STACK #216 October 2022

NG OUT! continued

DRONI

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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DRONING 101

BETTER DJI Mini 3 Pro Drone with DJI RC Controller

Taking ownership of a drone comes with certain responsibilities, and the more of them that hit the skies, the more important it is to keep some simple rules in mind. HOW HIGH CAN I FLY? Up to 120 metres above ground level. DRONE DISTANCING You must keep at least 30 metres away from other people, unless they’re helping you operate the drone. HOW MANY CAN I FLY? Just like a car, you can only control one drone at a time. KEEP IT IN SIGHT You must always be able to see your drone with your own eyes. OH BEHAVE! Never fly in a way that creates a hazard to other people, property, or aircraft. WHERE TO AVOID? You must keep 5.5 kilometres away from controlled airports, helipads, and emergency operations. PRIVACY ISSUES You mustn’t fly over people events in progress and, most importantly, always respect personal privacy – don’t record or photograph the public without their consent. MORE INPUT! Check out the full drone rules and regulations at https://www.casa.gov.au/ knowyourdrone – ignorance of them isn’t a valid defence if anything happens to go wrong. in populated areas such as beaches and sporting

So, you’ve caught the bug and want to upgrade, eh? The DJI Mini 3 Pro packs in a huge range of impressive features, while still weighing in at a mere 249 grams. Easily folded so as to take up very little space, with its 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor this baby is made for a wide range of lighting conditions, and even supports HDR and 4x digital zoom on next level 4K/60fps video, as well as 48MP RAW photos. It's also packed with safety features, such as forward, backward, and downward dual-vision sensors and APAS 4.0 – Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems – which helps in avoiding obstacles, even in complicated environments. Hit the skies for up to 34 minutes from a full charge, while freeing up your phone via the included dedicated remote controller.

BEST DJI Avata Pro-View Combo FPV Drone Decided to go all-in for the most immersive flight experience, and even possibly considering getting into a spot of drone racing? This one’s the big daddy of the DJI drone range, built tough to take the rough stuff yet only weighing in at around 410 grams, and also including DJI’s Micro OLED-equipped Goggles 2. Feature-packed, video-wise we’re talking full 4K/60fps ultra-wide angle recording with 155-degree super-wide FOV (field of view), that’s made even slicker thanks to DVI’s powerful flagship

built-in video stabilisation. Control your top-of-the-line machine with the DJI Motion Controller, letting you handle your drone with an intuitive squeeze of a trigger and flick of the wrist. Safety wise, infrared sensors detect obstacles below, allowing for low altitude or even indoor flight, while battery life clocks in at around 18 minutes.

MY DRONE’S FASTER THAN YOUR DRONE! If it moves, you can race it. We’re not sure if that’s ever been an actual saying, but as with anything that has wheels, it also applies to drones. Generally known as FPV (First Person View), drone racing involves the racer wearing a head-mounted display (usually goggles) upon which they receive a first-person view of all the action directly from a camera mounted to their drone. Think of it as much like when you set the bumper cam view in a car racing video game. First becoming an organised sport in Germany back in 2011, the rules are quite similar to full-sized air racing, whereby a set course must be navigated and completed as speedily as possible. However, to compete outdoors you require CASA approval and/or membership of an approved FPV model aircraft association. Check out https://aufpv.org.au/clubs/ to find the Aussie FPV club that’s closest to you.

DRONE IMPROVEMENT A relatively new market for drones is amongst tradies. The technology’s uses to the construction industry are many, ranging anywhere from 3D site modelling to occupational health and safety. Whereas once a worker may have to clamber up a ladder or scaffolding to check on work, for example, now a drone can be fired up to supply detailed vision of such things as roofing repairs and quality of construction. Plus, as a bonus, some flying fun can be had come smoko time!

76 OCTOBER 2022

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