It's not exactly all about the gear. But the right gear will maximize your rewards and fun. Mastering the right gear will minimize the likelihood and the consequences if things go wrong.
Clothing
During flying season, temperature will normally range between 50 & 85. Check the weather in advance for your tour site, & dress appropriately. Wear sturdy closed toe walking shoes (flip flops not recommended. We'll be on uneven ground.)
Suggest bringing a small day pack for snacks, water, sunscreen, medications, extra batteries and SD cards, a hat and sunglasses etc.
Required Gear
Drone (e.g. dji Mini series, Air series, Mavic series). If your drone weighs more than 249 grams, it MUST be registered with the FAA.
Micro SD card installed in drone (1 or 2 x 256 GB recommended)
3 batteries recommended
Charger and connecting cables (charging hub recommended)
Controller & charger
Recommended Gear
In case we can't fly a mission due to weather - unlikely.
DSLR, mirrorless or mobile phone Camera
Tripod
Lenses & Lens filters
Spare batteries
Recommended Mobile Software
B4UFLY (Now Air Aware) - Mobile flight conditions and LAANC approval
UAV Forecast - Mobile sun, wind, satellite conditions at launch site
Aloft Air Control - Mobile LAANC approval to fly in controlled airspace.
PhotoPills - Mobile sunrise, sunset, moon rise, moon set with sun and moon angles and shadow length calculator.
Totally Optional Gear
Completely Optional!
Computer (laptop recommended)
Photo and video editing software installed. Adobe Premier, Photoshop or the editing software of your choice.
A means to get your photos/videos from your drone to your computer.
Thumb drive to transfer photos for sharing with our group
Our tours are built with downtime between missions. If you want to download your photos and videos, having computer gear and editing software will let you do some light edits on site.
Completely Optional!
Weather
We're Obsessed About Weather
We look forward to welcoming you to our drone tour, where you will have the opportunity to explore the scenic landscapes and landmarks of our destination from a unique perspective.
As you’re likely already aware, weather conditions can have a significant impact on the drone’s performance and safety, and of course - the safety of our group. Therefore, we ask you to read, understand, and accept the following statements carefully and abide by our instructions both before, and during the tour.
Temperature: Extreme hot or cold temperatures can reduce your drone's efficiency and lifespan and that of controller batteries. Hot temperatures can also cause overheating of the motors and electronics, which can lead to shutdown.Temperature can also affect the drone’s performance, stability, and responsiveness. Therefore, we will not fly in extreme temperatures.
Precipitation: Rain, snow, hail, fog, and high humidity can damage your drone. They can also reduce VLOS and interfere with the camera and sensors. Therefore, we will not be flying in wet or foggy conditions and we will cancel a specific mission if precipitation occurs during flight.
Wind: Strong winds can affect the drone’s stability, control, and range. They can also increase the battery consumption and reduce the flight time. Therefore, we will be checking the wind speed and direction before flying and adjust the flight plan, or locations accordingly. We will not be flying in overly gusty or turbulent conditions. We recommend setting your drone's maximum speed at least 5 mph above windspeed including gusts.
We hope you share our obsession about weather, and that you understand that these precautions are necessary for your safety and enjoyment of the drone tour. We appreciate your cooperation and we look forward to seeing you soon.