interesting thread, i always wanted to get a rc helicopter, or like, but never could justify expense, watching the videos, is teasing me!,
though over last couple years, been more wanting a cheapie, to mess around with the pups. dangle a toy on a string and fly it around, and let them chase/jump after it.
though now after seeing the videos, i could see having a longer battery life unit, and running it around the farm. checking on livestock more so in muddy/wet/snow/ice conditions in pasture, checking flood gates, checking out some hills with washouts happening, "not easily mow areas". running a unit around the lake/pond edges to watch some fish from the sky. tossing a unit quickly out the door, and sending up higher, when i see some deer, or like out in the fields, (any time of the year) or other wildlife (coyotes, etc...) i could see use of checking gutters being a good use! breaking out the extension ladder or taller ladder can be a chore at times. checking on various farm fields, and seeing how the corn/beans are doing (zoom in / birds eye view) without having to drive / walk into the fields.
==========
i am scratching my head some, granted personal flying to and from work everyday is not a current doing, but what is the FAA and folks going to do when technology catches up to allow such a thing. everyone has prying eyes, just because they are not at ground level...
i can understand FAA wanting to deal with overall height from ground, and getting into actual airspace for actual air planes and helicopters with folks in them being a no no. and folks going over there property line as a no no, but to not allow a person to make money via use with a remote control unit... i would say is going a bit to far. and over stepping there bounds, i can see issuing a licenses / permit, to going above a certain height, and if need be a training course, or more likely a drivers course (eye, test, actual driving tests) for driving a car, but perhaps for a RC unit. i could see an insurance company requesting this or that notation (permit or like training) for a company.
the more i think about it, i guess i can see why FAA could see a RC unit like an actual air plane or helicopter with folks in it. but i would think it would be better treated with a federal -> state -> county -> city like approach vs FAA controlling it all i guess. though with size of RC units now vs latter down the road. and states / counties / cities, actually needing to pay folks to deal with things... and more likely folks placing work on the FAA to deal with it. vs forcing state / counties and like to deal with it...
i could see why government stand point as far as terrorists, but soon enough there will be unmanned vehicles on the road ways, if not already, that could be classified in same doing. (driver less tractors in fields)
*rubs chin* i guess i am waiting to see the true "3D" google maps, not just roads and driving directions for cars,trucks, bikes, etc... but also airplanes, helicopters, and like. being a true 3D space with various road's in the sky per say, and on the ground. when i say "in the sky per say" given height from ground, (z axis), X,Y coordinates for flying north/south, east/west. i guess i am waiting to see "rules of the road" of driving on left side of road in one country, vs right side of road in another county, but for in the sky, and if you want to travel S, being at X altitude, and if N another altitude, and if you want to turn, needing to go higher or lower in altitude, to deal with given change in direction. that everyone follows, vs randomly flying about in the sky, and if need be relying on some central control tower air space.
)
