Learning drones with Daphne in Durham
This Christmas in 2025, I got Daphne a drone. After she opened her gift, she went over to her mother’s place to be with Meredith, and while she was gone I decided I should learn how to fly it first. I read the instructions, got it set up, downloaded the app, and tried to understand the phone and remote-control interface. At first I actually had some really good flights. On New Year’s Day, I flew it around downtown Durham, and it was amazing—thrilling in this way that almost gives you the sensation of flying.
Then I started flying it around my house and almost immediately crashed it. I wasn’t paying attention to what was above the drone, and when it took off it went straight into a tree branch. It fell directly onto the pavement and broke, which felt awful because I’d bought Daphne this gift and then she couldn’t even use it. After the crash, the camera wouldn’t work and it wouldn’t take off at all.
Thankfully, I’d bought it at Costco. I’m not usually someone who drinks the Costco Kool-Aid like my mother does, but their no-questions-asked returns policy really came through. I returned the broken drone, got a full refund, and got another one.
Daphne has flown the replacement drone for two days now, and she’s a fantastic drone pilot. She’s still learning, but even on her first day her skill impressed me. That first day we went out to the field at Forest View Elementary School, about a mile from our house, and she flew it around. It felt like a real bonding experience, which is precious to me because Daphne is a bit reclusive and stays in her room a lot. I find it difficult to relate to her, and I deeply want to relate to her, so having something that genuinely brings us together feels incredibly valuable.
The second day was more of a rollercoaster. Wind blew the drone into a tree and it crashed, and for a moment it seemed like it wasn’t functioning. But it turned out it just needed a bit of recalibration, and after that it was ready to go again and basically functions great. Later that same day, completely out of nowhere, Daphne just said, “I love you,” and it was fantastic. It felt like her elevated mood from flying the drone was what prompted it. Right before she said it, we were about to eat fajitas I had prepared.
Now, heading into 2026, I’m really looking forward to spending a lot of time with Daphne doing drone adventures—using it as a way to explore the world together. We’ve talked about taking it camping or bringing it to the beach, and I’m genuinely happy imagining that this could be one of the ways we connect more.
Then I started flying it around my house and almost immediately crashed it. I wasn’t paying attention to what was above the drone, and when it took off it went straight into a tree branch. It fell directly onto the pavement and broke, which felt awful because I’d bought Daphne this gift and then she couldn’t even use it. After the crash, the camera wouldn’t work and it wouldn’t take off at all.
Thankfully, I’d bought it at Costco. I’m not usually someone who drinks the Costco Kool-Aid like my mother does, but their no-questions-asked returns policy really came through. I returned the broken drone, got a full refund, and got another one.
Daphne has flown the replacement drone for two days now, and she’s a fantastic drone pilot. She’s still learning, but even on her first day her skill impressed me. That first day we went out to the field at Forest View Elementary School, about a mile from our house, and she flew it around. It felt like a real bonding experience, which is precious to me because Daphne is a bit reclusive and stays in her room a lot. I find it difficult to relate to her, and I deeply want to relate to her, so having something that genuinely brings us together feels incredibly valuable.
The second day was more of a rollercoaster. Wind blew the drone into a tree and it crashed, and for a moment it seemed like it wasn’t functioning. But it turned out it just needed a bit of recalibration, and after that it was ready to go again and basically functions great. Later that same day, completely out of nowhere, Daphne just said, “I love you,” and it was fantastic. It felt like her elevated mood from flying the drone was what prompted it. Right before she said it, we were about to eat fajitas I had prepared.
Now, heading into 2026, I’m really looking forward to spending a lot of time with Daphne doing drone adventures—using it as a way to explore the world together. We’ve talked about taking it camping or bringing it to the beach, and I’m genuinely happy imagining that this could be one of the ways we connect more.