How to Install a Dipole Antenna Using a Drone!

Ever dream of using a drone to easily pull rope for our ham radio antennas? Well, I just had to give it a try. I may never go back to the trusty slingshot ever again. I used my Mavic Air 2 drone to hang my ZS6BKW dipole antenna over an 80 foot tall tree behind my house. See how I approached hanging a dipole antenna with a drone and what you should know before attempting it yourself.

#HamRadio #HamRadioAntenna #K0LWC

Links and resources
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Chapters
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0:00 Using a drone to hang a dipole antenna
0:10 What rope you should use
0:35 How to keep rope away from propellers
1:08 How fast can the wind be blowing?
1:19 What does it look like in the air?
2:25 Video from my drone antenna installation

[graphguy]

This is excellent!
I have been contemplating how to string up my first HAM this is it! - My mini 2!!!

[craigc]

I have an wireless dropper for my drone I purchased off of Amazon. It works great I've used it for putting up antennas but I have mainly bought it just to play with it has came in handy numerous times now.
The nice thing about having a dropper you can bring it up with a little weight with a rope and drop it there's something goes wrong as you're going up with the string on there you could just hit the button and drop the rope in case of an emergency or string rather

[BillTheDroneReviewer]

This was outstanding ! Thank you so much for sharing ! I'm going to try my hand at this setting up a EFHW using a DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 with a release mechanism. Now I'm also going to have to try a dipole as well - and by the way great dipole antenna you are using ! I'll feature a video of it on this channel and my ham radio channel "Ham Radio Basics". Thanks !

[jm]

Very nice. I have a Dji Mavic (1st Gen) and I hung my G5RV, Jr from my 40 ft tree. Love the idea of the straw cleaner. I just used a plastic tie wrap. Worked well but I didn't even think about getting the line caught in the rotors. Thanks for the tips. De KJ6FXA

[tomb]

KC3OLP, I have a drone and did something similar, used a 1/8" dowel attached to the runner, and used fishing lie as first pull over the tree. Then tied a rope to that for the final pull, worked quite well.

[WCQ]

Awesome video! Those are some awesome trees too!

[ncphotos]

Great video! de W2CSI I need to try this for my next antenna project

[CigarsOnTheAir]

Thanks for sharing! Cheers and 73! de W3LAM

[jimjones]

My experiences is to mount the the string/50 pound fishing spool to the drone itself. Let the spool unwind it self from the drone as you fly over the object. This way if the string does get caught on a branch, the drone can continue to fly letting out more string as its flying. Last thing you want if your spool is at ground surface and not on your drone having the string caught on a branch and your drone is attached with no easy way to retrieve it. I guess the reason for one to fly extra high above the trees to have a long enough life line before flying over a tree to help prevent this. Also flying at an angle away from the tree after flying the string over the tree when descending will keep the string from getting into the propellers. I am still using the old X-Star Autel drone that can carry a larger payload. I will never buy an Autel Drone again since they do not support their batteries. My batteries are still working but for how long... its just a matter of time. I use the drone for a tool not for pleasure. I removed the camera and installed a frame that holds the fishing string spool. I also installed a long horizontal piece of pec tubing so when the string unwinds off the spool it has to go through the tubing and the tubing is extended out away from the propellers preventing the string to get caught in the propellers while descending. Anyway whatever works but I found doing it the way that I have explained works the best for me! Best of Luck always.

[romanzownirowycz]

I have one comment. I did this with a 50 lb test line with my Phantom 3 Standard. It did get stuck on a branch and the drone tried to correct itself and would not let go due to the strength of the line. It did eventually hit a tree and fell to the ground with damage to the camera ribbon, but otherwise survived. I did not try this technique again, but thought if I did I would attach a low break strength fishing line (like 4 lbs so if it got stuck it would break free instead of getting caught. Your thoughts?

[satveerc]

How do you attach the X 300 to your roof?

[dalealanbryant]

You would have made a good fighter pilot!

[tzm]

How do you measure heights of trees and distances?

[stuartbreeden]

I did that way off the leg of my air 2s and the wind picked up and the drone crashed now I have a air drop device on the bottom saving 30 dollars aint worth totaling a 1000 dollars drone

[maryjane]

So do you just land the drone with the string still attached? I guess im looking for clarity on exactly how you did this . Im looking to set up lines for a loop antenna. Thanks for the video.Thanks Jeff Kd2lfe

[keesvanoosbree]

I wish I had a drone to do this! I use a hunting bow, and I can usually get it up 100 feet or so.
73 de W0AAE