend of mine who has a display company. He does a small one near the seasonal camp I have. I tend to be pretty close to the hot zone as I have all-access to the entire area. Occasionally debris would pass my Phantom while filming the bigger display (I was at 325' and at least one of them went higher by at least 100'). There was a second display area for ground kegs. I was positioned in the middle of the two hot zones. The kegs were slightly upwind from me (very light breeze) and several of the cardboard tubes, some still live, landed all around me at one point. It really caught me off guard as I thought the breeze would carry them further to my right. No damage done and none were burning. While my Phantom was not above me but over to the side and out of the drop zone, I wondered what one of those tubes (1"x2") would of done if it hit a prop. I was only over trees & shrubs so at least no one was in danger except for my wallet! Hey, at least I remembered to tape those red lights up this time! :D
 
I was fully intending on taking video of our fireworks display at my home and I chickened out because there were a LOT of people launching fireworks (some in really stupid ways) and I didn't want to risk getting the Phantom hit. Pretty bummed because we had an outstanding display this year and would have gotten some really good footage... but it was seriously like people were shooting anti-aircraft guns in my neighborhood LOL...


Congrats to all the people who got good footage! Maybe next year (or new year's eve).
Go for it next time
Screenshot_2015-07-06_10-06-53.png


Screenshot_2015-07-06_09-44-33.png

Literally a blast!
 

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I didn't fly because of all the idiots that think shooting guns into the air is an OK thing to do. I pictured my Phantom flying over the neighborhood and being purposely targeted by these idiots.

Then I see in today's news a teenager hit and killed by "Celebratory gunfire". The idiots firing guns into the air are not celebrating anything. Their just trying to be cool tough-guys or something. "Hey look at me with my gun".

Idiots......
It happens every year - especially at New Years Eve. I had my Cessna in a hangar in San jose, CA and we could count on finding at least one aircraft damaged every new years day. My airplane was never hit, but a car inside my hangar received a .45 slug one year and I found a .38 slug on the ground next to my airplane another year. The airport association asked the local police if they could try harder to locate these morons, and the reply was "... at midnight all of our patrol units are under an overpass waiting for the rain to stop. We aren't stupid."
 
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I almost didn't fly because there were some private planes flying pretty low. I ended up flying to about 1000' away from the park where the display was. Nice distance shots showing displays all over the place. Next time closer though.
 
I ended up flying at one location (South Haven) but not the other (Grand Haven) because I couldn't find a suitable spot far enough away from people to launch.

Next year I plan to get there a lot earlier, and also do some position scouting in the few days prior. :p

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The odds of being hit by a fireworks display are exceedingly small. The odds of such a hit damaging the drone are remarkably exceedingly small.

yeah.... that's easy to say I guess :) The odds are also exceedingly small that you will get attacked by a shark off the coast of NC - but..... not sure I want to go running into that water right now either!

No you're right... I just didn't like the vibe I was getting around the neighborhood with all the different firework launch points....
 
Very important to listen to your instincts (vibes).
 
The odds of being hit by a fireworks display are exceedingly small. The odds of such a hit damaging the drone are remarkably exceedingly small.
The odds are great...but it only takes one fireball to fry a phantom
 
I had both batteries charged, the inverter for recharging packed up, the GoPro charged with a spare battery and I was all set ...

until the wife said ...

"Why don't you just go and watch them?"

So I left the P3P and the GoPro at home and watched them live instead of through a monitor. I didn't even pull out the iPhone 6 out of my pocket.

Best Fireworks show in Years
 
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I had a fantastic location setup in a 13 story penthouse with a living room sized deck right between two displays, both about 2 miles away in opposite directions. I was not able to get a daylight checkflight completed though because of afternoon rain, so I cancelled the P3 flight and ended up with great video from my 210mm lens on a Sony a6000.

There were also a ridiculous number of amateur shows between me and the main display, so I'm glad I skipped the P3 this year.
 

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