Hobby Thread - May 17, 2025 [TRex]

Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. We gave the Ace of Spades Wheel of Hobbies(TM) a spin and it came up with drones!

Consumer drones have transformed what was previously the province of commercial services with helicopters and airplanes. Technology has progressed and costs have plummeted. Like digital cameras, it does not require a lot of money to buy a reasonably capable personal drone.

If this was a politics thread, we could talk about the regulatory framework in the US and the FAA's drone license restrictions and requirements. If this was a military thread, we could talk about drones usage in warfare and what has happened in Ukraine and what personal drones or drone swarms might mean for the future of military strategy. The Hobby Thread is neither. We're more interested in flying drones for giggles.

The Horde has many varied interests and has inclinations towards toys. Some amongst the Horde must be drone owners or operators. Some must have success stories of great shots in great locations or above great events. Some must also have horror stories of drones getting lost in trees or flying over the horizon with destinations unknown.

Share your stories. What do you fly? How did your learn? Has it been easy or difficult? Have you used it as you thought you would when you obtained your drone? Have surprised uses popped up where your drone came in handy? Has any among the Horde used a drone for their commercial purposes?

TRex has a small brain and short arms, so going to need Horde help for this one.

Some landscapes seem like they were meant to be viewed from the sky:

Buyer's guide:

Legal knowledge:

Market statistics:

A growing number of drones are being used for videography, aerial photography, and recreational purposes, making the US one of the biggest markets for consumer drones. As of 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has estimated more than 1.47 million drones registered, through December 2022. One primary driver is the surge in demand from consumers of high-quality aerial photography for personal purposes and the manufacturing of social media content. The growth of the Drone Racing League (DRL) and other drone racing leagues fuels further demand from hobbyists.

The growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) with consumer drones is fueling the market. AI and ML algorithms give drones the ability to process data, make autonomous decisions, and adapt to any scenario, which makes them a more effective tool. The use of AI-enabled object recognition enables drones to identify and track objects, making them a valuable tool in surveillance, search and rescue operations, and wildlife monitoring. ML algorithms analyze sensor data to improve flight stability and obstacle avoidance, ensuring safer and more efficient operations. Furthermore, AI-driven data analysis provides actionable insights for agriculture, mapping, and infrastructure inspection. Drones equipped with AI can identify crop diseases, assess construction progress, and create detailed 3D models with unprecedented accuracy. Source

What Are the Best Settings for Drone Photography?

10 Tips to Improve Your Drone Photography

How to take high quality low light photos with your drone

A photo only possible with a drone (or a very low helicopter):

Most drone photography is for big outdoor scenes or vistas. This video goes the other direction. A microscope gives a similar perspective but at a much, much smaller scale. The video also shows 3-D printing artwork on cardboard so that you can both see and feel works by the masters.

Horde hat tip.

How to obtain a commercial drone license:

Carrying over the golf theme from last week:

Horde Hobbying update from the Hobby Thread's resident landscape painter. This work from polynikes honors the golf theme from last week. It is called "An Eagle on #9."

Good stuff as always. Thank you!

What are you hobbying these days?

As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. Your participation does not need to limited to the theme. All hobbying is welcome. However, politics, current events and religious debates can live in threads elsewhere. Play nice. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls. Pants, as always, are optional.

Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We talked golf. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.

Notable comments from last week:

Words of wisdom:

"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).

If you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, hijack the thread for your hobbying as you see fit. We will feature a different theme next time. What are you hobbying? We love showing off Horde hobbying. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things.

posted by Open Blogger at 05:30 PM

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