This is Part 2 of a 2 Part Series on 10 Ways of Using Drones for Survival Security Monitoring
6. Drones That Have the Range and Endurance Capabilities You Need
As your needs evolve, the functions you require from your drone may change. Initially, you may require a drone to explore the city and find a secure bug-out site. You’ll need a device to guide you where to go and what obstacles you may face.
In the future, you might need an aircraft that can move quickly and cover long distances, providing sufficient time to manage various situations. Considering range and endurance when selecting a model is crucial, as they are essential for your future needs.
Related – Women’s Edition – Beginner Survival Strategies, Part 2: Survival Safety
Some more affordable drones need you to remain within a specific range of the aircraft, which can be inconvenient. It’s ideal if the drone can fly freely without requiring you to relocate.
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The strength of the signal, the frequency band, and normal weather conditions will determine this. You might find a drone with an extender built in to give you more depth of range so that you don’t have to be in the line of sight when using it.
Pay close attention to the battery life of the drone you’re considering buying, and make sure you purchase one or more backup batteries. If the battery drains and the drone falls out of the sky, it could result in damage and loss.
There are drone parachutes sold for this purpose, but it’s always best to have a drone that can manage a return trip to your base thanks to its efficiency. The heavier or more complex your drone is, the more energy it will consume.
There are some drones with built-in solar recharging abilities, which will help extend the flight capabilities to get your drone further and help it return to you quickly. If you can find one with a backup battery, that will also work.
NOTE: The Federal Aviation Administration requires registration of many drones flown in the US for hobby or commercial purposes. To learn more about drone registration requirements, visit the Federal Aviation Administration’s drone page.
This high-end drone is easy to control, equipped with the functions of a speed control, headless mode, track flight and etc. Even beginners can fly this drone with no fear. Besides, the anti-drop body and full wrap protection ring can also guarantee that the performance of the drone will not be influenced even after multiple falls.
4D-V7 Wifi FPV 4K Camera Drone. Large Size Quadcopter with Headless Mode Trajectory Flight Function
Features and Functions:
Up/down, forward/backward, turn left/right, sideward flight, LED light, large size, 4K camera, headless mode, one key to take off/land/return, altitude hold mode, WiFi FPV, 3D flip, and 2.4Ghz control frequency.
Air Pressure Altitude Hold: The intelligent altitude hold function can accurately lock the flight altitude to keep the drone in a stable hover and effectively avoid the aerial camera shaking.
Track Flight: After setting the target via APP, you can control the drone with your finger tracking the flight. Then the drone will automatically fly following the set track.
High-quality Pictures: 4K High-definition camera can retain the details of the pictures, offering you an immersive experience. The beauty filter makes photos look better by adjusting the light and shadow automatically.
7. Budgeting and Planning for the Investment of a Survival Security Drone
When you shop for a drone for survival purposes, you will see a wide range of price points. Some, which are perfect for kids, are under $50. But you’re shopping for survival security, which is usually insufficient for long-range surveillance.
Related – Women’s Edition – Beginner Survival Strategies, Part 2: Survival Safety
Ideally, you can save up and budget for something better. Go off of functionality and the features that are most important to you. You can add accessories later and replace certain parts, such as propellers that make less noise.
You don’t want to buy the cheapest one to save money – or the most expensive just because you assume it’ll be the best. Your purchase needs to align with what you want to achieve.
Always consider the repair tools and replacement parts you may need to buy. As you budget, you might set aside money to purchase those backup parts so they’re on hand before you need them.
If you have the money to do this, get a cheap version to learn how it works before you level up with something better. And if you’re on a very tight budget, prioritize the features you need, like battery life or thermal imaging, over flashy add-ons.
You may also find discount deals whenever you buy a drone bundle. This can include carrying cases, backup batteries, additional propellers, and more instead of buying them a la carte.
8. Beginner Drones and Knowing When to Level Up
The entry-level drones you want to start with may mostly be quadcopters, but you might be able to find a fixed-wing UAV that fits within your budget. If you plan to alter it later with upgraded accessories, ensure it has that ability.
Not all drones can have parts swapped out. Take some time to learn how drones work. You may struggle initially, but you’ll get the hang of it if you know what to pay attention to before you let your drone take flight.
For example, pay attention to the battery use, so your drone has enough power to get back to you before crashing. Learn how the controls work so you’re not causing your drone to run into anything or fall to the ground.
Related – Emergency Communication Survival Devices Checklist
You may have to calibrate your drone for stability and navigation purposes before you send it on its first mission. You must also pay attention to the weather and ensure it won’t result in a lost drone.
Don’t fly the drone outside your sight line in the beginning. You may want to attach an air tag to it in case it crashes into someone’s backyard or an unknown location and you need to retrieve it.
Once you get the hang of using a beginner model, you may want to level up or go from automated flights to being in complete control. You might go farther distances and learn how to navigate in tight spaces with a better drone.
This Remote Control aircraft is made of EPP material, durable, and light. Two-channel design, easier to control, very suitable for a beginner! Also, it is a good gift for your children, it is good for both interest cultivation and intelligence development.
Wltoys XK A200 F-16B RC Airplane 2.4GHz 2CH RC Plane Flight Fixed-wing Drone
Designed according to F-16 fighter, with cool appearance.
Lightweight, high flexibility, and not easy to break. It adopts high efficient pneumatic contour design, ensures good stability, operability, and gliding performance.
2.4Ghz, no interference. Two-channel design, easier to control, just practice a few times, you can get started.
Built-in six-axis gyroscope flight auto-stable system, easy for beginners to masters.
If your drone works great for you and does everything you need, don’t feel you have to level up with a more expensive model. It’s not mandatory.
Watch this – 10 MAJOR Ways To SECURE – DEFEND Your Home (YouTube)
Level up if the performance isn’t up to par or the features (like camera quality) are less than you want for survival security. You can also keep the existing beginner drone for things like surveillance right around your home and use a stealthier version for more extended reconnaissance.
9. Know the Rules for Using Drones
We won’t dwell much on this topic, but it deserves a prominent spot in covering it. You must become aware of FAA regulations regarding the use of drones.
Read this – FAA Drone or UAV Regulations
You must also know local privacy laws that could get you in trouble. For example, you don’t want to be hovering over a neighbor’s backyard with your drone or flying into air space that could cause an accident.
Don’t just learn the rules, etiquette, and laws right now. You have to stay up to date with this so that you’re always in accordance with the law.
You may need to get a drone pilot license to operate your drone. Sometimes, this will depend on the drone’s size or the purpose you want to use it for. They may have rules for how high or low you fly it, whether you’re capturing photos and videos, etc.
10. Conduct Routine Checks to Maintain Your Drone Properly
Once you have your drone, you must take good care of it so it lasts. This is true of your survival gear – whether a garden tool or generator. A drone can suffer from wear and tear; maintaining it for operational purposes is up to you.
Before you send it up, conduct a routine check to inspect it for any damage or problems. Ensure every part is in working order – the batteries, propellers, sensors, and more. If you have software installations for your drone, update it before each mission.
Go through a calibration check to ensure the cameras and sensors function correctly. You don’t want the compass to be off or the Gimbal not to work correctly and cause a shaky visual result.
After every flight, before packing the drone away, make sure you clean it to remove any dew, dust, or debris that has settled on it. You don’t want it wearing down the gadget or getting inside the parts and causing a problem.
Check out the HOVERAir X1 Self-Flying Camera, Pocket-Sized Drone. It’s a high-end rectangular drone with the propellers covered in a fully enclosed design. It’s so cool how it folds up to fit in your pocket. Takes off from your palm with one click. It’s lighter than an iPhone and without the need for FAA registration. It comes in both black and white.
There may come a time when something has to be repaired or replaced. You might have an easy time repairing something simple, but you may have to get a professional to help with more complex issues.
Call upon your warranty if anything severe happens, and don’t put this off until you’re already in a survival event because those services may not be able to help at that time if it’s a big event.
Always keep a log of the repairs and replacements you’ve made, just as a log or record is kept for an airplane mechanical system. That way, you know approximately what is causing specific issues and how long parts typically last.
The potential for a survival disaster ranges from natural weather events to man-made catastrophes. You want to be able to handle everything your family needs. That doesn’t just mean stocking up on food, water, and first aid supplies.
It also means having a solid strategy in place to thwart any threats. In a SHTF event, people get desperate, and those who may have been model citizens in an ordinary world can turn into people who put your family at risk in a survival scenario.
Having a survival drone can mean the difference between escaping with your supplies and your life and being unaware of the dangers lurking nearby. With a drone, you can operate in stealth mode and surveil your surroundings without going out and putting yourself at risk on foot.
The speed at which it can operate can help you make a swift decision to help your family navigate any situation. If needed, you could even attach a light item like a first aid item to the drone and have it delivered to someone in a spot where you can’t immediately get to them.
The versatility of a survival drone – and its ability to protect you from nefarious people or allow you to find good food and water sources – is something many gadgets can’t provide.
It’s one thing where the price tag is well worth the investment for short- and long-term survival events. With the right equipment and knowledge on how to use it, your family will have the upper hand in meeting their needs and gaining peace of mind.
I’m the daughter of 2 original survivalists who moved from the north to sunny Florida. My mother, along with her parents, bought 30 mostly uncleared acres in 1938. The first home was made of pecky-cypress and built by a house-raising. My mother raised 10,000 chickens.
My divorced mother met and married my father in 1948. From pine trees on our property, he hand-built a log cabin. He also built a tarpaper-lined 65’x45′ pool with duck pond overflow. We had an artesian well for our water and powering our hand-built waterwheel for the pool. He built a substantial cantilevered roof workshop with a car pit in the massive cement floor.
Since my early teens, I have read a ton of books about survival, prepping, the bomb, an apocalypse, homestead living, and SHTF situations. As an adult, I continue to read sci-fi, survival prepping, and science. I practice a prepper lifestyle albeit a bit modified, read a lot, buy a lot, pack/store a lot of anything survival related.
Read my About Me post for more details on our self-sufficient living. I lived there until I went to college in 1968.
My SurvivalPrepperSupply.com blog strives to educate individuals on coping with natural and human-caused disasters using article posts about preparing for emergencies.
