Quad copter (drone) used as swimmer rescue in Florida.

[Ty Marcucci]

 

[FLOYD CARTER]

Many more good uses will surface.  So it isn't all bad!

Floyd

[Fredvon4]

I had a wind storm wipe out one of my larger, high in the air, dipole antennas (KD5NCO)


My 1.25 acre back yard is filled with 120+ trees and they are too low 35~45 foot for my antenna.

I have a 60 foot tall center pole that is a real challenge to get up and down

My son and I have been trying to search for a quad that might help but the weight of the wire demands much larger machine than I want to afford

I'm not talking a terrible amount of weight but each leg is 65' long and needs to be lifted up above tree height and then run to the far tree that has the down line and weight

I don't know if one of the hobby king mid sized can tug it out that far and still be flyable and controllable

we would have to fly it from my roof just to see where to point it

Yes Virginia, I know about sling shots and bow/arrow method...twas how I did it 20 years ago. Unfortunately the tree canopy now is much more mature and no angles will work

I am hoping some enterprising local will get a real big one for his business. So far the quads being used for ag survey, search n rescue, and real estate photography are too small from what I have seen

[Fredvon4]

BTW my son suggested a teathered helium weather balloon and a quad to position it to drop the wire in place, and we are exploring that idea a bit

[Tim Wescott]

Pull a pilot line with what you have, then pull stronger (and heavier) lines until you have what you need.  Start with 4lb test fishing line if necessary, then work up from there until you're pulling your wire.

If fishing line digs in, ribbon may do -- I'm thinking the 1/4" wide stuff you wrap presents in.

[Fredvon4]

Thanks Tim

That is how I got the wire to the distant ends back in 1996.

Back then it was a bugger to get the pilot line to drop down through the canopy behind the tree that I need to attach the para cord and 15# weight to.. Took my son about 10 shots with the arrow to get it right

Now that the "forest" has matured we can not see, (from the base of the 60' center pole) a way to safely get a pilot line where needed.

I think the weather balloon idea may work out as it is not too hard to use my RC gear to rig a servo to drop the pilot line exactly where I need it.... The quad idea was basically to not be dependent on elevation and wind direction calculations AND waiting on ma nature to flow due west from my pole one day and due east some other day