107 for Recreational Flyer & Other Question

[shecanfly]

First I would like to thank everyone on MavicPilots for your knowledge. I am teaching myself about and how to fly my Mavic 3. Had I not found this site, I would have sold the drone a month after getting it.

Now to the questions:
1) I am toying with the idea of getting my 107 even though I have no intention of doing any commercial work. I am assuming it will make me better and safer. Thoughts?

2) I have started studying the Owners Manual. Something I did not do before flying...very bad, I know. Are there sections I go through first? I have highlighted and marked the RTH section. Figured that is a real important one.

3) I fly from my property. We are surrounded by trees so I am getting a ton of practice landing in a narrow column of space but not much else. Can you recommend exercises/patterns, etc. that I can practice flying low?

4) Lastly, I start a return to home point at 50% battery no matter how far I am. I fly on calm days. Not ready for even a little breeze if I can help it. Am I being too conservative? I have to think about how I am coming back so it takes me longer that experienced pilots. Opinions? Suggestions?

I wish I had an experienced remote pilot to fly with but I have y'all! Again, thank you so much for getting me this far.

 

[66427cobra]

You will definitely learn a lot more studying for Part 107. You can self-study using info available on the internet or by taking formalized training (Pilot Institute is an approved vendor on this forum).

There is a cost to take the exam (~$175). If you fail, you must pay to take it again. Nothing wrong with going through the course and not taking the test. But if you have the money to take the exam, you might find a commercial opportunity pops up.

 

[old man mavic]

@shecanfly ,when it comes to your drone ,and a mavic 3 is at the top end of the price range for a recreational drone
then it is your right to fly it as conservatively as you wish ,just keep practicing basic manoeuvres, in a nice open space away from trees ,and get the feel of how the drone responds to your stick inputs, try flying squares with the drone facing away from you, then turn the drone so the camera is facing you and see how the direction the drone flies changes from before
then as you get more confident go on to flying circles both inner and outer ,and finally combine all the movements to fly figure of eights
the more you do these exercises ,then once you have mastered them you videos will turn out so much better ,smooth flying is not as easy as it looks ,that is why there are more auto flight modes on many of the latest drones ,its so satisfying,when after some time you find that are able to control your drone ,with confidence
yes there are those who will say that DJI drones are very easy to fly ,but by the same token ,they are just as easy to crash ,go at your own pace ,and it will all become second nature in time

 

[MS Coast]

I agree with you that MavicPilots is the best resource available for people interested in flying DJI consumer drones. Here are some opinions in response to your questions.

1) Do it. You'll definitely be a better pilot for having studied for the Part 107 exam. Even if you never do any flying for pay, you'll be able to do a lot of things that can't be done legally without the the Part 107 rating. Examples: Donate photo and video s to a non-profit organization. Shoot photos and video of your or a friend's house or property for a real estate listing. Post video on your youtube channel, even if you're allowing ads. Inspect your neighbor's roof gutters. (A classic situation raised in many discussions here.)

2) RTH, low power autolanding, behavior on controller signal loss, obstacle avoidance behavior

3) Do a search of youtube for drone maneuvers and exercises. Here are two good ones:

4) If landing with 50% makes you comfortable, that's fine. As you gain proficiency and confidence, you can extend the flight time. I try to land with 25% remaining capacity.

I'd suggest reading a bit in the Crash & Flyaway Assistance forum here . You'll find many examples of people who lost their drones because they pushed the battery limits, didn't understand RTH and low power landing, or inadvertently flew sideways into a building for lack of good control skills.

It sounds like you're on the right path. Enjoy that Mavic 3.

 

[shecanfly]

Thank you everyone! I appreciate your responses. 107 and practice exercises here I come! Y'all are the BEST!

 

[Starz]

in a nice open space away from trees

Best advice listed.
And some fly time.
Part 107 isn’t a benefit for everyone.

 

[Ty Pilot]

Flying a 'Drone' is more about decision-making than it is about actual 'piloting' skill, and you, @shecanfly seem to be pretty good at that already. As mentioned above; if you check out the crash threads you will see that most crashes and loss of drone comes from either poor decision making or unfamiliarity with ones equipment. Here is my thoughts on your questions.

1] Absolutely yes. Studying for, and getting certified as a Remote 107 pilot will benefit you in many ways. Go for it.

2] Who studies an owners manual? Kidding. As noted, familiarity with equipment, and how it operates will cut down on surprises during operations that could lead to problems. Having said that, when it comes to RTH, I have a very different perspective than most.

Autonomous flight modes (such as RTH), can be used as an aid during certain sections of a flight but as a pilot, you don't want to get into a habit of over-use or relying on such automation without having the ability to do it yourself. Getting used to manually flying out, around and back is the one 'skill' I think any drone pilot should have and; this brings me to your third question.

3] My advice to any new pilot would be to learn to actually fly the drone by dead reckoning, in any direction. By this I mean; be able to look at the drone (not the screen) and fly it at will - comfortably. To do this, simple exercises such as a rectangular pattern and figure '8' will build the ability to fly the drone in any attitude or direction without hesitation. Here is a video from years ago about Visual Flight Training, different drone but the principals remain the same.

I would also advise a new pilot to get their flying skills and operational knowledge down first, and once you've gotten comfortable, then you can begin to explore the camera's capability, else you might be one of those that make a pretty video of flying into trees or buildings, or auto-landing in water at 5% battery. Be a pilot first and a camera operator second.

 

[Grandpa]

@Ty Pilot makes many great points. I started out on the sticks of many non-gps equipped drones before springing for a P3P. Soon after I got my 107 for grits and shins. Became a much better pilot afterwards. Learn to fly in atti mode.

 

[akdrone]

First I would like to thank everyone on MavicPilots for your knowledge. I am teaching myself about and how to fly my Mavic 3. Had I not found this site, I would have sold the drone a month after getting it.

Now to the questions:
1) I am toying with the idea of getting my 107 even though I have no intention of doing any commercial work. I am assuming it will make me better and safer. Thoughts?

2) I have started studying the Owners Manual. Something I did not do before flying...very bad, I know. Are there sections I go through first? I have highlighted and marked the RTH section. Figured that is a real important one.

3) I fly from my property. We are surrounded by trees so I am getting a ton of practice landing in a narrow column of space but not much else. Can you recommend exercises/patterns, etc. that I can practice flying low?

4) Lastly, I start a return to home point at 50% battery no matter how far I am. I fly on calm days. Not ready for even a little breeze if I can help it. Am I being too conservative? I have to think about how I am coming back so it takes me longer that experienced pilots. Opinions? Suggestions?

I wish I had an experienced remote pilot to fly with but I have y'all! Again, thank you so much for getting me this far.

1. You’ll be more knowledgable about the laws and marginally safer with regard to knowing more about aviation maps and such but in all practical reality I don’t think there will be too much of a difference. You could take free training courses online and not bother with spending the money if you don’t need the certification.
2. Skim all of it. Study what catches your eye is all I do.
3. In the fly app menu options you can choose to view a tic tac toe and and X pattern on your screen. Turn them on. Then note the center of the X pattern and where it is predicting you will be landing and get a feel for how that matches up with reality as you land. Turn a full circle, looking around before descending to ensure you aren’t descending into a branch.
4. Yes you’re being too conservative . My story: Living in Alaska winters are interesting. On one of my early flights with a friend using our DJI FPV drones we headed out to an area with ice encrusted trees. When we got there it was -20F and blowing 20-25mph. I figured we simply would not fly. My buddy laughed at me. We stayed in the car and flew all day but there was more than one occasion when we each had to return the drone directly to the road and then fly along the road back to the car because flying back directly might have been a battery problem. I try to land with 20%. My friends tries to land with .00002% and has occasionally had to boogie back to a road that was closer than our car but so far no lost drone. Bottom line is yeah…if you’re flying in no wind conditions there should be no reason to fear landing with 20%. The big important thing is to ensure your return to home is set to a direct route at a given altitude above any trees you could encounter although my last encounter with a spruce tree resulted in my Mav3 cutting off two branches and remaining in the air. Tough bird. Here is the video from the Frozen Forest. This lengthy post is brought to you by boredom between coughing bouts as I struggle with covid. Sigh… ..I mean... You might enjoy a few of the other drone videos at. https://www.youtube.com/user/digibud/videos

 

[dart106]

Thank you everyone! I appreciate your responses. 107 and practice exercises here I come! Y'all are the BEST!

Flying conservatively is a solid attribute that is lost on so many others.

 

[Lokinator]

I think the best thing about the 107 (IMO) is the thought process it makes you go through when making decisions. How to control your thoughts, how to understand what kind of pilot you are and how to be a good pilot. It is truly very cool and knowledgeable. There is no way I wouldnt recommend it and was very happy and proud I did it. I have had mine for years and was one of the first to get it in Ill.

But being me can I ask a question...I once heard someone say if you did something "wrong" as a Certified Pilot the penalites and process and much worse vs a Rec operator? Because you have the Lisc. Is there any truth to that?

BTW before you yell at me I totally recommend getting a 107. was just curious. Hated the flight patterns, loved the better pilot aspect. Good luck

 

[Dbez1]

As noted above, you can’t take photos as a favor for friends or organizations without your 107 and it’ll make you a safer pilot. I got mine as a winter project without any intention of making $, I just wanted to be legal as I was getting numerous requests for photos or videos and technically, without 107, you can only fly for your own enjoyment. I’ll PM you a list of the flying basics I wrote for my grandson, you may find it helpful. Best wishes and enjoy the sport.

 

[Vic Moss]

With your 107 you can fly at night in controlled airspace, and utilize the "400' bubble" when you want to (in G airspace).

You can also get permission to fly over the UASFM grid maximums if you have a 107. You can't do that under 44809.

 

[Lokinator]

100% agree...I thought he said he was strictly hobbyist. The question I was asking was as rec flyer if someone had an accident, aren't the penalties stiffer if he was a Lisc pilot. By all means get the 107. You will learn many great things.

 

[theDRONEranger]

I can assure you that you certainly are making a move in a good direction. I took my initial a few years back and 2x recurrent. In no way do I profess to be fully knowledgeable and continue to learn new things each and every day. This forum is a wonderful learning place! I encourage you to complete, at least a self-study program and test for your 107. There is lots ans lots of material available FREE on the FAA.GOV www. There are also several commercial sites $$$ that are equally educational. Here are a few photos of some very helpful books to help you study and answer many questions. The Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement is the only booklet permitted during test and it is supplied at the test facility.

I would be most happy to attempt to provide answers to any other questions you may have. Again, I’ve had 107 for 3 years and fly only for myself!

 

[R.Cowan]

1. You’ll be more knowledgable about the laws and marginally safer with regard to knowing more about aviation maps and such but in all practical reality I don’t think there will be too much of a difference. You could take free training courses online and not bother with spending the money if you don’t need the certification.
2. Skim all of it. Study what catches your eye is all I do.
3. In the fly app menu options you can choose to view a tic tac toe and and X pattern on your screen. Turn them on. Then note the center of the X pattern and where it is predicting you will be landing and get a feel for how that matches up with reality as you land. Turn a full circle, looking around before descending to ensure you aren’t descending into a branch.
4. Yes you’re being too conservative . My story: Living in Alaska winters are interesting. On one of my early flights with a friend using our DJI FPV drones we headed out to an area with ice encrusted trees. When we got there it was -20F and blowing 20-25mph. I figured we simply would not fly. My buddy laughed at me. We stayed in the car and flew all day but there was more than one occasion when we each had to return the drone directly to the road and then fly along the road back to the car because flying back directly might have been a battery problem. I try to land with 20%. My friends tries to land with .00002% and has occasionally had to boogie back to a road that was closer than our car but so far no lost drone. Bottom line is yeah…if you’re flying in no wind conditions there should be no reason to fear landing with 20%. The big important thing is to ensure your return to home is set to a direct route at a given altitude above any trees you could encounter although my last encounter with a spruce tree resulted in my Mav3 cutting off two branches and remaining in the air. Tough bird. Here is the video from the Frozen Forest. This lengthy post is brought to you by boredom between coughing bouts as I struggle with covid. Sigh… ..I mean... You might enjoy a few of the other drone videos at. https://www.youtube.com/user/digibud/videos

Thanks for sharing the Frozen Forest. Very cool and great choice of music. Good luck with the Covid...had it myself and wasn't a lot of fun.

 

[shecanfly]

Thank you all for your wisdom. A special thanks to Dbez1 for sharing his "Letter to His Grandson". It is wonderful.

 

[Dbez1]

Thank you all for your wisdom. A special thanks to Dbez1 for sharing his "Letter to His Grandson". It is wonderful.

You’re welcome. It’s a collection of flying tips I’ve learned from the pilots on this forum over the years. Enjoy your Mavic 3.

 

[Hands Down]

I am toying with the idea of getting my 107 even though I have no intention of doing any commercial work. I am assuming it will make me better and safer. Thoughts?

I’m in a similar situation with no immediate plans of commercial work. I decided to go ahead and get the Part 107 certification for a few reasons.

1. The regulations surrounding the US recreational certificate were a bit muddy for my tastes - particularly the part about following approved community guidelines that don’t seem to quite exist yet. I wanted to know the rules. That way, people who just don’t like drones for whatever reason can’t tell me what the rules are. Well, they still can, but I will know if they’re telling me wrong.

2. If I do decide I want to do something non-recreational, this blocker is already out of the way.

3. It does unlock a few more privileges that seem pretty useful.

My theory is that more knowledge is always good, and I think that translates to better and safer. Good luck if you decide to go for it. It’s not that hard, just some study time (and some money).

 

[snowghost]

With your 107 you can fly at night in controlled airspace, and utilize the "400' bubble" when you want to (in G airspace).

You can also get permission to fly over the UASFM grid maximums if you have a 107. You can't do that under 44809.

Also 400' bubble in some Class E airspace as well.