Drone - Need pointing in right direction

 Gday Fellas,

 

Looking at going halvies with a mate in a drone.

 

Not doing anything hardcore just what I guess I'd call the usual drone action.

 

The usual camp pics, exploring a bit when away, maybe looking for pigs, goats when hunting so a bit of range would be handy but yeah not looking for the top shelf models as I'd imagine like most owners it wont get used very much...

 

So if there are any experts on here that can recommend a good model in the mid price range that would be good.

 

Cheers...


Posts: 2006

Date Joined: 16/05/09

 Been thinking the same boon,

Fri, 2021-06-18 08:27

 Been thinking the same boon, watching with interest.

black gen's picture

Posts: 762

Date Joined: 13/04/11

 cant go wrong with the DJI

Fri, 2021-06-18 09:10

 cant go wrong with the DJI range fellas. 

We run a DJI Phantom 4 here at school, kids using it to make movies, use it for photography and for flying for fun.

 

the phantoms dont fold down and stay a fairtly large size. 

 

Id be looking more toward the mavic range of DJI's as they fold down to nothing and can be put in a small bag 

think there is a mavic 2 out now

ours was around a grand, we grabbed a refurbed one from DJI, demo model. 

 

You will be looking in the 1500-2500 range, buy a good one once and be done with it. 
You wont regret going a bit extra for better quality pics and vids
Once you start using it, you will be hooked and start improving your skills very quickly



They all have decent range, our 4 has 8km range, 28min battery life shoots in 4k great bits of gear. 

Hope that helps somewhat

Swompa's picture

Posts: 3783

Date Joined: 14/10/12

 I got a DJI Mini 2 - its

Fri, 2021-06-18 09:25

 I got a DJI Mini 2 - its really simple to fly and takes great pics/videos.

Get the fly more combo and you get extra batteries which are very handy. 

davewillo's picture

Posts: 2254

Date Joined: 08/09/16

 They look bloody good for

Fri, 2021-06-18 10:53

 They look bloody good for the money mate. Your photos from the recent trip show that it takes quality images too.

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 PGFC member and lure tragic

Swompa's picture

Posts: 3783

Date Joined: 14/10/12

 Cheers. Those photos were

Fri, 2021-06-18 12:22

 Cheers. Those photos were screen shots from the app on my phone too...

Posts: 94

Date Joined: 27/01/10

 I went for the Mini 2 combo

Sun, 2021-06-20 16:46

 I went for the Mini 2 combo as well, very happy with it.

Friend has the Air combo which other than everything being slightly bigger also has "Follow Me" and "Obstacle Avoidance" functions. I couldn't justify an extra $900 for those 2 great functions.

I did buy a "DJI Care Refresh (1 yr Plan) Service Agreement" for about $80 though. Covers just about any stuff up you can think of, including water immersion for a nominal fee. 

 

Faulkner Family's picture

Posts: 17862

Date Joined: 11/03/08

 Pointing in the right

Fri, 2021-06-18 09:28

 Pointing in the right direction , hmmm. 

Use the control pad . 

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

timboon's picture

Posts: 2924

Date Joined: 14/11/10

 Cheers already lads, Folding

Fri, 2021-06-18 09:41

 Cheers already lads, Folding down isn't really a biggy....

 

Are you using a seperate tablet for flying?

 

 

Swompa's picture

Posts: 3783

Date Joined: 14/10/12

Iphone/Android plugs into the

Fri, 2021-06-18 12:25

Iphone/Android plugs into the controller so you get visual from the camera as it fly's. 

I have had it 1.6km away and 300m up and you really need the camera to see where it is to get it back.

The ability for it to hover in place (GPS) makes it really easy to operate rather than constantly needing to fly it which is what i was having to do with a different cheap drone. 

 

black gen's picture

Posts: 762

Date Joined: 13/04/11

 Can use your iphone and the

Fri, 2021-06-18 14:12

 Can use your iphone and the dji app, for a grand you can buy a seperate controller, the phone does it fine. 
Saves images on an sd card and straight onto the computer or mac for use later

NORUN NOFUN's picture

Posts: 1018

Date Joined: 15/08/11

I had the DJI Mavic PRO with

Fri, 2021-06-18 11:50

I had the DJI Mavic PRO with the flymore kit, sooo much fun, good quality and awesome pics/video but a 1000 bucks so not cheap. I used my phone on the controller, was hard to see during the day and a tablet would be good with a sun visor. I would run a battery for 15 mins each time with plenty in reserve, sometimes 20 if I wanted to push it. Be very careful over water, lost signal a few times and the drone was on its merry way to South Africa, luckily it picked up the signal and returned home. It can be quite daunting to send a 1000 bucks a few km's out to sea and have no visual.
Upgrade usb cords to good quality, this was my problem with the signal dropping out.
If you buy second hand, download the app and you will be able to check if it has been crashed and repaired, just need to put in the serial number, I think you can also see how many hours it has flown, if not ask the seller to verify as everyone says not crashed and low hours when selling.
I also used to send the drone from home and down to the beach a few k's away to check on water conditions, having the return to home feature is bloody awesome.
Either way you will have fun Timboon and I hear the Mavic mini's are pretty good too, probably less fly time but good quality pics/video.
Cheers

Swompa's picture

Posts: 3783

Date Joined: 14/10/12

 27 minutes in cinematic mode

Fri, 2021-06-18 12:27

 27 minutes in cinematic mode on the mini. 

around 1/2 that in sports mode. 

Jackfrost80's picture

Posts: 8049

Date Joined: 07/05/12

Just make sure that you find

Fri, 2021-06-18 12:26

Just make sure that you find a nice natural area where people have gone to to be at one with the quiet, natural surroundings and fly it around them 

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Officially off the Pies bandwagon

timboon's picture

Posts: 2924

Date Joined: 14/11/10

 So to narrow things down for

Sun, 2021-06-20 11:59

 So to narrow things down for me....

 

If you were buying....

 

Higher end, say $2500....

Mid range? $1500 tops

Value for money?

Swompa's picture

Posts: 3783

Date Joined: 14/10/12

 $950 for the Mavic Mini more

Mon, 2021-06-21 08:47

 $950 for the Mavic Mini more combo

NORUN NOFUN's picture

Posts: 1018

Date Joined: 15/08/11

If I had 2500 to spend then

Mon, 2021-06-21 08:19

If I had 2500 to spend then hands down a DJI Mavic Pro 2 with a smart controller but that may actually be over 2500 so I would chase down a quality 2nd hand unit.

timboon's picture

Posts: 2924

Date Joined: 14/11/10

 Cheers fellas I'll start

Tue, 2021-06-22 20:16

 Cheers fellas I'll start looking around...

Posts: 573

Date Joined: 23/04/14

DJI Phantom 4

Wed, 2021-06-23 15:28

 I have a DJI Phantom 4 that I'm thinking of selling.  Complete kit with spare battery, spare blades, carry bag etc.

Not needed as I upgraded to a Mavic last year.

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