San Francisco, CA —The camera drone industry is growing at breakneck speed.  Engineers especially in China are competing to make most reliable, safest, and easiest to operate drones. DJI is the undisputed leader of the pack.  They put out the wildly successful Phantom and Phantom 2 consumer models multi-rotor drones. They either use the great little GoPro Cameras or their own built in offering.  DJI should stick to drone making and there is now evidence that they are partnering up with Panasonic and at least one other company to make photography history. I’m beyond delighted with my Phantom 2 and GoPro unit.  I learned how to fly it through the generosity and kindness of an American Airlines pilot pal along with my drone hobby shop proprietor Sergio of PiroflipRC in Van Nuys, CA.  There is a learning curve and the drone engineers are not writers but still must write the instruction manuals nonetheless.  When you add in a Chinese to English t...

Phantom 2 with a GoPro HD camera targeted by LA politicians Los Angeles, CA —City Council Members Tom LaBonge , and Mitchell Englander have moved forward with a request for recommendations from the LAPD and other agencies on restricting or otherwise banning civilian drones. This is only the first step.   We will have to wait and see what develops and deal with any ordinance/s that they propose.   Once they have a proposed ordinance it must negotiate the legislative process that includes public comment.   We are  certainly  free to begin contacting members of the City Council now letting them know that the existing laws and FAA regulations are more than adequate to deal with any issues of public safety and privacy.  We need to let them know that any knee jerk reaction to media hype may seriously infringe on 1 st Amendment rights. News organizations, videographers, photographers, filmmakers have a right to gather and display their images. ...

Los Angeles, CA —On a quiet Sunday Morning my little drone took a ride above Westwood area of Los Angeles.   The video shows the Southern portion of the UCLA campus, Wilshire Blvd and beyond.   On the West you can see the Veteran’s Cemetery, The VA Hospital and the 405 Freeway.     Unfortunately because of the terrific music attached this cannot be seen in Europe.