Spreading cremation remains via drone - need advice

tmac1150 · Jun 15, 2020

I have a Mavic Air 2, and I want to spread my brothers remains over my parents house where we grew up. I'm new to drone flying, so I'm not sure what I want to do is possible.
I was thinking of attaching a small plastic grocery bag to the drone. Inside the bag will be another grocery bag that will contain the remains and some glitter. This inner bag will be close so that the remains won't be blown around during takeoff. Both bags will have a hole in it to allow the remains to exit. The inner bag will have a piece of tape covering the hole, and the tape is connected to a string.
So that when the drone reaches a certain height, it will pull on the tape to release his remains.
My problem. If these bags cover my bottom sensors, is my drone unable to fly. I don't know if GPS needs them or not. Do I need to disable obstacle avoidance? I assume, yes.
The flight itself is restricted to a small area. I was hoping to flying a circle around my parents house.

THE CYBORG · Jun 15, 2020

A Mavic Air 2 would never lift off, there is a considerable weight in the remains.

.

tmac1150 · Jun 15, 2020

THE CYBORG said:
A Mavic Air 2 would never lift off, there is a considerable weight in the remains.

.

I understand I have weight considerations. I have only partial remains. And, I of course will experiment with how much I can lift. I'm just trying to come up with a delivery system.

ShadowCat · Jun 15, 2020

tmac1150 said:
I have a Mavic Air 2, and I want to spread my brothers remains over my parents house where we grew up. I'm new to drone flying, so I'm not sure what I want to do is possible.
I was thinking of attaching a small plastic grocery bag to the drone. Inside the bag will be another grocery bag that will contain the remains and some glitter. This inner bag will be close so that the remains won't be blown around during takeoff. Both bags will have a hole in it to allow the remains to exit. The inner bag will have a piece of tape covering the hole, and the tape is connected to a string.
So that when the drone reaches a certain height, it will pull on the tape to release his remains.
My problem. If these bags cover my bottom sensors, is my drone unable to fly. I don't know if GPS needs them or not. Do I need to disable obstacle avoidance? I assume, yes.
The flight itself is restricted to a small area. I was hoping to flying a circle around my parents house.

You will require permission from the authorities or you might fall foul of the law

VenomXts · Jun 15, 2020

tmac1150 said:
I have a Mavic Air 2, and I want to spread my brothers remains over my parents house where we grew up. I'm new to drone flying, so I'm not sure what I want to do is possible.
I was thinking of attaching a small plastic grocery bag to the drone. Inside the bag will be another grocery bag that will contain the remains and some glitter. This inner bag will be close so that the remains won't be blown around during takeoff. Both bags will have a hole in it to allow the remains to exit. The inner bag will have a piece of tape covering the hole, and the tape is connected to a string.
So that when the drone reaches a certain height, it will pull on the tape to release his remains.
My problem. If these bags cover my bottom sensors, is my drone unable to fly. I don't know if GPS needs them or not. Do I need to disable obstacle avoidance? I assume, yes.
The flight itself is restricted to a small area. I was hoping to flying a circle around my parents house.

First, I am sorry for your loss of your brother I lost mine 15 years ago at age 17 so some sympathy to you and your parents regardless of your situation.

At first I agreed with The cyborg above but it made me wonder and found this

"The other two drones were both able to lift well more than their body weight. The Mavic 2 Pro, weighing 907 grams lifted 1,137 grams, for an index of 1.24. But the Mavic Air 2 was the clear winner. At 570 grams, it was able to hoist an additional 830 grams, for a whopping power index of 1.43."

So you may be able to do some remains (its been years and I don't know how much will be present for your situation). With any of this keep in mind that there are some risks around how you do this as well as just the day of the event. I would think hard about it, and practice if your going to do it vs doing it in an audience with people who are grieving with you for your brother.

dawgpilot · Jun 15, 2020

Something like Drone Sky Hook might help. Their Mavic Air 2 device is currently available for pre-order.

tmac1150 · Jun 15, 2020

VenomXts said:
First, I am sorry for your loss of your brother I lost mine 15 years ago at age 17 so some sympathy to you and your parents regardless of your situation.

At first I agreed with The cyborg above but it made me wonder and found this

"The other two drones were both able to lift well more than their body weight. The Mavic 2 Pro, weighing 907 grams lifted 1,137 grams, for an index of 1.24. But the Mavic Air 2 was the clear winner. At 570 grams, it was able to hoist an additional 830 grams, for a whopping power index of 1.43."

So you may be able to do some remains (its been years and I don't know how much will be present for your situation). With any of this keep in mind that there are some risks around how you do this as well as just the day of the event. I would think hard about it, and practice if your going to do it vs doing it in an audience with people who are grieving with you for your brother.

My brother has passed many many years ago, so there be no audience. Maybe, one of his sons and our sister. But, our grieving is not fresh.

dirkclod · Jun 15, 2020

ShadowCat said:
You will require permission from the authorities or you might fall foul of the law

Technically I don’t think you can drop anything from the air yet they do it fishing and never seen anyone say anything about it. If I wanted to do what he wants I would I just wouldn’t publicize it.

Deleted member 103366 · Jun 15, 2020

Meaning no offense but would such a scattering of cremation remains be legal?
I'd also have serious concerns that quite a bit of the ash will be blown away, i.e. if you are sensitive to the matter, quite a bit of him could be 'lost'. There is a lot of dust in my Dad's ashes. If your parents' house has other houses nearby the residents of those houses may have serious reservations about cremation dust landing on them or their property etc.

dawgpilot · Jun 15, 2020

dirkclod said:
Technically I don’t think you can drop anything from the air yet they do it fishing and never seen anyone say anything about it. If I wanted to do what he wants I would I just wouldn’t publicize it.

You can drop objects from a drone as long as it doesn't endanger persons or property below:
107.23

The same rule exists for dropping things from manned aircraft as well.

dirkclod · Jun 15, 2020

dawgpilot said:
You can drop objects from a drone as long as it doesn't endanger persons or property below:
107.23

The same rule exists for dropping things from manned aircraft as well.

Thanks for the Correction ?.BigA107 I’m not.?

tmac1150 · Jun 15, 2020

PhiliusFoggg said:
Meaning no offense but would such a scattering of cremation remains be legal?
I'd also have serious concerns that quite a bit of the ash will be blown away, i.e. if you are sensitive to the matter, quite a bit of him could be 'lost'. There is a lot of dust in my Dad's ashes. If your parents' house has other houses nearby the residents of those houses may have serious reservations about cremation dust landing on them or their property etc.

No other houses around for miles. The amount of ash is (one cup). Plus I was going to add some glitter for visual effect.

Flycaster · Jun 15, 2020

You can do anything you want with the cremains of relatives, You can disperse them almost anywhere, lakes, mountains, forests, rivers, anywhere.
Just don't do the dispersing in a populated area, like Disneyland, which a lot of folks do.
I would like you said, have "the person" in a bag(s), and you can attach a piece of tape ot something to the bag, and have the other end attached to a fishing rod/line.
When you get to your target alt. 75/100 feet? just give a tug on the fishing line/rod,
and the dispersal should begin.

Good Luck...

VenomXts · Jun 15, 2020

Flycaster said:
You can do anything you want with the cremains of relatives, You can disperse them almost anywhere, lakes, mountains, forests, rivers, anywhere.
Just don't do the dispersing in a populated area, like Disneyland, which a lot of folks do.
I would like you said, have "the person" in a bag(s), and you can attach a piece of tape ot something to the bag, and have the other end attached to a fishing rod/line.
When you get to your target alt. 75/100 feet? just give a tug on the fishing line/rod,
and the dispersal should begin.

Good Luck...

Agree with you, and anyone having issues with this just remember what dust in a house is mostly (dead human skin).

Flycaster · Jun 15, 2020

It's sterile.
Period.

VenomXts · Jun 15, 2020

Flycaster said:
It's sterile.
Period.

Yep, Fun fact so is Urine.. However, please don't pee on me lol.

charliesRig · Jun 15, 2020

What a brilliant way to honor your bother....
Please don’t take this wrong
But a think a Mavic air 2 would not be just.!

I would think a Mavic Pro /Mavic 2Pro
Would be more proper send off from Terrafirma.

Thank you for your post about thought how to honor a love one from above.
It’s now on my must do list

....... cR

1bad · Jun 15, 2020

VenomXts said:
Yep, Fun fact so is Urine.. However, please don't pee on me lol.

Your not living till you try it!

Flycaster · Jun 15, 2020

Next......

dirkclod · Jun 15, 2020

Let’s not.?

Spreading cremation remains via drone - need advice

Member

Well-Known Member

Member

Evil under the Sun

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Member

Well-Known Member

Deleted member 103366

Guest

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Similar threads

DJI Drone Deals

Forum statistics