Russ_MT

Michael,

I just checked out your Youtube channel. Very cool footage you got with just a pole and GoPro.

What kind of pole is that? Looks collapsible. I have a mono pod I was going to bring on Navigator, I wonder if that would work. You were quite brave to hang that over the side of the ship, but got very cool video and did a great job editing it all together.

I've seen some really nice time lapse GoPro video onboard ships also.

--Russ

Russ, you beat me to it.:)

 

The clip was most likely filmed with a DJI Phantom quad copter. DJI has created one of the most popular, mass produced "drones" available at an affordable price point for photo/video/aerial enthusiasts. You are VERY correct that while the price point is low, users will most likely invest thousands (yes, that's "thousands" with an s) of dollars into this venture. This includes hardware, as well as software. Recently, several vendors have entered the "photo drone" consumer market, and as the technology rapidly advances several more are waiting on the fringe. However, the FAA is working to prevent much of this by introducing new legislation.

 

I would suggest that anyone looking into purchasing a photo drone check FAA regulations in their area, their bank account, and their available free time...

Well said.

I have a DJ Phantom equipped with a GoPro. It has a relatively low entry price point, but quickly turns into an expensive hobby. It's a lot of fun to both fly this relatively sophisticated machine as well as get some amazing aerial footage. I'm always amazed at how well the GPS can keep the thing fixed. We flew it on Friday at our building lot and it was quite windy. The quad kept its position flawlessly in 25mph gusts.

However, to achieve better results, you end up buying gimbals and Point of View video receivers etc. It gets expensive. And yet the technology still can fail and there are all those sad accounts of owners watching $2,000 of hardware fly away by itself into the distance never to be found.

Every time I fly mine, I'm just a little nervous that it will fly off. I've gone so far as attaching a cellular GPS tracker to the thing to help me find it if it does.

The folks who enjoy this hobby are very concerned about scaring people with it. If that happens, surely legislation will be enacted to ban these. So most pilots are self policing and discourage flying over populated areas. As mentioned, they have very little lift and can barely get a GoPro off the ground. These are NOT the missile carrying machines like the military uses. They are quite noisy and can't really sneak up on you or peek in your window.

The FAA doesn't quite know what to do about them. It is illegal to use a drone for commercial uses. No matter how great the footage is, you cannot sell it to the cruise line or local TV station. You may, however, give it to them for free.

TV producers are using them more and more often. It's subtle, but if you see a shot of a house from above on HGTV's House Hunters, it's from a drone. The Amazing Race could not possibly get those fantastic shots without a drone. If you look carefully, you will notice many aerial TV shots in shows thanks to this technology. Hopefully, idiots won't ruin it by annoying people with them.

--Russ

I'm am literally online trying to order one right now. Just have no clue what's good and what's not.

Here's an entry level point if you want to send back video to the remote.

http://www.amazon.com/DJI-Phantom-Quadcopter-Integrated-Camcorder/dp/B00FW78710/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399293907&sr=8-1&keywords=dji+phantom+2

If you have a GoPro camera, you can start here

http://www.amazon.com/DJI-Phantom-Aerial-Drone-Quadcopter/dp/B00AGOSQI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399294867&sr=8-1&keywords=dj1+phantom

Keep in mind once you get started, you will likely be spending more money on better hardware, gimbals etc.

The guy who recorded Allure in the ocean likely had $2k put into that setup. It's a lot of money to put up in the air over the ocean (because the quad copter sinks like a stone). That pilot was brave.

As mentioned, the payload on these copters is limited. The GoPro often taxes the machine largely. These copters typically have a 8 minute maximum duration flight time.

Do you think it ciuld enter the Boardwalk or Central Park area?

 

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I have one of these Phantom quadcopers. Yes it could enter and fly, however, the ship's structure would have blocked the signal from the transmitter. If that happens, the quadcopter is programmed to enter fail safe. It returns to where it took off from and lands.

This guy took his copter onboard a Carnival ship and recorded beaches in Cozumel, Roatan and Costa Maya. He claimed to have gotten permission from the cruise line ahead of time and only got a few questions from security upon returning to the ship.

More ships from above.

Allure at night.

Disney Wonder in Miami

Norwegian Sky

Europe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u00EEzU2EfE

No ships, but a fantastic view from above Niagra Falls

Next time we go, this is a must see for us plane junkies.

Thanks for the replies. Good to know we can all have a key to open each other's doors, even if it requires us to carry 2 cards.

As for the mag stripe, I have a 3 track reader I use for my work. I will have to swipe my old seapass to see what's on that thing.

--Russ

We booked 2 cabins on Navigator and want to put our teenage son in his own cabin across the hall. Booked one cabin in my name, the other in wife's.

Can our seapass cards be programmed to open both cabin doors? We would like to access either cabin from any card.

Everything we buy, every bill we pay goes on the credit card. The bills are automatic. That being said I don't think the company cares for me much because other than the $99 fee I pay annually for the card they have never gotten a penny of interest from me in almost 20 years. My card allows a 28 day grace period from the time of a charge untill interest accrues. The bill is paid in full well before this monthly. I now have more bonus points to use for airfare and alike than I could spend with the days I have remaining

They still love you for using the card. Same for us. Never pay a single fee and pay it off every month. Get the rewards points.

The deal is, they get paid a percentage of what you spend. So the more you spend, the more thrilled they are with you. Interest money is a bonus for those who carry a balance.

We own a credit card processing company. Everyone who touches the transaction (including us) get a piece of the transaction. It first goes to our company, then to VISA, then to the bank. We typically charge 15 cents plus 2.5% for the transaction. The merchant pays these fees and they are all split among us, VISA/MC/Amex and the bank. The fee actually varies depending on what type of card it is. Rewards cards cost the merchant the most. Debit cards the least. We don't care what kind of card it is because we get a percentage of it.

Also, you can get points for using your card. We earned $1000 last year in cash back.

Visa/MC is safe and much more accepted than any kind of check. I've seen merchants handed a travelers check and didn't know what it was or if they were allowed to take them. In 2013, they are just too weird and people don't know what they are.

It seems if you must use a travelers check like form of payment, prepaid credit cards are the way to go. However they do charge YOU for loading it. However, I suppose travelers checks generally carried some fee for issuing them. Unless your credit is horrible, most banks will issue you a credit card.

I would highly avoid DEBIT cards or Visa/MC attached directly to your bank account. These are dangerous and do not offer the same buyer protection as a true credit card. Money is drawn directly from you account and you have less recourse if the card is lost and used. A true credit card requires you to contact the issuing bank within a timely fashion if lost. Typically, you are only responsible for $50 of charges on it unless you fail to report it stolen. (Note: Good idea to make a copy of the back of all the cards you normally carry so if they are lost you can call the toll free number to report it ASAP).

We'd used in Rome limo. Simply fantastic.

What is a travelers check?

Seriously, merchants don't trust them. They are hard to verify that they are real. Plastic is accepted everywhere and can be cancelled, replaced. Merchants can tell if it's valid instantly.

Casinos can give you cash from the card.

We use rewards credit cards for everything we buy. Rarely carry cash. Earned $1,000 back this year.

Added benefit of cards (and paying balance in full each month), is buyer protection. The card rewards double warranty and offer breakage protection. Amex paid us $500 to fix a laptop my son jumped on and broke.

Then you can charge back a purchase if the merchant rips you off.

Yea, always use plastic. Just pay it all every month to avoid fees.