They go by several names — unmanned aerial vehicle, remotely piloted vehicle, and remote controlled aircraft — but the one you’ve probably heard the most is drone. Drones have become a household name first due to their use in warzones around the world, and then more so because of their use for domestic and international spying. Now drones are becoming deeply embedded into pop culture because advancements in technology have made it possible for the average Joe like you and me to buy or build a small unmanned aircraft, or drone.
In the early days of remote-controlled flight, you had only the option of one type of aircraft, the model airplane. This was due largely to the limitations of the technology of the day. Today, thanks to the advancements made in smartphones, the technology needed to make advanced aircraft like quadcopters exists. The computers and sensors that make smartphones detect orientation and motion are used in quadcopters, and other drones, to allow them to take-off vertically, hover in place, move side to side, and do all sorts of aerial maneuvers.
Although the technology has advanced quite a bit since the early days of remote flying, you still need to have a level of skill to enjoyably and successfully pilot a drone. This book gives you the background and information you need, in a somewhat lighthearted approach, to purchase your own drone and set off into the wild blue yonder.
Like most of the For Dummies books, this book is not intended necessarily to be read beginning to end. Each chapter is written in a way that you could jump around from chapter to chapter without being confused. That said, it would be smart for you to at least start with the first few chapters so that you can get a feel for drones by first taking a glimpse at their history and how they are being used by governments around the world today. Jump from the evolution of model aircraft into modern day drones and how hobby flyers like yourself are using them for work and play today.
The goal for this book is to get you all the information you need to get airborne safely. Sample chapters in this book include:
Treat this book as a reference piece. If you are writing a report for school on drones, this book will be wildly helpful. If you need a handy field guide when you go out to fly your drone, this books is for you. While I would like to think that my writing could make any subject matter as intriguing as the Harry Potter series, I am not one to kid myself. Read this book in chunks and refer to it often. This book is to help you get airborne with your drone, but the only way you will be an expert pilot is by practicing.
When writing this book, I tried to not make any silly assumptions that you, the reader, would have existing knowledge of drones. For that reason this book covers a lot of ground starting with the history of drones and quickly navigating into now. I also didn’t assume that you already purchased a drone, and therefore this book covers how to shop online.
If you have done any research on drones, you may have noticed that there is an expanding marketplace of different drones, and not just aerial drones. This book does not assume that you own any one particular drone, and therefore, it is written in a manner that considers several different types of drones. The book focuses mainly on what are currently the most popular brands and models of drones available today.
In all my attempts to not assume anything about you, I did assume just this one thing. I assumed that you would not be taking the ultra-hobbyist route by building your own custom drone using kits and parts available on the Internet. This book assumes that you intend to shop for ready-made drones that are almost ready to fly right out of the box. I also assumed that you had some experience using a computer and the Internet.
This book covers a lot of ground, and my goal is that by the end of this book you will have:
This book is broken into five main parts, each of which is written about a specific aspect of drones.
There are a lot of different names for unmanned aerial vehicles. The term drone can be somewhat deceiving because it insinuates something that does not have a pilot but rather flies autonomously. Explore the history of drones so that you can get a vision for the future. If you haven’t purchased a drone, get a quick overview of the different features available with drones today so that you can buy the drone right for you. When you get flying, you may be the only person you know with a drone. Learn how to find and connect with other enthusiasts so that you can get your wings faster, learn how to do your own repairs, and make friends with other people fascinated by the boundless open skies.
The most popular drones today come with very little assembly required, but you still need to understand what all the different pieces and parts are for so that you are familiar with your drone in the event you ever need to repair or replace parts. Understanding how your drone works will also help keep you safe. You get information in this part that will help keep you safe from unnecessary accidents. Last, the world of drones is evolving and growing rapidly, which is causing the FAA to step in and figure out a way to manage the increasing congestion in our skies. Know the existing law and how to stay legal with your drone.
There is a lot of technology that goes into getting a drone airborne. In order to fly, you should understand how you will control your drone and the limitations of that technology. Not to mention, flying a drone isn’t like driving a car. Directional control is vastly different with a multi-rotor drone. You will see how to orient and steer your drone in several flight modes. This part will also show you how to set yourself up for success by choosing the right location and time to fly and help you take a methodical approach to flight preparation with your pre-flight checklist.
While most hobby flyers fly drones for the sheer enjoyment of flight, most drone owners purchase their drones for taking pictures and video from an aerial vantage point. This part contains chapters that will help you configure your camera for great pictures and video. Explore the importance of light and its impact on how you set up your camera. Get some tips and tricks for making sure you have clear photos and video footage by reducing vibration and shake caused by turbulent flight. Last, explore different software that is available for editing pictures and video and sharing them with friends and family across the web.
This book wraps up with the traditional For Dummies, “The Part of Tens.” Each chapter is comprised of ten topics or items. Chapters include lists of things you shouldn’t do with your drone, as well as a list of things you could do with your drone to make money (assuming the FAA clears the way for lawful commercial use of drones).
As you read this book, you’ll see icons in the margins that indicate material of interest (or not, as the case may be). This section briefly describes each icon in this book.
A lot of extra content that you won’t find in this book is available at www.dummies.com
. Go online to find the following:
Online articles covering additional topics at
The Cheat Sheet for this book is at
www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/drones
Here you will find quick-reference information that might come in handy when you’re in a pinch.
Updates to this book, if we have any, are available at
You didn’t buy this book to use it as a coaster, so I suggest you start with the first chapter. Take a gander at where drone technology has been and where it is headed. There is a lot of information strewn about this book, but don’t get overwhelmed by it all.
If you have any questions about drones or drone flight, or if you simply want to drop me a line to say hello, my email is [email protected]
. I respond to all non-spam emails that I get. If you have questions, I will do my best to respond in a timely manner or forward your contact information on to someone who can help.
If you want a mental break from your reading, feel free to check out some other things that I’m working on that are not related to drones: http://mylectio.com
or http://roust.community
.
But don’t get too distracted. Get busy reading so that you can get busy flying!