I’m a Pilot
For a long time, I’ve been interested in drones with cameras, for fun and taking some aerial nature pictures and videos. The price tags on those devices put me off, or the drones I tried were just way too fidgety with the controls. Eventually, I saw a friend’s Tello, and that one had a nice combination of reasonable price and really good beginner-friendly behaviour. I came across a very good offer on eBay (of course) - a used Tello with four batteries and a WiFi extender included. It’s in perfect condition. Tello is controlled with an app on the phone, which connects to a WiFi network hosted by the drone. What’s also fascinating is that there are programming interfaces for Tello.
Now, the thing has a camera, and Germany has laws that apply. Drone flying, if the thing is more than so-and-so heavy and/or has a camera, requires a “licence plate”: an ID that must be readable somewhere on the drone. Getting that, in Germany, requires a registration with Luftfahrtbundesamt, and to be on the safe side, it’s recommended to take an online course and pass an online exam.
Easy. I’m happy to report that I am a registered drone pilot. The licence plate (a paper strip with the registration ID) is glued to my Tello. Ready to go.
Tags: the-nerdy-bit