I’m not really sure how to classify this skill but something I’ve been setting up to prioritize is the skill of being able to fly and expertly maneuver a drone. It still amazes me that we have reached a point where controlling a flying object at significant altitudes feels as ordinary and accessible as driving a car or riding a bicycle.
Moments like this serve as a stark reminder that we are steadily moving further into a future we once only imagined.
Last October, I purchased a DJI Radio Controller 3 which is the companion controller for a class of DJI Drones. I did not purchase the drone yet, although I already know which one I’m going to buy. I also purchased a computer game called “Liftoff“.
The reason I purchased the game and not the drone is because the game is a simulator and according to my research (from experienced drone pilots on YouTube), using a simulator is widely considered the best way for beginners to acclimate to the activity. Pairing the physical controller with the simulator allows new pilots to develop an intuitive understanding of drone physics and flight dynamics. This approach significantly shortens the learning curve when transitioning to a real drone.
While this is a “hobby” of sorts, I will be honest in that I also view this as a tool towards future protection. It’s no secret that the Ukraine/Russia war has showcased the devastatingly cost effective power and crucial strategic benefits of these flying paper plates. Seeing violent footage of the war has convinced me that drones could very well be the frightening counter evolution to the under enforced proliferation of stolen/illegal/unlicensed firearms here in the United States. At present, the malicious use of drones remains largely unregulated in a critical number of United States jurisdictions. My deep concern is that it will take a series of high-profile incidents before comprehensive action is taken to address the unique threats drones can pose to life and property.
I wish I could end this by saying my desire to experience first person view of flight is the driving factor of this project – drones are now equipped with fantastic video cameras. However, the legality of their presence (plus the mass drone incursions that happened under the previous White House administration in 2024) casts a long ominous shadow making me very very uneasy. If I am being completely forthright, a drone – in the hands of even an average pilot – has an unacceptably high probability of overwhelming the defensive capabilities my legally owned firearms grants me.
But….look, I don’t want to be all doom and gloom. We, in the northern hemisphere, just ushered in the season of Spring and it deserves celebration.
I may have upped the saturation in this photo by a little too much. Sorry 😁. I can’t get enough of the colors that Spring gives back to my world.
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