So, I'm a fan of all things flying and drones. I've designed and built helis, quads, and all that. I say that, to say that I'm not unfamiliar with drone builds, or operational limits and all that.

Having said that, I live in the Houston area. Twice, in the last 10 days, I've seen what appears to be a large drone flying near the IAH airport at a high rate of speed. The first time it happened, it wasn't the best lighting, so my dashcam didn't actually pick up anything of substance. I just saw it again this evening but can't find the vid so far on my dashcam.

What I've seen is:

• A LARGE aircraft, with a 5 or 6 prop setup. It had white lights, but no navigational lights that I could see. But here's the thing, it was flying horizontally, with the props all aligned perpendicular-ish to the ground. And it was MOVING. Well in excess of 100 knots, if I were estimating.
• It was substantial, but with no apparent payload ability. What I mean is, in between all the prop sets, there wasn't anything other than support structure to hold it all together. Like, it was just out looking for a airspeed record or something. lol
• It was just North of Houston proper, along the Hardy Toll Road, near IAH, if anyone wants to look it up.

The first time I saw it, it was just getting light, and I wasn't super sure of what I saw. This time, it was about 2:45 or so, so I could see it clearly. This thing looked BIG for a drone. Like maybe 15-20 foot in 'wingspan'. I'm still digging through my dashcam footage, so hopefully, I'll find it in there somewhere.

Anyway, I was just curious if any of y'all knew what this might be.

Cheers!

Good day!

I doubt something capable of this exists, but looking for a small drone that can fly a pretty programmed path indoors in a fairly small room. The main use is to stream it's video to a streaming platform and tour the room over a set period of time. Following a path with some elevation changes of a few feet.

Is this possible? I've been looking through the reddit and not seen much that fits what I'm aiming for, so open to suggestions.

​

Hey everyone!

I'm from the Philippines, and I'm curious about how people buy and sell used drones, whether locally or internationally, particularly between the Philippines, United States, and Canada.

I'm mainly interested in selling DJI drones, FPV drones, and other quadcopters, including used or refurbished units.

I have a few questions:

1. Local selling (Philippines): What are the best platforms or marketplaces for selling used drones in the Philippines besides Facebook Marketplace and Carousell?

2. International selling: Are there any websites or marketplaces that allow sellers from the Philippines to sell drones to buyers in the US or Canada?

3. Shipping: How do you ship drones internationally, especially when dealing with lithium batteries? Which couriers are recommended?

4. Customs and regulations: Are there any export or import restrictions, permits, customs duties, or other requirements when shipping drones between these countries?

5. Payments: What are the safest payment methods for international transactions to avoid scams or chargebacks?

6. Marketplace requirements: Do platforms like eBay or other drone marketplaces require sellers to have a US or Canadian address or bank account?

7. FPV drones: Are there any dedicated marketplaces or communities for selling FPV drones, custom-built quadcopters, and spare parts internationally?

I'd also love to hear from anyone in the Philippines who has successfully sold drones to international buyers, particularly in the US or Canada.

Any recommendations, experiences, or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Enjoying the last warm October days

Jupiter Inlet

Hi everyone!

I'm trying to find replacement parts for my FIMI Mini SE drone, but I'm having trouble finding sellers that offer these specific components.

I've attached two pictures of the parts I'm looking for:

1. Front sensor module: The small PCB with two optical sensors, LEDs, and a ribbon cable.
2. LED ribbon cable: The small flexible PCB labeled "LED" and "MB" with connectors on both ends.

I'm currently in Brazil, so I'm looking for stores, suppliers, or individuals who can ship these parts internationally.

I've considered AliExpress, but I'm not sure what the exact part names or numbers are, which makes searching difficult.

Does anyone know:

• Where I could buy these components?
• Whether there are compatible parts from other FIMI drone models?
• Any repair communities, specialized suppliers, or alternative sources for FIMI spare parts?

I'd also appreciate any technical documentation or part numbers that could help me identify them.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Shot on my first trip to Iceland this past Sept.

I bought my mini 5 pro from DJI USA not realizing it was an aftermarket seller. unfortunately i crashed it right away and broke a gimbal mount.

is the mini 5 pro a real DJI product? Why is it not sold on the DJI website? are there any better alternatives?

thanks for any advice.

Never flown a drone before, but I work on RC cars anything you can tell me about identifying them/any useful knowledge would be much appreciated. Hope this is allowed here if it’s not I apologize and you’re welcome to take it down.