Chopping wood via drone camera
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D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
BigCountryNY
Burning Hunk
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Little Digger
Member
On YouTube, he states he's using a Phantom 2 but doesn't indicate the camera system or if it's set up for FPV (first person video) But a good number like to use the Go Pro cameras.
It's a Phantom 2 with an H3-3D gimbal and a Hero 4 Black. There are actually amazon links to all of the parts I used to assemble the drone in the description, if you're curious. These days, I'd probably just buy a DJI Inspire 1, or else build a hobby grade custom 450 quad, but this was the first drone I ever bought or assembled, so I wanted something relatively idiot-proof. The Phantom is extremely easy to fly and fairly good for hobby grade aerial filming.
Little Digger
Member
I'm guessing I should have clicked on the "more" tab to see the details. Do you have any problems with that vortex created by the drone, and does it handle well in high winds? My problem is both. I either get caught in that vortex and have to fight to get out, or go high enough to get caught up in the jet stream? (I've been told I live right under it) Go up 400 feet and the fight begins. I've lost 2 drones so far that way. One second your fine, then whoosh, it's gone! I'm still hopeful finding the one I lost a few weeks back. It's in a canopy of some tree, but when it's only viewing the sky and a few leaves, it's hard to tell just where it might be.
Now what you need for making kindling is an old tire. Put your splits in, and play Whack-A-Mole. It'll keep you from having to chase the sticks.
For your next video, if I might suggest one, how about one of you felling a tree. Like a hundred footer!
That first person tracking software seems to drift a bit. Might be the low contrast of a grey day. Are you also on webbie's drone flyers forum?
Ha. There's no software. I've got an LCD screen off camera and I just look at it periodically. When it drifted too much, I'd walk off camera and reset it manually with the remote. It was really a bit of an experiment to see how stable GPS stabilized hover could be. It was pretty interesting for me at the time.
Ok, so, I'll try to answer this as helpfully as I can, but unfortunately I can't really be scientific about it as I don't know where to begin.
a.) I don't live in a windy area at all. It's usually annoyingly calm, especially in summer.
b.) I think late winter to early spring is probably the windiest time of year in my area, which is when this was filmed.
c.) The windiest part of my tiny property is between my house and my neighbor's house. You can hear the phantom strain a bit when it's overcoming a strong gust there, but it never really drifts. It's quite stable.
d.) I have the late model Phantom 2 with the slightly beefier (higher KV) motors. So far nothing in my area has really been able to scare me or affect the drone. However, repeating a.) it's really not a windy area. I'd never consider wind turbines for example.
e.) Look up Chattanooga TN vs your location in one of those wind turbine databases. That'll probably give you a good idea how our areas compare.
f.) I live near an airport, so I don't fly it more than a few feet above the tree line.
g.) I've never had an issue with getting it caught in a "vortex". Do you mean ground effect? If you can't get out of ground effect, your motors aren't powerful enough or you're carrying too much weight. We have tornadoes around here, but we haven't had one since I bought the drone. I'm sure it can't overpower a tornado.
Yeah, you ain't kiddin'. I forgot how much I was chasing the wood around until you mentioned it. Definitely need to work on my technique.
D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
Why are you splitting that small, just curious? My splits are up to 7-8" max so it will burn a while , most are 4-6" range but I'm 3+ years ahead so it has plenty of time to dry
I'm just making kindling while I play with the drone.
D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
Here, I made it a little shorter and added some geography and theme appropriate music:
Little Digger
Member
I still say you need a tire to split your kindling and smaller rounds of firewood in. 
Since you have a semi permanent splitting block, just take an old tire and mount it on the stump. Cut a few drain holes in the bottom side for drainage when it rains. I do use a tire on the smaller rounds. If that inside ridge of the tire is bothersome, take a knife or razor and remove it. It will also allow for larger or more rounds to be contained so you won't have to be chasing wood. BTW, nice editing job on the video.
The vortex thing I mentioned is actually called the "Vortex Ring State" and has been the cause of many quad crashes as well as full sized helicopters. If your at 500 feet, it will bring you to the ground lickity split.
Once in, they can be difficult to escape from. (search for it using the term Vortex Ring State on youtube)
Since you have a semi permanent splitting block, just take an old tire and mount it on the stump. Cut a few drain holes in the bottom side for drainage when it rains. I do use a tire on the smaller rounds. If that inside ridge of the tire is bothersome, take a knife or razor and remove it. It will also allow for larger or more rounds to be contained so you won't have to be chasing wood. BTW, nice editing job on the video.The vortex thing I mentioned is actually called the "Vortex Ring State" and has been the cause of many quad crashes as well as full sized helicopters. If your at 500 feet, it will bring you to the ground lickity split.
Once in, they can be difficult to escape from. (search for it using the term Vortex Ring State on youtube)
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Batman
Member
Spread your feet apart or you may make kindling out of that front foot. Dronieness is cool though.
baysideburner
Member
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