Finally got my drone working.

I got a drone when this topic came up last year. I could not get it to fly. Finally got someone to get it going for me. I did not spend a lot of time looking for someone.

Tim you were correct. They are not that hard to fly. It will take a lot of pratice to be good at it. Here is a link to my fourth time flying it. The second time I flew it was to price out a chimney repair. Did not waste anytime putting it to work and earning its keep.

About a 1 1/2 minutes into the flight I was in the trees. Did a little trimming. Crashed every flight so far. The drone is strudy. I did not break anything when I crashed. I had a couple that I thought that I would not be flying again.

I am still flying to fast for video. It does not seem like I am flying that fast, until I watch the video.

https://youtu.be/Zz2SrfiFlHM?t=27s

Can you make the video public on your Youtube settings?

Tim, The video is now public. It is amazing how many things you can do wrong and still run a successful company. LOL

The joy sticks are very accurate. I need to slow down and get closer so you can see more detail. I can feel the difference every time I fly it.

Anyone looking for a metal roof with the patina that is on my roofs? They are for sale.

I am planning on putting on a solar shingle roof. There is a lot to get in place for that to happen. It will probably happen in 2016.

That's awesome, Lefty! Got a little close to those trees, eh? :-)

Mine doesn't have sound, that is too cool!

Just last Thursday I got confirmation that my drone video was instrumental in selling a $46,000 job. The business manager at a school was watching my/his video when I walked in - he said he's shown it to "everybody." He used the video to back up, forward, pause as he and I discussed what he wanted done on his roof because the detail allowed him to see things you can't see on Google Earth or Eagle View.

It has been a good investment for me. When I'm flying around a guy's roof, zipping in and around HVAC, soffits, etc and he walks out to me and wants to fly it...if you can't sell that guy ya better find something else to do.

Nice! It's on my wishlist, but something far more expensive just took knocked it back a step.

It always feels good when some type of new advertising gets confirmed as working. I still like looking at how many jobs I get from the two year old website that I built, even though we stayed busy before that.

Here is something I have been doing for some free advertisement that seems to be really effective. See the video below for an example.

I go to a town and "drone" the usual things that citizens and former citizens would like to see from the air: their old high school and football field, downtown, any unique city attractions, and especially a closeup of the water tower. Then I post the video link to that city's Facebook page and next thing you know everyone is sharing it...oh yeah, my logo and web address are on the video. ;-) Always get permission from the schools and local "uncontrolled" airport FBO before you do, but if you walk in with the drone in your hands it's pretty easy to do.

I even got this little town below to do a front page article on me and my drone. Can't beat that free publicity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cpXeNyxT10

Water tower is at 4:30.

Also note that the local newspaper office was featured prominently. That may have helped in their decision to run the story about us and our drone. ;-)

Tim, The great part about doing these things is it does not feel like work.

Roofguy Said: Here is something I have been doing for some free advertisement that seems to be really effective. See the video below for an example.

I go to a town and drone the usual things that citizens and former citizens would like to see from the air: their old high school and football field, downtown, any unique city attractions, and especially a closeup of the water tower. Then I post the video link to that citys Facebook page and next thing you know everyone is sharing it...oh yeah, my logo and web address are on the video. ;-) Always get permission from the schools and local uncontrolled airport FBO before you do, but if you walk in with the drone in your hands its pretty easy to do.

I even got this little town below to do a front page article on me and my drone. Cant beat that free publicity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cpXeNyxT10

Cool Vid Tim. Looks like a Fibertite roof on the HS.

Rumor has it that the reason Tom Hay is no longer with us... He saw "Adams Roof Tech - Foam Roof Guru" and collapsed of a massive Fred Sanford, on the spot.

Lefty Said:

It is amazing how many things you can do wrong and still run a successful company. LOL

Quote of the decade!

Do you control those on an I-pad , IPhone or a special drone controller? Does it give you the altitude? It looks to my untrained eye that RG might have been pushing the legal limit midway through the video.

Wy, a typical radio control controller is used but my iPhone is clipped to it and can see thru the camera lens on the drone in real time. Yes is shows altitude, speed, as well as distance from me. I never go over 400' gal, which is the legal limit. In fact none of my videos was from over 300' - 400' is way up there and just not necessary. I only go as high as I need to to get the whole building in the frame.

gal should be agl if not for autocorrect. agl = above ground level.

A guy in Louisville just shot one down that was hovering g over his backyard. I don't entirely blame him, but I don't know the whole story yet.

Just got my drone lifted off for some final finished video of an 80 SQR foam job, hit the record button on my iPhone: SD Memory Card Full.

Crud! Landed it, ran down the road to Walgreens and got another memory card.

I'd have to say that my drone is the best investment I've made in a sales tool in a long time - far more useful than my thermal imager. So, now that you can put an infrared imager on these drones...