DJI Mavic Mini • Hacker News Board

Re: DJI Mavic Mini

#171

Post by leetcrew » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 4:47 PM UTC

205guy wrote: post #136

leetcrew wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I strongly disagree. as a matter of principle, I don't accept that a device I own should do anything more or less that what I tell it to do. I don't expect HN to agree with me on this principle, so I will also present a practical argument. these kinds of controls that protect users from wrongdoing tend to be implemented incredibly crudely. my house is close enough to a major airport that it triggers DJI's flight rest…

This is a fascinating discussion that I think gets to the heart of the matter, but is still missing the key point: can you ever own something with software? I up voted the sibling comment (diminoten) even though it was a bit aggressive. Leetcrew say s/he doesn't trust the controls programmed "crudely" by others. But the sibling logically points out that leetcrew's actions could be just as crude from the others' point…

I'm glad you brought up ham radio licenses. drones can certainly be dangerous if they are misused. although it would be inconvenient for me, I would not oppose stricter licensing requirements for drones and other potentially dangerous products. it could even be required to buy one in the first place. requiring a license says something like "we need to know that you understand the rules and are capable of following them". software controls imply "we don't trust you to follow the rules, even if you understand them". I realize this is a matter of opinion, but I think the second message is just inappropriate for a citizen in a free society.

Re: DJI Mavic Mini

#172

Post by ncr100 » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 5:33 PM UTC

mithr wrote: post #108

Looks pretty cool! Had to laugh at this bit though: > “My girlfriend and I can simply enjoy our time together making memories and leave the rest to Mavic Mini.” ... followed by a lengthy video of them either centering their entire attention on the drone taking the video, or standing to "enjoy nature" while discretely flying the drone at the same time, so that it can take a video of them serenely enjoying their perfec…

One supposedly significant reason Betamax was beaten, was the sex recordings were best found on VHS format video tape.

If DJI can better hook into porn industry than other drones - that could be a boon for them.

Re: DJI Mavic Mini

#173

Post by mikestew » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 5:49 PM UTC

chipsa wrote: post #148

post_break wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is how all laws work though. Rifle minimum barrel is 16" so they make 16" barrels. Wifi can only put out X watts max, they put out the maximum by law. There are no ethics in following a laws minimum or maximum.

Usually more like 16.1" or 16.25" barrels. Since non-compliance can result in jail time, they give a bit of a compliance buffer.

Re: DJI Mavic Mini

#174

Post by vannevar » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 6:08 PM UTC

nwallin wrote: post #143

vannevar wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I upvoted you, not because I agree, but because you raised a reasonable point that clearly generated some intelligent debate. I think the problem is that modern technology has resulted in cheaply available "tools" (to use your term) that have the capacity to cause great and irreparable harm to large numbers of other people (see the comments regarding drones and airplanes, for instance), and consequently must be proac…

The potential harm that can be caused by a In most jurisdictions, the regulatory burden of a small quadcopter is significantly greater than that of an AR-15. The potential harm vs utility argument doesn't even register here.

But is this an argument that quadcopters be regulated less, or that motor vehicles be regulated more? We've lived with the carnage motor vehicles wreak mostly out of blind habit: it's taken as normal. But that was true of many destructive activities in the past that we eventually stopped or mitigated. Certainly that's one big motivation for autonomous vehicles, which are the ultimate example of taking control away from the hands of the user.

Re: DJI Mavic Mini

#175

Post by throwawaycanada » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 6:49 PM UTC

Good bye drone laws!! 250g is the limit before you need a license in Canada!

Re: DJI Mavic Mini

#176

Post by throwawaycanada » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 6:54 PM UTC

Scoundreller wrote: post #101

roywiggins wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll just note that laws and regulations can get struck down for vagueness. If there's no hard rule about what kind of drones are regulated how, then it becomes more burdensome- or even impossible- to know whether you're complying with the law.

Or the law is perfectly clear, but the police and prosecutors pick and choose which cases they put forward. Or the intensity of enforcement varies in the first place. And chances are you’re doing something else illegal anyway. Or can be followed until you do. And if you don’t, there’s always the routine traffic stop.

"For my friends, everything. For my enemies, the law." -Benavides

Re: DJI Mavic Mini

#177

Post by throwawaycanada » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 6:55 PM UTC

atourgates wrote: post #56

blhack wrote: post #23

Wow, very cool! As others have pointed out, being under the weight limit set by the FAA is basically THE selling point. Ethical question: are DJI the good guys here working within the rules set out of the FAA, or are they running afoul of the spirit but staying within the letter?

I assume the "spirit" of the law is safety. If the FAA has determined that 250g is where the risk of a person, or plane, or something else being hit by a drone is diminished so as to not require the same regulations as drones over that weight, I'd say that keeping drones under that weight limit to avoid those regulations (and their associated safety issues) is well within the "spirit" of the law.

Agreed. They could have put other limits in place easily. I have to assume they figured battery technology would get better allowing for these advances.

Re: DJI Mavic Mini

#178

Post by throwawaycanada » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 6:58 PM UTC

singingboyo wrote: post #83

rtkwe wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

DJI is selling a heavier battery that does put it over the 250g limit so it's a bit greyer than the vespa version.

Are they? I see 249g/199g (JP) for takeoff weight in the specs, which suggests to me that with the 100g battery it's 249g grams, and with the 50g battery it's 199g (presumably in Japan, which seems to be a 200g limit where others are 250g).

Care to share a link?

Re: DJI Mavic Mini

#179

Post by Accujack » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 6:58 PM UTC

iamaelephant wrote: post #126

Accujack wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A half ounce hex nut would take down a small airplane in the wrong place.

A half ounce hex nut doesn't fly under its own power.

It will if you attach an engine and fuel tank to it.

Or alternatively, a small bird in the wrong place can take down a plane. Or for that matter, a clog in the pitot tube from ice.

Re: DJI Mavic Mini

#180

Post by noir_lord » Thu, Oct 31, 2019, 7:01 PM UTC

alistairSH wrote: post #124

mithr wrote: post #108

Looks pretty cool! Had to laugh at this bit though: > “My girlfriend and I can simply enjoy our time together making memories and leave the rest to Mavic Mini.” ... followed by a lengthy video of them either centering their entire attention on the drone taking the video, or standing to "enjoy nature" while discretely flying the drone at the same time, so that it can take a video of them serenely enjoying their perfec…

I see the same thing with selfies on vacations - at Machu Picchu, the Scottish Highlands, Iceland, Florence - people spending the entirety of their visit to some tourist spot trying to get the perfect selfie, to the exclusion of nearly everything else. Yes, I also carry a camera and take a lot of photos, but I don't run off the tour bus or out of the car, in an effort to get a shot before anybody else gets there (var…

Saw this in Greece this summer, went for a walk on my own (I like to walk around new places) at a truly beautiful headland against the sunset, I was the only one who sat and just watched it, everyone else had their back to it, framing shots, getting friends to check images...

They have the photo, I have the memory, I think I prefer my way.