Hi from the UK and maiden flight tomorrow!

[Ping^Spike]

Hey everyone!

I live just outside Manchester, England, first time on this forum.

Never owned or flown a drone before and the Spark really caught my eye as a beginner.

Originally I pre-ordered a Spark a while back, having been seriously enticed by the trailers on YouTube. However, by the end of last week I finally got fed up waiting (end of July for the fly-more combo to reach me) and having seen a couple more in-depth Spark reviews (not provided by DJI), I was getting nervous about flight distances, battery life, video quality, remote quality and a load more stuff so I bottled out, logged on to dji.com and cancelled my Spark combo order.

As soon as the email confirmation of the cancellation came through, I went right back on to the site and ordered a Mavic Pro - which arrived yesterday - I am BEYOND excited

So since I ordered the Mavic Pro last week I've been watching even more videos, guides, tutorials, etc on YouTube (gotta love Ty, right? ), I have read all the Quick Start guides I can find and I've spent a couple of hours 'inside' the DJI GO app on my iPad, connected to my Mavic. All powered up, etc, but I've not started the rotors yet

I'm pretty sure I have now done enough research to embark on my first flight

I'm driving out tomorrow to some scrub-land behind a farm, so I have vast areas of open land, nothing around for miles.

My plan is to calibrate the compass (rotating 360 degrees, etc), set my RTH point, place her safely on the ground and fire the rotors up while trying to maintain a steady heart rate

So, hi once again and apologies in advance for any stupidly n00b questions I might ask!

Any other first-flight tips you can offer me?

 

[dirkclod]

Take your time and be safe .
Welcome to Mavic Pilots .
I hope you will find our site helpful and look forward to any input , photo's/video's you might post .

 

[Former Member]

Welcome to MavicPilots. You’ve come to the right place if you are seeking advice, chat, buy or sell you drone, or simply just to say hello. If you need any parts, supplies, or repairs, Im here to help.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

Hello,
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Mavic Pilots forum.
I hope that you will be able to use the forum to further your safety knowledge and for the exchange of innovative ideas and as a resource for
current developments in Mavic quadcopter’s.
Enjoy!
*MAVIC MANUAL: https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/mavic/20170418/Mavic+Pro+User+Manual_V1.6.pdf

 

[hychewright]

Welcome to the Mavic forum Spike.

 

[I_Like_Drones]

Hi Spike!

Fellow UK'er here, and from the North West too!

AND I've never flown a Mavic either!
(ordering mine soon hopefully....still not there yet )

ILD

 

[Ping^Spike]

WOW!!!!

I am absolutely HOOKED!!!

First flight out this morning, off to work now so I'll post a proper update later (with pics!) but what a buzz!!!

No issues to report (apart from major lens glare - see here Anybody have problem with the transparent plastic cover? ) but I think that was user error as I left the gimbal hood on.

@I_Like_Drones hi mate, you'll probably know Winter Hill? When I've mastered my flying skills, that'll be my next stop Get it ordered!

Anyway, will report back on my experiences later today - amazing

 

[jasonbrooks]

Wow, sure hope it was only the hood you left on during your maiden flight, and not the gimbal protector/clamp as well - can you confirm?

 

[F Tighe]

Good luck have fun[emoji1063]... been to the town of Glossop it is beautiful there.
I fly without the transparent dome with no issues. Fly safe

 

[I_Like_Drones]

@I_Like_Drones hi mate, you'll probably know Winter Hill? When I've mastered my flying skills, that'll be my next stop Get it ordered!

Anyway, will report back on my experiences later today - amazing

Yeah, I know Winter Hill...

I play poker in Bolton and Manchester quite a bit and travel down the M61 a lot so Winter Hill *could* have been an awesome spot to fly...

I say *could* because...


I'm not saying you can't....just that there could be plenty of radio interference up there...
Although Rivington reservoir looks tempting!

 

[Bunny Too]

Hey everyone!

I live just outside Manchester, England, first time on this forum.

Never owned or flown a drone before and the Spark really caught my eye as a beginner.

Originally I pre-ordered a Spark a while back, having been seriously enticed by the trailers on YouTube. However, by the end of last week I finally got fed up waiting (end of July for the fly-more combo to reach me) and having seen a couple more in-depth Spark reviews (not provided by DJI), I was getting nervous about flight distances, battery life, video quality, remote quality and a load more stuff so I bottled out, logged on to dji.com and cancelled my Spark combo order.

As soon as the email confirmation of the cancellation came through, I went right back on to the site and ordered a Mavic Pro - which arrived yesterday - I am BEYOND excited

So since I ordered the Mavic Pro last week I've been watching even more videos, guides, tutorials, etc on YouTube (gotta love Ty, right? ), I have read all the Quick Start guides I can find and I've spent a couple of hours 'inside' the DJI GO app on my iPad, connected to my Mavic. All powered up, etc, but I've not started the rotors yet

I'm pretty sure I have now done enough research to embark on my first flight

I'm driving out tomorrow to some scrub-land behind a farm, so I have vast areas of open land, nothing around for miles.

My plan is to calibrate the compass (rotating 360 degrees, etc), set my RTH point, place her safely on the ground and fire the rotors up while trying to maintain a steady heart rate

So, hi once again and apologies in advance for any stupidly n00b questions I might ask!

Any other first-flight tips you can offer me?

Howdy from Wyoming Ping^Spike, welcome to the community, plenty of fine folk and excellent information here.

 

[Up & Adam]

Welcome.

 

[Londroner]

WOW!!!!

I am absolutely HOOKED!!!

First flight out this morning, off to work now so I'll post a proper update later (with pics!) but what a buzz!!!

No issues to report (apart from major lens glare - see here Anybody have problem with the transparent plastic cover? ) but I think that was user error as I left the gimbal hood on.

@I_Like_Drones hi mate, you'll probably know Winter Hill? When I've mastered my flying skills, that'll be my next stop Get it ordered!

Anyway, will report back on my experiences later today - amazing

Congrats on your maiden flight - I envy you.

I notice you live near a big city like me (London in my case) and was wondering if you had any trouble finding safe place to fly it. I'm somewhat restricted where I am because Heathrow is not far away. I'm wondering how far afield I need to go before I can fly without fear of closing a major international airport!

 

[Ping^Spike]

@Londroner Depends which way I go.. I live just below the "Bolton" word on this map so if I head south, I'm right in the Manchester/Liverpool flight path:



So needless to say, I won't be heading south

@I_Like_Drones Thanks for the heads up on the Winter Hill flights, I wasn't aware of that one (have seen loads of YouTube vids from people flying up there too). I've just downloaded the Drone Assist app on my phone so I can check places out before heading there.

Well, here's how my maiden flight went this morning.

I headed out to some open common land, about 7am, the place is deserted usually. I didn't want an audience for my newbie flight!

So I did everything by the book, I extended the arms and rotors, removed the gimbal lock (and promptly put the gimbal dome cover back on - schoolboy error, see: Anybody have problem with the transparent plastic cover?)

I turned on the controller, turned on the drone, then launched the app on my iPad. I calibrated the drone by twisting and rotating it in the directions it told me (should I do this at the start of every flight?) and I set my RTH location.

That was, it.. heart racing, I started the rotors for the first time.

I was looking for an auto-take off button, but there wasn't one on the display. Looking back now, I think this was due to the surface I was on. The grass was long (perhaps 15 inches or so) and what I did was trample down a big area of grass and I put a sheet of cardboard down. Thing is, I'm pretty sure the radar(?) on the front of the drone could see the grass a few inches in front of it (as it wouldn't auto-land later on either).

So I slowly, gently and nervously pushed up on the left stick and that was it, I was airborne!!

I went about a meter off the ground and just stood there in awe at what I was seeing. It was a breezy morning and you could see the drone bobbing about a little, but the picture was rock solid - amazing!

After a minute or two of staring in amazement, I took it up higher. Just up, I didn't dare fly anywhere just yet - remember, this is the first time I've ever flown a drone.

Still grinning like a kid (I'm well in to my 40's btw) I then slowly moved it forwards and that was it, I was hooked instantly!!

Over the course of the next ten minutes, I experimented slowly and steadily, until I was brave enough to reach the limits of Beginner Mode whereby a little alarm warning went off and it asked if I wanted to exit beginner mode. No, you're alright thanks, not yet lol

Once I was at 30m high, I then moved 30m away (again, to the Beginner limit).

After bit more steady flying, it became apparent quickly that it's a bit like riding a motorbike, you need slow and steady inputs to get slow and steady outputs. Sorted.

I hit the RTH button and the drone did just that, came right back to me and stopped about a meter away from my cardboard "landing pad". I then got a warning saying it couldn't land - again I think the long grass was being spotted by the radar.

Not something you want to see on your first flight lol

Anyway, I manually flew it a bit nearer and got it as low as it would go, then I just held the left stick down and there she was, safely landed!

And yes, I was still grinning from ear to ear like a big kid!

So, a long story cut short, I learnt:

Take the gimbal dome cover off
Find a better takeoff / landing point
Handle the controls slowly and steadily

I can not WAIT to get back out there (alas, work commitments mean it'll probably be the weekend before I can go again).

Will post a few photos in a minute!

 

[I_Like_Drones]

Great write-up of your first tentative flight Spike...Love it.

I am very close to buying my Mavic...(end of month soon, right? ;-) )

I am close to the Lake district so this will form a big part of my playground I hope.
Although I will try Rivington Resevoir at some point.
Oh, And Rivi Pike is okay to fly from ;-)

 

[Ping^Spike]

Thanks!

Yup, payday next week

I've up'd some photos at: Some photos from my maiden flight - can I get some advice please?

 

[Ping^Spike]

Wow, sure hope it was only the hood you left on during your maiden flight, and not the gimbal protector/clamp as well - can you confirm?

Sorry, yes, to confirm, I removed the protector clamp at the rear of the camera lens, then I put the gimbal cover back on - as honestly, no where have I seen advice that I should fly with it off lol

 

[Londroner]

@Ping^Spike Great account of your first flight. I can imagine your elation at seeing it in the air.

 

[Peregrine]

Welcome Ping^Spike. Great accounts of your first, tentative steps. It's nervy stuff isn't it, that first terrifying flight? But what a buzz!! Hope you get ever more enjoyment out of one of the greatest pieces of consumer technology available today

 

[ariksaja]

Hey everyone!

I live just outside Manchester, England, first time on this forum.

Never owned or flown a drone before and the Spark really caught my eye as a beginner.

Originally I pre-ordered a Spark a while back, having been seriously enticed by the trailers on YouTube. However, by the end of last week I finally got fed up waiting (end of July for the fly-more combo to reach me) and having seen a couple more in-depth Spark reviews (not provided by DJI), I was getting nervous about flight distances, battery life, video quality, remote quality and a load more stuff so I bottled out, logged on to dji.com and cancelled my Spark combo order.

As soon as the email confirmation of the cancellation came through, I went right back on to the site and ordered a Mavic Pro - which arrived yesterday - I am BEYOND excited

So since I ordered the Mavic Pro last week I've been watching even more videos, guides, tutorials, etc on YouTube (gotta love Ty, right? ), I have read all the Quick Start guides I can find and I've spent a couple of hours 'inside' the DJI GO app on my iPad, connected to my Mavic. All powered up, etc, but I've not started the rotors yet

I'm pretty sure I have now done enough research to embark on my first flight

I'm driving out tomorrow to some scrub-land behind a farm, so I have vast areas of open land, nothing around for miles.

My plan is to calibrate the compass (rotating 360 degrees, etc), set my RTH point, place her safely on the ground and fire the rotors up while trying to maintain a steady heart rate

So, hi once again and apologies in advance for any stupidly n00b questions I might ask!

Any other first-flight tips you can offer me?

Congrats! I have one and crucial advice though. Fly safe and take your time no need to hurry. Keep your drone in prime condition because Dji after sales support and customer services is really suck.