What do you use your phantom for? POLL

What do you use your phantom for?

  • Video and Photo

    Votes: 79 92.9%
  • Visual exploration (no recording)

    Votes: 1 1.2%
  • Other

    Votes: 5 5.9%

  • Total voters
    85
Joined
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Location
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Following a discussion that I had with some members, one suggested to create a poll to answer this question: What are you using your phantom for?
Please vote and comment
Thank you! :)
 
Last edited:
I use mine for 99.999999% Aerial Imaging. Once in a blue moon I'll fly it for fun but it's the workhorse of the fleet so it really is saved for work.

I've got planks, helis, and other quads for "Hey watch this" type of flying.
 
Hey bud,
Just for fun and pushing the limits.

Thx

Shame we can't do polls on this forum as we do on the dji forum.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots
 
To tap an otherwise unknown view and enjoyment of the world.

Maybe we are not used to it yet but the ability to get up in the air and get a vantage point from the sky anytime and anywhere (almost).... that in itself it worth it.

Then there is the pleasure derived from flying the drone and controlling it. The learning curve is enjoyable to me.
 
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All of the above.
I mostly use them for aerial photo/video capture but enjoy just flying for fun as well.
When travelling I have found the Phantom to be indispencable at times.For instance finding obscure tracks that from ground level are invisible but from the air can be easilly seen.
Also when fishing,particularly beach fishing,I can get a great view of where gutters and sand bars are so I can pick the best spot to fish.
 
I use mine for professional aerial video and photography, events, news and corporate. It's a great tool for filming landscapes as well when you have the chance to be near interesting ones. (but leaving in London UK means driving hours first!)
 
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Bumping a little bit... The reason for this thread and poll is that some "long time on the sticks guys" believe that the drone hobby is naturally their own domain and they patronize the newbies, quickly displaying their "been flying for 40 years", as soon as they found some opposition. They also believe that their habit (hobby) to fiddle with glue and cardboard, trying knew Frankenstein ideas apply to the phantom drones. Well, I've got other ideas. Without discounting their capabilities in flying fixed wings, and appreciating that it is not an easy task that requires a lot of experience, I think that phantoms have nothing to do with this. What they are is flying cameras, and most users (would say 95% but sure it's higher) are using it as such, to film, photography, or flying over landscape to discover what the camera sees. I don't buy the idea that flying a phantom is in itself such a great experience... it just happens, that's all. The phantom fly by itself, and the great experience is what goes through the lens. Sorry, but for me, 20 or 50 years on the stick means nothing in that context, flying a drone and a model aircraft have as much in common as driving a RC boat and a RC car, what we are talking about here is what comes out of the lens. the rest is secondary. Why this argument? Because I saw it here and there on the forum, and I was confronted to it when I started aerial imaging. I am not a "pilot" (even if I'm officially licensed and authorised for aerial work) but first of all a cameraman, and I see my drones as tools in my box, that bring me a lot of satisfaction.
Please feel free to comment.
Cheers.
 
Just another photo bum...

RedHotPoker
 
I turn my VPS on and hover over dogs for fun :)
When I'm not annoying the dogs, I try to get some voyeuristic down-skirt photos.
 
Bumping a little bit... The reason for this thread and poll is that some "long time on the sticks guys" believe that the drone hobby is naturally their own domain and they patronize the newbies, quickly displaying their "been flying for 40 years", as soon as they found some opposition. They also believe that their habit (hobby) to fiddle with glue and cardboard, trying knew Frankenstein ideas apply to the phantom drones. Well, I've got other ideas. Without discounting their capabilities in flying fixed wings, and appreciating that it is not an easy task that requires a lot of experience, I think that phantoms have nothing to do with this. What they are is flying cameras, and most users (would say 95% but sure it's higher) are using it as such, to film, photography, or flying over landscape to discover what the camera sees. I don't buy the idea that flying a phantom is in itself such a great experience... it just happens, that's all. The phantom fly by itself, and the great experience is what goes through the lens. Sorry, but for me, 20 or 50 years on the stick means nothing in that context, flying a drone and a model aircraft have as much in common as driving a RC boat and a RC car, what we are talking about here is what comes out of the lens. the rest is secondary. Why this argument? Because I saw it here and there on the forum, and I was confronted to it when I started aerial imaging. I am not a "pilot" (even if I'm officially licensed and authorised for aerial work) but first of all a cameraman, and I see my drones as tools in my box, that bring me a lot of satisfaction.
Please feel free to comment.
Cheers.

I have to disagree just a tiny bit here

As a lover of both photography and pretty much RC anything, experience goes along way. I started flying RC aircraft about ten years ago and specifically started flying for aerial photography. I started on a 600 size heli with zero flight assistance except a tail gyro. I spent countless hours, days and even years, just practicing the art of hovering a collective pitch rc heli. Because of this, I became a very "smooth" ....... "Pilot":). Flying smooth and having person after person tell you how smooth the style or performance is, takes years of development no matter the skill set. Fast forward to now with today's tech and I'm having a ball. All of my video is shot straight from the sticks, (no zip lines or way points). The stability now compared to then is insane. I used to fly a flame wheel with a GoPro and NO gimbal....... Anyway, my ten years of experience is what sets me apart from the other 90% of the other droners trying to compete with me.
 
Thank the Lord above, because he flies too. Hmmm?
But my collective pitch savior has been www.realflight.com
It's not real flight, but if gives me more of the confidence, I probably wouldn't have, without its help. ;-)
I recommend buying a quality flight SIM, to anyone interested in RC flying... Saves you much $ for model repairs in the long run. Haha, believe crashing is inevitable though, or this isn't the hobby for you...

RedHotPoker
 
I have to disagree just a tiny bit here

As a lover of both photography and pretty much RC anything, experience goes along way. I started flying RC aircraft about ten years ago and specifically started flying for aerial photography. I started on a 600 size heli with zero flight assistance except a tail gyro. I spent countless hours, days and even years, just practicing the art of hovering a collective pitch rc heli.

AMEN! I started "rotor craft" with a clunker from Tower Hobbies called a "shuttle" I think it was. The GYRO was in my fingers and it was faulty from the factory LOL. I won't even start to mention how many hours I spent in the yard hovering tail in, then nose in, then started figure 8's around the yard. Thank goodness I had neighbors who either couldn't hear well or didn't care about the whine of the nitro engine year round LOL!
** Long Story below **

RealFlight is a good flight sim indeed. I used it for a long time and even had several students come to the club who had been flying on it. One student in particular came to the field and I got hooked up with him. I checked out his plane while we talked to get a feel for his comfort level and experience. It was determined that he had only started the motor and did the initial break-in per the manufacturer's instructions and that was it. His only "flight" experience was on RealFlight on his PC.

He had went All-In and bought everything in one neat package from Tower Hobbies. It was a Tower Trainer package and IF you followed their suggestions to a "tee" and still ended up crashing they would send you a brand new Tower Trainer (ready to fly) for the cost of Shipping & Handling. I honestly didn't really think it would happen but.....

After checking his plane out carefully it was considered Flight Ready so I put him on the buddy box (instructor has control of the aircraft and with the flip of a toggle the student had control until the instructor let the switch go and I had the plane again) and "we" taxied out to the runway and powered up. The plane accelerated normally, rotated and in no time at all was climbing like a home sick angel. Once I got to a comfortable altitude I explained to him I was going to give him control so he could get a feel for the controls. I explained I only wanted him to try and maintain straight level flight keeping the wings level. As soon as I gave him the control he started flying around like he had been doing this for years. He was "rusty" in the smoothness but he had muscle memory and already had a good foundation for flight control. The only thing was he had been flying low and fast on RealFlight because if he crashed it just reset. Time and time again I had to take over as he was uncomfortably close to the ground full throttle. I would take over, climb back to cruise altitude and give it back. He would do a couple of loops and next thing you know back down low again. This happened at least half a dozen times and I was getting a bit unhappy because he just wouldn't listen. I explained that on the far end of the field were some large trees that are "airplane magnets" and I didn't want to see him crash. He "understood" but assured me he was under control and flying well "this side" of the trees. I took my eyes off for a split second and looked back and he was low (full throttle) and close to the trees. I tried to switch back but it was too late. His new shiny plane was in the process of being shredded by the limbs of the old oak tree. It looks like a snow storm of balsa, lite ply, and monocote raining down.

Anyway he contacted Tower Hobbies and I had to fill out a form explaining that he WAS operating at an AMA sanctioned field, he WAS on a buddy box with a seasoned instructor and he had destroyed the plane in a crash. Less than a week later a large box arrived with his new airplane. He was no longer interested and sold everything to a fellow club member for a pennies on the dollar.

The moral of this LONG story... get a good flight sim and USE it. I think most all of them currently have many different models of "Quads" as standard now and you can really have some fun while learning some very valuable flying skills.

My personal sim preference is Phoenix Flight Sim because it has great graphics, isn't a resource hog, and you only buy it once and all upgrades and aircraft expansions are free.

Sorry for the long post LOL
 
what shall the outcome be of this poll/survey?

I not intend to be offensive, but flying a Phantom with an attached steady camera mount is not made to fly speed courses in a forest or multiple storey building.
You only want to know whether or not people are pushing the record button during their flights (video and still image is the same selection).

I'm pretty sure you'll have a much better feedback after "fine tuning" your poll questions
 
I fly for profit and fun. I use my Phantom 3 Pro for survey, real estate, documentary, and mapping work. I love flying it!
 
I turn my VPS on and hover over dogs for fun :)
When I'm not annoying the dogs, I try to get some voyeuristic down-skirt photos.
Muffin top? Yeah, those are real interesting rolls. ;-)
For annoying dogs, just continue to wear the pork chop... Haha
Good grief, I'm having a fine Self Induced moment... Chuckles

RedHotPoker
 
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