MartinX

Ooh look - http://www.skydrone.aero/fpv - it's not just me having these bad ideas! Unfortunately "pre-order" price is $499. Goes up to $699 after pre-order period. Plus there are add-ons, like lenses for another $99. BUT: The Sky Drone FPV System comes complete with: Sky Drone FPV module Sky Drone FPV Groundstation app for Android & Windows Free future software upgrades For more information please visit Sky Drone FPV. Still a bad idea?

No one's going to come knocking as I would build and use this drone in a country where there are no line-of-sight or range laws. I'd never dream of breaking a law! This idea is not necessarily bad. The military fly drones controlled via satellites and military networks. And if I were to build such a drone, I would make sure that, like other drones, loss of signal would result in the drone going into an automatic holding pattern. The mobile phone networks and the technology exists now. Nothing intrinsically wrong in using extant tech and infrastructure to build something different. That's what hacking is about. I'm also interested in the idea of using HackRF in conjunction with radio-controlled vehicles. A piece of hardware like the HackRF might make it easier for individuals/small groups to develop a more autonomous RC vehicle. Any thoughts?

There are a number of quadrotors and drones which can be controlled via wireless, from various devices. This limits the range for the rc vehicles - we can fly them no further than wifi range. I'm wondering if there are drones/remote controlled flying machines that can be controlled over the mobile internet. If the drone contained 3G/4G phone innards, the controller could make contact with drone from and to wherever there is mobile phone reception, allowing a potential range of many many miles. I know there are laws sayinbg controllers must have line-of-sight and a range of 500 metres or similar? So I'm certainly not planning to actually system. Rather, this is a "what if" question. Abstract but lawful. I'm interested if this tech has already been knocked together. If not, maybe I could have a go at it. But obviously I do not want to reinvent any wheels. Any feedback most welcome. Martin X