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App for practice?

MikeyST1957

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Is there an app or something I could use to let my grandson learn to fly? Perfectly I’d like to hook up my controllers so he can actually use sticks, but I would guess that might take a computer an different hookups?

( tech-handicapped old guy here)
 
It depends on your drone and the age of your grandson. If old enough you might want to get him an inexpensive toy drone. The Mavic 2 can be hooked up to the DJI simulator.

My grandson is 3 1/2 and I've been teaching him slowly. He is extremely mechanical. Already he knows how to set up my drones in the proper sequence, how to power everything on and now I am *slowly* teaching him how to fly. He sits between my legs and I let him do simple operations; He know knows how to start the motors and could even launch my drone if I let him. But I get it up in the air and let him work on one stick at a time and give him commands of forward, backward, left right... and up and down. Yaw isn't important at this point. My hands are always right there so I can knock him off the sticks and instantly take over if needed. I'm not sure when I'll let him have any drone of his own. Perhaps one of those micro sized drones next year?
 
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If you have the computer to run it, DJI has a flight sim that you download for free. I understand that you can use the Mini 1 style controller but I've successfully used an XBox controller with it.
 
My grandson is 3 1/2 and I've been teaching him slowly. He is extremely mechanical. Already he knows how to set up my drones in the proper sequence, how to power everything on and now I am *slowly* teaching him how to fly. He sits between my legs and I let him do simple operations; He know knows how...........
Just as a matter of interest have you thought of setting up primary and secondary controllers? They both have full motion control but any input from the primary takes precedence. I don't remember if there is a delay in the secondary being allowed to resume command once primary input has ceased but there is something in the back of my mind about that.
 
Thanks for all the help. I might look into setting him up on the computer ….

but I took the advice from you guys and let him use my spark
Open field no trees
He actually did really well

I think the hardest part….is these young kids are used to video games…..
They crash anything, they just hit reset, and start over.
they don’t have a fear of $$ loss if they crash
A real craft into a tree or just let it fly away
 
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Thanks for all the help. I might look into setting him up on the computer ….

but I took the advice from you guys and let him use my spark
Open field no trees
He actually did really well

I think the hardest part….is these young kids are used to video games…..
They crash anything, they just hit reset, and start over.
they don’t have a fear of $$ loss if they crash
A real craft into a tree or just let it fly away
The adults do this. I have never seen so many running into walls, trees (even backing into them). There are more drones in the water than they are in the trees.
 
Just as a matter of interest have you thought of setting up primary and secondary controllers? They both have full motion control but any input from the primary takes precedence. I don't remember if there is a delay in the secondary being allowed to resume command once primary input has ceased but there is something in the back of my mind about that.
Not yet. He is a little young for that. I make him do one hand at a time right now and sometimes he wants to use the wrong hand on an individual stick, so I still need to be right on top of him. At this time it isn't so much about flying as developing a kinesthetic awareness.
 
I think the hardest part….is these young kids are used to video games…..
They crash anything, they just hit reset, and start over.
they don’t have a fear of $$ loss if they crash
A real craft into a tree or just let it fly away
You might want to try Maven a great 3rd party app. You don't say what model you have but I use it with my mini with iOS. One of it's many features in addition to waypoints, VR and Co-Pilot, it has a "Virtual Polygonal Geofence" mode where you can setup a fly zone with a polygon fence plus a maximum and minimum ceiling and floor. You can relax as your grandson develop his skills... well almost relax, then when it's your turn, you can use all the other Maven features.
 
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