CHAPTER 4 Recreational Drone Uses

From racing to photography, the uses of recreational drones are many. Some people like to post “selfies” on social media to share with their friends. Thanks to drones, there is a new type of photo gaining popularity—the “dronie.” To make one, fly your drone and snap a shot of yourself. Imagine how different you might look from 50 feet (15 m) above the ground!

FIGHTING DRONES

Though it’s still rare, some pilots take part in drone combat. The rules are simple: the last drone flying wins. Battle rules allow bumping the opponent’s drone in an attempt to make it crash. Drone fights can sharpen the skills of pilots. To escape an attack drone, a pilot might need to make several quick dives or turns. A combat drone group called Game of Drones holds events in the San Francisco area that draw hundreds of spectators.

Drone enthusiasts gather at the Intergalactic Meeting of Phantom’s Pilots in Paris, France, in 2014.

RACING DRONES

As drones have become more popular, drone racing has become more organized. For most races, competitors race around a marked course for a certain number of laps. The racer with the fastest time wins. Classes are often divided up based on the type of drone being flown. Other races are based on a points system. Racers earn points for finishing each heat under a set amount of time. The racer with the most points after a certain number of heats wins. Racers often need to qualify for championship events by winning in smaller events.

Thanks to first-person-view (FPV) flying, racers can feel as though they are in the cockpit of the drone. The drone camera relays real-time video back to a pair of goggles worn by the pilot.

A racer uses FPV goggles to fly his drone.

PUTTING DRONES TO WORK

Recreational drones are made to fly for fun. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be used for purposeful work. If a homeowner has a leak in the attic, he or she may have to climb to the roof to inspect the damage. This can be dangerous. Instead, the homeowner can fly a drone over the house and photograph the roof. The owner can then instantly see the damage without ever leaving the ground.

Gardeners can use drones to inspect their gardens and identify areas that need attention. This can be especially helpful in rural areas where a garden or orchard may be acres away.

Drones can help workers and homeowners safely inspect rooftops.