Drones and kids

[mjbok]

I have two kids (13 and 15). The older one has zero interest in drones. The younger one recently has asked if he can go with me when I go out flying. Of course that is code for I'd really like to fly.

I usually have a set of things I want to do when I go out. I want to get this shot, or fly this pattern, or whatever. Beyond that I just free fly and see where the drone takes me. The last couple of times I have taken my younger kid with me and after I've flown my "required" stuff, I let him fly. I don't let him take off or land and I watch what he is doing. I've told him anytime he wants to go out flying he just has to ask (and give me lead time for battery charging, etc.).

My question is what are people's thoughts about letting younger ones fly your birds? I have 5 different drones and he has flown them all. He seems to like the Air the best, but I think that's because it is the drone he's spent the most time with. Also, what should I watch for? He tends to focus on the screen and not actually look where the drone is. I've tried to tell him you have to watch where the drone is as well as what the drone is looking at.

 

[UnRanged]

I have two kids (13 and 15). The older one has zero interest in drones. The younger one recently has asked if he can go with me when I go out flying. Of course that is code for I'd really like to fly.

I usually have a set of things I want to do when I go out. I want to get this shot, or fly this pattern, or whatever. Beyond that I just free fly and see where the drone takes me. The last couple of times I have taken my younger kid with me and after I've flown my "required" stuff, I let him fly. I don't let him take off or land and I watch what he is doing. I've told him anytime he wants to go out flying he just has to ask (and give me lead time for battery charging, etc.).

My question is what are people's thoughts about letting younger ones fly your birds? I have 5 different drones and he has flown them all. He seems to like the Air the best, but I think that's because it is the drone he's spent the most time with. Also, what should I watch for? He tends to focus on the screen and not actually look where the drone is. I've tried to tell him you have to watch where the drone is as well as what the drone is looking at.

That's the way people are supposed to learn new things and the responsible way of doing them. Good for you. To me, it's not much different than a lot of the gaming controllers I've used, so I imagine he's pretty adept at the controls too. But yes, he should focus on the craft more and the camera less if the enviroment is littered with obstacles or potential hazards. Being comfortable on the controls and using the viewfinder for navigation may be second nature, but it's not safe flying.

 

[mjbok]

That's the way people are supposed to learn new things and the responsible way of doing them. Good for you. To me, it's not much different than a lot of the gaming controllers I've used, so I imagine he's pretty adept at the controls too. But yes, he should focus on the craft more and the camera less if the enviroment is littered with obstacles or potential hazards. Being comfortable on the controls and using the viewfinder for navigation may be second nature, but it's not safe flying.

It is very similar to gaming controllers, which is a positive (familiarity) and a negative (cost consequence). He's used to a controller that he can crash things with with little to no consequence. I think the screen thing is both human nature and generational. Many people today are used to being face down on a screen and flying the drone is just another instance of this.

On the one hand I have reservations about handing my kids something that is a grand, but of course they are just years away from being handed keys to a car...

I actually like the fact one of them is showing an interest. It's something we can share that their mother could not care less about, plus (maybe) it gives validity to the cash I've dumped into the hobby.

The last drone I let him fly was the Evo. Not because it was the most expensive (it isn't), but rather because it is my favorite. I'd be upset if the Air got busted up, but honestly I never fly it anymore. The only time I take it out is if I'm going some place where the chances of problems are high. Less than a year old and it has become my go to disposable drone. Probably should sell it.

 

[HiloHawaiian]

I think sharing your hobby with your younger son is fantastic. He’ll be spending quality time with you, other topics will arise in the process. Many teachable moments will occur!

My older brother seemed disinterested in doing anything with my Dad, but I wasn’t. I constantly learned new things, especially working on cars/engines. We always talked while we worked...It made us closer which in the long run benefited me, to his delight.

I think we all learned a lesson from flying by watching the screen more than the craft. Early-on, I learned the hard way, clipping a tree branch that looked clearly avoidable on the iPad. Busted gimbal, thank god XSP design had a replaceable one...