Well, besides finding out about the combine roast....

Flip · Jul 14, 2020

I swung by the house of the landholder I cut hay for and we get yacking and the subject came around to drones. His eyes light up and he tells me he has a Mavic and invites me over for a 'drone session'. I never knew he had one but then I never asked. He's my age (70) and a retired veterinarian. Sold his practice and works part time with large animals now. Up until he retired, he took care of the medical needs for our dogs, cats, my wife's horses and my cattle. He still does a few farm calls, us included.

Told him I had an Autel Evo. Asked me how I liked it and I told him I like anything that is Kubota Orange. I farm with large Kubota tractors. Odd man out here, everything else is green.

Best landholder I ever worked with. Never instructs me on how he wants things handled, lets me handle everything but helps with spraying and tillage. I pay him every November. Been running his forage fields and maintaining them for 5 years now.

Told me there is a 'drone club' in the next town over if I was interested. Not sure if I am in as much as I'm pretty much a loner but I might check it out anyway.

Small world we live in.

I'll probably fly in his backyard once the corn is off and it's chiseled. His 'backyard' is 400 acres.

Got it last week, charged up the batteries and controller but I won't fly it until my tablet mount comes in from Norway. My cell phone is much too small for these old eyes. In no big rush anyway. I have farming to do right now.

scoutie · Jul 15, 2020

Hey Flip,
I know what you mean about using the cell phone. Im 61 and even with glasses on its hard to see. I just tried my 10inch Ipad I use at work to fly the EVO 2 and it really works well. I had ordered the Liftthor tablet holder about 2 months ago and just got it yesterday which enabled me to use the larger IPAD. This hobby is addicting as this is my fourth drone already having the EVO1 and 2 Mavics. Like I really needed another but couldn't resist it.

Flip · Jul 15, 2020

scoutie said:
Hey Flip,
I know what you mean about using the cell phone. Im 61 and even with glasses on its hard to see. I just tried my 10inch Ipad I use at work to fly the EVO 2 and it really works well. I had ordered the Liftthor tablet holder about 2 months ago and just got it yesterday which enabled me to use the larger IPAD. This hobby is addicting as this is my fourth drone already having the EVO1 and 2 Mavics. Like I really needed another but couldn't resist it.

I got a Lenovo Tab10 HD. it's an Andriod, like my cell phone.

I just came in from a sweat session, I'm getting too old to farm I guess but it keeps me young, sort of.

Been conversing with The folks in Norway, mine is shipping this week. Little apprehensive about DHL, around here we refer to DHL as 'Dumb and Hopelessly Lost'....lol The boss said in Europe DHL is a highly regarded delivery service and not just I have questioned the DHL shipping. He told me they ship a couple hundred orders a week and never an issue so we will see. He said the issue there is being in the middle of nowhere (his exact words) shipping is limited. I replied that I don't consider Norway the middle of nowhere. I consider where I live pretty much the middle of nowhere...lol

Have a longtime friend who lives in Switzerland and works for Credit Susse. I've always wanted to visit him there, probably never will though. Lots of places I'd like to go but probably won't live long enough.

The Internet is a nice way to keep in touch however. Have friends in Oz too. Been invited to their places more than once. Problem with Oz is the flight time and I'm not all that keen about flying commercial. No issue with private. Before I retired I spent quite a few hours flying in the company Lear. That was always fun and the liquor cabinet was always well stocked.

Have the Autel Explorer app on the tablet (and on my cell phone as well), all I need is the mount and then I'll get my feet wet in novice mode of course.

It was a toss up between a new hunting rifle and the drone and the drone won out. I own more than enough firearms as it is.

Need to take the test for the FAA commercial drone pilot yet and get my license. Being older, I'm real funny about being and operating stuff legally.

Least now I have a drone buddy to fly with. I was surprised about that. Hope his DJI and my Autel get along ok.

Candidly, I had very serious health related issues a year and a half ago and one of the side effects of it was I basically lost my vision so thanks to modern medicine and fantastic health insurance, I have new eyes. I wore glasses since I was 5 years old. it's amazing not to need any refraction now., however, my eyes have been and are sensitive to bright light that and being a survivor has caused me the loss of dexterity in my finger tips. Small prices to pay for being on this side of the dirt, I guess.