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I bought a $300 drone for aerial site photos and it was a total waste | Archaeology Discoveries - Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals

kai794•6mo ago

I bought a $300 drone for aerial site photos and it was a total waste

I wanted to get better overhead shots of our dig area in New Mexico. A friend said a drone would help, so I got a basic model. The wind out there is too strong most days, so I could barely fly it. When I did, the pictures were shaky and not clear enough for mapping. I used it maybe three times over six months before it just sat in my bag. Now I stick with the old pole camera rig. Has anyone found a good, cheap way to get stable aerial images for smaller sites?

4 comments

4 Comments

shane1706mo ago

I get what you mean about the simple tool winning, but sometimes you need the new gadget to actually do the job right. A pole just can't get the same high, wide shots a stable drone can for mapping. Sticking with only what you know can really hold back your work.

johnson.eva6mo ago

Isn't it funny how often the simple tool we already have beats the fancy new gadget? I see it all the time with people buying expensive tech that just overcomplicates things. Sometimes the pole is just the right tool for the job.

abbyf796mo ago

Total gear fail. Wind is the worst for cheap drones, they just can't handle it. You might look into a used, older DJI model with better stabilization, they pop up for a few hundred sometimes. Even a heavier, used prosumer drone fights the wind way better. The pole is solid for sure, but a stable drone is a game changer if you can find one that works.

lilyt234mo ago

Wait, are those really the older DJI models that actually hold up? I used to think you had to spend a ton to get anything decent for aerial work, and that cheap drones were worth the risk to try out new tech. But honestly, after fighting with my own little drone in the New Mexico wind for a season, I changed my mind completely. That pole rig you mentioned sounds way smarter for the conditions, and it probably saves you a ton of headache. Sometimes the fancy stuff just isn't built for what we actually do on the ground out there.