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Thermal Drones

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I built bombs and missles for the Air Force, with enough thrust, you can propel about anything. Add some flappers on the aft end to keep it from tumbling. Make them move and you can give it direction. Beyond that, my mind still doesn't understand how these can fly in freezing rain.

Edit: had to reword things for the watch list agencies.
 
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brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,855
247
I build bombs and missles, with enough thrust, you can propel about anything. Add some flappers on the aft end to keep it from tumbling. Make them move and you can give it direction. Beyond that, my mind still doesn't understand how these can fly in freezing rain.
You are not supposed to fly them in freezing rain. Ice buildup will cause failure as with any aircraft. Yesterday’s conditions were not “icing”. Close, but it was not cold enough. I know, it was cold, but a warm airframe on short flights - perfectly fine. There was zero ice build up yesterday. I even flew in really thick fog last night- no ice build up. These are not trans-continental flights at high altitude. 25 minutes from take off to landing. It would have to be extremely nasty conditions for icing to occur that quickly and I would not be interested in flying on those days.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
57,062
274
North Carolina
Also aircraft have anti-icing systems built into the leading edges (wings and empennages) to prevent ice build up. They use bleed air (hot air from the motors) to keep icing from happening.
 
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giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
You are not supposed to fly them in freezing rain. Ice buildup will cause failure as with any aircraft. Yesterday’s conditions were not “icing”. Close, but it was not cold enough. I know, it was cold, but a warm airframe on short flights - perfectly fine. There was zero ice build up yesterday. I even flew in really thick fog last night- no ice build up. These are not trans-continental flights at high altitude. 25 minutes from take off to landing. It would have to be extremely nasty conditions for icing to occur that quickly and I would not be interested in flying on those days.
100% ice was building on the grass and tree limbs when I posted. Then it changed to snow and melted off.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
57,062
274
North Carolina

Can't track deer out of hunting hours in PA?
That’s one of those scenarios where the game commission is wrong and they’re going all out to prove how wrong they actually are…. At the cost of that drone guy….. Hopefully the courts side with the defendant and he recoups all of his losses and gets financially compensated….
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,382
193
North Central Ohio
It's all open to interpretation of the law as the wording is vague leaving it as one of those gray areas. This guy will unfortunately pay the price but I guarantee the wording for that particular law will be changed by next season. It's like having an inspector come out to the jobsite. One guy will let something pass but the next guy will tag it and make you fix it.

Similar thing happened to me years ago that lead me to that other site and meeting most of you guys for the first time. Rookie game warden trying to make a name for himself found a law that was open to interpretation. Next season the wording was changed and no more loophole.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,382
193
North Central Ohio
Yeah I knew the law was on the books. It’s a dumb law but some bullheaded commissioners just don’t understand real world hunting.
They understand it just fine but someone always has to be made an example. I think they used the law to make the state money by finding the gray area and hoped it would go nice and quietly. Now that it's been made a big deal the state will push ahead with everything they have hoping to outlast this guys wallet.
 
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"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
57,062
274
North Carolina
They understand it just fine but someone always has to be made an example. I think they used the law to make the state money by finding the gray area and hoped it would go nice and quietly. Now that it's been made a big deal the state will push ahead with everything they have hoping to outlast this guys wallet.
Just another government overreach…. Too arrogant to admit they were overzealous.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
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On another note; I flew a friends farm today. He said he had a couple hundred deer yarded up on his place due to him leaving corn standing along with food plots and security cover. He was not lying. My screen looked as if someone had sprinkled salt on it. I use white hot setting and I have never encountered so many thermal signatures. It is further proof that deer distribution varies wildly cause he has them all.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
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Its not really a gray area. It is however contrary to everything hunters do and the law has looked the other way for a long time. The law, even in Ohio, says

HUNTING HOURS​

Hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

It depends on how each state defines "hunting". In Ohio, I can accompany a turkey hunter and even help call without a tag as long as I don't have a gun. In Ohio, it says you can't have a loaded gun until 30 min before sunrise or 30 min after. Meaning if it is unloaded you're not "hunting"

In MS you can't even help someone blood trail or drag a deer if you don't have a license. That's considered participating in a hunting activity and therefore you're hunting. They can accompany you but can't assist in the hunt in any way or it's considered hunting, that includes even something simple like carrying your pack while you drag. So, I haven't read PAs laws, but it may not be as gray as people think.
 
Its not really a gray area. It is however contrary to everything hunters do and the law has looked the other way for a long time. The law, even in Ohio, says

HUNTING HOURS​

Hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

It depends on how each state defines "hunting". In Ohio, I can accompany a turkey hunter and even help call without a tag as long as I don't have a gun. In Ohio, it says you can't have a loaded gun until 30 min before sunrise or 30 min after. Meaning if it is unloaded you're not "hunting"

In MS you can't even help someone blood trail or drag a deer if you don't have a license. That's considered participating in a hunting activity and therefore you're hunting. They can accompany you but can't assist in the hunt in any way or it's considered hunting, that includes even something simple like carrying your pack while you drag. So, I haven't read PAs laws, but it may not be as gray as people think.

This is absolutely the case. In PA anything related to hunting is considered hunting so therefore it is technically illegal to track after dark. Now tracking after dark they usually don't enforce unless they want to.

Here is the definition of hunting.

Hunt" or "hunting." Any act or furtherance of the taking or killing of any game or wildlife, or any part or product thereof, and includes, but is not limited to, chasing, tracking, calling, pursuing, lying in wait, trapping, shooting at, including shooting at a game or wildlife facsimile, or wounding with any weapon or implement, or using any personal property, including dogs, or the property of others, of any nature, in furtherance of any of these purposes, or aiding, abetting or conspiring with another person in that purpose.
 
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RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,382
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North Central Ohio
This is absolutely the case. In PA anything related to hunting is considered hunting so therefore it is technically illegal to track after dark. Now tracking after dark they usually don't enforce unless they want to.

Here is the definition of hunting.

Hunt" or "hunting." Any act or furtherance of the taking or killing of any game or wildlife, or any part or product thereof, and includes, but is not limited to, chasing, tracking, calling, pursuing, lying in wait, trapping, shooting at, including shooting at a game or wildlife facsimile, or wounding with any weapon or implement, or using any personal property, including dogs, or the property of others, of any nature, in furtherance of any of these purposes, or aiding, abetting or conspiring with another person in that purpose.
After reading that then I would say that guys done for. It's right there in plain English and black and white.

I've seen videos of the guy here in Ohio tracking wounded deer and hitting the spotlight. It's only a matter of time before he gets nailed for that as well. I still consider that just as if he is doing it from the road in a car. If can't even turn my headlights to look at a deer I don't know how he's getting away with it from a drone. He's digging himself in deep and posting it on YouTube for everyone to see.
 

LonewolfNopack

Junior Member
1,510
127
The woods
I believe I read that the guy had a previous warning as well as to not look for deer after dark. If that's the case, then that's on him. I agree it's an absolutely stupid law, but a law nevertheless. Any drone activity I have been doing has been ran through multiple wildlife officers and even in writing before season ever began. It's called due diligence. I can tell you personally that after a season of looking for deer, looking at night sucks. The only reason drone guys look after dark is because the thermal contrast is much better or it just fits into their schedule better, but looking the first couple hours of daylight and last couple hours of daylight will have similar effect for the thermals. A cloudy day is most ideal, then you can look all day. I've also found many deer with the sun beating down, it just takes much longer. Ohio definitely has more losely interpreted laws then other states. It goes along with the rest of Ohios hunting laws which are very liberal.
 
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