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Pleae, Please dont call it a DRONE
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3921 45 2015-8-25
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rayrokni
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I see a lot of refference to our beloved P3 as a DRONE from P3 OWNERS.
P3 is NOT a drone, as it does not:
have missile firing capabilities
have high powered zoom lenses which can read the licence plate of your car
have infra red or night vision
is not capable of autonomous flight
does not have the range
does not seek bad guys
etc etc.

The less we call it a drone the better, as public perception of a drone is a negative one. ours is a 4k camera attached to a quadcopter. the flying machine part of the P3 does not bother people (after all RC planes and helis have been around for many decades), its the camera part that suddely brings the uneducated side of them into the open.
they assume that from up there, as it is a drone, we can pry into their daily lives.
if they knew what little we can really see from even 100ft altitude, maybe they would not panic so much. maybe if they understood that it is just a camera(and a low end one at that with limited capabilities) and it just does the same as my iphone6+, just from a different angle and perspective, then they wouldnt throw shoes, shirts, fishing lines, 12 gauge rounds at it!!
So if we want to change public perception lets start with ourselves not calling the P3 a DRONE. Lets not fly near planes and places that would be presumed irresponsible.
etc etc

2015-8-25
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puterwiz
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I wholeheartedly agree. good post, Ray!
2015-8-25
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Patinito
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While I prefer the term Quadcopter or UAV, by definition a drone is an unmanned aircraft or ship that can navigate autonomously, without human control or beyond line of sight (loosely) any unmanned aircraft or ship that is guided remotely.  When our phantoms use ground station, by definition it is considered a drone because now it is flying completely autonomously.

That ship has sailed and probably will not return. The media has labeled them drones and now it is the popular term.

When you can't beat 'em...
2015-8-25
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L8again
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The trouble is, if you are at a park or wherever people are, they see it and will say "A drone!".  Media has done the damage.
2015-8-25
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rayrokni
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Patinito Posted at 2015-8-26 10:13
While I prefer the term Quadcopter or UAV, by definition a drone is an unmanned aircraft or ship tha ...

so then a rc heli with a go pro is a drone too?
2015-8-25
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SpunOne69
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I completely agree, but when I'm talking to people who don't know what they are, the term quad-copter doesn't register...when I say "drone" they immediately know what I'm talking about.  So it's more of a bad habit than a mislabeling of the P3P.   
2015-8-25
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Joe Blow
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Ray you make some great points.  Unfortunately, DJI advertisements and website state, "The World Leader in Camera Drones."  Hard to change their motto.
Soon you will be able to see much more from 100 feet because DJI is working on a camera with interchangeable lenses.  In the future you will be able to mount a telescopic lens on a DJI.  Now about autonomous flight, well, hmm, let's see.
2015-8-25
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DroneMania
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Joe Blow Posted at 2015-8-26 10:20
Ray you make some great points.  Unfortunately, DJI advertisements and website state, "The World Lea ...

Right. Great Points.

But, we ( the quadcopter lovers) didn't market any of these products.

Its too late anyway lol
2015-8-25
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mgsf

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A knife can be used to slice an apple or stick a man in the gut. The word knife isn't the problem.
A drone flying over private property or over 400' AGL is akin to using a knife as a weapon.
2015-8-25
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rayrokni
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L8again Posted at 2015-8-26 10:18
The trouble is, if you are at a park or wherever people are, they see it and will say "A drone!".  M ...

well it is our job to educate. the other day when i was videoing my kid at the local motor x. about five people came up to me at different times to see it, i used the occasion to educate them on its capabilities and terminology. i actually demonstrated that from 100 feet it could not distinguish who is who. and every single one of them was surprised that the "Drone" could not see that clearly. i explained that it is not a drone that they are used to seeing on the news from iraq and afghanistan. they all agreed that before i showed them the footage they would be angry if one flew over their back yard but now that they understood what it actually is they couldnt care less..
i for one believe action is better than words, that is why i am setting up appointment with local news papers and any local radio and tv shows that are interested to see a demo of the capabilities of our P3 so they can clear up this false sense of privacy being violated by these quadcopters with a camera.!! all you guys who have the same opinion and zeal for this hobby should try to reach out in your communities.
2015-8-25
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Patinito
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rayrokni Posted at 2015-8-26 10:20
so then a rc heli with a go pro is a drone too?

Drones in any definition, whether it be an aircraft or a bee is autonomously controlled but "programmed to obey" a master.

In truth, do you really control the phantom? Sure you control throttle, yaw, pitch and roll but do you realize how many flight decisions are made by the IMU and the flight controller?  The thing flies itself when you let go, it returns home when you lose signal or it has low battery. RC copters and planes of 20 years ago with their gas engines are a far cry from these machines.
Also, the military do not call their UAV "drones". It's just what the layman understands when you say drone. It also has nothing to do about having a camera or not.
2015-8-25
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rayrokni
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Patinito Posted at 2015-8-26 10:33
Drones in any definition, whether it be an aircraft or a bee is autonomously controlled but "progr ...

let me be really simple
most people on the street think a drone is what they see on the news in afghanistan and iraq.
our job is to make them understand that is not the case and if that means us not calling the p3 a drone and call it by some other not so negative name then that is what we need to do.
2015-8-25
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AerialLens
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You are absolutely right, Ray. It may just be too late, but we must at least try to "talk it up" (be proactive - don't wait for questions or negative events) and get our friends and neighbors  to understand at least three things:

1.
These are not "drones" in the sense originally laid out by the media in times of war;
2.
Small multicopters are not a threat - they are just a fascinating hobby, less dangerous than MANY other pursuits;
3.
Invasion of anyone's "privacy" is extremely unlikely to be a motive of the operator - surveillance is very unlikely the flyer's objective.

The guy in the following video is probably an example of an ordinary person who hasn't been schooled - and it IS kind of entertaining though.



Folks just need to understand...Practically, there isn’t really a lot you can do with a photo except look at it, which isn’t that damaging; it wont ruin your credit or reveal your web history. In the age of computer technology infiltrating every aspect of life, people need to reshape the way they think about privacy. [Recent Quote from Veronica Luther at sUAS News]


I also like "Quadcopter," or just plain Quad.



2015-8-25
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Patinito
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rayrokni Posted at 2015-8-26 10:38
let me be really simple
most people on the street think a drone is what they see on the news in af ...

I'm with you bud. All I wanted to state though is that in reality, it is a drone. Whether the name carries a negative connotation is another story. I honestly could care less what other people think. All I know is that this is the best group of Quadcopter pilots on earth!
2015-8-25
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rayrokni
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Patinito Posted at 2015-8-26 10:33
Drones in any definition, whether it be an aircraft or a bee is autonomously controlled but "progra ...

and yes i absolutely control the p3, it can not over ride my decision, i can run it full throttle into a tree if i choose, i can stop it from landing when it hits %10 if i so choose, it never ever truly is autonomous, because i am at the other end telling it what to do and if it doesnt listen then i will do a CSC where it will land to its doom!!
2015-8-25
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rayrokni
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Patinito Posted at 2015-8-26 10:43
I'm with you bud. All I wanted to state though is that in reality, it is a drone. Whether the name ...

oh i know what u meant and i do understan the real meaning of it. i am not attacking your response, just trying to be clear.
remember these are texts, so i may have given you the wrong impression and for that i apologize.
2015-8-25
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Patinito
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rayrokni Posted at 2015-8-26 10:47
oh i know what u meant and i do understan the real meaning of it. i am not attacking your response ...

No worries, we are all on the same team.
2015-8-25
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Rigworker
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Patinito Posted at 2015-8-26 10:13
While I prefer the term Quadcopter or UAV, by definition a drone is an unmanned aircraft or ship tha ...

Thats right. The thing is the P3 cannot operate autonomously...yet ;-)
2015-8-25
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rayrokni
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Maybe DJI can help us and themselves by doing  a big media campaign to clear some of the myths around these quads( i will call it a drone when the negative is no longer).
am i being naive??
2015-8-25
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jlarcher
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This says it all....

See Pic

See Pic
2015-8-25
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rayrokni
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cryptic, thats goodok got the pix. sorry couldnt see pix at first
2015-8-25
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radius

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IMHO, maybe we all have to change our perspective about the word "drone", as the clock is ticking and things are change.
so when we hear the word "drone", it won't refers to military UAV only anymore.

just like "car" for kids powered by sealed lead acid battery that they could sit on and drive it.
and when our parents hear us bought our kids that "car", they said "aren't they too young to drive a car?" or "you should registered it so it has a license plate" or "what if they drive it into toll road?"
yet, we are free to call it "car", "oh, that's my kids car...". it's a non-intimidating word anymore.

i agreed with rayrokni that is must be done by educates people around us, so they know that P3 and its family have a different features with the drone used in military, and of course the purposes are different too.
2015-8-25
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gregg1r
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As already stated. Any quad copter, hexacopter of octocopter will all be referred to as a drone.

Do you call tissues you blow your nose with tissues or Kleenex? Once an object gets known by a trade type name, it sticks. The offshore race boat was known by Cigarette boat due to a tv show.

It's hard to change the vernacular once an object gets known as something the media doesn't understand.
2015-8-25
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rayrokni
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gregg1r Posted at 2015-8-26 11:49
As already stated. Any quad copter, hexacopter of octocopter will all be referred to as a drone.

D ...

sure, but our job is to educate whoever we come across that does not understand these things!! if nothing it will be one less person we are going to have to worry about throwing a fishing line or a 12 gauge.
2015-8-25
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Flight Raptor
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Patinito Posted at 2015-8-26 10:33
Drones in any definition, whether it be an aircraft or a bee is autonomously controlled but "progra ...

Regardless of the dictionary definition of drone...the problem today (which is the point that Ray is making) is that the term drone has a stigma about it because of the media.

So, until the uneducated are more comfortable with drones and understand that not all of them are invading your privacy any more than a freaking digital camera, digital camcorder, or cell phone cam.....we should be careful with throwing the term around.
2015-8-25
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rayrokni
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Flight Raptor Posted at 2015-8-26 11:58
Regardless of the dictionary definition of drone...the problem today (which is the point that Ray i ...

I suppose that's exactly what I was trying to relay, your way is straight to the point. Thank you
2015-8-25
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paullindqvist
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Actually i don't see it as my job to educate anyone while I'm working, I'm not much for small talks in public regardless of which camera I happen to work with at the moment.
2015-8-25
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Michael M
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it still technically is a drone, but I agree with you. we should avoid that name cause it has such a bad rep
2015-8-25
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Khador
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Drone (n) - a remote-controlled pilotless aircraft or missile.

Sound familiar? I recently took a trip the the US and took my drone with me. While going through security the  drone sparked some interest and when the asked me what it was i initally said it was an RC  quadcopter, he looked at me like i was speaking eskimo. I realised my error and said its a drone and bingo... 'thank you very much, have a nice day'

Path of least resistance... take it.
2015-8-26
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Noziroh
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Phantoms ARE drones.


It might have bad relations where you are from, but it does not where I live.
People dont care if you call it a quad, multicopter, UAV or drone where im from.
Its what you put into the word that makes you feel the way you do.


This is taken straight from DJI's site:


As the market leader in easy-to-fly drones and aerial photography systems, DJI quadcopters like the Phantom are the standard in consumer drone technology.


The discription of a drone fits all remote controlled "toys" not only quads and multies.
Go to the local RC flight track, their gliders, jets, helis are also drones.


Stop associating it with negativty your selfs is the first step.
I fly a drone, and I love it.
No one has ever had a negative remark about it. I mostly see people from the US associating it with negativity.


I know, this all sounds like an assault, and negativ. But its not meant like it.
Just trying to tell, that its not everywhere that drones are seen negativly.


Meet people with a smile, and tell them about your hobby.
Dont try to avoid, but fix instead.
2015-8-26
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Joe Blow
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Ray you show great enthusiasm and I commend you for your efforts.  
Most large organizations and companies hire public relations employees and train them extensively on how to deal with the press.  Normally, there are only a few people in a large company authorized to discuss issues with the press.  Many of these companies learned the hard way that a interview can go "South" in a second.  The great thing about media is they can clip and chop the interview to make it come out as fiction rather then reality.  Keep flying and have fun.
2015-8-26
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CaveDrone
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Soooooo.... your saying that I should change my Avatar Name?      Perhaps my name reflects the way I keep talking, on on on on on and on..... droning on and on  <<GRIN>>
   
Seriously, though,  I have tried multiple times, people say  "Oh. you mean a Drone!"   It may be a lost cause, it has become an generic term.  When I first started servicing copiers, I used to correct people when they say my Xerox is not working,  I tell them I don't repair Xerox machines, I fix Toshiba Copiers.  I gave up after a fashion.  

With regards, to the video and photos,  I tell them hold your cell phone up and look at something 100 feet away while in camera mode,  that is about what it looks like when a RC quad-copter takes a picture there is no Zoom, No infrared.  If you're comfortable with cell phones then you should be fine with the quad-copters.
2015-8-26
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shango
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Better than calling it a "Bird" which many seem to do
2015-8-26
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dmwierz
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Vernacular....colloquial...it is what it is, friends. We're not going to change the popular usage of the word "Drone"...we might as well embrace it, and work to build as many positive references to the good that drones can do.

To continue to fight what will certainly be a losing battle just makes us all look a little silly, or at least that's my opinion.
2015-8-26
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Oliver
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I agree, the term drone has negative connotations. I try to use other terms but most people only understand "drone". To be fair, I think the use of "drone" to describe these aircraft also waters down the negative connotations. The more people use the word "drone" and relate it to aerial photography and stunning footage, the more we can turn "drone" into a positive term. That's what I try to do, anyway.
2015-8-26
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john_351
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rayrokni Posted at 2015-8-26 10:44
and yes i absolutely control the p3, it can not over ride my decision, i can run it full throttle  ...

That's what YOU think... IT however has other ideas!


2015-8-26
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rayrokni
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john_351@yahoo. Posted at 2015-8-27 14:21
That's what YOU think... IT however has other ideas!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Hhvdpvp5o

lol, ive seen that before and funny thing is, i knew someone was going to reply with that video.
im glad you sent it, it has made me laugh quite a bit, my employees thing ive finally lost it, as i am sitting behind my desk and laughing, apparently to them for no reason!!
thanks
2015-8-27
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Paniza
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Can of worms.

I agree with you but often believe it is kinda too late.

In May, I was calling it a quadcopter. Most people seeing it flying would go "qua-what?" Then it became quad.

Nowadays, this thing is very popular. People no longer ask what that is. They just ask "May I see you fly your drone?" or "Where did you buy that drone?"

I also believe that moving apart from the term "drone" is good but it might be difficult at this point.

Well, doesn't hurt to try.
2015-8-27
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Flight Raptor
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Paniza Posted at 2015-8-27 19:46
Can of worms.

I agree with you but often believe it is kinda too late.

I WISH most people responded with the questions like you get....that shows interest and not ignorance of these flying devices!

I will admit 2 of the times I was out I had someone come up to me very interested in the quad and its abilities....it's always fun to educate.  Remember, enthusiasm can be contagious
2015-8-27
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P3PO
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I stayed at a state park lodge last week and asked if it would be ok to fly my UAV (I knew what the answer would be but thought I would ask anyway) as we were the only ones there and it was a beautiful setting with lake and all, anyway the manager said whats a UAV and i explained what it was and he said "Oh a Drone, No those aren't allowed" I said ok but "Drone is a Military term and doesn't apply to what i have but thanks and left it in the car. As for comments telling/showing onlookers that at a distance you can't really make out who's who isn't entirely correct. With the high res of our 4K cameras and computer software one can zoom in pretty close and ...... The public will eventually figure this out and not like it. We will sadly continue to fight the uphill battle to fly our UAV's until we CAN'T. Just like the gun control advocates, "Take their gun's away and all will be well". Bad guys and idiots will always have access. Same goes for our Hobby except we dont have the NRA on our side.
2015-8-27
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