Considering all those legs sticking out of the cars I can only assume Austrilia has a lack of lawyers.

Quadcopters are still expensive and still suffer from limited flight time due to battery constraints. So you probably won't see them flying around like flocks of Mosquitos just yet. But it won't be too long before they show up trackside, I'm sure of that.

I've looked into them myself, but the idea of having a couple grand worth of camera and chopper zipping around just looking for a tree or wire to snag and crash in flames isn't working for me. ;)

There is at least one camera gear outfit that rents them now, but the rates aren't cheap and I have no idea how things works when you saw "it was going great until I flew into the smoke... After the train ran it over, this was all I could find..."

How long before Homeland Security starts investigating reports of "hostile drones" snooping around railway facilities? Hmmm... get your bail bond ready!

These things would be awesome for exploring otherwise inaccessible areas of abandoned railroads, and getting a bird's eye view. Maybe, once they become a bit less expensive.

Steve Hunter

May.

Horse Shoe Curve.

Jes' sayin'. . . .

Guy's got some RC flying skills. Could use that as his audition tape for CIA drone operator. Have to agree that somewhere in DC there is a FRA guy doing a spit-take with his morning coffee watching the passengers riding with their legs hanging out of the coaches, and then being thankful he wasn't watching this happen in his jurisdiction.

He's got skill no doubt, but maybe not quite as good as you think. This was done with an "FPV" drone. That stands for First Person Video, or in other words live, out of the cockpit view from the drone, while you're flying it. Suddenly you're (virtually) in the aircraft, and it becomes a LOT easier. Also note that "quad copters" are much easier to fly than regular RC planes or even traditional helicopters. They can easily hold position hands off, and are very stable. Many of them even include the trick of flipping over and flying upside down as part of the software, you simply push a button and it happens. Fancier models have altitude and position hold built in as well, tracking via GPS (I think) for position, and maybe some kind of sensor for altitude.

BTW - The battle over drones is already going on hot and heavy, especially for those used by police.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/16/techn ... .html?_r=0

Commercial use of drones is US airspace is very limited at the moment, which is why you don't see these little buggers flying around the local house for sale, creating awesome video of the property and home. (Here's the house, the gararge, we'll buzz the pool.... Oh crap, low battery! Glug, glug, glug... )

http://www.infowars.com/drones-are-taki ... n-the-u-s/

They're getting cheaper by the day. The time will be here soon where they're common. The limit isn't expense so much as battery life. There's lots of guys out there who could toss a couple grand at the problem. But even the ready made commercial ones only have 10 to 15 minutes of battery life (from my limited research) and you can't really get that far. There are probably high end commercial and military grade models with longer battery life, I'm talking hobbyist and photographer grade stuff.

Sort of the same thing that killed the jet pack, you simply can't get enough range and duration.

It did come soon to a railroad near me. Skip to 6:17 to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdXCvM7o618

Chris, that entire piece about the Henry Ford is amazing. I was last there ten years ago, just before I moved from my life-long hometown and relocated to Roanoke, VA.

I'm not embarrassed to say that seeing that twelve minute promo left me in tears. Everyone should watch it all the way through!

Bob Lyndall

A while ago, there was a suggestion that the camera carrying helicopter be based in the train's open door baggage car, where it could return for recharging. Multiple flying machines would allow for continuous coverage while the others are being recharged.