As the Phantom drones near their end of life, what drones are good alternatives for all round performance?

We’re back to recording podcasts after a hiatus and in this episode we address a long standing question in drone pilots’ mind on what drone would replace the Phantom drones, that have captured every domain of the drone industry through it’s value for money and performance.

Today’s question is from Gary, who would like to know what drone is the go-to choice for pilots now that the Phantoms are being phased out and second hand drones are expensive.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Drone U mapping events and classes. We talk about some of the new changes we have made to our mapping classes and course curriculum to stay updated with some of the recent trends in the mapping industry such as going over new products for geo-referencing, geo-tagging, GPS and more. Visit our Drone U events page for more details on classes and courses.

We start off today’s show with why the Phantoms have become renowned for their performance and versatility and the features which make them very suitable for carrying out flights and missions in different domains such as mapping, inspection and overall videography while also discussing its ability to support 3rd party applications. We then discuss why the Mavic 3 is not a good replacement (at least as of today) and what limitations the Mavic 3 has, in comparison to the Phantom.

Our suggestion for the go-to drone to replace the Phantom is the Inspire 2 and we delve into the details on why the Inspire 2 is best bang for the buck. We discuss its features and camera options using which pilots can add value to their deliverables.

In our last section we go over our recent move to Colorado and appreciate the welcoming nature of the people that live here.

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832.

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Timestamps:

[0:55] Everything you need to know about Drone U’s New Mapping Content and upcoming classes
[3:22] Today’s question on the go-to drone to replace Phantoms?
[6:22] Is the Mavic 3 a good replacement?
[7:15] What are the cost effective solution (new drone) for mapping?
[8:38] What made Phantom a great drone for all round performance?
[10:18] Is the Inspire 2 best value for its price?
[14:00] Best camera for Inspire 2
[21:28] Why we weren’t able to record any new podcasts in recent weeks

Should you perform hand catching of drones? Are there practical benefits to it? Or does hand catching just amount to inviting unwarranted injuries?

Hand catching a drone – You’ve possibly seen pilots doing this or seen a social media post of a horrific injury while performing the act but is hand catching really required? Should pilots follow them or is it an unsafe practice that should be avoided?

Today, we answer everything we know about hand catching a drone and we would like to thank Tom who’s question today is all about hand catching and if there are any benefits to performing them?

Today’s question is brought to you by the PROPS program, a program specifically designed, and caters to the needs of groups of pilots. It is ideally meant for team of pilots, and organizations that want multiple pilots to progress through their learning curve together. Props allows teams to monitor progress, manage and document learning and ensure a larger audience are progressing together.

We start off today’s show discussing why hand catching is a practical and effective process for drone pilots to follow and what process should pilots follow for performing hand catching. We discuss how hand catching can be very effective in certain flying conditions and environments and how drone pilots can perform hand catching.

We then discuss details of principles that are involved with hand catching. Commonly called the 90 degree rule, we discuss the relevance of rotating a drone by 90 degree and expected outcome of such practices. Next we discuss if hand catching is pertinent to all drones and if all drones behave similarly to hand catching process and how newer drones have different firmware that can cause a different reaction to hand catching practice.

Lastly we discuss about safety incidents arising from hand catching and how pilots can steer clear off them by following simple safety precautions. Towards the end of the podcast, we new courses and classes coming up for Drone U members and the new learning that pilots can obtain from these courses.

Today’s show is an exciting one relevant to a very practice approach to handling your drone. Tune In !!

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832.

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YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu

Timestamps:

[1:10] Today’s show is on hand-catching drones – The practical reason to do it
[3:05] Today’s question is brought to you by PROPS
[5:24] Question on hand-catching and is it a good ideas to hand-catch drones? is it a good process? and what process should one follow?
[6:51] What is the 90 degree rule? and why should you know it?
[7:38] How to perform hand-catching of a drone? and is it model dependent?
[9:11] The drones that do not qualify for hand-catching and why these dont qualify?
[13:18] The safety precaustions that pilots should follow to avoid injuries.
[15:15] New classes and courses for Drone U members.

When approached by a government official claiming that I am flying illegally how do I explain myself? What precautions should I be taking to address such scenarios?

Today’s podcasts is flight regulations and airspace approvals. Our question for today is from Frank who was questioned by a government employee who claimed Frank was flying illegally around a lake and dam. Frank had used all FAA’s tools and ensured he was well within the law but Frank would like to know how pilots can address such scenarios and what are the best practices for Pilots to follow to stay within legal requirements of drone flights.

We answer Frank’s question by first addressing the ambiguity of whether drone regulations can be enforced by local governing bodies and what current Drone laws state. A strong emphasis in our response is on the recent status of drone regulations across the US and how laws are being enforced. We discuss the role of local agencies and responsibilities that Drone pilots should be aware of to steer clear of drone law enforcement.

We then discuss if it’s a good idea for pilots to fly around lakes and dams, discussing the laws that surround VLOS and its relevance to drone flights and how pilots need to embrace VLOS requirements for conducting safe flights. We also discuss the specifics of what constitutes critical infrastructure in the US and how agencies can work together to define and regulate laws around critical infrastructure.

Learn more of how Drone U’s Part 107 course is helping drone pilots follow drone regulations and how you can prepare for the Part 107 exam by taking up Drone U’s Part 107 course and training. Tune in today !!

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832.

Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community.

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YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu

Timestamps:

[0:57] Current status of regulatory action from departments
[1:51] Launch of PROPS public safety program and details of the programs
[4:14] Today’s question on regulatory notices on flying over lakes and Dams
[5:55] Do local agencies have authority to regulate beyond FAA notices (show? Lake ) ?
[8:10] Is it a good idea to fly over Dams?
[9:55] What classifies as critical infrastructure and how can agencies team up to identify critical infrastructure?

Can you share key learnings from Drone U Experience Training?

Today’s podcasts is all about the recently concluded Drone U’s Experience training and we share all the highlights, learnings and our experience from the training.

We start off by sharing top insights from the training focusing first on the location, the team and the environment and discussing how the natural set up of the location helped students hone their skills in flight control.

We also discuss key highlights from student experience on the training and how Scott, one of our students at the training, was able to constantly improve his learning navigating through all the challenges day in and out and how constant presence of instructors assisted him in clearing and clarifying his questions.

Next we discuss important topics that came up during the Experience training including DJI’s product line up and how newer drones are actually doing less to improve flight performance but priced much higher than their predecessors while delivering lower value for pilots. We also discuss students sharing their experience of clearing the Part 107 course through study of Drone U’s Part 107 course and training.

Towards the end of the podcast, we share students feedback, future plans for more Experience trainings, other in-person Drone U training events and also share some of the videos shot by our students during the experience training event. Check out our Youtube Channel for video footage.

Tune in to learn more about the highlights of the Drone U experience event and how you can join one in the future.

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832.

Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community.

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YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu

Timestamps:

[1:00] Paul and Rob share their experience from the recently concluded Experience Training
[7:07] Flight challenges that students overcame as part of the training
[8:31] Drone U Experience Training student, Scott, and his experience
[11:00] How do latest DJI drones influence pilot’s learning curve
[13:40] Is part 107 slowing down or speeding up and how Drone U’s courses are helping students aces the Part 107
[15:15] Other key learning sessions for students at the Experience Training
[17:56] Student Videos from the experience Training
[18:30] Drone U’s next Experience Training event
[20:20] Other Drone U training events

What are NFTs? Are they worth exploring to a drone pilot?

Today’s question is from Tom who is looking to learn all about the latest sensation in the crypto world, Non Fungible Tokens or commonly known as NFTs. Tom would like to know about them and how one can get started with creating and selling NFTs

We start today’s episode by jumping straight into what NFTs are all about and what it means to drone pilots and other users alike. We discuss common pitfalls of the technology while also going over marketplaces to create and sell NFTs along with discussion on the inherent value of NFTs and if they mean anything to the end user. We also discuss new market offerings from marketplaces and companies such as Coinbase and talk about future of NFTs.

Tune in to learn more about NFTs and what value they hold for you.

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832.

Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community.

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YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu

Timestamps:

[1:05] Today’s question on NFT and if pilots should go down this path
[1:43] What are NFTs?
[2:18] One of the biggest issues with NFTs
[4:46] Coinbase’s new offering on NFT on their platform
[7:45] Do NFTs inherently possess value for the buyer?

With multiple software packages available in the drone industry, how do pilots decide on using one?

Today’s question is from Felipe on how pilots can choose a particular software, considering there are many options available for a single application in the drone industry.

Pilots today are spoilt for choices on using drone software for a particular application leading to complex purchasing decisions and the follow up learning curve with these softwares for related business deliveries. We address this very important question for pilots today, going over the many softwares that are available and how you can choose one over the other.

We start off today’s episode introducing Drone U’s mindmap for navigating the drone industry landscape giving pilots a clear career path to pursue as they progress through their development. The mindmap has been shared on the Drone U community and we are sharing the map for our podcast viewers.

We then briefly discuss how the combination of flight skills, software and having a consistent drive enables pilots to be successful in the drone industry. Thereafter we delve into a comprehensive analysis of the mindmap, showing and describing the software, their application and use in the industry.

In our last segment we touch upon the best practices when conducting a drone business and how entrepreneurs can achieve success through simple but critical business decisions such as delegation and customer-centric business solutions.

This podcast is by far our most comprehensive analysis of the drone industry, the skills you require to hone, the softwares required and you do not want to miss this one !

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832.

Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community.

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Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu

Timestamps:

[1:00] Drone U’s mind map on skills+software+industry to navigate the drone business space
[4:00] Today’s question on ways to navigate the many softwares available in the drone market for drone applications
[6:45] How flight skills integrate into a pilot’s ability to produce quality deliverables
[12:00] Mapper and DroneDeploy software for mapping and opensource OpenDroneMap
[13:20] Why Drone U teaches mapping using Mapper and a brief synopsis of each software
[26:35] Where are thermal maps being used in the drone industry?
[32:43] Parameters that drive software purchase decisions
[35:22] The importance of delegation and its ability to power growth
[38:00] Recommendations for pilots to dive deep in a certain vertical

What do we know of the Inspire 3 launch? What spec and features can we expect?

Today’s question is from Marshall who has 2 questions for us – He would like to know what we know about the Inspire 3 and why we are moving our HQ to Colorado.

We start of today’s episode by answering Marshall’s question on our move, from New Mexico to Colorado, and highlight our rationale to do so. We discuss what we intend to have and how these will help future drone pilots taking Drone U courses. We also highlight how the drone industry is poised for growth and how we wanted to be at the centre of it. Tune in to hear more details on our move, the search for a suitable home and all that Drone U has planned for the future.

We then delve into Inspire 3 launch rumours and how these have peaked in recent times with DJI launching a slew of drones in the recent past and the need for pushing new features and technology advancement in the market. We talk of expected features such as specifications, camera features, new technology and also cover the set of new accessories to hit the drone market along with the Inspire 3. We also discuss possible price points and how DJI’s product portfolio provide options for drone pilots and if there are any opportunities for American manufacturers to fill any gaps left by DJI.

Tune in to learn more about our move and DJI’s market strategy.

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832.

Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community.

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YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu

Timestamps:

[12:19] – Today’s question on Inspire 3 and what we know about it
[13:00] – Is Drone U moving to Colorado?
[14:00] – Drone U’s move to Colorado – Why the move, What can you expect from our move and future plans at the new location
[22:55] – Latest news on Inspire 3 launch – specs and camera options, resolutions, features
[25:55] – Inspire 3 accessories
[30:41] – can American manufacturers fill the gaps that DJI has left wide open

Washington State announces legislation on certified pilots having to register their drone with the state? Is it legal? How should pilots react?

Today’s question is from Laska, about Washinton State’s new legislation requiring certified part 107 drone pilots to register drones with the state. She would like to know how to deal with this legislation and what pilots should make of it.

Today’s podcast directly addresses the frequent state vs federal legislation situation that pilots have faced ever so often. Is Washington state’s legislation on drone registration relevant for drone pilots considering all of drone regulation is covered federally through the FAA?

We address common questions around this topic – should pilots expect other states to follow Washington state in this new legislation? Should state attempt to generate revenue from such legislation ? possible reaction from drone advocacy groups, and how we as drone pilots can stay up-to-date on drone laws using Drone U’s drone advocacy kit.

Stay updated on drone laws. Being a well informed drone pilot can help you address challenging legalities that you may come across during drone flights. Tune in to learn more.

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832.

Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community.

Follow Us

Site – https://thedroneu.com/

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Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu

Timestamps:

[2:57] – Today’s question on Washington state’s legislation on certified pilots having to register their drone with the state
[4:30] – Is this a trend that pilots can expect from other states?
[5:12] – How do states attempt to generate revenue from drone registration and what the federal laws state?
[12:18] – How do different drone advocacy react to Washington state’s action

Where can I find Inspire 1 batteries and how can I assess their performance?

Today’s question is from Jonathan, who has recently purchased a used Inspire 1 along with accessories and batteries but is finding the batteries being unable to hold their charge during flights and would like to know where one can find Inspire 1 batteries and how one can assess them.

We first answer Jonathan’s question if the Inspire 1 batteries he possesses have any life left in them. We then talk where he can find Inspire 1 batteries and if 9 marketplaces like Amazon and Ebay are worth utilizing for purchasing an Inspire 1 battery.

We delve into 2 important aspects of drone batteries that pilots need to know about and share the hack of rental services that allow pilots to rent batteries prior to purchasing them thereby allowing pilots to validate and check a battery before spending $$ on them.

Watch this short and quick podcast covering important aspects of drone batteries that will help you avoid the anxiety of purchasing batteries for legacy drones like the Inspire 1.

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832.

Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community.

Follow Us

Site – https://thedroneu.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu

Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu

Timestamps:

[1:20] – Today’s question on the Inspire 1 battery issues
[2:23] – Assessing a battery’s performance based on voltage reading
[2:53] – Inspire 1 batteries on Amazon/Ebay – are they of value?
[3:25] – 2 things to know about used batteries
[4:17] – Renting batteries before purchasing pre-owned batteries

What are the best practices to put together Isotopes’ Cinewhoop shots? How can pilots plan such shots?

Today’s question is from Tom, who wants to know how pilots can put together Cinewhoop shots and what goes into planning and execution of such shots.

We are fortunate to have performed a Cinewhoop production video for a local baseball club Isoptoes and happy to answer Tom’s question today straight from our hands-on experience of performing a shoot.

We start our response by highlighting GoPro’s latest camera with superior stabilization than its predecessor models and how it has been designed for Cinewhoop videos. We then delve directly into Tom’s question by first talking about what cinewhoop entails and the legalities around such shots. We discuss how pilots need to plan flight plans and equipment for a perfect shot and this is critical in the overall success for a production shot.

We then delve into specifics of how Paul landed a Cinewhoop project for Isoptopes, a local baseball club, and how he went about planning and executing the production. We discuss important aspects of shooting such videos including parameters like flying through people, legalities and regulations and working with FAA, planning takes and flying practice and discussing aspects for a successful flight.

We also discuss how Drone U through its experience of working directly with manufacturers are planning on rolling out training videos for effective training of pilots. Stay tuned for our upcoming class on Cinewhoop and access the LUCID Props platform for using Lucid Drones.

Stay tuned till the very end of the podcast for the final production of the Cinewhoop video or watch it on Instagram and this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF

Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832.

Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community.

Follow Us

Site – https://thedroneu.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu

Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu

Timestamps:

[0:56] – GoPro launch of new camera for Cinewhoop FPV drone
[7:59] – Today’s question on cinewhoop and legalities on performing such shots
[9:28] – Planning and Practicing your shot and equipment
[14:33] – Drone U’s work with LUCID technologies
[16:40] – Cinewhoop videos – planning paths, shots and execution
[26:08] – Flying and taking shots besides people
[30:13] – Important factors for conducting a smooth and successful flight
[37:49] – Upcoming Drone U class on Cinewhoop videos
[38:49] – FAA regulations for conducting shoots
[43:39] – Cinewhoop video footage