What do you do?

[Kilby]

So I was thinking about somethings today and it got me wondering what type of person is drawn to multirotors. Figured this was something good to ask everyone here, so I'll get it started.

I'm a mobile software engineer specializing in iPhone/iPad apps. Building MR's is a lot like software development for me. It's all about building, testing, refining and testing some more.

Anyone else? What other types of minds are drawn to this crazy money sucking hobby? ;-)

 

[david.scarbrow]

I have been aprenticed, worked for myself, worked as installation engineer with a very large computing organisation both H/W and S/W for almost 40 years and have spent the past 7 years teaching/lecturing but all of this in electrical engineering. I'm now coming up to chosen retirement and amongst the other 'stuff' that I'm involved with I really want to carry out an interest/pastime that can be rewarding and has a quite bit of a challenging journey in getting there as I nothing about 'flying' and I do not have access to unlimited funding. This seemed quite a good way of getting into 'a sort of flying' experience without having to buy a part share in a light aircraft and pay for loads of flying lessons.

 

[moneyhunster]

Im a bottled gas Stockist in Cornwall UK, love bodybuilding and cars and love the idea of FPV flying, initially thought i'd try a plane but had little luck, learned to fly a helicopter for FPV purposes and got side tracked by a little Xaircraft x650, absolutly love the stability of the multirotor, upgraded to a WKM controller and various FPV bits n bobs, dont want to add up what ive spent already!!

Looking forward to long range flights on a Droidworx cx after santa's been with my prezzies

 

[Macsgrafs]

Interesting topic & reading peoples backgrounds. Im a photographer & want something a bit more smoother than my trex600e for aerial work (photos & video). I fly a 50cc SU26, thats my pride & joy, also a foamie F16 + helis. Why did I buy a MR? Because of youtube...I was seeing some incredibly smooth video from these things & the footage was midn blowing...being a pefectonist when it comes to photography..I just had to have the best, though may I add...it took me 4 months to decide what ship, it was an octo or a maxi joker 3 heli, guess what won

Ross

 

[FlyEYE]

Scientist designing robotic systems for laboratories (typically for drug discovery). Used to fly RC heli's got drawn into the technology the MK was offering, had to try it out for myself, went onto building a few open pilot copter control crafts, now building a WKM.

 

[RyanArch]

I'm an architect...getting into multirotors for aerial photography...and perhaps video. I'm also a nerd, so I like where a combination of different technologies can take you...enjoying the process of getting my first multirotor up in the air. Just starting out with all of this after spending a couple of years on RealFlight flying helis.

Ryan

 

[Macsgrafs]

Scientist designing robotic systems for laboratories (typically for drug discovery).

Keep away from my stash

Ross

 

[RTRyder]

My official job title is Product Technologist, what that really means is I'm a systems engineer that works as a technical specialist supporting the Americas sales force for a major computer company. I do performance analysis and reporting on customer data storage systems as well as architect new customer systems and expansion of existing ones, my specialties being data management, backup and recovery, and file and email archiving.

Started out with my first RC Car back around 1977 or so and then graduated to airplanes for a while before drifting back to cars and intense organizied racing on and off road, electric and nitro powered. Still have a pile of trophies in the next room from those days. One afternoon while out for a ride on one of my vintage Norton motorcycles (my other addictive hobby) I ran into an old acquaintance and he got me started with RC Helis. That was about 4 years ago and then one day not too long afterward I was surfing the net and ran across a Youtube video of this weird flying thing called a MikroKopter Hexa, and that was all it took. I managed to hold off for about year before taking the plunge and the rest is just a long downhill slide into multirotor addiction, currently have 9 built and ready to fly with just the charge of a lipo pack!

Ken

 

[Bowley]

This is my FPV setup.

View attachment 1684View attachment 1685

Well actually I dont own it, if I did I certainly wouldnt be out in the middle of the sea operating it!
I velcro'd a keyfob camera to my first rc heli, an ESKY Honeybee fixed pitch, and got hooked, got a few more heli's, a Gaui 330 and XA650V8.
My end goal is a Logo600se or Joker cameraship and cinestar....ooooph!!..but not going there till I can stop intercepting trees. Getting too old for climbing trees!!

 

[Droider]

Mechanical engineer with a passion for the environment. For and early age I loved everything about nature and its marvels. Started working life as a bait digger and beach fisherman. Pushed into an apprenticeship by toolmaker dad. Worked for my self since I was 23. Very lucky to be in the right places at the right time and spent from 28 to 46 exploring this fantastic planets more remote mountain ranges in the coldest places!..

One time extreme cold climate climber / skier and last but not least down hill mountain biker.. My body is now to old, broke and crooked to continue the mad stuff. Now having to save up for my old age. (MR's bust my funds!)

I am a specialist in renewable energy storage and integration of new and traditional energy systems and its control in domestic and commercial environments.

Been addicted to MR's for twelve months in which time I have spent far to much money on this crazy infectious challenge.

Ultimate goals;
Photography and video from angles that produce questions in the viewers mind.

 

[Droider]

My official job title is Product Technologist, what that really means is I'm a systems engineer that works as a technical specialist supporting the Americas sales force for a major computer company. I do performance analysis and reporting on customer data storage systems as well as architect new customer systems and expansion of existing ones, my specialties being data management, backup and recovery, and file and email archiving.

Started out with my first RC Car back around 1977 or so and then graduated to airplanes for a while before drifting back to cars and intense organizied racing on and off road, electric and nitro powered. Still have a pile of trophies in the next room from those days. One afternoon while out for a ride on one of my vintage Norton motorcycles (my other addictive hobby) I ran into an old acquaintance and he got me started with RC Helis. That was about 4 years ago and then one day not too long afterward I was surfing the net and ran across a Youtube video of this weird flying thing called a MikroKopter Hexa, and that was all it took. I managed to hold off for about year before taking the plunge and the rest is just a long downhill slide into multirotor addiction, currently have 9 built and ready to fly with just the charge of a lipo pack!

Ken

Ken u forgot to mention you are a Timelord!

 

[plingboot]

graphic designer, been doing it since finishing my degree twenty years ago. i run a consultancy in south west london with my lady wife.

Two hobbies both ruddy money pits. Triathlon - everything from olympic to ironman distance, which takes up the months between feb and september and - since last autumn - multirotors fill the winter months.

So if i'm not at the desk working or out 'doing' i'm spannering my bikes or filling the table with electronic bits.

i did spend a lot of time shooting very high res 360 degree panos and would quite like to explore the possibilities of that with multirotors, but need to find/refine a solution which stays locked in the air and can carry my 5D.

 

[Kilby]

Wow, I knew we had some talented folks visiting the site, but this really is a great group. Cheers to you all for pushing this hobby in the right direction.

:tennis:

 

[Macsgrafs]

Wow, I knew we had some talented folks visiting the site, but this really is a great group. Cheers to you all for pushing this hobby in the right direction.

:tennis:

You mean thanks to all us MR guinea pigs

Ross

 

[combatxe2]

Started as an apprentice mechanic in a local dealership, then went into Motorsport, worked for Nissan motorsports on WRC as suspension and final drive tech, then went to work for jaguar in GT racing various other jobs I between to do with computing and electronics (motorsport is an unstable world) worked for 3 years at Volkswagen racing UK as technical manager, now workshop manager at a local family owned garage. I had to come out of the Motorsport life as I now have a beautiful 8 month old baby girl to spend time with.
So most of my money goes on baby stuff and any spare goes on my two hobbies Motorbikes and Flying Rc been doing both for over 20 years.........damn that makes me feel old....:0). Oh and goto into MR's as got a little bored with heli's and FPV looks interesting. Plus MR's just look cool.

 

[ZAxis]

Zaxis is a partnership ! I'm Bank of Dad and the other half will post on his own behalf.
I help run a company making Mass Spectrometers used for analysing stable isotopes. I write the control software and debug the electronics and hardware. I've been doing this for the past 37 years and watched the computer revolution come and take over scientific analysis, writing the code for the world's first commercial fully automatic stable isotope analyser and many others since. So making things work by themselves is in my blood. RC interest comes from my son, the other half, who in his younger days was really in to electric RC car racing. He ended up rather good at it and as the mechanic I got dragged into the 'dads' races. I was never any good but I enjoyed the challenge of making race cars better than the opposition. Things then went quiet for a few years while university days passed for him learning video production. Being an avid 4x mountain biker he got into making videos about the sport, always looking for the 'different angle'. This led to considering RC helicopters to get one of those angles but multirotor came out as the weapon of choice. I cannot, and dare not, fly the hexakopter, just building, repairing and upgrading is enough for me.
Oh ... I also watch the bonfire of cash blaze away.

andy

 

[Efliernz]

I have been a comms engineer for 27 years. Married for 16 years. One adult stepson and a perfect 14yo daughter - perfect because she videos my model without grumping... I have flown rc for 26 years. Occasional full-size pilot but I don't have a current licence. I want a homebuilt... the wife isn't mad on me flying in something...

I got my first rc heli 6 years ago and after trying to fly with an uncharged battery... I built my first low-volt alarm. Someone on helifreak said "cool... can i have one?" and I ended up building 610 alarms for 28 countries - all thanks to forums. I still run an adjustable piezo alarm on my multis but I've now bought a quanum 2.4 monitor - so no more alarms.

I have always taken photographs - ever since school and with digital imaging, I could do it from models. Firstly a 48" foam high-wing diy electric trainer with a Pentax 3.2m p&s. Once I got into helis, I could see that I would hang hang one from there. That was 5 years ago. Our first job was for the local council with a street-race-circuit build. We did very well out of that We are now shooting every month, some times weekly. What I call boutique shooting. Most real-estate is shot by an ex-realtor with a tethered blimp - no point fighting that battle! Then I saw multi's last year and being a diy man, off I went. My diy hex did it's first commercial shoot this week - indoors in a factory that we have shot every month for the last 6 months while it has been built. The hex complements my trex-600 and Trex-700 cameraships. I doubt they will replace them completely as the hex looks so small from 200 yards away - or 400'.

Next step. My new diy hex is about to be built. I will put together an interchangeable mounting system to cover stills and light-weight video. I am wanting to sort a 360 pano system too but there is only so many hours in the day...

Pete

http://www.youtube.com/user/Efliernz?feature=mhee

 

[Gunter]

I'm an architectural designer. Did a load of work on Hong Kong airport back in the day, more recently T5 at Heathrow. Next time you go in there, take note of the large grey boxes with ventilation ducts and large yellow letters in the departure hall. At present I am designing the glazed facade at the new Blackfriars station, along with a load of other metalwork in London.

Got into multirotors when I saw a Draganflyer on Gizmodo...and have been hooked ever since!

 

[Macsgrafs]

Mechanical engineer with a passion for the environment. For and early age I loved everything about nature and its marvels. Started working life as a bait digger and beach fisherman. Pushed into an apprenticeship by toolmaker dad. Worked for my self since I was 23. Very lucky to be in the right places at the right time and spent from 28 to 46 exploring this fantastic planets more remote mountain ranges in the coldest places!..

One time extreme cold climate climber / skier and last but not least down hill mountain biker.. My body is now to old, broke and crooked to continue the mad stuff. Now having to save up for my old age. (MR's bust my funds!)

I am a specialist in renewable energy storage and integration of new and traditional energy systems and its control in domestic and commercial environments.

Been addicted to MR's for twelve months in which time I have spent far to much money on this crazy infectious challenge.

Ultimate goals;
Photography and video from angles that produce questions in the viewers mind.

Dave Im impressed mate. Glad you have a passion for the enviroment, so many dont! Questions in the viewers mind.....I spent hours doing such in a studio with complete control over every beam of light, loved it.

 

[ZAxis]

I'm an architectural designer. Did a load of work on Hong Kong airport back in the day, more recently T5 at Heathrow. Next time you go in there, take note of the large grey boxes with ventilation ducts and large yellow letters in the departure hall. At present I am designing the glazed facade at the new Blackfriars station, along with a load of other metalwork in London.

Got into multirotors when I saw a Draganflyer on Gizmodo...and have been hooked ever since!

Passing through T5 on Sunday. I'll keep an eye out for your handiwork.

andy