I would like your help.  Safety is my number one issue with drones. Last year I was learning to fly my  Parrot AR. Drone that I had fitted with carbon fiber blades.  I was doing a simple take off and landing in the living room to impress a friend.  I was hovering and accidentally hit the "Home" button. Instead of a soft landing the AR Drone took off from a distance of about 10' from me and came right at my face.  As I was trying to deflect it, the carbon fiber blade put a gash on my left eye, just missing my eyeball.  I don't know about you, but that really soured my experience and nearly put out my eye.

I had every intention of taking the money I had saved to start a Real Estate Photography company.  Instead I became afraid of the drone. A friend purchased a Phantom from DJI and had a very similar experience on his very first flight.  Oddly enough I became so fascinated with the industry that started to look for solutions to the danger of any multi-rotor with plastic or carbon fiber blades.  I came up with what I affectionately call DroneKone.  It is complete and substantial propeller protection to help make drones safer.
I started a small company with my limited funds and developed a model of my concept.  I was able to get a provisional patent on my safety device.  Then I had a devastating life event and was out of action for a year.  I have recovered.  

I was told by a potential investor that I needed to survey 100 people to find out if my product is market worthy.  He litterally told me to fail fast ("It is less painful and easier on the wallet."
Okay enough story.  Simple Survey for Safety:

• Yes or No  Are you concerned about drones flying around Children?
• Yes or No  Do you have a concern about your personal safety when flying a drone?
• Yes or No  If a safety device was available would you consider purchasing it?
•                   What would a safety device look like to you if you could design one?
•                   How much would you pay for a safety cage if one was available when you purchase your drone.
• 
  

I greatly appreciate you reading this far and ask for help.  If this is just plain stupid, then I would like to know that now, before I spend any money on moving further.

Thank you so much for listening.  I am grateful to be a small part of this awesome community.  I hope to bring a safer experience to the industry and thereby allow users that don't have a high level of skill become part of this awesome adventure in the sky.  You can see our work at safethedrones.com.  

I would love to hear your feedback.
bob

Bob there are things called prop guards that are in the industry to help out this problem and doing any kind of take off in a closed confined area isn't to smart on the pilots behalf. I don't like flying near kids they are very curious. And as for me flying personal im not afraid of it but I don't do dumb things like hand catch or hand take off or fly indoors. Its a big competitive  market out there in quads or drones for starting off they have a site called kick starter you should check it out is it a dumb idea no idea isn't dumb unless you think it is.

Robert,

Thank you.  We are just starting out and have only one wish, that is to enhance the safety of flying.  I hope Phantom Pilots do not think we want to change the flying experience.  That would be inaccurate.

I am certainly aware of prop guards, but am looking to the future when people don't have the training and intelligence you and most Phantom Pilots seem to have.  Besides, if the Phantom is deemed safe for areas where there are people gathered, the everyone wins.  DJI makes more product and more pilots enjoy the experience.  I hope we bring something to the industry, not detract from the art and wonder of flying.

bob

My question would be how heavy is it. And how would it affect aerodynamics, especially in windy conditions.

Dave

DJI-Dave Posted at 2015-9-26 09:19
My question would be how heavy is it. And how would it affect aerodynamics, especially in windy cond ...

DJI-Dave,
My apologies, I did not see your post.  I'm in the process of making the art into reality and don't currently have a working prototype.   The easy answer is that it will be light weight enough to not affect the quadcopter and durable enough to not break.  I have many seen wind tunnel testing that a air manifold actually increases the stability in windy conditions.  I have been told that the issue is an engineering formula that addresses power/thrust vs. weight.  Basically anything will fly with enough thrust.

I have sent SkyFund several emails looking for funding.  I'm guessing they have too many requests to reply to mine, but I am still hopeful.

Thank you for your interest.  If you would like to discuss this further please email me at safethedrones@outlook.com

bob

Ok sound good Bob. I wish you the best of luck!


Dave

Ouch!  Glad to hear there was no significant injury.  

While I was growing up and whenever I would perform one of numerous boneheaded acts that was witnessed by my Father it would usually generate a standard response (annoying at the time) along the lines of: "well, did you learn anything?"  While my Father is no longer around to dispense his wisdom (that I now miss) I have tried to adopt it into a less grating philosophy: "it's only a bad experience if you didn't learn anything"

And while I don't want this to sound snarky or preachy, you did basically admit you are a new pilot and you injured yourself trying to "impress a friend".

So...