Newbie in the area. Please suggest what specs to look for in a drone camera, e.g. camera resolution, battery life, ease of control, etc. Also, are there any standout brands?
Thanks.
Looking for a Drone Camera for Casual Use
BendBridge on 01/01/2023 - 16:38
Last edited 01/01/2023 - 17:41 by 1 other user
Last edited 01/01/2023 - 17:41 by 1 other user
Comments
"unless maybe you live super remote"
I heard from another drone user here that being somewhere super remote fails as well. The user took it somewhere where there was no mobile signal and the drone wouldn't work. Apparently the app on your phone needs to use mobile data to confirm it's location and get the OK otherwise it won't let the drone take off. And because of no mobile signal the app couldn't communicate with DJI resulting in a grounded drone.
They said they were on a recent update as well. Not sure if this is an issue that can be fixed with updates, or the drone is working as intended.
They also expressed they were pretty pissed about this especially with the amount of money they spent. They knew the drone would be grounded in no fly zones but didn't think it would be the same in the opposite end.Just to follow up on this and a theory based on what I learned myself.
Slightly less than a year ago I was reading about this "hack" DJI users could do to get around the geo block.
What you would do is take it to a place nearby which allows take off (convenient if you have an area nearby), turn the drone on open the app and prepare for take off.
At this point without closing the app you would disconnect mobile data and turn the screen off.
Then you could take the drone anywhere you wanted to, and the app would allow take off because the app already cleared the block.Maybe because so many people were doing this DJI patched it so that without mobile data connection the drone would stay grounded. Kind of makes sense to me an easy patch to the problem. But those who used the hack probably messed things up for themselves and everyone else.
Budget? They tend to start at $50 and go up to the thousands. And like Jimothy said, you need to know where you can fly them, and some require registration and licensing to fl.y
For just casual stuff that is cheap, a used DJI Spark with low use times would be a good starter. Seen a couple on Scamtree and Fartbook for $150~$250 including the fly more kit.
If you want new, DJI Mini SE or Mini 2. Small, light and dont require any special license or registration, but you are looking at up to just under or around the $1k mark.
Budget is around $1000. So it looks like DJI Mini 2 is quite a good fit. Does it mean that because of its small size it doesn't break any drone flight restrictions?
I just purchased a mini 2 on Black Friday.
Essentially yes, it has less restrictions because of its size.
Gives you a lot more freedom to fly around more places.
Dji covers all bases for quality and reliability but are more premium priced.
A mini se would probably suffice and doesn’t fall under any special rules other drones do as its under 250grams
With 1 battery its around $400
Big fines for flying decent drones in most cities. Good luck!
Are you looking for a drone camera or a camera drone?
I'd recommend the Mini 3 Pro with DJI RC. It's been as low as $999 - $1039 (and even lower if you were able to get a price beat at Anaconda, used discounted giftcards or both). The DJI RC has a screen built-in to the controller and just makes it so much easier to fly as you don't have to connect your phone up. If you get the drone with the regular controller, the DJI RC-N1, you will need to sideload the app for Android (which bypasses Google Play's protection).
The drone has the same restrictions as the Mini 2 unless you buy higher capacity batteries that DJI sell separately. It would have a higher resale value compared to the Mini 2.
"The DJI RC has a screen built-in to the controller and just makes it so much easier to fly as you don't have to connect your phone up."
So it works "standalone" like any other RC product? Does that mean you can bypass the geo block? Just wondering because from what I heard from others it seems like the phone is what causes the drone not being able to take off.
I'd also love a response to this. There's little or no 4G signal here.
The controller is running Android but it's locked down to the DJI Fly app and the Android settings app. Any restrictions you have with the DJI app, you would have on this controller. I haven't tried the geo block bypass "hack" but you can still fly within 5.5 kms of an airport, you just have to accept some conditions and give your phone number so you can receive a code to enter into the controller.
@TooSerious2 Unfortunately that means you would need a 4G or WiFi connection but this lock only happens when you are near an airport (so there should be some internet near by). As it's the Mini 3 Pro, you can fly within 5.5 km of an airport provided you follow the other rules and use the ultra light battery that comes with the drone.
You mention needing a 4G or WiFi connection in your reply to tooserious.
Does the RC controller needs to be paired with your phone hotspot (mobile data) in order to take off?
@harshbdmmaster718: Normally you don't need an internet connection. It's only if you are trying to fly in a restricted area and the controller has detected the area is restricted (sometimes it doesn't). The internet connection is so you can get the code sent to your phone to unlock it.
This is a GPS drone so it will know where you are trying to take off from
Have you actually checked where you can legally fly these things? The answer will surprise you - unless maybe you live super remote and no one going to dob on you or lob an empty VB tall neck at it.