We’ve come a long way from a few years ago when nobody outside the RC model aircraft world knew what the heck a quadcopter was. Today, I think it’s fair to say most of us have some concept of a quadcopter, or drone, or UAV, or preferred nomenclature. Thanks to innovations in compact embedded computers, motion sensors, and other technologies, RC flying is no longer a niche hobby, but is available to the masses. Drones come in all shapes and sizes, of course. The features they tend to share are multi-rotor propulsion, intelligent flight controllers with at least some degree of automatic functionality, and very often a camera. Apart from that, they range from miniature tech toys to robust professional tools.
In the old days, RC model aircraft where typically fixed-wing planes or even motor-less gliders or helis (model helicopters). While it might be tempting to conflate a heli with a multi-rotor, they are different. A heli is styled after a manned helicopter with one main rotor (sometimes actually two stacked) plus a tail rotor to keep the fuselage from spinning wildly out of control. In either case, you as the pilot are pretty much directly in touch with the flight surfaces—like driving a car with manual transmission. The key to mutli-rotor drones—what makes them revolutionary—is that a computer mediates control input in a non-trivial way. True, many are still flown using regular dual-stick transmitters. But control happens at a higher level of abstraction. Your stick input gets interpreted and a response is rendered, which factors-in data from various sensors, or even vetoed altogether if it could cause loss of stability.
Intelligent Flight Control
Since you have this level of mediation, the flight control computer can take over and help keep you out of trouble. Obviously, the more second-guessing the computer has to do, the more you will take a hit in performance and maneuverability. This is why you will almost always have several modes to choose from: beginner modes, which will do everything they can to keep you in the air, to performance modes where the training wheels come off and all comes down to your skill as a pilot.
In addition to a computer, many drones employ some form of navigational aid. These may include GPS/GLONASS, compass, and vision positioning. GPS provides the most precise navigation and enables fixed hovering even in somewhat windy conditions. It allows the drone to fly fully autonomously, either to return home automatically or to track a pre-planned route. Vision sensors map out the ground and in some cases, the surrounding air space, enabling navigation where GPS is unavailable and sometimes helping the drone steer clear of obstacles.
Camera
Not just computers, but cameras have gotten tiny, too. Most—though not all—drones have some form of camera. On some, it’s there simply give you a live video feed for FPV (first-person view), flying, but many also record. Quality can range from SD up to 4K. Many drones will accommodate third-party cameras, including action cameras and even cinema cameras. Whether you just want to share the action with friends or need something ready for Hollywood prime-time, there will be something out there for you.
For high-quality image capture, a gimbal is essential to stabilize the camera. So-called “gimbal cameras” combine gimbal and camera into one unit. Other gimbals work with third-party cameras such, as GoPros.
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Controllers
The traditional way RC aircraft have been operated is with a “transmitter.” This is the proper technical term for the iconic dual-stick controller. It is so called because its primary function is to transmit a control signal to a receiver located somewhere within or mounted on the aircraft. It is true that advanced transmitters many have receivers for telemetry data or a video feed, often on a separate frequency. To ensure that you control just your aircraft and not someone else’s, there is a binding process to link the transmitter and receiver. Typically, the binding only needs to happen once and is saved in non-volatile memory. With many transmitters, you will be able to save multiple aircraft/other RC models so that you don’t have to rebind every time you take out a different toy. In most cases, “ready-to-fly” bundles—which come with the transmitter (if one is required)—will have been pre-bound for you.
Since mobile devices tie in to every facet our lives these days, many drones can be controlled or have supplemental features accessed via a smartphone or tablet. The app software may provide a virtual rendition of a real transmitter or it may offer more intuitive flying methods, such as tilting or tapping the device to maneuver. If there is a camera, you can probably get the image from it beamed straight to your phone to live-stream or share even quicker. Some drones even offer gesture and voice recognition, helping you get the perfect aerial selfie.
Parts/Accessories
Spare propellers and batteries are essential. Let’s face it, you are going to crash from time to time and usually it’s the props that bear the brunt of the collision. Batteries extend your day in the field. Drones are becoming more efficient, but because the motors are spinning all of the time, they burn through power quickly—7 to 25 minutes per battery is the range most fall into these days. Obviously, the more intense your flying and the stronger the wind, the sooner you are going to run out. Virtually all drones receive power from lithium-ion polymer batteries. As a type of lithium battery, these are subject to air travel restrictions. Consumer drones mostly charge from USB, while hobby-derived model use generic RC chargers that involve a bit of a learning curve and may require a DC power source. Prosumer imaging drones increasingly have smart AC chargers, letting you just plug the battery in and walk away.
Other accessories depend more on the drone and the use case. Custom-fitting cases and backpacks abound. For aerial imaging, gimbals and mounts are available for specific cameras. Supported cameras range from GoPros up to DSLRs and cinema cameras. Ensure that the gimbal/mount is compatible with your aircraft and that the total payload weight will not exceed the drone’s limitations.
Landing pads help ensure you don’t kick up potentially destructive dirt and debris on landing and takeoff.
There are training videos and flight simulators to help you brush up on your skills.
Drones that lean toward the hobbyist end of the spektrum—er, spectrum—can typically be completely rebuilt by the end user. Each part is available separately, though replacement may require soldering and getting your hands dirty. Consumer and image market drones are increasing following laptops and tablets in being tightly integrated making it hard for the end-user to service internal parts. Removable external parts including gimbals and camera can usually be replaced, though.
Compliance/International Use
Since many B&H customers hail from abroad, a note about international use should be made. Unless otherwise noted, the radios used in drones carried by B&H are FCC compliant, meaning they are suitable for use in the US. However, they may employ frequencies or have transmit-power ratings that are restricted in other countries. In addition, some video transmitters for hobby and racing applications, while FCC compliant, require the user have an Amateur Radio operators license (aka “HAM license”). Please see our “Drones and the Law” article for more on some of the legal and compliance issues relating to drones.
Spinning Bladey Things
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you have probably at least heard of a drone. Over the last several years they have gone from something of a ghostly novelty to a feature of everyday life, frequently in the news. So you probably get the basic concept. It has spinning bladey things and buzzes around. But you might have questions. How are they controlled—Is it automatic? Radio controlled? What is the point of them? Are they hard to fly? And so on. While I can’t promise to have answered all of these, I hope at least to have given you food for thought as you continue your aerial journey.
Since there are so many options out here, a great next step is the visit the Drone Landing Page. Post your questions or comments in the Comments section, below.
