First flight imminent...advice?

[I_Like_Drones]

My Mavic Pro should arrive early next week.

After a very careful unboxing and smiling in awe session (and the inevitable charging wait ) I was thinking of making a note of the firmware of the AC, RC and batteries and then trying to ignore any updates as I don't want to update immediately if I don't have to.

Is this a good idea?

Also, I'd appreciate any initial flight tips...
I will read the manual again and select beginner mode...anything else?

ILD

 

[firefly3630]

I was like you before first flight then around 2nd wk started watching youtube vids which answered questions did not know had yet.

 

[I_Like_Drones]

I've watched quie a lot of youtube already...fantastic resource nowadays.

 

[I_Like_Drones]

Also....should I perform any calibrations before it's first ever flight even if the app doesn't tell me to?

 

[Enigma]

I do a visual inspection of every single thing before i fly.
Pre flight inspection should be always done, just in case.
It should be good to go, but would not do any calibrations unless the APP tells you to.

Happy Flying.

 

[Ping^Spike]

I always do a compass calibration before every flight. It only takes thirty seconds. Think I saw 'Ty' on one of the DJI tutes do it, seems thoughts on this are mixed here.

Other than that mate, visual checks, any pylons or BT posts around?

My first flight I left the gimbal dome cover on. Rookie mistake

If you're doing an auto take off, let it hover for a moment so it can grab its RTH data. If like me, you'll be stood there, opened mouthed, in sheer awe at what you are witnessing anyway

Something I learned real quick too, use slow and steady inputs on the joysticks. Quick moves seem hugely magnified when watching the video back.

Not much else I can offer, stay within the 30m limits of beginner mode and you'll be fine.

Serious congrats btw, i know this moment has been a long time coming mate

Enjoy

 

[Ping^Spike]

Oh yeah, one other thing, check the little switch on the side of the remote, mine was shipped with Sport mode switched on, right outta the box

 

[Top Hat]

You don't need to cal your MP right of the bat, lot's of b-new users made that mistakes already.
Remove the Gimbal clamp before you power up the MP and 1st flight try doing it in wide open space.

 

[Redbridge 1]

All good advice... as a newbie myself kept it in line of sight for th first several flights until I got a feel for all the various functions and how it handled. I also always double check the RTH altitude settings every time before I take off. Be safe and have a blast.. it's amazing!

 

[Top Hat]

And always wait for the voice that said "home point updated chk map".

 

[Ping^Spike]

Ha! Just thought of another.

My first flight nearly failed in the first few minutes.

I'd packed my Mavic in to the bag that came with the flymore combo.

Went out to the clearing in the forest, started getting setup....

Do you think I could get the Mavic out of the bag?! Could I F!!

That bag is SUCH a tight fit. One of the legs had somehow got itself stuck under the compartment divider, I nearly had to rip the bag open rather than risk yanking the Mavic out and damaging it!

I kid you not, it must have taken me nearly ten minutes to get it out of the bag

Needless to say, that bag has NEVER been used since, I bought a proper case.

 

[BeefStew]

Find a nice open space in order to learn how to fly, so you don't have to worry about any obstacles. From one newbie to another

 

[Hamltnlbue]

Ha! Just thought of another.

My first flight nearly failed in the first few minutes.

I'd packed my Mavic in to the bag that came with the flymore combo.

Went out to the clearing in the forest, started getting setup....

Do you think I could get the Mavic out of the bag?! Could I F!!

That bag is SUCH a tight fit. One of the legs had somehow got itself stuck under the compartment divider, I nearly had to rip the bag open rather than risk yanking the Mavic out and damaging it!

I kid you not, it must have taken me nearly ten minutes to get it out of the bag

Needless to say, that bag has NEVER been used since, I bought a proper case.

The mavic bag is junk. They should take it off the market.
You can buy a nice camera bag that is much larger for the same price. I wound up with a Mantfrotto bag you can see in this link Manfrotto Gear Backpack (from DJI)
I bought mine on Amazon for 80 bucks.

 

[I_Like_Drones]

Thanks for all the tips guys.

My first flight will be in my garden...no more than 10m up and no more than 20m away. Mainly to ensyre it all works and I can let it hover whilst I go through the Go app and it's settings.

2nd flight will be around the corner in an open area...

As for the bag, I'll watch for problems Spike, thanks for the heads-up. I think I might use it for travelling and keeping in the car but I may buy a replacement that holds just the batteries, RC and AC for leaving in the car for normal everyday flights.

 

[I_Like_Drones]

Oh...and it's been delivered to my neighbour today (managed to catch DPD as he was about to 'card' me and try again tomorrow) so I will have my first hands-on tonight!

 

[I_Like_Drones]

First flight even MORE imminent!
Got home, straight to the neighbours to collect my dronie
Unpacked and inspected - perfect.
[X] UK model
[X] New one box packaging for Fly More Combo (so not old stock)

Now the agonising wait!

[X] 3 batteries on charge
[X[ RC on charge
[X] Plastic film on front sensors removed
[ ] Lighning cable changed for Micro USB
[X] Phone on charge

Oh...and my girlfriend has gone out for the evening so that me and my dronie can get to know each other

 

[Top Hat]

First flight even MORE imminent!
Got home, straight to the neighbours to collect my dronie
Unpacked and inspected - perfect.
[X] UK model
[X] New one box packaging for Fly More Combo (so not old stock)

Now the agonising wait!

[X] 3 batteries on charge
[X[ RC on charge
[X] Plastic film on front sensors removed
[ ] Lighning cable changed for Micro USB
[X] Phone on charge

Oh...and my girlfriend has gone out for the evening so that me and my dronie can get to know each other

REMEMBER NOW!!!!!
All the tips, do's and dont's that we provided you!

ENJOY AND HAPPY FLYING/BE SAFE THAN SORRY!

 

[RaRaRasputin]

Enjoy. Take it slow in the garden. That initial hover will have your jaw dropping ;-)

I was a little nervous in the garden (only got my Mavic on Friday), stayed in garden Saturday/Sunday, just to get used to landing taking off, and some small laps at no higher than 10ft. Didn't want the neighbours complaining.

Today though, I went to our local park (a bit windy but read up on wind before leaving). It was virtually deserted.

Went on the secluded top field, did all the pre-flight checks, made sure battery was proper snapped in, removed, re-added propellors and checked for nicks, cracks, checked all batteries.

Lift-off. I made sure to get high enough to clear the tops of the surrounding trees just in case I had a brain fart whilst flying around.

Did a few laps clockwise, a few anti clockwise, a few figure 8's forwards and in reverse.

I did have the video recording, but wasn't trying to make a movie or anything like that (not yet).

I also got the Hangar 360 app (free) before I went out and as it is totally autonomous, decided to give it a go. Was so nervous to see the mavic fly off up to 300 feet. Watching the screen it did as it was supposed to. The 5 minutes it was up there were totally nerve racking.

Here's the result: Hangar 360 Photo

Feel a bit more confident now. Off somewhere else tomorrow local weather permitting.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Ping^Spike]

WELL?????????????

How'd it go???

I know you've flown - I saw your RTH thread

Pics or it didn't happen

 

[I_Like_Drones]

WELL?????????????

How'd it go???

I know you've flown - I saw your RTH thread

Pics or it didn't happen

WELL!!

First flight completed

It lasted 20 minutes and to be fair it was made up of 4/5 individual flights.
Starting off with a take-off (auto) and a short manoeuvring flight and an auto-land.
Also made several tours of the garden at a dizzy height of about 3 metres!

I say about...because other than looking at the Mavic itself, and a few glances at the video screen...I paid NO attention to the telemetry at all LOL

I also took a flight just to test the precision RTH.
At first she performed well, but was descending in the wrong spot, however she auto-corrected at about 4m and landed exactly where she started.

I didn't record any video at all...but I did snap a couple of pics....one of which was taken at the maximum height in beginner mode of 30m.

The thing I can't get over and what made me smile the most was the gimbal.
I could see the Mavic wiggling in multiple directions to stay in the same place and looking at the rock steady video image as the gimbal countered every movement made me smile in awe.

My horizon is level
My gimbal doesn't bang as it initialises
My android phone didn't crash

Win Win Win in my book!


Next flight will be out of beginner mode.

And in the meantime I have connected to the MP (props removed) so I can change some settings.

I haven't updated the firmware which I think is 700
My app is 4.1.2
And it asks me to update NFZ but I can ignore it.


Other than being too overwhelmed to even think about settings and telemetry stuff, the other thing that happened was that I felt absolutely fine flying around, even at height...UNTIL i went over the roof of my house.

I started to feel that it was leaving a 'zone'.

As if whilst it was within the zone of my garden, I felt 'connected' to it. Maybe it was because if anything happened I was THERE...with the Mavic...but if it left my zone then I felt disconnected...remote if you like, from it.
It felt uncomfortable

I think it will be many, many flights until I feel comfortable enough to let her fly free.

ILD