Pity the fool who doesn't have his own drone

So I ordered a remote controlled 2.4 Ghz Helicopter for 89 bucks, on sale, reg I don't know I think 150, and then watched some videos in youtube of people flying it and saw why it was on sale.

It will be my first rc helicopter so thats ok, I will make my mistakes on that one.

And I bought a camera that goes on it, a hi res 2.4 ghz helicam. for about 40 bucks.

The thing is the helicopter is noisy. These are not stealthy. But then maybe with a siren, it could scare away zombies I don't know.

I also bought a mini flashlight that has infrared and normal, and it has a high resolution camera in it, takes a small card and connects to the USB so I can put an infrared camera on it. 35 bucks.

So the best you will probably be able to do with a rig like this, is fly it out a second story window and check the immediate vicinity around your house and yard for zombies.
Which is still better than nothing.

Now mine comes with a flight simulator, that connects to the radio controller, so that you can practice harmlessly at first.

I am hoping that I can somehow use that to have computer assist or programmed flight so that you could use the computer to fly it around the yard on a mission. That would make it more reliable. I also already own a pair of SONY Glasstrons so I can use them so that I can have a cockpit view out the cockpit of the helicopter while in flight and patch it to my video camera to record if I want. The camera just sends a signal to the small receiver that you have separately. And then you can connect it to your lap top or whatever device like a camcorder or Glasstrons..

Here is mini helicopter for about 40 bucks that uses an IR controller and Iphones and similar devices can be used as controllers for these types. The problem with Infrared controllers is they have no range. They also can be disturbed by bright sunlight and crash out of control because sunlight has infrared in it. So it might only be useful for scoping out a warehouse. Which is still safer than going in there yourself.




So has anyone else thought of using drones in their survival plan?

Cant say I have but I know someone with a big rubber balloon and a camera that can hang underneath. They use it to inspect the tops of trees for disease.

I honestly think if I saw a tiny helicopter buzzing around I would be inclined to shout ''pull." Im an excellent wing shot.

Originally posted by Shadowalker
Cant say I have but I know someone with a big rubber balloon and a camera that can hang underneath. They use it to inspect the tops of trees for disease.

I honestly think if I saw a tiny helicopter buzzing around I would be inclined to shout ''pull." Im an excellent wing shot.

Well if it was dark and up high you might still miss unless you went for buck shot.

If they weren't so darn loud, it might have a chance. So maybe the best hope is to just fly the thing fast.

I have seen people rig up mini rocket launchers on them as well. Although they are not accurate, they would certainly leave a mark.

So lets suppose that you were approaching the city, Victoria BC and I will use my city as an example, and I am just outside the city returning to see what the situation is and I can see it smoking from my vantage point which we will say is 15 km away up on high ground, the Malahat, a small mountain on the highway that approaches Victoria.

So as is the helicopter has a 1 km range. A 7.4 800mAh LiPol battery included.

So what you could do is use a portable Wifi bridge like this one 99 bucks Bridge that has a 30 km line of sight range, and with the high capacity LiPol battery which I bought separately, Wild Scorpion 7.4V 5500mAh 30C LI-PO 2cell RC you can extend the range from 20 minutes to maybe an hour of fly time.

So then you might be able to use the lap top to fly the helicam right over the city, and see what the situation is.

Before you go down there and get attacked by wild dogs or zombies or cannibal gangs, militia, etc.

Now at this point I am not exactly sure it would work, but 2.4 Ghz has a good range with the right equipment.

Another thing you should be able to do, is record the signal of a flight mission, and then just play that back, and repeat the mission, providing there is no wind.

Originally posted by Shadowalker
I honestly think if I saw a tiny helicopter buzzing around I would be inclined to shout ''pull." Im an excellent wing shot.

Damnit you stole my thunder!!! Black Cloud FTW!

I pity anyone who doesn't have one of these.

www.draganfly.com...

reply to post by Rocketman7


The real test will be if it can take off with the camera attached. Really, you should've bought a better one. 89$ for an rc heli is so cheap I'd be amazed if it takes off at all!

reply to post by neo96


I want one.

Originally posted by Shadowalker
Cant say I have but I know someone with a big rubber balloon and a camera that can hang underneath. They use it to inspect the tops of trees for disease.

I honestly think if I saw a tiny helicopter buzzing around I would be inclined to shout ''pull." Im an excellent wing shot.

Well if you wanted to make a balloon camera in the field, you could do so with a few items.

You would need a green garbage bag or black preferred for stealth as your balloon.

You need a bucket of water with two electrodes in it that you pulled from a 6 volt lantern battery and two wires attached to those electrodes. And you connect those to a battery and fill the bag with hydrox.

It will float. If you just want hydrogen, then capture the gas bubbles coming off the electrode that has the most bubbles. The other will be pure oxygen.

Then you need some fishing line to tie off the bag full of hydrox.

Then you attach 4 of these flashlight cameras good for night or day use.

Now the problem with this rig is it might spin. So watching the video when you pull the bag back down might make you dizzy. But you might be able to put a wind directional fin on it, to stabilize it with a piece of card board and some duct tape.

If you do this at night, no one would see the bag and just use the infrared flashlight to take video of your surrounding area.

If you do it during the day, well again, it might get shot. And it will give away your location. For miles.

Originally posted by neo96
I pity anyone who doesn't have one of these.

www.draganfly.com...

Those are supercool. Unfortunately I don't think I cannot afford one.

Any idea how much they cost?

reply to post by Evolutionsend


Check out the x8 and their product line but way too expensive.

Those are state of the art.

packages that start at 10k Rocket.

Originally posted by Evolutionsend
reply to post by Rocketman7

 

The real test will be if it can take off with the camera attached.

Really, you should've bought a better one. 89$ for an rc heli is so cheap I'd be amazed if it takes off at all!

reply to post by neo96

 

I want one.

edit on 25-10-2011 by Evolutionsend because: (no reason given)

Well for 89 bucks its a test droid.

I want to see what I can do with it before I shell out the big bucks, ($150 )

I know they fly because i have seen them fly in youtube. And they have ones with cameras on them there too.

The sad thing is, in two reviews, of about 5 in total, two people crashed on their maiden voyage and wrecked the front fuselage just like this in this video.

I am getting the blue one like this one...

Originally posted by neo96
reply to post by Evolutionsend

 

Check out the x8 and their product line but way too expensive.

Those are state of the art.

packages that start at 10k Rocket.

edit on 25-10-2011 by neo96 because: (no reason given)

Out of my price range. I will wait until TSHTF then get 4 of them out of a partially burnt out building.

With my budget, I am looking at well some cheap equipment and maybe have some spare parts.

But you would think that there might be just a simple flying platform, like the dragonfly, made in China, and dirt cheap. You know 100 bucks. Maybe I just haven't found it yet.

Maybe something like thiS!

Well there is a toy dragonflyer with camera but still 1500 bucks although I have seen them on-line for 900.

Check out the video

reply to post by Rocketman7


Pretty nice looking for $89. It looks like wind played a factor in his crash. Probably have to head into it if any is blowing.

reply to post by Rocketman7


OK, when you fly this out a 2 story window, you can see what the wind does with it LOL.

Those things are built for indoor use, hence the cheap price. Once you go outside with it and there is no need for a strong wind, just a normal breeze would wack it into the wall.

Adding camera's to that thing will only make it heavy, unstable and drain the battery even more (added weight). But it's nice to play around with and get the feeling.

Originally posted by Evolutionsend
reply to post by Rocketman7

 

Pretty nice looking for $89. It looks like wind played a factor in his crash. Probably have to head into it if any is blowing.

Yeah, head right into it.

Or maybe, maybe it was interference from a 2.4 Ghz Lan or WAN.

It comes with a simulator to practice with so that should make it easier.

Originally posted by Required01
reply to post by Rocketman7

 

OK, when you fly this out a 2 story window, you can see what the wind does with it LOL.

Those things are built for indoor use, hence the cheap price. Once you go outside with it and there is no need for a strong wind, just a normal breeze would wack it into the wall.

Adding camera's to that thing will only make it heavy, unstable and drain the battery even more (added weight). But it's nice to play around with and get the feeling.

Well this Dragonflyer TI 900 bucks is really what I want, but its too pricey.

I am sure somewhere in China, they are reproducing it for 90 bucks.

reply to post by Rocketman7


Ok, well your title is a little misleading. I think perhaps it may be better rearranged to read as such: "Pity the fool who has spent their money on useless gadgetry"

Honestly, with the $164 you claim to have spent on the heli, flashlight and camera I could have easily produced several weeks worth of home preserved foods or purchased rice, beans or non-perishables. It could have been spent on materials to make a good water filtration system or a good book on wild edible/medicinal plants with money left over. Good grief.... while you are off tinkering with your gadgets trying to get your heli off the ground, your air scrubber to come on or trying to get your hydrogen fuel contraption not to blow up in your face, whatever it is you are afraid of getting you, will have already gotten you.

I think you would benefit greatly from listening in on the Survival Show every Thursday, I have. Also a good look at the Bushcraft site on youtube has proven very beneficial as well. The guys teach common sense things to strengthen the best survival tool known to man.... the brain.... you know that gelatinous grey matter that can be found between your ears.

Originally posted by MyMindIsMyOwn
reply to post by Rocketman7

 

Ok, well your title is a little misleading. I think perhaps it may be better rearranged to read as such: "Pity the fool who has spent their money on useless gadgetry"

Honestly, with the $164 you claim to have spent on the heli, flashlight and camera I could have easily produced several weeks worth of home preserved foods or purchased rice, beans or non-perishables. It could have been spent on materials to make a good water filtration system or a good book on wild edible/medicinal plants with money left over. Good grief.... while you are off tinkering with your gadgets trying to get your heli off the ground, your air scrubber to come on or trying to get your hydrogen fuel contraption not to blow up in your face, whatever it is you are afraid of getting you, will have already gotten you.

I think you would benefit greatly from listening in on the Survival Show every Thursday, I have. Also a good look at the Bushcraft site on youtube has proven very beneficial as well. The guys teach common sense things to strengthen the best survival tool known to man.... the brain.... you know that gelatinous grey matter that can be found between your ears.

Oh I grew up on a farm, learned survival skills in the bush before I was 16. Winter camping, what to do when your partner falls through the ice on the river at 10 below zero.
How to shoot, how to snare, all of that including edible plants but then I moved and the edible plants here are different.

Can make a fire with sticks, but its easier to do it with a flint and steel wool.

Have rice, have beans, have suture kit, (curved needle and disinfectant and thread) have anti-biotics 5 year shelf life, and kelp for radiation, iodine for everything, vitamin D drops for everything, 5 bottles, (you need that trust me)
all sorts of vitamins and actually brain vitamins, (Gingko Bilboa) below zero sleeping bag, with mat, water bottle and Vario Water filter, beef jerky, packaged coffee sugar whitener. little individual packs, 500 hundred, have electronic cigarette 6 months supply of ejuice, GFS extreme heat gel and Magic Heat 8 hour, 4 500 gigabyte portable harddrives with about a million pdf books, 20,000 mp3s/audio books/movies/tv shows, a color ereader, a battery pack, solar charger, hand crank radio, Grundigportable short wave radio with 50 ft wire antenna, full working copy of wikipedia, lap top, Sony Walkman 50 hour battery, secondary battery with solar, and USB charging for cell phone, electronic cigarette, walkman, ereader. Tons of stuff like sanitary wipes, shampoo, soap, all of that compass all in the big Bug Out Bag 115 Ltr on my back, and a day pack to be strapped on my font, tin foil lined for electronic gear, Radio controlled helicopter, with extra long life battery, and wireless camera, video goggles for cockpit view, Home Patrol 1 APCO 25 scanner, Wouxun UVD1P UHF/VHF two way radio, infrared flashlight camera, SONY night vision camcorder, um... tweezers, belt clip knife, super lightweight keep cold bag, survival blanket, raingear gloves mask (for fallout) but I still need a whole bunch more stuff like Geiger counter, and better flying helicopter, and more two way radios, and other stuff I can't remember right now. Purification tablets, maybe an telescoping baton (protection), slingshot, (protection) Fog Horn in a can 115 Db to scare away dogs cats zombies whatever. An absolute must for giving away your hiding spot.

Seriously I could hide in the bush near the city here and fish for years and just fly sorties into town with the remote controlled helicopter until the coast is clear.

I am also working on setting up a global Internet using ham radio in case the net is down.Although that is still in the planning stages. lol Packet radio, radio modem, repeaters, that sort of thing.
I have an acoustic modem I can use with a ham radio like my handheld and get decent data transfer rates.
People will be doing that, so I want to be able to connect to them.

It all sounds ridiculous until TSHTF. If you have ever gone survival camping for a week or two weeks, especially in the rain or cold, then you know what it is like. When you come out of the bush after two weeks, you never saw anything more wonderful than a hamburger at a fast food joint, or a chocolate bar. You ate yours on day one of your trip. Most people don't ration food well. And if not then ate little bites of them every day until by the end of your trip they were like gold in value.

reply to post by Rocketman7


Yeah it's a nice drone i saw some germans play with it that thing is amayzing.

One thing tho, just for a laugh I checked you link and saw a picture of what comes with it and one thing made me LOL pretty good




Mmmm.... paying 900,- anno 2011 and you get a VHS instruction TAPE haha that's EPIC!