FNG from North Richland Hills, TX

[BeBeep]

I am a retired A&P Mechanic/FAA Inspector and a recent Part 107 graduate. I have been wanting a drone for quite some time and finally pulled the trigger on an Air 2S. I have been flying basically daily trying to gain experience. I will mostly be flying for fun but will occasionally take pics and video for my wife’s Real Estate listings.

Hoping to find some better areas around me to fly as flying around my neighborhood is getting kinda old.

 

[dirkclod]

Welcome to the forum.
I hope you will find our site helpful and look forward to any input , photo's/video's you might post .
Don't be shy and ask anything if you can't find it by searching .

 

[LoudThunder]

I am a retired A&P Mechanic/FAA Inspector and a recent Part 107 graduate. I have been wanting a drone for quite some time and finally pulled the trigger on an Air 2S

Welcome from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, USA. We have a Member's Map in the Upper Right of the Title Bar.

Members map

mavicpilots.com

Even in Texas, there are a couple of Legal Things you may need to do…

You know you'll have to register your Drone…

Link to the FAADroneZone (Optional for Drones under 250-Grams… But not for you…)

FAADroneZone

faadronezone.faa.gov

Since you live in Texas, there are specific laws and rules for you to follow, please check to ensure these are current.

Drone Laws in Texas [Updated January 26, 2024]

Drones are allowed in Texas for recreational and commercial use, subject to FAA and local regulations. Read on for details.

drone-laws.com

Since this is your first drone, here is some Good Old Fashion Advice…

Do not let the excitement of the moment get the best of you. When you are going out to fly, do it slowly and deliberately. Get used to a set procedure and even practice it.

There are so many things I could write but these are the highlights that I feel need mentioning.

Plug in your phone/tablet into your controller; turn on the Controller and DJI Fly App (if it does not start on its own…). On the Drone, open the front legs, then open the back legs, then remove the Gimbal Cover.

The Gimbal is the most delicate item on the Drone and banging or bumping can damage it. I also fastened a short "Remove Before Flight" ribbon to the cover so it's more noticeable and I do not forget to remove it…

Turn on the drone and watch it come to "life." Watching the Gimbal go through its self-check is almost like watching a kitten or puppy opening its eyes for the first time…

Place the drone down (preferably on a Landing Pad) while it finishes its self-test (collecting satellites, etc…).

Check your battery status (Phone, Drone, and Controller), check the Signal Strength, by now the Controller should have reported it updated the Home Point.

Lift off, 4-5 feet (1-1/2 meters) or so, hover a bit, check the controls (move the drone a bit forward, back, left, right, yaw left and right). By now, your Controller will probably report again, Home point Updated.

If you go out in a rush and race thru your start up and take off before the drone has finished it prep, it may update its Home Point over that pond or that old tree you are flying over and in your excitement, you'll fly the drone long past it Low Battery point and when it engages Return to Home and lands in the pond or in a tree; it will be all on you…

Now go have fun, learn to fly the drone by sight before you try to fly it out a distance depending on the video feed, FPV.

I would also advise you to use YouTube and watch a lot of the Videos on flying and setting up the Drone. When it is too dark, too cold, or too wet, you can "fly it vicariously" through YouTube. Also watch some of the Blooper Drone Videos and learn how not to fly your "New Baby."

Below is the link to all of the downloads offered by DJI for the Mavic Air 2s, including the User Manual.

After you read the Manual, read it again, you will be surprised what you missed the first time and you will be better prepared for that first "scary moment…"

Mavic Air 2 - Download Center - DJI

At DJI Download Center, Learn aboutMavic Air 2

www.dji.com

Happy, Safe and Legal Droning…

 

[BeBeep]

Welcome from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, USA. We have a Member's Map in the Upper Right of the Title Bar.

Members map

mavicpilots.com

Even in Texas, there are a couple of Legal Things you may need to do…

You know you'll have to register your Drone…

Link to the FAADroneZone (Optional for Drones under 250-Grams… But not for you…)

FAADroneZone

faadronezone.faa.gov

Since you live in Texas, there are specific laws and rules for you to follow, please check to ensure these are current.

Drone Laws in Texas [Updated January 26, 2024]

Drones are allowed in Texas for recreational and commercial use, subject to FAA and local regulations. Read on for details.

drone-laws.com

Since this is your first drone, here is some Good Old Fashion Advice…

Do not let the excitement of the moment get the best of you. When you are going out to fly, do it slowly and deliberately. Get used to a set procedure and even practice it.

There are so many things I could write but these are the highlights that I feel need mentioning.

Plug in your phone/tablet into your controller; turn on the Controller and DJI Fly App (if it does not start on its own…). On the Drone, open the front legs, then open the back legs, then remove the Gimbal Cover.

The Gimbal is the most delicate item on the Drone and banging or bumping can damage it. I also fastened a short "Remove Before Flight" ribbon to the cover so it's more noticeable and I do not forget to remove it…

Turn on the drone and watch it come to "life." Watching the Gimbal go through its self-check is almost like watching a kitten or puppy opening its eyes for the first time…

Place the drone down (preferably on a Landing Pad) while it finishes its self-test (collecting satellites, etc…).

Check your battery status (Phone, Drone, and Controller), check the Signal Strength, by now the Controller should have reported it updated the Home Point.

Lift off, 4-5 feet (1-1/2 meters) or so, hover a bit, check the controls (move the drone a bit forward, back, left, right, yaw left and right). By now, your Controller will probably report again, Home point Updated.

If you go out in a rush and race thru your start up and take off before the drone has finished it prep, it may update its Home Point over that pond or that old tree you are flying over and in your excitement, you'll fly the drone long past it Low Battery point and when it engages Return to Home and lands in the pond or in a tree; it will be all on you…

Now go have fun, learn to fly the drone by sight before you try to fly it out a distance depending on the video feed, FPV.

I would also advise you to use YouTube and watch a lot of the Videos on flying and setting up the Drone. When it is too dark, too cold, or too wet, you can "fly it vicariously" through YouTube. Also watch some of the Blooper Drone Videos and learn how not to fly your "New Baby."

Below is the link to all of the downloads offered by DJI for the Mavic Air 2s, including the User Manual.

After you read the Manual, read it again, you will be surprised what you missed the first time and you will be better prepared for that first "scary moment…"

Mavic Air 2 - Download Center - DJI

At DJI Download Center, Learn aboutMavic Air 2

www.dji.com

Happy, Safe and Legal Droning…

Thank you so much for all the advice and info. I have watched dozens of YouTube videos and I have learned so much from them. I also have a checklist I use which lists the items you noted to perform prior to actually flying.

BTW, I was in the Air Force from 1980 thru 1992. I was a Crew Chief on F-4s and A-10s. Definitely had a blast back in those days.

 

[LoudThunder]

BTW, I was in the Air Force from 1980 thru 1992. I was a Crew Chief on F-4s and A-10s.

When I first entered the AF, I was Jet Engine Mechanic at Luke, AZ. We had F-100s then we got the F-4 Phantoms in… Luke was an upgrade pilot base and from there, the pilots almost all went to SEA. I was in Unscheduled Maintenance, that meant we pulled a lot of engines because those guys claimed the Phantom had no "ground effect" when landing and they always hit the runway hard enough to crunch the gear and caused us to pull the engines to see if they had crushed any engine bearings… My last duty station was Davis-Monthan, also in Arizona… and the base flew A-10s there. But by then, I was a computer programmer, systems analysis, and network manager, and long off the flight line…

 

[BeBeep]

When I first entered the AF, I was Jet Engine Mechanic at Luke, AZ. We had F-100s then we got the F-4 Phantoms in… Luke was an upgrade pilot base and from there, the pilots almost all went to SEA. I was in Unscheduled Maintenance, that meant we pulled a lot of engines because those guys claimed the Phantom had no "ground effect" when landing and they always hit the runway hard enough to crunch the gear and caused us to pull the engines to see if they had crushed any engine bearings… My last duty station was Davis-Monthan, also in Arizona… and the base flew A-10s there. But by then, I was a computer programmer, systems analysis, and network manager, and long off the flight line…

I really loved working the Phantoms, they were a jet you loved to hate. . I was at DM when I crewed A-10s, my wife and I really loved Tucson and the base.

 

[LoudThunder]

I really loved working the Phantoms, they were a jet you loved to hate. . I was at DM when I crewed A-10s, my wife and I really loved Tucson and the base.

You seem to have such great memories, why did you get out at 12?

 

[MA2 317]

Hello from the Crossroads of America BeBeep.

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[old man mavic]

welcome to the forum

 

[Gagey52]

Welcome to the forum from the outback of Australia. Look forward to your input on the forum.
Regards

 

[msinger]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Drone Master]

Welcome to Mavic Pilots! Enjoy the forum!

 

[Kendallfordguy]

Welcome from Wisconsin!

 

[Laborous]

Welcome to the forum from the beautiful woods of Maine!

 

[BeBeep]

You seem to have such great memories, why did you get out at 12?

My first 10 years was great but then so much started changing (not for the better IMO) when General McPeak took over and it was not the same. I stayed around for 2 more years and then decided to pull chocks and see what civilian aviation was like. Initially it was a culture shock but I actually did really well and it eventually led me to the FAA. I was able to “buy back” my 12 years of military and was able to retire in 2019 with 34 years and 7 months.

I still miss the folks I worked with in the USAF, I keep in touch with many of them. One thing I was never able to experience in the civilian world was the brotherhood and bonds I had in the Air Force. I was 17 when I joined and it helped me learn discipline, gave me lifelong friendships, and taught me a skill that was transferable to the civilian world. I will be forever grateful to the USAF, the NCOs, Senior NCOs and Officers that molded me over the years.

 

[howardK]

Howdy from the Houston Texas area

 

[GFields]

Greetings from Birmingham Alabama, welcome to the forum!

 

[wjkrysak]

Welcome to the forum. We look forward to your participation and your view of the world.

 

[SpitFire]

Welcome to the forum from Chicago the Windy City.
Check out places on the internet to fly your drone, plan a trip, bring your drone.

 

[PK&W Modelwerx]

Hello FNG! I'm in Denton and also a new pilot, but I frequent Angelo Hobbies in NRH. Know that the Texas law regulating drone use, Section 423, was largely found unconstitutional back in March. But NOT the section which pretty much bans any local laws restricting drones. The laws have to be at the state level. I suspect the Houston laws on drone use in parks would not stand up to legal scrutiny.

When it cools off a bit let's get together. Maybe by then I'll have some flight locations to share with you!