It shames me to confess this...but here I go...

[James in the Desert]

Hello from Goleta, California.
I purchased a Mini 3 Pro for checking ocean water clarity from above, and for finding the ever shrinking kelp paddies along the Santa Barbara coast and surrounding areas. I've alway been only so so at judging viz and it seems to me that my old and new dive buddies are even worse than me! At 58, I'm done being the bird dog. Throwing on a wet/sandy suit then swimming through mirky water, then doing it all over again. From now on I'm sending up my drone (just got my Trust Card) and getting a Birds Eye view. If you're in my truck when I say the viz is bad...and you disagree! I'll throw your gear out the window and you can call an uber! Not really, but if this works as well as I think it will, I'll be doing more diving and less hiking. I'm sincerely grateful to this community for allowing me to join. I look forward to learning about the different adjustments and filters available for looking into water.
Sincerely,
Lickity Split. AKA Bob

Welcome to the Skies

 

[Drone Master]

Welcome to Mavic Pilots! Enjoy the forum!

 

[hansenn]

welcome here.
For having the best visibility on the water use a polarizing filter

 

[ImpossibleTom]

You might investigate a polarizing filter to better see "into" the water and reduce the reflected light. Just a suggestion. Good luck!!

 

[MHFlexer]

Hello from Goleta, California.
I purchased a Mini 3 Pro for checking ocean water clarity from above, and for finding the ever shrinking kelp paddies along the Santa Barbara coast and surrounding areas. I've alway been only so so at judging viz and it seems to me that my old and new dive buddies are even worse than me! At 58, I'm done being the bird dog. Throwing on a wet/sandy suit then swimming through mirky water, then doing it all over again. From now on I'm sending up my drone (just got my Trust Card) and getting a Birds Eye view. If you're in my truck when I say the viz is bad...and you disagree! I'll throw your gear out the window and you can call an uber! Not really, but if this works as well as I think it will, I'll be doing more diving and less hiking. I'm sincerely grateful to this community for allowing me to join. I look forward to learning about the different adjustments and filters available for looking into water.
Sincerely,
Lickity Split. AKA Bob

Hi Bob,

Welcome to the group.

Doing what you are attempting is not Recreational flying. I am not trying to be a know it all, I just took a Part 107 class and passed my Remote Pilot Cert.

As per the FAA, recreational flying is only for “fun”, as soon as the INTENT changes to flying to accomplish a task, it becomes a Part 107 requirement.

I am not the drone police or a MrKaren, just wanted to provide the correct information..

Good luck, fly for fun.

 

[chadguy]

Hello from Goleta, California.
I purchased a Mini 3 Pro for checking ocean water clarity from above, and for finding the ever shrinking kelp paddies along the Santa Barbara coast and surrounding areas. I've alway been only so so at judging viz and it seems to me that my old and new dive buddies are even worse than me! At 58, I'm done being the bird dog. Throwing on a wet/sandy suit then swimming through mirky water, then doing it all over again. From now on I'm sending up my drone (just got my Trust Card) and getting a Birds Eye view. If you're in my truck when I say the viz is bad...and you disagree! I'll throw your gear out the window and you can call an uber! Not really, but if this works as well as I think it will, I'll be doing more diving and less hiking. I'm sincerely grateful to this community for allowing me to join. I look forward to learning about the different adjustments and filters available for looking into water.
Sincerely,
Lickity Split. AKA Bob

Invest in a decent or good circular polarizer to cut the glare and reflections down significantly, especially when shooting water. Look for CPL filters that combine ND filters for maximum flexibility if you're going to be shooting video. In a nutshell, using the correct ND filter allows you to set your shutter speed to twice your video framerate to minimize jitter in moving videos. If you've ever watched moving video that seemed jittery, that's why. If you're shooting 30FPS video, you want your shutter speed to be 60. If shooting 60FPS, you want your shutter to be 120. The ND filters let you reduce the amount of light coming into the camera to hit that sweet spot.

 

[jmaganaski]

Hello from Goleta, California.
I purchased a Mini 3 Pro for checking ocean water clarity from above, and for finding the ever shrinking kelp paddies along the Santa Barbara coast and surrounding areas. I've alway been only so so at judging viz and it seems to me that my old and new dive buddies are even worse than me! At 58, I'm done being the bird dog. Throwing on a wet/sandy suit then swimming through mirky water, then doing it all over again. From now on I'm sending up my drone (just got my Trust Card) and getting a Birds Eye view. If you're in my truck when I say the viz is bad...and you disagree! I'll throw your gear out the window and you can call an uber! Not really, but if this works as well as I think it will, I'll be doing more diving and less hiking. I'm sincerely grateful to this community for allowing me to join. I look forward to learning about the different adjustments and filters available for looking into water.
Sincerely,
Lickity Split. AKA Bob

Welcome! Just a friendly reminder, you’ll need more than a TRUST cert if your drone flying is for commercial or institutional purposes.

 

[chadguy]

Welcome! Just a friendly reminder, you’ll need more than a TRUST cert if your drone flying is for commercial purposes.

100%. Anything, and by anything they mean ANYTHING other than recreational flying requires a 107 cert. If you're going to use the footage or drones abilities for anything other than recreation regardless of making money or not, the FAA requires certification. It's totally worth getting certified for the education and ability to use drones for more than a hobby.

 

[lickety-split]

Welcome from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, USA. We have a Member's Map in the Upper Right of the Title Bar. Click on "Members" and then Click on "Member's Map…" Check it out and you might find some new flying friends.

Member Map

mavicpilots.com

As a new owner of the DJI Mini 3 Pro, you might be intererested in a FREE Deep Dive Course on your New Drone Offered by PilotInstitute… They offer many other course, some Free and some for a Fee. All are great!

DJI Mini 3 Pro Deep Dive - Pilot Institute

pilotinstitute.com

Since you live in California, there are specific laws and rules for you to follow, please check the link below for all the Rules and Laws that are in effect in your neck of the woods and it also links you to some of the Best Places to Fly in your area… Also, if you travel on vacation, visit friends, and relatives in other parts of the country, check back here so you do not run afoul of the law.

Drone Laws and Best Places to Fly in Every US State - Pilot Institute

pilotinstitute.com

Even if you have flown Drones before, here is some Good Old Fashion Advice…

You paid a lot of money for that Drone, put your phone number on it. If your drone gets lost or stuck in a tree and it finally comes down when you are not around, give the finders an opportunity to contact you so it can be returned.

Now, for the Fun Part, But 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 puppy or kitten 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, 6- feet (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 Mini 3 Pro, 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…"

DJI Mini 3 Pro - Download Center - DJI

At DJI Download Center, Learn aboutDJI Mini 3 Pro

www.dji.com

Fly On and Fly Safe…

Thank you Loud Thunder,
Lots of great advice. I just returned home from Switzerland Where I believe I got some great footage. My controller screen turned black with gray lines running through it and I'm just now getting a chance to try and figure this out. I really appreciate all of your good advice.
Sincerely, Bob

 

[LoudThunder]

My controller screen turned black with gray lines running through it and I'm just now getting a chance to try and figure this out.

Your Mini 3 is still under warranty, even if you did not buy the Care Refresh, DJI will fix any issue you have fro free.

Support - DJI

You paid a lot of money for that drone, you are not alone and I've had great luck with warranty support in the past and they even sent me a New Drone with extra spare propellers for my inconvenience…

Good Luck!

 

[lickety-split]

Your Mini 3 is still under warranty, even if you did not buy the Care Refresh, DJI will fix any issue you have fro free.

Support - DJI

You paid a lot of money for that drone, you are not alone and I've had great luck with warranty support in the past and they even sent me a New Drone with extra spare propellers for my inconvenience…

Good Luck!

I sent it back. Thank you for the information.

 

[LoudThunder]

I sent it back.

I hope you do not let this one bad experience turn you off the DJI or the Mini 3 Pro. It is a great little bird, and worth considering getting another one.

 

[Telthecelt]

Hello from Goleta, California.
I purchased a Mini 3 Pro for checking ocean water clarity from above, and for finding the ever shrinking kelp paddies along the Santa Barbara coast and surrounding areas. I've alway been only so so at judging viz and it seems to me that my old and new dive buddies are even worse than me! At 58, I'm done being the bird dog. Throwing on a wet/sandy suit then swimming through mirky water, then doing it all over again. From now on I'm sending up my drone (just got my Trust Card) and getting a Birds Eye view. If you're in my truck when I say the viz is bad...and you disagree! I'll throw your gear out the window and you can call an uber! Not really, but if this works as well as I think it will, I'll be doing more diving and less hiking. I'm sincerely grateful to this community for allowing me to join. I look forward to learning about the different adjustments and filters available for looking into water.
Sincerely,
Lickity Split. AKA Bob

Belated welcome (I've recently joined te group). That sounds like a super plan and I hope it has been effective. Has it? Viewing through the glitter and reflection of the surface must be a task indeed. I've used a cross-polarising filter on my Nikons in the past but I've no idea how that works (if it works) on a drone camera. If it does I might get one. Perhaps a suitable coloured filter might work and b&w photography ...just passing thoughts!
I have a dodgy knee but have to do a regular 'recce' hike to check out future routes for our club. But it occurred to me a drone could maybe do the tricky or highest parts. I wonder if I could do the whole walk from the comfort of the car, lol. All the best to you checking your kelp....Terry

 

[lickety-split]

Hi Bob,

Welcome to the group.

Doing what you are attempting is not Recreational flying. I am not trying to be a know it all, I just took a Part 107 class and passed my Remote Pilot Cert.

As per the FAA, recreational flying is only for “fun”, as soon as the INTENT changes to flying to accomplish a task, it becomes a Part 107 requirement.

I am not the drone police or a MrKaren, just wanted to provide the correct information..

Good luck, fly for fun.

But I’m having fun doing it.

 

[lickety-split]

I sent it back. Thank you for the information.

I got it back a week later. It’s been working perfectly ever since. Thanks again.

 

[astrohip]

Hello from Goleta, California.
I purchased a Mini 3 Pro for checking ocean water clarity from above, and for finding the ever shrinking kelp paddies along the Santa Barbara coast and surrounding areas.
Lickity Split. AKA Bob

Welcome from Brenham TX. I went to school at UCSB (many decades ago), and lived for a while after in Isla Vista and Goleta. We would both surf and dive off the coast. Some of my best diving was the Channel Islands off Santa Barbara.

Enjoy!