Drones: talk to me

[Orange Cola]

I can fly hobby grade indoor helicopters so I’m not a complete novice to flying but I want a drone for doing outdoor building inspections which would usually require ladders or scaffolding at a quite frankly scary price considering I don’t know what’s what until I get up there. Are they really as easy to fly as what people make them out to be, ie incredibly stable and ability to self control very well?

What brands are good? I know DJI and as far as I’m aware that’s the ‘go to’ but I’m not aware if any others and importantly which ones to avoid. Also a decent camera is important.

I know the costs can go well over a thousand which doesn’t put me off but I don’t want to spend that much unless I have to, so if a five hundred pound one will do me then that’s great, I don’t want something which can fly for miles or even out of my sight for that matter, I’d value camera quality and instant connectivity to the camera as far more important.

What about registration and training, are these mandatory now with additional costs?

[Simon]

CAA accreditation, or associate if member of a participating club, but more importantly for that sort of use case you're gonna have to get a proper drone operators license...

Buying the drone will be the easy bit.

[Mito Man]

As you’ll be using it for commercial purposes you’ll need a Permission for Commercial Operation. You’ll probably get shafted for it as some twat lectures you on how to operate 2 thumbsticks. Think there’s a practical test as well as the basic theory one. Pretty sure you also need to have insurance for commercial work...

They’re piss easy to control. Just go for the cheapest 4k DJI, there’s a reason they’re the default.

[Orange Cola]

I’m game for that but what’s actually required? Is it a weeks course every year costing a grand or is a free thirty minute online session say ‘I promise not to deliberately fly into Doris and take pictures of naked ladies sunbathing in the summer’?

[Beany]

‘I promise not to deliberately fly into Doris and take pictures of naked ladies sunbathing in the summer’?

Well, that's me out.

Can't have any fun these days.

[Orange Cola]

‘I promise not to deliberately fly into Doris and take pictures of naked ladies sunbathing in the summer’?

Well, that's me out.

Can't have any fun these days.

It’s pretty much all I wanted it for, saying I’m inspecting the roof of one of my properties is just the best excuse I can get for such a good vantage point.

[Beany]

Also saves you running the risk of you falling backwards off the ladder outside the dorm room window when the girls get undressed, amirite?

[Mito Man]

I’m game for that but what’s actually required? Is it a weeks course every year costing a grand or is a free thirty minute online session say ‘I promise not to deliberately fly into Doris and take pictures of naked ladies sunbathing in the summer’?

Found this from one instructor
https://www.uavhub.com/pages/drone-training-course
Seems quite involved.

Also £253 for the initial application for the permission