One of the concerns you’ll have if you’re ever in a survival event will be what’s happening in the nearby vicinity of where you’re located. You can have all of the supplies and skills needed to weather any event, but if there are problems approaching, you need to know about it.
This isn’t always a criminal element. Sometimes it can be something such as a wildfire or animal predator that’s threatening your herd or flocks. You don’t want to have to monitor the entire perimeter of your property (or nearby area) on foot or even in a vehicle.
A better option is to use drone surveillance to allow you to have an eye in the sky so you can keep tabs on things from a distance. Drones are known as UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and you can use them in urban, suburban or rural areas.
By having a birds-eye view of your surroundings, you’ll be able to keep your property, supplies, animals and family safe at all times. It also allows you to monitor things like broken fences that need to be repaired or animals that you may want to hunt for food.
So it’s not just a smart security precaution, but a wise investment in gear that can help your family get through a SHTF event in more ways than one. Before you randomly go purchase a drone, you need to know what to look for and how to use it, so below, you’ll find a guide to help you make the right decisions.
Different Types of Drones Suitable for Survival Security
There are two main types of drones you may want to consider for survival surveillance and security: quadcopters and fixed wing aerial drones. The main difference is that with a quadcopter, you can hover in place, but a fixed wing drone has to keep moving.
Both of these have their own pros and cons. A quadcopter has four rotors and it takes off and lands vertically. This might be beneficial if you’re in an urban setting with buildings and tight spaces all around.
They’re easy to maneuver and you can alter directions rapidly when needed. One drawback of some quadcopters is they have a shorter flight time, so they may not be able to travel as far as a fixed wing drone.
They use more battery life and they’re not as wind resistant as other forms of drones. A fixed wing drone, similar to an airplane, is going to provide you with the flight time and distance capabilities you want, especially in a rural setting where you need to cover many acres or miles.
Because they can glide, they’re not energy hogs when compared to the quadcopters. However, they do need space for takeoff and landing, similar to how an airplane gets airborne.
Your location is going to play a big role in which type of drone you choose. If you’re only using it for short-length surveillance or in city spaces, choose a quadcopter. If you need to reach great distances and have unobstructed airspace, go with a fixed wing drone.
Another consideration is space. If you have plenty of space and portability isn’t a concern, then fixed wing drones work fine. But quadcopters are more compact and easily moved from one location to the next.
Quadcopters are also more beginner friendly. But you’re going to have a learning curve either way, so if you need a fixed wing drone for distance and time reasons, go ahead and start with that instead of having to switch gears and learn later.
How to Use Drones for Survival Security Missions
Let’s talk about how these gadgets are going to be used for your survival security measures. This is something the military uses, and ordinary people can use, too. In terms of survival, one thing it can do is help you locate things that you need, like a natural water source.
It can tell you what type of landscape you’re approaching and if there’s any danger ahead that you need to avoid. It’s a risk assessment tool, whether you’re talking about people who may pose a threat or something else.
Drones can also be used for rescue missions. You might have someone in your group go foraging for food and not return, and a drone can help you find them in a hurry if they’ve been in an accident or gotten lost.
You can use a drone to inspect the entry points of your property and ensure no one has breaches the gated area. If you’re in a location with bears or large wildcats, a drone can help you avoid an encounter with one.
Depending on what type of drone you get, you may be able to zoom in on things and get a clear, close-up view from the sky. All of this real-time assessment is going to help in your decision-making process.
Some drones have advanced features like thermal vision and night vision capabilities, which are perfect for detecting living beings and surveilling at night. If someone is hiding from the drone, a thermal scope can spot them.
You can also find drones that auto-track moving targets, or let you enter an automated route that it will take like a flight pattern so you don’t have to continually pilot is manually for its proper course.
Keep in mind that some drones are loud and visible, while others have stealth capabilities. You can get quiet propellers and coatings that will not reflect light if you don’t want your drone spotted.
Thermal Imaging and Night Vision Technology to Help with Surveillance
As previously mentioned, some of the drones have thermal imaging and night vision capabilities, so let’s dive into this in more depth because you definitely want to be able to surveil your property at night and identify anyone at any time who might be in hiding.
These two options are going to enhance your security significantly. If the weather conditions are poor, the drone can still pinpoint a living being (animal or human) even if there’s not an ample amount of light.
Predatory beings often count on the fact that they can be concealed in the dark or by hiding in brush or even using camouflage. You don’t want their presence to go undetected.
These options also give you better abilities to search and rescue missing people (or animals like a pet or part of your herd or flock) if they’ve become separated from the rest of you.
In terms of natural disasters, thermal options even show you other forms of heat like a smoldering fire or gas leaks in some instances. This is wonderful if there’s thick smoke and you need to try to find someone.
Some of the drones only have one or the other – thermal or night vision, but there are hybrid drones that provide both for you to use. Pay attention when shopping to see what your drone options have and what generation it is.
There are older generations of night vision capabilities and they keep evolving to be more effective. If you buy an older or used drone, you might be getting one that doesn’t work as well.
Enhanced Visual and Video Drone Capabilities
Besides the specialty vision capabilities just now discussed, you want your drone to have the best visuals possible for normal, everyday use. You’ve probably seen the difference between security cameras that are clear and those that look like a grainy throwback to the 1970s.
Your drone visuals need to be clear so you can properly observe whatever you’re looking at. Start by finding one with high resolution. You can find a good 4K or HD video drone that will do the job nicely, but they also have 6k and 8k video options, too.
It also needs to have a good stabilizer so that the camera isn’t shaky – especially in windy situations. Look for one that includes a Gimbal system for stabilization so you can see everything smoothly.
Not all drones will stream the video to you live. Some have recordings. You want to be able to see it in real time so you can adjust your survival strategy as needed. If, for any reason, you need to save the recording, you’ll want something with enough data storage to manage it.
For advanced use, you might even want to make sure it’s equipped with encrypted data transmission so that others can’t intercept the live stream and use it to their own benefit. But that may not be necessary in most situation.
Staying in Stealth Mode with Your Drone Surveillance
You may feel as if using a drone is already operating in stealth mode. However, drones can be very loud and spotted easily overhead. It’s important that you not only avoid detection in terms of having the drone notice in the first place, but also what happens after.
You want to ensure the undercover operations of your drone so that it doesn’t get damaged, such as having someone shoot it down. But you also want to protect yourself as the pilot from being discovered nearby.
You can look for a drone with sound navigation and ranging (SONAR) capabilities. This is great for areas where you don’t have very good sight because it allows the drone to avoid obstacles in its path.
Next, you can focus on the noise level of the drone. The less expensive drones are usually going to be very noisy. But you can choose drones that have propellers that are a bit larger and that have fewer revolutions per minute (RPM) so that they’re not as noisy.
Another thing you can do is simply fly higher so that the sound of your drone is not as prevalent to those nearby. There are even materials you can attach to your drone, or choose to use special propellers that will be quieter during your mission.
Once someone spots your drone, the last thing you want them to do is be able to follow it back to where you are. Your drone has to come back to you, and it’s easy for someone to follow that if you don’t have any measures in place to prevent it.
By using encrypted communication channels, your drone won’t be at risk of being hacked and tracked. Although you do have the ability to create routine flight patterns to browse your property’s perimeter, if you are routinely going outside of your own property, you may want to vary your flight patterns so that they aren’t as predictable.
You may even want to have top tier drones that you use for reconnaissance missions, with cheap decoy drones you won’t mind losing that you use to distract or mislead people who might want to follow it back to you.
If you do routinely venture into a location and you think someone will be tracking it back to your location, try to vary the flight pattern so that it comes back to you in a different direction.
Make sure that you are far enough away that they may not be able to keep up with tracking it on foot by following it home. It’s important that you never put your supplies in your family at risk trying to get a drone recovered if you realize that it’s being followed. It’s always best to lose the drone than to lead people to you as a target.
Drones That Have the Range and Endurance Capabilities You Need
The needs you have for use with your drone may change over time. Initially, you might be in the city and escape to a bug out location. You’ll want something that can show you what direction to head in and what you might encounter.
You may later need something that can fly fast and far, giving you ample time to handle any situation. Range and endurance are something you need to consider by looking at future use, not just what you may need now.
Some of the cheaper drones will require you to stay within a certain distance of the drone, and you don’t want to have to move. You want to be able to stay stationary as it surveils the area.
This will be determined by the strength of the signal, the frequency band and normal weather conditions. You might find a drone that has an extender built in to give you more depth of range so that you don’t have to be in the line of sight when using it.
Pay close attention to the battery life of the drone you’re considering buying and make sure you purchase one or more backup batteries. If the battery drains and the drone falls out of the sky, it could result in damage.
There are drone parachutes that are sold for this purpose, but it’s always best to have a drone that can manage a return trip to your base thanks to its efficiency. The heavier or more complex your drone is, the more energy it will consume.
There are some drones with built in solar recharging abilities, and this will help extend the flight capabilities to get your drone further and help it return back to you with ease. If you can find one that carries a backup battery, that will work as well.
Budgeting and Planning for the Investment of a Survival Security Drone
When you start shopping for a drone for survival purposes, you are going to see a wide range of price points. Some, which are perfect for kids, are under $50. But you’re shopping for survival security – and these are usually not going to be sufficient for long range reconnaissance.
Ideally, you can save up and budget for something better. Go off of functionality and the features that are most important to you. You can add on accessories later and replace certain parts, such as propellers that make less noise.
You don’t want to buy the cheapest one just to save money – or the most expensive just because you assume it’ll be the best. Your purchase needs to align with what you want to achieve.
Always take into consideration the repair tools and replacement parts you may need to buy. As you budget, you might set aside money to have those backup parts purchased so that they’re on hand before you need them.
If you have the money to do this, get a cheap version just to learn how it all works before you level up with something better. And if you’re on a very tight budget, prioritize the features you need, like battery life or thermal imaging over flashy add-ons.
You may also be able to find discount deals whenever you buy a drone bundle. This can include things like a carrying case, backup battery, additional propellers and more instead of buying them a la carte.
Beginner Drones and Knowing When to Level Up
The entry-level drones you want to start with may mostly be quadcopters, but you might be able to find a fixed wing UAV that fits within your budget. If you plan to alter it later with upgraded accessories, make sure it has that ability.
Not all drones can have parts swapped out. Take some time to learn how drones work. You may struggle initially, but you’ll get the hang of it if you know what to pay attention to before you let your drone take flight.
For example, pay attention to the battery use so that your drone has enough power to get back to you before crashing. Learn how the controls work so you’re not causing your drone to run into anything or fall to the ground.
You may have to calibrate your drone for stability and navigation purposes before you send it on its first mission. You also need to pay attention to the weather and make sure it’s not going to result in a lost drone.
Don’t fly the drone outside of your line of sight in the beginning. You may want to attach an air tag to it in case it ends up crashing into someone’s backyard or an unknown location and you need to retrieve it.
Once you get the hang of using a beginner model, you may want to level up or go from automated flights to you being in full control. You might go farther distances and learn how to navigate in tight spaces with a better drone.
If the drone you have is working great for you and doing everything you need it to do, don’t feel as if you have to level up with a more expensive model at all. It’s not mandatory.
Level up if the performance isn’t up to par or if the features (like camera quality) are less than you want for survival security. You can also keep the existing beginner drone for things like surveillance right around your home, and use a more stealth version for longer reconnaissance.
Know the Rules for Using Drones
We’re not going to dwell a lot on this topic, but it deserves its own prominent spot in covering this subject. It’s imperative that you become aware of FAA regulations regarding the use of drones.
You also have to know local privacy laws that could get you in trouble. For example, you don’t want to be hovering over a neighbor’s backyard with your drone or flying into air space that could cause an accident.
Don’t just learn what the rules, etiquette and laws are right now, either. This is something you have to stay up to date with so that you’re always in accordance with the law.
You may need to get a drone pilot license to operate your drone. Sometimes, this will depend on the size of the drone or the purpose you want to use it for. They may have rules for how high or low you fly it, whether you’re capturing photos and videos, etc.
Conduct Routine Checks to Maintain Your Drone Properly
Once you have your drone, you need to take good care of it so that it lasts. This is true of all of your survival gear – whether it’s a garden tool or generator. A drone can suffer from wear and tear, and maintaining it for operational purposes is up to you.
Before you send it up, conduct a routine check to inspect it for any damage or problems. Make sure every part is in working order – the batteries, propellers, sensors, and more. If you have software installations for your drone, update it before each mission.
Go through a calibration check to make sure the cameras and sensors are functioning properly. You don’t want the compass to be off or the Gimbal to not work properly and cause a shaky visual result.
After every flight, before packing the drone away, make sure you clean it to remove any dew, dust or debris that has settled on it. You don’t want it wearing down the gadget or getting inside the parts and causing a problem.
There may come a time when something has to be repaired or replaced. You might have an easy time repairing something simple, but you may have to get a professional to help with more complex issues.
Call upon your warranty if anything severe happens and don’t put this off until you’re already in a survival event because those services may not be able to help at that time if it’s a big event.
Always keep a log of the repairs and replacements you’ve made, just as a log is kept for an airplane mechanical system. That way you know approximately what is causing certain issues and how long parts typically last.
The potential for a survival disaster rangers from natural weather events to man-made catastrophes. You want to be able to handle everything your family needs. That doesn’t just mean stocking up on food, water and first aid supplies.
It also means having a strong strategy in place to thwart any threats. In a SHTF event, people get desperate and those who may have been model citizens in a normal world can turn into people who put your family at risk in a survival scenario.
Having a survival drone can mean the difference between escaping with your supplies and your life and being caught unaware of the dangers that were lurking nearby. With a drone, you can operate in stealth mode and surveil your surroundings without having to go out and put yourself at risk on foot.
The speed at which it can operate can help you make a swift decision to help your family navigate any type of situation. If needed, you could even attach a light item like a first aid item to the drone and have it deliver it to someone who is in a spot where you can’t immediately get to them.
The versatility of a survival drone – and its ability to protect you from nefarious people or allow you to find good food and water sources – is something many gadgets can’t provide.
It’s one thing where the price tag is well worth the investment for both short and long term survival events. With the right equipment and knowledge on how to use it, your family will have an upper hand in meet their needs and gaining peace of mind.
There are many price points and features when purchasing a drone. Having one and leaning how to use it is the point. You can select one by clicking here.
