flying from an aluminum boat

Joined
Jan 3, 2015
Messages
478
Reaction score
17
I have an aluminum party barge and want to take it out to get some aerial of the marsh. Plan on getting some shots of some of the marsh ponds and later compare them to pictures I take after the next hurricane. Just curious about erosion.

After Katrina there are huge shallow marsh lakes that weren't there before.
Anyhow I won't be any farther than a few miles from the property I fly at daily so I don't think I will need to do a compass calibration. How safe is this? I shouldn't have any issues because of the aluminum should I? The boat is constructed of all aluminum.
 
Calibrate it on the shore, not on the boat. Use something to elevate it off the aluminum by about a foot or so when you take off. Keep the boat as still as possible when you power up.
 
An empty plastic bottle or two zip tied to the landing gear would be your best friend if it goes PloP. It'll be wet, but you might be able to find it. Seems like P2s are dropping like flies these days.

There will be some serious aerodynamic issues to consider, so if you are planning on covering a lot of ground, it won't be helping you out. I've done it with 4 Coors Light cans. It was way too heavy, but it was fun to try. There's a video of a flight I made, my signature will get you there, go to the big page.
If you are going to consider any flotation device, I would strongly suggest test flying away from water.
 
Sounds good I can launch from a free standing seat.

If it fell in the water I figure I'm screwed anyway. Not much I can do with it after that even if I found it. Hopefully I don't have to put on the waders and tromp through gator territory. They sure as hell weren't scared of it today. Got within 5 feet of one today. The prop wash didn't even bother him.

I like to do wildlife so I'm always running a risk.
 
Gotcha,

There is a product out there which will protect the electronics from water. Some folks will say I am wrong but I don't think the motors are ruined by water. I've seen video of them operating submerged. One kid flew his Hubsan in and out of a full kitchen sink, while his mom wasn't home.
 
Gotcha,

There is a product out there which will protect the electronics from water. Some folks will say I am wrong but I don't think the motors are ruined by water. I've seen video of them operating submerged. One kid flew his Hubsan in and out of a full kitchen sink, while his mom wasn't home.
The reason why I am considering a Hubsan X4 Pro as opposed to the Phantom 3 is because I totally submerged my Hubsan X4 in a ditch with about a foot of water. I kept waiting for the LEDs to go out as I ran toward it. It was submerged running for over 30 seconds before I got to it. I just shook it off and threw it in the air and off it went. Flew just like the day I received it. I still have that thing.
 
Sounds like a perfect swamp bird.
 

Recent Posts

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,352
Members
104,933
Latest member
mactechnic