Whistler and Birch Bay Summer Holiday

My wife and I just came back from a wonderful trip to Whistler BC Canada where we stayed 5 nights, then we traveled a few hours to Birch Bay Washington US for 3 more nights.

We stayed in our WorldMark Timeshare which is always very enjoyable and invited up some good friends and relatives to come and join us for part of each trip. It was a lot of fun being able to spend some of our vacation time with good people!

It was a vacation first and foremost but I like to document my trips al least to some degree with video. So I am able to share parts of the vacation with everyone using my Meta Glasses, HoverAir X1 Selfie Drone, Insta360 X4 and GO2 cameras and even a drone shot of me playing around flying my mini Pavo Pico FPV Drone around the hotel in Whistler.

I hope you enjoy the video of our various walks, outings and just simpel hotel lounging around. If you are thinking of going for a vacation in Whistler or Birch Bay, this video may give you a bit of an idea of what you can expect.

Love This little Guy - The BETAFPV Pavo Pico

Even with all the contest prep going on I really wanted to get a quick flight with one of my FPV Drones. It kind of relaxes me and allows me to get everything out of my mind for the 5 or so minutes of battery I have while I am flying around. An FPV Drone requires 100% concentration or it will end up in a tree or lost in some bushes somewhere.

I have a strange addiction to the smaller super compact FPV drones and now have a bit of a collection of them all well under 250 grams some even under 100 grams and most have digital Video System which allow me use them with my DJI Digital Goggles that have a 1080p screen. The difference in quality between an analog VTX and a digital VTX is very remarkable. This higher video quilty allows me to navigate the world I am flying in surprisingly well, with few surprise branches jumping out at me and shortening my already short flight times.

In this video I take out my BETAFPV Pavo Pico FPV which I installed a DJI Vista VTX in, this is the older DJI Digital Video system but what you see in this video is exactly what I see in my DJI Goggles while I am flying it.

Iflight Protek35 HD Insta360 GO2 First Flight

Sometimes I just can not pass up a good deal on an FPV Drone if I come by it honestly, it's not like I am trolling in Facebook Marketplace all the time looking for such deals...

Anyway, I came across a slightly older (2 years or so) Iflight Protek35 HD which is a Cinewhoop (has prop protector guards) but was advertised as being not only cinematic but also decent at more advanced freestyle flying. The HD version of the Iflight Protek35 came with an original DJI Air Unit VTX (Video Transmitter). Which means the video is transmitted in digital to the DJI Goggles at 720p which looks really good compared to analog VTX systems that look more like your old tube TV when the antenna wasn't just right.

The Iflight Protek35 HD was freshly rebuilt with new prop guards, extras blades and came with other bits and pieces, and it even included three 4S 1550mAh batteries which on their own are worth about $100 for the lot. The DJI Air Unit VTX if I was to buy one now, I would probably be looking at spending $200-$300 on Amazon for a new one if you can even find one. Yes there is a newer and better DJI VTX called the DJI 03 Air Unit which is 1080p but the difference is not a huge deal, not like the jump from analog to 720p digital.

I was able to buy the Iflight Protek35 HD with the three bats and extra goodies all for only $250, and the best part is that after a bunch of updating and tweaking in BetaFlight, it works great!

Here is my maiden flight with video from my Insta360 GO2 which I mounted to the FPV Drone, I also recorded the video feed I actual see in my DJI Integra Goggles as I am flying. Enjoy the view as I cruise around the back acreage.

GEPRC TinyGo 4k versus CineLog20 03

Summary:

• Comparison of two drones, TinyGo and CineLog20, with a focus on their price ranges and features.
• GEPRC TinyGo 4K shoots in 2.7K at 60 frames and requires stabilization in post-production, resulting in a cropped image.
• Despite stabilization, the GEPRC TinyGo 4K still produces a slight 'jello effect' due to its small size, vibration and susceptibility to wind.
• GEPRC CineLog20 03 shoots in 4K at 60 frames and has built in stabilization so no post-production is required and there is no jello effect as camera dampening is present on the drone.

TinyGo 4K Drone Review and Flight Test:

• Review of the Tiny Go 4K drone from GEPRC.
• Purchased the drone for around $300 with batteries and a charger.
• Conducted a height test and reached a considerable altitude.

Drone's Impressive Recovery During Flight:

• Video connection was lost, but controller remained connected.
• Drone experienced a free fall due to excessive throttle reduction.
• Regained control and managed to recover the drone safely.

Enjoying a Drone Flight:

• Had a great time flying GEPRC TinyGo 4k drone with dual 1S battery system.
• Flew for about 5 to 6 minutes with 550mAh batteries.
• Not sure about the exact flight duration, might have changed batteries part way.

Review of a Drone with Limited Range:

• The GEPRC TinyGo 4k drone has a limited range and lacks GPS, making it difficult to locate if lost.
• The goggles that come with the drone are of decent quality and can be used for recording.
• The drone is suitable for learning and flying in well-lit conditions.

Video Signal and Quality Discussion:

• Video signal of the GEPRC TinyGo 4k cuts out first before controller loses connection.
• DJI system (like in the GEPRC CineLog20 03) provides better video quality and longer range compared to analog systems (like in the GEPRC TinyGo 4k).
• The video quality of the DJI system is significantly better than the analog system.

Drone Flight Stabilization:

• The GEPRC CineLog20 03 with built in stabilization feature saves time in post having to stabilize later on.
• Wind conditions affected the flight, requiring cautious maneuvering.
• The GEPRC CineLog20 03 because of it's additional size and weight is more stable compared to the TinyGo 4k.

DJI 03 Air Unit and TinyGO Camera Comparison:

• Comparison of DJI 03 Air Unit and TinyGo 4k camera.
• Both cameras can record 4K video, but TinyGo's 4K 60fps is interlaced, while DJI 03 Air Unit's 4K 60fps is progressive.
• For fast-flying drones, higher frame rates like 2.7K and 4K 60fps are preferred for smoother video.

Drone Flight in Bright Conditions:

• The drone flight was conducted in bright conditions, resulting in great colors, contrasts, and details.
• Slight color correction was applied to the videos.
• The had to navigated carefully to avoid branches and puddles during the flight 

Flying Drones:

• Flying drones requires relaxation and calmness.
• Thinking about controlling the drone can disrupt the automatic mode.
• Manual Acro flying demands a specific very sensitive approach that requires hours of practice.

Learning to Fly Drones:

• Flying drones requires practice and comfort with the controls.
• Indoor flying in small spaces is challenging, especially for beginners.
• Larger flying areas provide more room for error and are easier to navigate.

Drone Flight Adjustment:

• Colors and details are muted due to reduced sunlight.
• Practicing sideways flying and controlled movements.
• Need to learn to control altitude and thrust better when using the CineLog20 03.

GEPRC TinyGO 4k Acro First Flip Roll Dive GyroFlow Stabilized

In my endeavor to learn how to fly my GEPRC TinyGO 4k FPV Drone in Manual Acro Mode, one milestone is being able to do a flip, roll and dive. This has now officially been attained :) Lots of training to still be done learning to fly smooth and hit small gaps with control. Every day I practice, the more confident I become, and the more fun it gets flying this little guy. I am almost ready to start flying my new GEPRC CineLog20...