Drone hoisted antenna

[listenout]

Ok then , how about fixing a taxi mag , a mini mag mount, onto a drone , say about 200 ft of coax and send it skywards,

 

[KevinC]

Go for it. Let us know how it works.

Oh yeah, what coax are you using? At 200’ you’ll want something low loss and around 100’ that low loss coax will start to get real heavy.

 

[listenout]

Go for it. Let us know how it works.

Oh yeah, what coax are you using? At 200’ you’ll want something low loss and around 100’ that low loss coax will start to get real heavy.

What about ladder line

 

[jwt873]

Most hobby drones on the market today can't lift much weight. They're designed to carrying small built in cameras. Plus you'll have a limited time in the air. If you are lifting weight, you'll only see perhaps a half hour or less.

If you're serious about getting an antenna in the air, consider renting a small helium cannister and buying a balloon of sufficient size to carry the weight of what you're putting aloft. Helium Canister Hire, PT10 Helium Tank Rental, Collect Locally

 

[belvdr]

Most hobby drones on the market today can't lift much weight. They're designed to carrying small built in cameras. Plus you'll have a limited time in the air. If you are lifting weight, you'll only see perhaps a half hour or less.

I'd be surprised if any hobby drone could lift it at all, even 200ft of ladder line. If it did, I would expect a few minutes of battery life, not 30 minutes. Most of them are rated at 30 min in a windless, controlled environment.

 

[kmartin]

I guess it's time to invent the antenna drone ! LOL

 

[mmckenna]

It's been done, but you need a large enough drone to support the weight of the antennas and all that coax, as well as enough power to keep it running long enough.

There was a company at IWCE and/or APCO last year, they had a Ford F-350 with a generator/fuel/battery system and a large tethered drone. It would go up a few hundred feet and could carry repeaters, LTE radios, cameras, sensors, WiFi, etc. In the tether was fiber optic cable and power feed.

It would run as long as you fueled the generator.

Intended application was search and rescue, forest fires, temporary cell replacement, etc.

 

[KMG54]

Not for temporary use antennas, but hoisted many wire and smaller scanner antennas with a 20lb spinning rod and reel, and a tree branch! Egg sinker tie to the end of the mono, 1/4 inch cord once it is over the branch, crank it up and tie the cord to the tree when you can reach it.

 

[Golay]

Not for temporary use antennas, but hoisted many wire and smaller scanner antennas with a 20lb spinning rod and reel, and a tree branch! Egg sinker tie to the end of the mono, 1/4 inch cord once it is over the branch, crank it up and tie the cord to the tree when you can reach it.

We've done a few antennas over trees using a drone in the last couple years. Exact way you are doing it. Use the drone to pull fishing line up and over the tree, then tie paracord to the fishing line and pull that up.