My boss asked me to build a drone with an infrared camera for tracking deer after hunting. He’s hoping to use it in the woods to locate the deer. Does anyone here know of a good infrared camera that works well on an FPV drone?
He probably wants to use it to spot live deer, which is not allowed in many places.
Feng said:
He probably wants to use it to spot live deer, which is not allowed in many places.
That’s what I told him too.
Feng said:
He probably wants to use it to spot live deer, which is not allowed in many places.
Maybe the deer are just mad about something? If so, he’s got a bigger problem.
Feng said:
He probably wants to use it to spot live deer, which is not allowed in many places.
Doubt it. My drone scares deer away when I fly it.
Feng said:
He probably wants to use it to spot live deer, which is not allowed in many places.
Doubt it. My drone scares deer away when I fly it.
You’re flying too close to the ground.
@Feng
I’m not using it for hunting, so that doesn’t matter.
Feng said:
He probably wants to use it to spot live deer, which is not allowed in many places.
What’s wrong with using it to find deer? Why is that a problem?
Feng said:
He probably wants to use it to spot live deer, which is not allowed in many places.
What’s wrong with using it to find deer? Why is that a problem?
Most places don’t allow drones for hunting or scouting. It’s seen as unfair to the game.
@Vince
In Australia, it’s legal though.
Keller said:
@Vince
In Australia, it’s legal though.
Thermal drones are great for spotting snakes and spiders too.
If he can’t find his kill without a drone, maybe he shouldn’t be hunting.
A thermal monocular might be better. It costs $500-1000 and can track heat signatures like blood on the ground. Using a high-end drone for this seems expensive and unnecessary unless he has money to burn.
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This request seems okay to me. I wouldn’t assume anything suspicious.
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He needs a thermal camera, not infrared. Infrared is like night vision and won’t help much in this case.
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Thermal cameras cost way more though.
@Alton
Thanks for explaining. I don’t think he’s trying anything shady. He’s just looking for a way to make tracking easier.
Peyton said:
@Alton
Thanks for explaining. I don’t think he’s trying anything shady. He’s just looking for a way to make tracking easier.
I bet he’s just trying to avoid paying for a high-end DJI thermal drone and thinks you can make one cheaper.
@Devon
You’re right, and he’s realizing my build won’t be much cheaper either.
Peyton said:
@Devon
You’re right, and he’s realizing my build won’t be much cheaper either.
Honestly, a custom build might cost more than just buying one.
Peyton said:
@Devon
You’re right, and he’s realizing my build won’t be much cheaper either.
Honestly, a custom build might cost more than just buying one.
You could do a basic thermal FPV setup for around $500, but if he expects professional-grade results, he’ll be disappointed. A solid option might be something like a Holybro X500 kit, but it would still cost $1500 and require learning to use ArduPilot.
Peyton said:
@Alton
Thanks for explaining. I don’t think he’s trying anything shady. He’s just looking for a way to make tracking easier.
You can search for ‘game recovery thermal drone’ online. Many people offer this service and you can see the kind of gear they use, usually expensive industrial drones.