Drone scouting
- Thread starter M_juttner
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How loud is it? What are you scouting for? Just assuming that if you see it, it probably sees you and runs in the opposite direction. Then again, animals have probably never seen a drone before and might just stop and stare. I know you can't fly them in National Parks... unsure about National Forests but I don't see why not. How good of a camera do you have mounted to your drone?
My first thought is that the DFW might have something to say about it. I know they have rules about scouting from an aircraft within 48 hours of hunting deer or big game or something like that. So I don't know if they would extend that to drones.
My second thought is that it would be pretty fun. But I don't know how practical/useful it would be.
What is the range of your drone (how far can it go away from you)?
How much time can it stay in the air?
Let's face it: if the drone has 1/2 mile range or less, it would be more practical to just walk it. By walking, you'll be able to see trails, tracks, scat, and rubs. I doubt you would be able to see all that from the air. If the dwell time of the unit is not long enough, you may not get enough time in the air to do any meaningful scouting. If your drone has a 2-mile range, and a dwell time of 2 hours, that's another story...
As for the ethical/moral side of the discussion, is it all that different than using a trail camera to scout? Maybe, maybe not.
My second thought is that it would be pretty fun. But I don't know how practical/useful it would be.
What is the range of your drone (how far can it go away from you)?
How much time can it stay in the air?
Let's face it: if the drone has 1/2 mile range or less, it would be more practical to just walk it. By walking, you'll be able to see trails, tracks, scat, and rubs. I doubt you would be able to see all that from the air. If the dwell time of the unit is not long enough, you may not get enough time in the air to do any meaningful scouting. If your drone has a 2-mile range, and a dwell time of 2 hours, that's another story...
As for the ethical/moral side of the discussion, is it all that different than using a trail camera to scout? Maybe, maybe not.
ilovesprig said:Almost sacrilegious...... IMO.......
X2. I think Montana and some other states recently outlawed it. Here I think it's still technically legal, aside from the 48 hrs +/- hunting season reg in the use of motor driven vehicles. But I'm with sprig that it's almost sacrilegious. Plus like D16 said I wouldn't be surprised if someone took a pass shot at it. I've read some funny stories in other states of dove hunters shooting down PETA drones when they fly em to harass hunters.
great idea kinda! what do you have?
what people who do not fly RC aircraft do not know is that flying anything out side of line of sight is freaking HARD!. Sure you can get a Phantom with fpv "First Person View" setup and try but what ends up happening most of the time is you crash your 1500$ rig the second it goes behind a tree and you never see it again. Almost all of the consumer grade equipment is made to fly in a field with no obstructions and clear line of sight to the aircraft. Almost useless for hunting and the laws banning drone use are almost as big a joke. its just not a problem yet! Yes you can fly a drone to scout but odds are you will crash and fail.
Just to give perspective i have spent the last 6 months building and testing a large hexacopter. Its video system will have a easy 3mile range and the RC radio will be good for much more. Its flight computer can run autonomously along a course and return and land at home. It will have limited ability to range behind a tree or other obstructions but pretty much needs line of sight to run if i am controling it. My goal for this thing is to be able to fly it 1 mile from me and return. Giving me 3 square mile of area i can safely cover. ITS LIKE LAUNCHING THE SPACE SHUTTLE. ITs is way hard and even being careful i have crashed the machine even before going with the fpv system. It can fly at any altitude with ease and i can control the camera. Animals on the ground do not even look up at it its almost silent. I wanted to use it in AZ last year for my November archery elk hunt but it was not ready.
I will use it to scout in places where its legal and not feel bad for one second.
what people who do not fly RC aircraft do not know is that flying anything out side of line of sight is freaking HARD!. Sure you can get a Phantom with fpv "First Person View" setup and try but what ends up happening most of the time is you crash your 1500$ rig the second it goes behind a tree and you never see it again. Almost all of the consumer grade equipment is made to fly in a field with no obstructions and clear line of sight to the aircraft. Almost useless for hunting and the laws banning drone use are almost as big a joke. its just not a problem yet! Yes you can fly a drone to scout but odds are you will crash and fail.
Just to give perspective i have spent the last 6 months building and testing a large hexacopter. Its video system will have a easy 3mile range and the RC radio will be good for much more. Its flight computer can run autonomously along a course and return and land at home. It will have limited ability to range behind a tree or other obstructions but pretty much needs line of sight to run if i am controling it. My goal for this thing is to be able to fly it 1 mile from me and return. Giving me 3 square mile of area i can safely cover. ITS LIKE LAUNCHING THE SPACE SHUTTLE. ITs is way hard and even being careful i have crashed the machine even before going with the fpv system. It can fly at any altitude with ease and i can control the camera. Animals on the ground do not even look up at it its almost silent. I wanted to use it in AZ last year for my November archery elk hunt but it was not ready.
I will use it to scout in places where its legal and not feel bad for one second.
Bill,
Is the point to see actual animals?.......If not, why not just use Google Earth?
Be easy on me.......Remember, I am old and still use a flip phone....... ;D
Is the point to see actual animals?.......If not, why not just use Google Earth?
Be easy on me.......Remember, I am old and still use a flip phone....... ;D
I swear to god if I saw one of petas air angel drones as I think they're called I'd shoot em in a heartbeatSurfNHuntSD said:ilovesprig said:Almost sacrilegious...... IMO.......
I've read some funny stories in other states of dove hunters shooting down PETA drones when they fly em to harass hunters.
i get it Steve and in a lot of ways i agree. A big part of me wants to make archery hunting a No laser No fiber opitics No carbon arrow event. Another part of me loves all the cool lil gadgets. I am sure there are folks that want to make archery a traditional only sport ( where is Chadwick )
guess the only point i was making was that right now drones are not a problem and they are not going to be for some time.
M_juttner post up some pics lets see your rig.
guess the only point i was making was that right now drones are not a problem and they are not going to be for some time.
M_juttner post up some pics lets see your rig.
Bill,
I do get it.......Muzzle loaders are another argument.......Like no scopes on MZ's in Cali...... :-[
I do get it.......Muzzle loaders are another argument.......Like no scopes on MZ's in Cali...... :-[
Drones are a touchy subject. In the hands of a total nerd like Bill, they are harmless and cool. But in the wrong hands, you have a terrorists' perfect tool regarding a simple low dollar delivery system. Very, very scary...
I like them and I hate them. Technology sure has its pro's and con's.
I say no for scouting.
I like them and I hate them. Technology sure has its pro's and con's.
I say no for scouting.
Hahah that is awesome.Aeon said:carfull D16 the drone you shoot at might shoot back
i am still working on the 50cal mount. i cant figure out how to get the 750gr Amax to point where i want it.
D
Deleted member 27310
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drones.... I'm still trying to get over seeing guys chase down a buck in a quad, get off the quad once the buck is so tired that he is only walking away and take the shot! I thought using quads was an unfair advantage if used illegally.. I guess technology will only move more into our hunting zones like it or not. If its legal I guess do what you want.
I think if you can hunt with optical magnifying equipment on your rifle, and you can scout with trail cams then you should be able to scout with drones. Its all cheating. If a deer could talk it would scream, NO FAIR!