A few weeks ago I visited a ship that's been anchored in Table Bay with my Swift II FPV.
After reading up on the crew's plight, I thought it might lift their spirits if I fly out to them and drop a few care packages (peanuts & raisins / crisps & a message encouragement) with my Skywalker & APM. I invited some friends to the occasion and Glen was kind enough to document it. Hopefully it helps to show the overwhelmingly positive potential of drones.
update: Another drop on the E Whale:
Comments
I haven't seen it in the bay this last month - just checked, it's en route to Mauritius. Not sure what the current status is otherwise.
Agreed, Spacer - if we can just get the opportunity to prove ourselves.
Awesome demonstration of what people can do with UAVs besides blowing stuff up. I can see a swarm of these converging on a disaster area, simultaneously delivering emergency supplies and documenting/recording the locations of those who need help. It'd be a force multiplier for the heavier, more expensive helicopter crews, who can use the information to more efficiently direct their efforts, and most of these private UAVs would be operating very low anyway, and not such a danger to the above crews.
It'd also be a sort of litmus test for potentially violent areas.
Yes :( Seems all my hobbies are borderline illegal! (Previously, using medium power green lasers for astronomy..)
Hi Hein. I suspect SARS will be looking you up soon - good job buddy. You have a big heart.
Yea was meaning to tell you if the boat is facing away, there's no way I can buzz the bridge :/ I'll lose FPV contact. The secret second package contents is in the youtube comments :)
Yes, the radar was working last time as well, but this time the engines were running - you can see some smoke coming from the stacks. There must be someone on board. I'm pretty sure the last drop landed on top of the first hatch - in plain sight.
I did another 2 drops yesterday, this time using a tiltable tail mounted FPV camera for better aim :)
Thanks All, Josh, yea, I don't like night FPV :)
Morli - good idea, I'll see if I can buzz the bridge a few times before making the drop. I thought initially of adding a date & time of my next drop, but the weather is very unpredictable at the turn of the seasons here in Cape Town.
I hope to be able to do another drop on Monday and will report back here.
Hi Morli
Excellent ideas, thank you very much! I did not intend to drop so close to the bridge, I thought I was well past it! I could only inspect the recordings afterward. In my practice runs I did not count on having to fly over the bridge, the ship turned just so at the time of my flights, so I had to be very high. Looking at the original footage, the first release was very early, 50/50 chance it hit the water. The second was better, on the HD it disappeared over the skybrige or whatever that is, the last one, as you said, dropped right in front of the bridge. I'm not sure if they will find it though. It's a monster ship. Next time I'll fly lower over the deck and take my time.
I'm installing a tilt camera on the tail of the Skywalker, so I can see the the moment of release and also tilt down to help in positioning myself. I'll be able to switch to this camera using a channel on my radio.
I wonder if I can contact the harbor and get a message through somehow to tell them what and when to expect so that they are on the lookout. Also to find out what comms they have. I have no problem dropping them a $10 cellphone so I can call them and they can text their families, it would just be a waste if they could not find it. I need something that makes a hell of a noise..
What do you think?
Regards,
Hein
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