Posts: 1,504 Threads: 83 Likes Received: 944 in 654 posts Likes Given: 2,142 Joined: Sep 2016 Reputation: 24 I had a funny experience the other day that made me wonder if any of you have had something similar... I was flying with my goggles on in the driveway when one of my neighbours came home, he drove right up next to me, I was watching with quads eye view, and felt no sense of danger at all. Even when he beeped, it made me lose control for a second, but I still felt no inclination to take the goggles off, even to save my own life! A couple of packs later another neighbours dog came out, 'drone hunting!' I only saw a flash of movement which was enough to make me turn my little antenna tail and run away! Talk about an immersive experience FPV Windless fields and smokeless builds Posts: 72 Threads: 2 Likes Received: 32 in 22 posts Likes Given: 1 Joined: Jun 2017 Reputation: 0 Was flying a while back and a dog owner walked past. The dog wasn't on a line and running around minding its own business. It was checking me out sitting there like an idiot, getting quite close to me. Only when it sniffed my ear I startled. First reaction was to disarm and then took my glasses off, only to find the dog running back to its owned because it got called. Normally I'd never let a strange dog get so close (not a big dog fan) to my face but yeah, as I was a quadcopter in the air at that time it actually had to touch me before I reacted Posts: 1,590 Threads: 89 Likes Received: 1,283 in 768 posts Likes Given: 1,274 Joined: Jan 2017 Reputation: 31 26-Oct-2017, 01:03 PM (This post was last modified: 26-Oct-2017, 01:06 PM by Carl.Vegas.) I am the opposite... Outside sounds, people waking buy, vehicles driving up are all big alarms in my head and distract my flying to a point where it only makes sense to land so that I can take off the goggles and see what's going on. (or in some cases if I am in a big enough area I might just put the quad on a directly upward trajectory and peek out the bottom of the goggles for a quick second). My amygdala kicks into fight or flight mode (fleeing flight). my biggest problem is the idea that someone is going to escalate and I am not going to be able to diffuse the situation unless I acknowledge them. The only place where this is an exception is at my home AMA field that I fly at. It's a bit part of why I love that field. I am comfortable there and know that I have safe boundaries to fly within and that the people who will ask questions will be able to tell that I am busy so they wont have a problem with me leaving my goggles on as I answer questions (which I don't mind doing. I am perfectly comfortable flying while talking) carl.vegas Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein, Slightly modified Vortex 250 Posts: 7 Threads: 2 Likes Received: 2 in 2 posts Likes Given: 3 Joined: Sep 2017 Reputation: 1 26-Oct-2017, 04:24 PM (This post was last modified: 26-Oct-2017, 04:26 PM by SJWhiteley.) This is why you have an observer/spotter. Right? "A couple of packs later another neighbours dog came out, 'drone hunting!' " I read this as "...a pack of dogs came out, drone hunting"... Posts: 1,504 Threads: 83 Likes Received: 944 in 654 posts Likes Given: 2,142 Joined: Sep 2016 Reputation: 24 (26-Oct-2017, 04:24 PM)SJWhiteley Wrote: This is why you have an observer/spotter. Right? My neighbour who wanted to run me over, is my usual spotter!! Maybe I need to start interviewing replacements!? (26-Oct-2017, 04:24 PM)SJWhiteley Wrote: I read this as "...a pack of dogs came out, drone hunting"... No, just the one, I know her well, and she's lovely, but she just wants to eat anything that flies, one of the reasons I fled! Windless fields and smokeless builds Posts: 1,290 Threads: 67 Likes Received: 711 in 472 posts Likes Given: 1,216 Joined: Mar 2016 Reputation: 23 I tend to get absorbed in flying and try and tune out external distractions. I used to allow my dog out with me but no more. I was flying a while back and unknown to me he approached me from the side and decided my hand belonged on his head instead of the controller....and I WOULD have missed that damn tree. I got ready to yell at him, looked down and this face said "Now can we go play"?? I couldn't do it...I put the quad up and spent time with him. He is not going to around forever and I should enjoy him while I can. "Damn the torpedoes!!! Full speed ahead!!!" Posts: 122 Threads: 6 Likes Received: 77 in 48 posts Likes Given: 93 Joined: Aug 2017 Reputation: 4 A few weeks ago I was learning power loops. I had finally gotten the hang of it and was caught up in the excitement. I lost track of where I was standing and did a fast loop. Right as I was leveling out a few feet off the ground I found myself looking straight at...myself. My quad was only about 4-5m or so from me and moving full speed. I didn't move an inch and instead turned my quadcopter hard to avoid myself and missed at very high speed by a meter or so. I did have shakey hands for a while after though. Not to mention feeling very foolish. Flying: Talon 6S 6" 2407s 381g no bat, Martian 3, 5" 2205s sooo heavy + gopro session 5 573g AUW, Aurora 5" 2205s 280g no bat, Druckbaer 3" 1404s 172g AUW 3S 550, BQE Megapixel 2.5" 1107s 139g AUW 3S 550, BabyHawk R 2.5" 164g AUW 3S 550 (stock except microeagle, CRSF, 2.5" arms) and maybe 3 more, for now... Posts: 1,590 Threads: 89 Likes Received: 1,283 in 768 posts Likes Given: 1,274 Joined: Jan 2017 Reputation: 31 (26-Oct-2017, 09:15 PM)McDee Wrote: A few weeks ago I was learning power loops. I had finally gotten the hang of it and was caught up in the excitement. I lost track of where I was standing and did a fast loop. Right as I was leveling out a few feet off the ground I found myself looking straight at...myself. My quad was only about 4-5m or so from me and moving full speed. I didn't move an inch and instead turned my quadcopter hard to avoid myself and missed at very high speed by a meter or so. I did have shakey hands for a while after though. Not to mention feeling very foolish. Self near-misses are definitely scary. They never freak me out until just after I feel the air move after it passes and then i am like "that was too close"... I am very lucky to have not hit myself so far. I've done some self fly bys on purpose but generally the only time I do it is on accident when I don't establish a safety line for myself (such as flying in an empty desert just recently) carl.vegas Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein, Slightly modified Vortex 250 Posts: 2,286 Threads: 38 Likes Received: 1,527 in 995 posts Likes Given: 1,881 Joined: Apr 2016 Reputation: 72 That feeling of 'not quite there' that FPV brings on is quite strange. As I don't have a flying field where I can fly and be sure of what's happening around me, my ears are always working overtime when I fly FPV to detect any nearby causes for concern. Sometimes I'll turn 180 degrees with the quad so that I can fly towards where I'm sitting to check if there are people approaching me. Let's face it, if you're sitting there with a pair of FPV goggles on, you're a pretty easy target if you are on your own. Having to split your ears and eyes between the area around you and the quad, is a really disconcerting feeling at the start! Posts: 1,290 Threads: 67 Likes Received: 711 in 472 posts Likes Given: 1,216 Joined: Mar 2016 Reputation: 23 I live on a fairly secluded piece of property so I can pretty much fly most any time I'm not working without fear of interruption. What I find happens to me is that I usually sit on the back steps and fly and if I crash on the other side of the house i'll go get it, set things right. and fly from that position. I tend to forget that I moved. So i'll got fly back around the other side of the house where I started and then come back into the front where I am now standing, see myself standing there and find myself thinking, "Whos that idiot standing in my front yard?" I did hit myself once, I got it almost stopped so all i suffered was a scraped up arm and back...and some hurt pride..... "Damn the torpedoes!!! Full speed ahead!!!" Posts: 1,504 Threads: 83 Likes Received: 944 in 654 posts Likes Given: 2,142 Joined: Sep 2016 Reputation: 24 (27-Oct-2017, 01:11 AM)sirdude Wrote: "Whos that idiot standing in my front yard?" Windless fields and smokeless builds Posts: 1,590 Threads: 89 Likes Received: 1,283 in 768 posts Likes Given: 1,274 Joined: Jan 2017 Reputation: 31 Lol sirdude that is an awesome account! Glad you weren't too hurt carl.vegas Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein, Slightly modified Vortex 250 Posts: 1,290 Threads: 67 Likes Received: 711 in 472 posts Likes Given: 1,216 Joined: Mar 2016 Reputation: 23 (27-Oct-2017, 08:52 PM)Carl.Vegas Wrote: Lol sirdude that is an awesome account! Glad you weren't too hurt Me too!! "Damn the torpedoes!!! Full speed ahead!!!" • Posts: 5,314 Threads: 672 Likes Received: 3,155 in 1,743 posts Likes Given: 2,027 Joined: Jan 2016 Reputation: 139 30-Oct-2017, 05:31 PM (This post was last modified: 30-Oct-2017, 05:31 PM by Oscar.) You have obtained the ability of a warg Posts: 1,504 Threads: 83 Likes Received: 944 in 654 posts Likes Given: 2,142 Joined: Sep 2016 Reputation: 24 You can call me Varamyr Sixskins, (anyone who's read the Game of Thrones books?) Windless fields and smokeless builds • |