Greenham from aloft

Just bought myself an astounding quadcopter. Seems like this might be a great way to get a new angle on dereliction. In my album below you'll find two or three stills plus a short video taken at Greenham Common. The video is heavily edited - this was only my third outing with the quadcopter and there's lots of bad piloting evidence. I don't offer this as an outstanding explore, more as an example of what MIGHT be achieved from aloft.

One day I'll try the GAMAs from 500 feet - when I know how to work the damn thing properly, and when I think I might not get told off by the MOD!!

http://callmealan.smugmug.com/Phantom/

Alan.

Mate

That is fantastic, I see you were on the south side of the base, the video is very sharp
And clear.

Well done

Cheers newage

Good stuff,you are not alone in seeing the potential for aerial urbex

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=27643&highlight=gloucester#.U2iZ66I66dc

Alansworld said:

One day I'll try the GAMAs from 500 feet - when I know how to work the damn thing properly

Click to expand...

Learn how to use the GPS/Auto Home function sooner rather than later (something my good buddy now knows at great personal cost )

The BBC Nature & Natural History unit use the HD GoPro and Quadcopters to get a lot of their shots, so it has an awful lot of quality and potential.

however it's vital make yourself aware of the legislation surrounding UAVs - I know it was probably a throwaway figure but 500ft is a no no and there's lots of evolving regulations surrounding their use. be careful this is an area that the CAA and police are becoming increasingly interested in and penalties are significant if you fall foul of the rules.

Thanks guys. I've got it set up with GPS and auto-home already, but haven't risked testing it yet!

Leftorium - I've researched the current situation vis a vis the CAA and so far I'm OK. My 500 feet was just a throwaway remark - the regulations at present state the UAV must be within unaided visual distance. I'm happy with a hundred or so. The grey area is flying close to buildings not in the pilot's control, and I suspect the GAMA would fall into that, as indeed would the buildings in my video, but GAMA more so.

ANO Article 166 (3) says the person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft must maintain direct, unaided visual contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels and structures for the purpose of avoiding collisions.

Click to expand...

In addition, the model is equipped with a video camera and video link to the ground and will automatically be classed by the CAA as a small aircraft equipped for surveillance. Consequently, all of ANO Article 167, (Small unmanned surveillance aircraft) will apply to any flights made

Click to expand...

Loads of info here: http://www.fpvuk.org/fpv-law/

Some shameless promotion here, I have written a Kindle book on the Quadcopters, including lots of info on the UK legislation. [ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JV9C824?*Version*=1&*entries*=0[/ame]

The regs actually allow you to be up to 1000' away - provided you can still see and control your UAV.

There has been 1 UK prosecution (Idiot flew over the nuclear submarine yard in Barrow) and 1 caution (Selling footage to a media organisation) Your flight was within 50M of a building, but it would have to be a pretty hard nosed official who would prosecute you for flying that close to an abandoned structure that you would be unlikely to damage.

You might want to fit prop guards just in case you get a little close to a structure or person as they give you more confidence.

In terms of your flying, try a lighter touch on the controls, particularly the yaw control. You look as if you are quite nervous with the controls! A neck strap and having just your fingertips on the sticks might help.

Great shots all the same!

Thank you Noiseboy, very useful indeed, and you've made me feel a bit less worried about flying on the common. I don't know if I want to go to 1000 feet, but I'm currently working on fitting a pair of high intensity LEDs. Facing forward so I can at least know which is the front when it's a fair distance away.

But to you all, the Phantom is a brilliant thing and loads of fun. Apart from that very sensitive yaw that is. I'm looking into PLI, as much for my own assurance really.

I have aflickr contact who uses one, even had the environment agency interested when he took it over the floods at Wallingford Bridge & Pangbourne

I have fitted prop guards to mine and painted them day glow red, as I also could not work out which way was the front either!

Thank God for home and course lock!

Really nice, clear video and def a lot of potential for exploring sites. Might get me one of those! Getting into high quality video myself - a lot to learn tho - but just discovered this trick a couple of weeks ago so happy to pass on: If you want to reduce the 'moire' effect on your fences etc and the flickering/noisy grass and the camera allows it, turn the noise reduction off and the sharpness setting to zero/off. You can then sharpen in post which does a much better and controlled job than the camera can!

sYnc_below said:

Learn how to use the GPS/Auto Home function sooner rather than later (something my good buddy now knows at great personal cost )

Click to expand...

Thanks sYnc, You know how to rub it in, But still the video footage was outstanding and well worth the little hic-cup I had in mid flight.

Winch