Can I say my drone is a detector accessory?

[karelian65]

[video=480,360]https://youtu.be/8aXAM-uMwfY[/video]

I use a drone to pinpoint areas of interest and it saves a lot of time exploring goldfields. Google earth helps, as do historic records, maps and other info. In the end we have to get out of the car and walk over the ground. Often there is too much ground to explore, so I have started to use a drone to pinpoint areas worthy of attention.
Not perfect put it does make some useful contributions. It helps me get a lay of the land, property boundaries, closeups of features of interest. At the end of the day the idea is to get a coil over a target using any and all tools at our disposal.

All the best.

 

[karelian65]

Future efforts will have better camera settings, with higher quality editing software. Hopefully more polished... who says you can't teach an old #$*& new tricks.

 

[aussiefarmer]

Yep makes sense , I have done 4 or 5 trips to a patch before I notice a feature that hasn't caught my eye before and once I see it it stands out from many directions.

 

[bicter]

Was watching a detector show the other day over in Sth Africa somewhere. Using VLF's and chasing old military campsites from the 1800's. Come sundown, they pulled out their drone and, not sure what filters on camera, started videoing the ground looking for heated metallic objects that were hotter than the surrounding ground. Appeared to work, but who knows these days with video editing and made up stories
Interesting use of a drone for Coin/Relic hunting if you could get it to work satisfactorily. Doubt that it could be used for gold hunting though as the targets are too small.

 

[grubstake]

Future efforts will have better camera settings, with higher quality editing software. Hopefully more polished... who says you can't teach an old #$*& new tricks.

I notice that you were flying on an overcast, shadowless day. For what it's worth, I think you'll see the topography of a location much more clearly when there's sunshine and enough shadows to highlight ridges and depressions more clearly.

 

[RM Outback]

So long as it fits in with the legislation and rules regarding drones. In Victoria we're not allowed to fly drones in parks or forests unless we're accredited and have clearance for a specific location within them.

The last thing we need is people doing the wrong thing ignorantly or otherwise which will not bode well with the authorities. Check out the legislation and specific state laws before using them.

Unless things have changed last time I looked into it Parks Victoria don't allow random use of drones within their jurisdiction.

 

[karelian65]

Parks Victoria states clearly that you may not take off or land within the boundaries of their parks. State forests are mostly ok, but you should check every time you fly. I have a drone that is connected to an app, the craft WILL NOT FLY in restricted airspace around airports etc. Also I use another mapping application that shows all helipads, sealed and unsealed airstrips, airports etc etc, before I fly. So no flying drones and often, no prospecting in Victorian Parks, with limited exceptions to prospecting. CASA is introducing drone registration in the new year and regulations are evolving. The drone apps I use are well ahead of the regulations in terms of safety and efficacy..
Many prospectors are responsible adults, many also fish and hunt, some go boating, licenses and regulations for every hobby and interest. Drones are new but they fill a niche, like our other heavily regulated hobbies and interests we just need to follow the regulations and act safely and responsibly. The drone has a decent range that exceeds line of sight, rules mean I must operate only at distances within visual range. Often I have a spotter with me armed with binoculars. I keep clear of all animals, be they farm creatures or wildlife. Take note, dogs and eagles will react to drones.... not in a good way. Wind and weather must not be ignored. Follow the rules and don't mess it up for everyone else.

Again, no drones in National Parks or Parks Vic areas. State forest is fine, but always make sure every time. Specific drone flying apps on my Ipad make it quick and easy to check flying status every time I fly. Again regulations and information is easily obtained online.
My DJI Mavic Air drone is of a weight and category that will be registered at some point, I am fine with that, I play by the rules. The drone application on the Ipad keeps a record of flights, time and location. Technology makes is harder for the idiots we sometimes see on the news. Again a very useful tool when used properly.
All the best.

 

[karelian65]

Glad to get out of lockdown and back out into the country side. The drone is now a part of my prospecting kit and more.

[video=480,360]https://youtu.be/FCTAMGI01yg[/video]

 

[karelian65]

Just an updated and better quality vesion of the older drone video.
[video=480,360]https://youtu.be/6Dmoby6XQ2I[/video]

 

[Phil8303]

Good stuff! I use my Mavic Pro all the time to get a close and clear view of the ground and provides some great angles to finding runs and changes in the ground. :Y:

 

[Deepseeker]

Good stuff! I use my Mavic Pro all the time to get a close and clear view of the ground and provides some great angles to finding runs and changes in the ground. :Y:

Great thread guys, and I can see the advantages of using a drone. I only get out for one day at a time once every blue moon nowadays, and there are many times I have come across an interesting area that I wish I had have seen earlier in the day. A handy tool to have (now if they could only design one that has an inbuilt detector,
digging and target retrieval capabilities, with a stubby holder on the handset.................) erfect: