Table of contents for Drones The Complete Manual in Drones: The Complete Manual

It’s not too long ago that we thought of drones as inaccessible technology, reserved only for the military and professionals, but that’s no longer the case. Commercial drones are taking the electronics market by storm, and they are increasingly being used in news broadcasting, filmmaking, emergency aid, animal conservation, art exhibitions and entertainment. If you’re hoping to get creative with a drone too, getting started might seem daunting. However, in this new edition of Drones the Complete Manual, we make it easier than ever before. You no longer need to be a certified pilot to fly, all you need is a drone and this book, and you’re ready for take-off!…

You could go on Amazon right now and take your pick from around 10,000 different drones. However, you might encounter a problem when it comes to choosing which one to buy, as you will be swamped with jargon and reviews. Quadcopters cross lines between electronics, hobbyist products and, in some cases, even toys. So, high-street stores that sell any of these could also sell drones. The electronics store Currys PC World, for example, sell a number of UAVs, but not every store will necessarily have every product. Once you have an idea of the type of drone you want, and how much you can afford to spend on it, use online sites to narrow down your search. Many people buy the first drone they can afford, and don’t appreciate there…

Your drone is subject to enormous stresses. Each of its rotors is really trying to spin the entire machine and, although having four or more of them cancels that out, it strains the airframe. Drones have to be light too, so there are limits to how strong they can be, and to keep it working well, you need to know how to maintain it. There are two things you should always do: check the batteries and bring spares. Batteries decline in power over time, so get used to having spares when you can and making sure you use them fully. That’s harder in a drone than, say, a mobile phone because leaving them on means leaving the device flying. Do what you can, though, and that includes regular cleaning of…

The DJI Phantom was renowned for offering professional-grade video capabilities and an array of smart features, which put it firmly at the top of the list for any aspiring drone cinematographer. It has improved the range with the Phantom 4 Pro, which was part of a drive to make drones smarter and safer with the addition of new autopilot modes and a refined design for more stable flight. If you’re worried it all sounds a bit dull, then don’t be – it’s faster than you would expect! DJI has improved on this model with the release of the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 in 2018. The changes don’t warrant a purchase from those who own a Phantom 4 but if you’re new to the range, this is the one to get.…

The Inspire 3 is a premium drone for those looking to film the kind of video footage you would expect to see in Hollywood blockbusters. DJI has effectively taken the past Inspire drones and then tweaked them in all the right places to make the absolute best drone for filmmakers. There are sensors for avoiding obstacles on the top, bottom and front of the drone so you should be able to avert most objects, no matter what direction you are flying in. The Inspire 3 can support two controllers, allowing one person to pilot the drone while another controls the 360-degree gimbal holding the camera. Only one is supplied so you may want to invest in a second controller for capturing the perfect shots, although it comes at a hefty…

Drone filming is big news on television right now. Almost every time you sit down to watch the news, there will be some great sequences showing buildings and places in a way we’ve never seen before, from angles that show us exactly what we need to see and that would be impossible to shoot without the help of a stable drone. Many of us would love to try our hand at drone photography and filming, whether it’s just for entertainment or for business and professional purposes, but don’t know where to begin. So here’s our guide to getting started, along with some tips on what to watch out for and how to avoid the pitfalls. While you may have mastered flying your drone, this takes everything one step further, and…

Take any invention or method of conveyance and transportation from across the ages, and you will find that somewhere, humans have been racing it. From Roman chariots and horses to the first aircraft and internal combustion engines, it wasn’t long before we were creating racing circuits as we continued hunting for our new fix of adrenaline. It’s a long-held belief that warfare and competition are the two elements that advance developments in any area, and drone technology is no different. Welcome to the world of drone racing. Drone racing is a 21st-century motorsport. A unique and intoxicating combination of PC gaming, gladiatorial motorsport, Hollywood movie effects and, of course, adrenaline. As with any form of competition, the origins of drone racing are unclear. In all probability, it started with a…

Modern UAVs have sophisticated software and stability controls that make them extremely easy and stable to fly. You can have great fun teaching everyone in the family to fly a quadcopter, but here are our important tips on how to do it safely: • Always fly with the prop guards on and stay more than a few metres away. • Fly with GPS mode enabled and allow the technology to help beginners to fly.• Fly at no more than walking pace until everyone involved becomes confident.• Remember, less is more. Make sure that everyone keeps their drone movements smooth and slow in order to achieve the best results.…

In this modern age, with health and safety being the mantra of every security guard, gaining access to some areas can be difficult, but not impossible. It pays to persevere and try to gain permission to access some areas, but it’s never easy. First, don’t just try to enter without permission. Not only will you antagonise everyone including security staff, it’s potentially dangerous and illegal. Old buildings are closed off for a reason, generally because there are hazards inside. On-site staff will rarely be in a position to give permission, so don’t ask. Instead, find out who the owners are and approach them. Give them an upside by offering to document the building for them and ask what its future is. You’re far more likely to be successful if they…

Thanks to a drop in manufacturing costs, and rapid advances in technology, drones have flown into many professional and recreational areas in the last few years. In the next few chapters you will discover how drones are being used to help keep firefighters safe, assist rangers in spotting potential poachers, enable news gatherers to report from disaster zones, and keep maps up to date. There are also cinematographers who are using drones to replace traditional film-making equipment, enabling them to get shots that would be too dangerous and expensive to capture using a helicopter. There’s even an insight from a military drone pilot on how drones are being used in intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance. We’ll also discover how drones are being embraced by the non-professionals, with the advent…

Flying a drone safely while simultaneously capturing high-quality video of a live event would be too challenging a task for an individual. Mark Corcoran explains how a news-gathering drone operating team needs to work together to generate aerial footage in challenging locations: “There is overlap. You’ve got a dedicated pilot, a second person can be calling the shots in a busy environment and there is also someone controlling the vicinity of the pilot. With the larger, more complex systems (such as heavy lift multirotors and fixed wing RPAs) you have the camera operator, you have the pilot and you effectively have a director.” This division of labour enables the camera operator to follow the director’s instructions and capture relevant footage of an unfolding news story, while the pilot keeps the…

Ensure it’s legal The laws surrounding drones are constantly changing. One of the most important things to do before you take your drone out is to research and understand the basic laws regarding flying a drone in your country. There are limits to where you can fly, especially near people, airports and military bases, so check before you head out. Know your boundaries There’s a reason so many drone videos are of wild landscapes: you cannot fly one within 150 metres of a congested area. Similarly, you cannot fly one within 50 metres of an individual. Also, if you are doing any flying for commercial reasons, you’ll need a licence from the Civil Aviation Authority. Pick your spot The UAV must remain within your sight at all times. If you…

Accelerometer: Instrument used for measuring acceleration on a given path. Attitude: This is the orientation of the UAV, whether it’s tilting forward or flying upside down. Autonomous: When a drone is flying by itself on a set path using GPS or other means, rather than actively steered with a controller. Bind: Connecting a controller to a drone. This is like pairing your phone to an earpiece. CAA (Civil Aviation Authority): The UK’s body in charge of all flight issues and licences. The American equivalent is the FAA, or Federal Aviation Authority. Controller: The device you use to fly the UAV. They can be exactly the same as old-style helicopter remote controls, or you can use apps on a phone. Downdraft: The force of the wind from the rotor blades when they’re…

Who said that all drones had to be controlled in the air? PowerVision has shown this definitely isn’t the case with their previous model the PowerRay. Unlike the PowerRay, which can submerge and swim around underwater, the PowerDolphin stays on the surface of the water. Marine drones at the moment are nowhere near as popular as their airborne counterparts but you may see a few trying to be funded on places like Kickstarter. If companies such as PowerVision can build an audience, then it’s possible more companies may make their own marine drones. The PowerDolphin’s camera is mounted on a dual-joint rotating system so it can change between looking upwards to down, giving it a 215-degree viewing angle. Around the camera lens are four lights to give you a choice…

While professionals might require giant drones like the Typhoon H, others need something more portable. The DJI Mavic led the pack of new generation of drones that weren’t just smarter and faster than ever before, but also much smaller. The Mavic 3 improves on all of these aspects. The drone folds up so that it is only 22.1 centimetres long and you can easily fit it into your backpack. But don’t let its compact size fool you into thinking that this drone is a relative lightweight in terms of the features it offers to the market, because it packs enough power to floor the industry heavyweights. The drone can be controlled from a range of up to 9 miles (15km) using a controller. Amazingly, this technology allows for full HD…

Reverse engineer aerial sequences that you see on television and at the cinema. Watch some of the great aerial camera moves in blockbuster movies, documentaries and other productions, then try to work out how they were achieved. For sure, the subject material may be way more spectacular than your own, but the same principles apply. You really need to start thinking like an aerial cameraman and study not just drone footage, but helicopter-based gyro-stabilised work shot on high-end Cineflex systems. The budget may be bigger and the equipment more expensive, but the same techniques also apply to your UAV.…

The frame What would be called the chassis or fuselage were it a car or an aircraft, drone-racing frames are typically all carbon. Two of the most popular are the Armattan Chameleon and the Lumenier QAV-R. Both retail at around $100. Flight controller Most popular, by far, are the Naze32 Acro and the OpenPilot CC3D. Expect to pay less than $100 for either. Motors and props It’s true that you get what you pay for with motors and props, just like full-sized engines. Cobra engines with HQ Props are the premium brands. If you’re on a budget, try Sunny Sky motors with GenFan props. Whichever combination you choose, order spare props and make sure you have them to hand. They’re always the first casualties in an accident. Electronic speed controllers…

“The technology in modern UAVs means that radio-controlled flying is easier and more accessible than ever before” Many people see modern drones as something mainly used by filmmakers and hardcore technology geeks. UAVs can be seen as elitist, hard to fly and needing considerable technical skills as well as exceptional hand-eye coordination. In fact, the technology in modern UAVs means that radio-controlled flying is easier and more accessible than ever before. If you’re thinking of investing in a quadcopter of your own, but worry that it may be just a fad and will soon be forgotten at the back of the spare room, here are a few ideas on fun things to do with a drone that anyone can try, which will stop you becoming bored with your UAV. All…

The commercial and hobbyist unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are in other chapters of this book can trace their ancestors back to a military source. It was the military who were motivated to research and develop UAV technology, and who had the resources to do so. Some might trace UAVs back to the German-built V1 and V2 flying bombs of World War II, but these ‘doodlebugs’ were more akin to single-use missiles than today’s remotely piloted UAVs. The term ‘drone’ has traditionally been used to describe military UAVs. This military connotation has been a concern for some civilian UAV users who we interviewed. Craig Jump from Sky View Video explains: “One of the reasons I don’t like to use the word ‘drone’ is because people think of military aircraft with…

One of the biggest challenges faced by conservationists and those working with wild animals is how to cover the huge areas of terrain occupied by the creatures that they are trying to protect. Certain habitats, such as dense jungles, are also difficult to traverse. Serge Wich is a Professor in Primate Biology at Liverpool John Moores University and his research often takes him into the wild. He is also the co-founder of ConservationDrones. Serge explains how the organisation came to be. “We had been doing survey work in South East Asia and figured that it would be good if there was a more efficient way of doing surveys than just going in on the ground,” he told us. “Ground data is great, but it is often very costly and very…

If you have visited any popular tourist attraction recently, from the Roman Colosseum to the Great Wall of China, chances are you’ve seen travellers posing for a group photo using a smartphone on a stick. However, in the not too distant future, these so-called ‘selfie sticks’ might be replaced with a new generation of highly portable self-flying drones. The Airselfie 2 is one such drone that could fast become a travel essential. Available now and priced at £260/$365, the Airselfie is about the same size as a phone. It even comes with a case for your smartphone that houses and charges the Airselfie. This means it can sit comfortably in your pocket. The Airselfie is both small and smart: it uses computer vision to recognise familiar faces to ensure it…

Drones are now common enough that there are stores that stock them and, of course, online shops that sell different types. The differences can be as obvious as cost and manufacturer, but more importantly affect how much work you have to do. You’re not likely to ever be able to fly a drone home straight from the shop. There are some that need assembling, and some that need their batteries charged first. RTF RTF means Ready To Fly. It means that you’ll be able to fly it more or less straight out of the box. You will need to charge up the drone’s batteries, perhaps put on the rotor blades and bind the drone with the controller. ‘Binding’ is the drone equivalent of pairing your phone with a Bluetooth device.…

Hover your drone When your drone is close to the ground, the downdraft from the rotors is reflected up, and makes it hard to keep the UAV steady. Raise it to 1.5m (5ft) and then practise holding it still. This is known as hovering and can be tricky to master. Take short hops Practice flying your drone short distances in your garden. You’ll be learning the core controls of turning left and right, moving up and down, forward and back. If you do them in short hops, the worst that can happen is that you have to walk over and pick your drone up. Beat the wind Gusts come from one direction at a time, so if you are buffeted from the right, then you should fly to the right.…

As technology advances and prices fall, the demand for consumer drones continues to grow. Drones are available in all shapes and sizes from the tiny, entry-level Micro Drone 3.0 to the high-end, professional DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0. It can all be a bit confusing, as these remote control or autonomous aircraft go by a variety of names, including UAVs, drones and quadcopters. These are largely interchangeable, although the term quadcopter refers to the number of rotors. From as little as £40/$60, you can experience the fun and excitement of owning a drone without breaking the bank. Explore, perform stunts, and even play multiplayer games. You can choose from a range of drones to suit your budget and experience level. With so many drones on the market, it can be…

If you like the idea of shooting aerial photography or video, but don’t want the stress of flying, then you want a drone with autonomous flying features. The Autel EVO Lite+ was designed with Dynamic Track 2.1 built-in. Select a person, animal or vehicle, and the drone will follow the subject, allowing you to focus on capturing them perfectly. These automated flying modes aren’t as good as the ones found on DJI’s offerings, but they work well enough. To capture the shots, the Autel EVO Lite+ is equipped with a 20MP camera capable of shooting 6K video at 30fps as well as 4K at up to 60fps. Video can be shot with HDR for footage with more dynamic colours and blacks. The variable f/2.8-f/11 aperture is something not seen in…

First-person view, or FPV, means you see what your drone sees through its camera or attached GoPro. Instead of just squinting up at your quadcopter from the ground, you can see the live view through the on-board camera, using special goggles or a portable monitor, or in some cases an Android or iOS mobile device. This lets you fly further, higher and faster without getting too disorientated or confused. Watching from the ground, it’s all too easy to lose track of which way your drone is facing and whether you need to reverse the stick inputs to make it turn the right way. When you’re flying FPV, left and right never get reversed, because your perspective is the same as your drone’s. Flying FPV is also a lot more immersive.…

It’s vital to be able to edit your hard earned footage, or at least have a friend who can. Being organised is a major help in managing and editing your material. Start by downloading your clips into a separate project folder. Don’t just download everything into your computer’s default photo or video folder. Create a separate folder for the project and name everything there. After this, your editing software will have everything to hand. Once you’re finished, your project can easily be archived to an external hard drive, but if you decide to change something in your edit, everything is still in place and your video editing software will be able to access your clips. It’s all in the edit Once you return home with your footage, the work really…

Humans love to compete against one another. It’s how we’re wired, and no matter where you go in the world, you’ll find somebody organising a racing series for something. From Formula One cars to snails, we’ll race it. Most competitive sports involve significant costs, but drone racing allows you to feel the full-on adrenaline of competition without massive expense. Perhaps this will change, but we doubt it. Because even the latest technology is relatively inexpensive, drone racing will probably continue to be cost effective for some time to come. It’s in its early stages which, in our view, is the best time to become involved.…

Many drone projects are crowd-funded. The cutting-edge, global technology lends itself to this method perfectly. If you wish to speculate on a UAV project like this, do it through recognised sources, such as Kickstarter or IndieGogo. They verify that the projects that exist are worth supporting. Most projects offer perks for supporting them, such as a discounted price or early delivery. The idea is that, instead of trying to convince one big institution to give them all the money, they ask lots of people across the world to loan small amounts each. When the project is successful, everyone gets their pledge returned to them in the form of the final product. It pays to read up on each project and check the protections that are on offer from each platform.…

With a range of wildlife habitats to survey, what’s the best type of drone for the job? Multirotor or fixed wing? Serge Wich from ConservationDrones shares the results of his extensive in-the-field experience… “If you need to cover a small area, a multirotor is fine. And also, where there is no place to land a fixed wing then you are almost forced to use a multirotor, which has vertical takeoff and landing – the open-space requirements are much smaller. “Most of the multirotor systems have a GPS mode, so whenever you let go of your control stick, that unit will stay at that particular place. It won’t drift with the wind and it will remain at that particular altitude, so that’s really nice for people who are new to flying.…

Since the invention of photography, many people have been absolutely fascinated by capturing a bird’s-eye view of the world in photographic form. This desire to take aerial photographs was a driving force for many professionals to start using drones and to realise their potential in this market, including Stef Williams of Aerialworx: “I always wanted to take a camera to the sky. I was flying my remote-controlled aeroplanes and trying to strap mobile phones onto them, and then small cameras, which didn’t work very well. Then, about four years ago when the quadcopter technology came onto the market, because I was already flying remote-control aeroplanes, it was a natural progression to move onto these drones.” In the early days of multicopter technology, you couldn’t just buy a craft and fly…

With the development of drones, filmmakers are discovering exciting new ways to capture distinctive footage for a wide range of film, TV and corporate productions. While planning a TV commercial, energy company EDF wanted to show the journey of various energy assets in the UK in a single shot. They tasked UK-based SkyVue Media with the job of capturing drone-sourced aerial footage that would blend seamlessly with handheld steadicam footage on the ground, as SkyVue’s Managing Director Dan Shiells explains: “That was quite tricky because the shot starts over the back of a house pointing down, and then we tilt up to reveal the horizon. We then pull back over the house, come down the front of it, and zoom right in on an EDF energy van. From there, the…