Sunset Flight

Sunday afternoon about sunset, Radio Flyer, my drone, made a flight around the neighborhood. The sky was blue, which has been a bit of a rarity lately. 

I turned into my highest flight to date at over 230 feet altitude. I was working with the video as Radio Flyer ascended. I also did a low-level pass in the yard to further work on my controls as Radio Flyer is in motion. 

I did enjoy the ascending part of the flight and I am doing better flying the drone at low level. The panorama I tried was too fast--but I think it will get better with time. I received my first high winds warning during this flight. I was a bit concerned, but Radio Flyer handled the winds well and I continued my flight. 

Try not to get vertigo as you watch the video. 

-- Bob Doan, Ekridge, MD

Gray Skies Again

Miniature Daffodils in the Garden

A Gray Day over the Neighborhood
From Radio Flyer
February 24, 2018

I have to admit. I am really longing for some blue sky and warmth from the orb that occupies the daytime. 

The gray gloom is oppressive! 

But, yesterday I managed a flight from my drone Radio Flyer, in between rainstorms, and I also found a sure sign of Spring in the gardens. 

The daffodils and crocus are coming up. There are clues throughout the gardens and Chris and I noticed that the forsythia are beginning to bloom in some areas. At least Springtime has not yet been delayed because of the gloomy weather.

The gray is ubiquitous, which is the best word to describes the weather. 

Radio Flyer went through its paces. I wish I could manage to smile more when I am flying, but I am working hard and concentrating on safety of flight issues. Radio Flyer did manage to collide with a small branch that I could not see which caused a minor mishap. I did not have the video running during that portion of the flight and so it is not documented. The good news is that Radio Flyer survived and made another flight.

I managed to make good use of the otherwise dreary day.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

It Was Awesome

Around the Fire Table

The temperature reportedly hit a high of 83 degrees yesterday under bright and sunny skies. I have to admit, it did not seem that warm--but it felt great!


I have missed the 80's. I hope there are many more days like yesterday in the forecast. There are none yet, but there are no temperatures forecast below 32 for the next 10 days. 

What do you do with a day like that? 


Sit around the fireable and enjoy the evening as it falls! It was still 75 degrees at 6:34 pm. It was a beautiful late Spring day. Wait, it is still winter

Gesture Image from Radio Flyer Following Me

I was also able to get Radio Flyer out for more work with gestures and it did much better. A very successful flight where the drone finally did enter following mode and snap a few images. 

A beautiful day and an awesome ending.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Flying with Gestures

Radio Flyer in Flight

Me from my Drone

Radio Flyer, my DJI Spark drone, can be launched and flown just by using hand gestures. The cameras can also be activated--both video and snap shot. 

Yesterday, I finally began to unlock the secrets of gesture flight--I was not very elegant and I frankly didn't fully understand when I had the video camera on and why I wasn't taking snapshots.


Learning the gesture mode is a bit more difficult than the on-line videos make it seem. But then, when isn't that the truth?

It was fun to manage the flight profile of the drone with just my hand signals. I am a bit anxious to try it out on the golf course, but I probably won't do that.

I am continuing to learn and unlock the secrets of my drone. I still need to work on the following mode, Radio Flyer didn't follow me very well.

By the way, notice that Cat, my Jaguar, is in the driveway with the top down. It was that nice of a day. A top-down driving day in February! And today is supposed to be nicer!

Seventy degree days area rarity during February. I am enjoying them.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Awesome Thursday

Happy Hour Around the Fire Pit
February 15, 2018

It is Friday again! The end of the work week has arrived and this Friday I do not have to deal with a government shutdown.

Looking at our house from up the street
February 15, 2018

While Friday is fantastic in its own right, yesterday was special in a couple of ways.

The weather provided a foretaste of the springtime that I seek with temperatures approaching 70 degrees. Chris and I were able to enjoy happy hour outside around a fire pit and watch the evening fall while discussing Spring Break plans, retirement, and summertime house projects. 

A Letter about Ms. Doan

I was amazed at the warm afternoon weather. I was even able to get Radio Flyer up into the sky for some flying time. I took my drone to a nearby collection pond to get some experience flying in a different area. The 12 minute flight set personal records as my new highest altitude and longest distance. I was able to get an image of our house from up the street, I am sure that once the leaves finally return that this same shot will not be possible. 

Rounding out the day, Chris received confirmation that she has reached the pinnacle of her career as an educator and that she can retire knowing that she has made a positive difference in the lives of many children. One of her students generated a letter about the great assistant that she truly is and Chris was able to take a picture of the letter. The final sentence in the letter is especially touching, "She helps me like Jesus helped the kids that are depressed become happy." Truly, when someone is compared to Jesus they have reached the pinnacle of their career and can retire knowing that they were a positive influence in the lives of others.

What a Thursday it was!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Radio Flyer Takes to the Skies

February, so far, has been a month of wild weather. The weather has ranged from below freezing temperatures to the current torrential rains which are making the region excessively soggy.

Looking up the Street
February 10, 2018

Yesterday, however, there was a break in the cold and rain and I was able to get Radio Flyer, my DJI Spark drone, out for a flight. It felt great to wind up the engines and have my drone respond by launching into the sky. 

The flight plan for the day was to continue developing dexterity with the controller and do a lot of low altitude work around the year and up the drive. But, I managed to get some nifty images from the skies in what was my also my highest flight to date. Even the clouds were interesting to look at an realize they contained rains which was going to envelop the region.

My flights were shorter than desired because both the batteries only contained a 60 percent charge from sitting unused for almost two weeks. Note to self--the batteries need to be topped off after they have been sitting unused.

The next time I get the opportunity to fly, I will be working on the hand-launch and hand-signal control of the drone. It is one of the coolest features of this drone and I have been studying the videos in preparation for my first hand-signal control flight.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Start to Finish

Saturday did not disappoint!

Timbers at Troy
Looking along the Practice Putting Green and the
First Hole covered with Frost
January 27, 2018

The day started cold, temperatures in the mid-20's, but ended admirably although I lost my Fitbit somewhere in the process.

It is a good day when I start it on a golf course. Even the cold temperatures could not cool our enthusiasm as Jeremy and I headed out to play 18 holes. Fortunately, there was a frost delay, which meant the temperature warmed up above freezing before we hit the course. As it turned out, we were able to play as a two-some and completed 18 holes in three hours! And we played very acceptably for the first 18-hole outing of the year. The morning started in the 20's but it was in the 50's by the time we finished. Because of our great pace of play, we were never cold.

But that was not all.

The day developed into a beautiful harbinger of Spring day. We may have touched 60 on the thermometer as the day progressed. That meant that Radio Flyer got to spin its propellers and I continue to learn more about the many functions of my powerful drone. I tried out the hand launch mode, but I had forgotten a critical step and so I learned about the following mode instead. 

Finally, the evening was capped off by a Bull Roast to support a local youth baseball team in their bid to play in a summertime tournament at Cooperstown, NY. It was a fun evening and I was amazed at how many ways people have invented to separate me from my money--even after the cost of the ticket for the food.

What a busy great day!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday Findings

As I roll into the weekend, I took a moment to reflect upon the week behind me.

Possible Sign for February 9th

What a week it was.

I was furloughed for a day, officially. The downside was that I was furloughed, the upside was that I got to play golf on the nicest afternoon of the year, so far.

Sadly, another furlough looms in less than two weeks.

Chris and I celebrated the signing of her retirement papers. 

My drone saw some airtime as I continue to get used to it. I flew it again yesterday afternoon, but it was very cold outside and I didn't get any really good images or videos. I was mostly flying to continue to learn my controls and I took it off the beginner mode for the first time. I recorded my longest distance flight of 1299 feet, and highest altitude of 150 feet. The total flight time was 11 minutes. I forgot to take any photos at altitude while I was enjoying the view and I also had the video off, so I have nothing to show the view, but since the drone software automatically made a video of the the flight highlights when I did have the camera functioning, I thought I'd share it. The added music was a nice touch.

I hope the weekend is full of fun and activity!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Enjoying the Warmer Weather

January 20, 2018
With a bit of snow and Christmas Decorations still in place

The Federal Government shutdown has entered day 2 with little relief in sight.

January 21, 2018
No decorations and the Snow is Gone

Interestingly, a local golf course sent me a notice that they are opening on Monday for play. I wonder if that is because they expect furloughed federal workers may want to take to the course for some respite from the insanity in D.C.?

Looking up the Street
January 20, 2018

Yesterday was a beautiful day, for January. The temperatures rose into the high 50's. Chris and I fully enjoyed the warmer weather and the big task for the day was finally getting the exterior Christmas decorations down. We also started preparing the house for Spring--which cannot be too far off, can it?

I was able to get my drone, Radio Flyer, up in the air for some great flight time. It was nice to be able to do some flying and get some images of the neighborhood without freezing my hands. 

Clearly, moderate weather after an extended period of frigid temperatures was made to be enjoyed--and we certainly did enjoy it.

Here's hoping that today's more moderate weather is as enjoyable as was yesterday's.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Flying in Danby

While in New York, I did exercise my drone for a short flight just to get some footage of the house and Scott, Dad, and I watching the drone watching us.

I named the drone, Radio Flyer because it is red like a wagon and I remember that when I was young I had a wagon that I used to hauling stuff around. I remember the day that the wheel connection to the wagon body broke--I was very sad.

My DJI Spark drone is red and it looks a little bit like a red wagon from my childhood. 

While I was in Upstate New York this weekend the weather cleared long enough for a quick flight of my parents back deck. I am still learning to fly it and have only flown it in the beginner mode. I actually hit  the limit for altitude, which is 100 feet in beginner mode. 

I made a video of the flight. I cut most of the s epic stuff and just focused on the parts where we were on the deck watching it watch us. 

When it was at the maximum altitude, I was amazed that I could see Cayuga Lake off to the north. It was also nice to get a full view of the deck that I helped to paint last summer. It is very green

It was a short flight, but it does document that on the day before the storm, there was no snow on the ground. 

Five inches, or more, fell overnight.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Drone Warrior

I have not written about the gifts of Christmas, but I did receive one item that I anticipate will be appearing in my blog on a regular basis and so I need to announce its presence up front.

I received a DJI Spark Drone that is going to be adding a new dimension to the images and videos that I share. I named my drone Radio Flyer, because it is red, and it has been legally registered with the FAA. 

My flying privileges had been revoked because of an ugly accident while flying Patrick's drone on Easter and so I am taking a slow and methodical approach to learning to fly. I am deliberately learning the controls and keeping the drone on a very tight leash until I become more proficient with it. 

Finnegan, Chris, Patrick, and Me in an Open Field

That means I will be flying low, slow, and taking my time. I have to train myself to manage the controls properly. My natural instincts are exactly opposite how the controller is laid out. It is going to take a lot of training to get my hands moving properly.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD