Cool! Well it's all 4 directions where it's different with each 1/4 turn not just coming towards us I'll keep flying. If I look at the image, maybe it's easier, so far I do it looking at the drone only.

Hi all,

I have a Mavic 2 pro - just would like to understand why the follow me function wouldn't work...
The video below was mostly made with the follow me function:



best,
mariachi76

Would the mini 3 Pro be a good buy? I quite like the remote with integrated screen so you don't have to use your phone:

www.kogan.com/au/buy/dji-mini-3-dji-rc-controller/

I am having DJI FPV Combo and in my opinion its the best!

I'm no expert but in my experience the follow me function on most drones only works at very low speeds..maybe max 20km/hr or so. my original drone was DJI Mavic Pro which is nice but can't handle real wind. Most consumer drones like mentioned above max out at 65km/hr air speed or so so if you are flying in 20kts of wind you only have 25km/hr or so 'reserve speed' to get upwind. Trying to fly in 30kts+ when the nutters go out is not practical. Really need to go FPV to go fast and goggles instead of trying to look at a tiny screen so you can get closer to the action. Most FPV drones can fly between 150 to 300 km/hr which means you have ample speed reserve to handle wind with plenty of reserve speed to do orbits/manoeuvre around subject etc. Downside is battery life is very short at these speeds, there is no gymbal and took me a solid 9 months to get over the nausea. You can also get fully water proof drones which is a bonus for filming water sports so you can get really close and not worry if you accidentally hit the water (also can save battery life by landing in water and waiting for action). Below recent vid of mine using FPV chasing windsurfers (4 months experience)..2nd vid is showing some basic water proof drone action. Combine the two in my opinion will make for some epic shots..

Played with mine in the wind yesterday. That thing was flying all over the place, got confused with the controls again when attempting to escape a rapidly approaching tree! Had to emergency land luckily without damage.

I'll keep practicing but it's just so hard to navigate when the rear is not pointing towards me.

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Zed said..
Would the mini 3 Pro be a good buy? I quite like the remote with integrated screen so you don't have to use your phone:

www.kogan.com/au/buy/dji-mini-3-dji-rc-controller/

Mini 3 Pro is a great drone but I wouldn't trust it in strong winds, as Flex said the FPV would be better or one of the bigger drones for strong winds. I have a Air 2s which is great but I bought it mainly for travel not chasing windsurfers, I do occasionally chase windsurfers but really I have too much to lose just to film others.
Yes the mini 3 is a great drone to start with and probally all you'd ever need, the integrated screen makes life easy. Factor in extra batteries and if you go the Mini 3 and get the larger ones.

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Manuel7 said..
Played with mine in the wind yesterday. That thing was flying all over the place, got confused with the controls again when attempting to escape a rapidly approaching tree! Had to emergency land luckily without damage.

I'll keep practicing but it's just so hard to navigate when the rear is not pointing towards me.

In a panic it's all to easy to get your left and right mixed up when flying towards yourself, been there and my first drone had the scars to show

And now birds are attacking me!
Will probably resort to a nice zoom lens instead

Flying RC equipment, like drones or planes or gliders, is a kindof abstract thing. Eventually you get to where you have oriented your perception to what the aircraft orientation is. Then, regardless of which direction the aircraft is pointing, you always know that to roll left you stick left, roll right stick right, etc. You get to where you imagine yourself onboard, no matter what direction the aircraft is pointed.

The only way to achieve this is practice. It will become second nature.

When it comes to drones for wave sailing, there are a few key factors to consider. First and foremost, you'll want a drone that can handle strong winds, as you mentioned. Look for drones that have a high wind resistance rating or that are specifically designed for outdoor use.Another important factor is the drone's flight range and stability. You'll want a drone that can fly up to 1km off the coast and maintain a steady hover. Look for drones with GPS stabilization and long-range transmission capabilities.The "follow" feature you mentioned is also called "orbit" mode, is available in some drones, which allows the drone to fly in a circle around a subject while keeping the camera trained on that subject. This feature can be useful for wave-sailing footage, but it's important to note that the quality and reliability of this feature can vary greatly depending on the drone model.

You want to study up on this "follow me" stuff. For most drones as I understand it, "follow me" works by following the transmitter, which, besides the drone itself, has GPS onboard. It's a bit impractical to take the transmitter along on the water with the rider. People have talked about this.

If you want to follow a different object besides the transmitter, you have to use a drone that can do this. For DJI it is called "Active Track." For Autel it is called "Dynamic Tracking." There are mixed opinions out there about how well this works for tracking a windsurfer/foiler. I do know it works very well for tracking boats.

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Flex2 said..
I'm no expert but in my experience the follow me function on most drones only works at very low speeds..maybe max 20km/hr or so. my original drone was DJI Mavic Pro which is nice but can't handle real wind. Most consumer drones like mentioned above max out at 65km/hr air speed or so so if you are flying in 20kts of wind you only have 25km/hr or so 'reserve speed' to get upwind. Trying to fly in 30kts+ when the nutters go out is not practical. Really need to go FPV to go fast and goggles instead of trying to look at a tiny screen so you can get closer to the action. Most FPV drones can fly between 150 to 300 km/hr which means you have ample speed reserve to handle wind with plenty of reserve speed to do orbits/manoeuvre around subject etc. Downside is battery life is very short at these speeds, there is no gymbal and took me a solid 9 months to get over the nausea. You can also get fully water proof drones which is a bonus for filming water sports so you can get really close and not worry if you accidentally hit the water (also can save battery life by landing in water and waiting for action). Below recent vid of mine using FPV chasing windsurfers (4 months experience)..2nd vid is showing some basic water proof drone action. Combine the two in my opinion will make for some epic shots..

Wow, this Flywater FPV stuff I haven't seen before. This is really nice. With some new toroidal propellers from MIT we could even touch the sail without damaging it. Thanks for sharing!

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Flex2 said..
I'm no expert but in my experience the follow me function on most drones only works at very low speeds..maybe max 20km/hr or so. my original drone was DJI Mavic Pro which is nice but can't handle real wind. Most consumer drones like mentioned above max out at 65km/hr air speed or so so if you are flying in 20kts of wind you only have 25km/hr or so 'reserve speed' to get upwind. Trying to fly in 30kts+ when the nutters go out is not practical. Really need to go FPV to go fast and goggles instead of trying to look at a tiny screen so you can get closer to the action. Most FPV drones can fly between 150 to 300 km/hr which means you have ample speed reserve to handle wind with plenty of reserve speed to do orbits/manoeuvre around subject etc. Downside is battery life is very short at these speeds, there is no gymbal and took me a solid 9 months to get over the nausea. You can also get fully water proof drones which is a bonus for filming water sports so you can get really close and not worry if you accidentally hit the water (also can save battery life by landing in water and waiting for action). Below recent vid of mine using FPV chasing windsurfers (4 months experience)..2nd vid is showing some basic water proof drone action. Combine the two in my opinion will make for some epic shots..

This is insane footage. What FPV drone is it?

From my local buddies: