First Time Drone Owner

[dopeysw20]

Greetings from sunny Cali! I finally bit the bullet and purchased my first drone, a Mini 3 with the built in screen remote! My current experiences with flying anything is about 15 minutes of a Mini 2 that I borrowed from a friend to decide whether to get a Mini 2 or Mini 3.

I've been an amateur photographer for some years now and wanted to start expanding out my hobby to aerial photography/videos.

I plan on going through some tutorial YT videos on how to learn the basics (and best practices) on flying a drone but have been running into difficulty on finding a location to learn. I live in the SF bay area (closer to the south side by Mountain View) and it seems pretty much all the local city parks and county parks do not allow drones. The state parks have a general rule of allowing drones but to check each individual park site and each one I've checked in my area all state no drones allowed.

It looks like the Santa Clara county parks may allow drone flying via a park permit so I'm going to try applying for one of those, but looking to see if anyone has any suggestions on other places to learn. I've also seen some posts mention Bayland park, so I'm going to swing by there and ask any onsite staff to confirm.

Nice to meet you all and happy flying!

 

[GFields]

Greetings from Birmingham Alabama USA, welcome to the forum! We look forward to hearing from you!

 

[Mavikhan]

Welcome aboard!

 

[Bob in Savannah]

Greetings from sunny Cali! I finally bit the bullet and purchased my first drone, a Mini 3 with the built in screen remote! My current experiences with flying anything is about 15 minutes of a Mini 2 that I borrowed from a friend to decide whether to get a Mini 2 or Mini 3.

I've been an amateur photographer for some years now and wanted to start expanding out my hobby to aerial photography/videos.

I plan on going through some tutorial YT videos on how to learn the basics (and best practices) on flying a drone but have been running into difficulty on finding a location to learn. I live in the SF bay area (closer to the south side by Mountain View) and it seems pretty much all the local city parks and county parks do not allow drones. The state parks have a general rule of allowing drones but to check each individual park site and each one I've checked in my area all state no drones allowed.

It looks like the Santa Clara county parks may allow drone flying via a park permit so I'm going to try applying for one of those, but looking to see if anyone has any suggestions on other places to learn. I've also seen some posts mention Bayland park, so I'm going to swing by there and ask any onsite staff to confirm.

Nice to meet you all and happy flying!

View attachment 162727View attachment 162728

Hello from Savannah, GA!
That sure is a pretty rig you have there! +1

 

[old man mavic]

welcome to the forum

 

[LoudThunder]

I finally bit the bullet and purchased my first drone, a Mini 3

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

Some Early advice, when you mention your Drone, say "Mini 3 Pro" as there is a difference between the Pro and the "non-Pro"… I viewed your photos and saw yours is the Mini 3 Pro…

As a New Drone Pilot, there are a couple of Legal Things you may need to do…

If you have not already done so, you will need to get your TRUST Certificate. You can get that at the Pilot Institute Web Site (FREE…) . Your Drone weighs less than 250-grams (0.55 pounds) and while you are flying under The Exception for Recreational Flyers, you are not required to register your Drone.

When I first started flying I registered my Mini 2 because the TRUST Certificate and FAA Registration established me as a "certified" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Pilot.

Link to the TRUST Certificate at the Pilot Institute Web Site (FREE…)

FAA TRUST Online Portal for Recreational Drone Operators - Pilot Institute

Get your FAA TRUST Certificate of Completion to legally fly drones for recreational reasons in the United States.

trust.pilotinstitute.com

Link to the FAADroneZone (Optional Registration for Drones under 250-Grams…)

FAADroneZone

faadronezone.faa.gov

If you are considering acquiring your Part 107 License, here is a link to get you going…

Online Ground School: Aviation Classes - Pilot Institute

Pilot Institute offers courses on drones and airplanes from world-class experts. Pass the Part 107 or Private Pilot exam and take to the skies.

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 kitten or puppy 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, 4-5 feet (1-1/2 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

Learn and download DJI Mini 3 Pro related apps, software, and manuals at the DJI Download Center

www.dji.com

Fly On and Fly Safe…

 

[MA2 317]

Hello from the Crossroads of America dopeysw20.

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[Big Bro]

Welcome from coastal Carolina!

 

[Hauptmann]

The SF Bay Area is GREAT for droning. Just ask a Texan!

1. Try Treasure Island, just west of the dog park. You get a terrific view of the Bay Bridge and the SF Financial District. Early morning is best. You can also reach Alcatraz from there if you have Superman's vision.
2. Another good spot is the parking lot behind the Palace of Fine Arts, from which you can reach the east side of the GG Bridge (again, with Superman's vision).
3. A good spot for taking off to fly the west side of the GG Bridge is the cul-de-sac at the end of 25th St.
4. Alamo Park will give you a good view of the "Painted Ladies", with the Financial District in the background. The streets SURROUNDING Alamo Park have several beautifully-renovated Victorian houses even more spectacular than the Painted Ladies.
5. Flying above Coit Tower is a nice shoot. You can legally take off and land on the surface streets nearby.
6. Lombard Street, with its twists and turns, is a fun shoot. You can legally TO/Land from the sidewalks by the tennis courts.
7. JapanTown has a Pagoda and a really spectacular church. Be sure to go inside--the architecture and stained-glass windows are beyond belief.
8. Alcatraz is pretty ugly up close, but every droner needs to fly it at least once. The best spot is the wood pier at the end of pier 45 ( I think that's the one). Nobody minds if you park right by the dumpsters. But watch out for the seagulls. They can get pretty aggressive while you're trying to land.
8. There is a drone-legal "island" within the Presidio--The Disney/ILM museum, from which you can TO/Land legally.
9. The East Bay: the wood fishing pier at Port View Park is a nice spot for shooting shipping activity and the south side of the Bay Bridge.
10. Most if not all city parks are off-limits to TAKE OFFs and LANDING of drones. You can legally TO/Land from city sidewalks and fly the parks.

That's all I can think of for now. There's a LOT more!

Enjoy your Mini 3 Pro!

Rich R, Hurst, TX

 

[wjkrysak]

Welcome to the forum. We look forward to your participation and your view of the world.

 

[dopeysw20]

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

Some Early advice, when you mention your Drone, say "Mini 3 Pro" as there is a difference between the Pro and the "non-Pro"… I viewed your photos and saw yours is the Mini 3 Pro…

As a New Drone Pilot, there are a couple of Legal Things you may need to do…

If you have not already done so, you will need to get your TRUST Certificate. You can get that at the Pilot Institute Web Site (FREE…) . Your Drone weighs less than 250-grams (0.55 pounds) and while you are flying under The Exception for Recreational Flyers, you are not required to register your Drone.

When I first started flying I registered my Mini 2 because the TRUST Certificate and FAA Registration established me as a "certified" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Pilot.

Link to the TRUST Certificate at the Pilot Institute Web Site (FREE…)

FAA TRUST Online Portal for Recreational Drone Operators - Pilot Institute

Get your FAA TRUST Certificate of Completion to legally fly drones for recreational reasons in the United States.

trust.pilotinstitute.com

Link to the FAADroneZone (Optional Registration for Drones under 250-Grams…)

FAADroneZone

faadronezone.faa.gov

If you are considering acquiring your Part 107 License, here is a link to get you going…

Online Ground School: Aviation Classes - Pilot Institute

Pilot Institute offers courses on drones and airplanes from world-class experts. Pass the Part 107 or Private Pilot exam and take to the skies.

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 kitten or puppy 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, 4-5 feet (1-1/2 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

Learn and download DJI Mini 3 Pro related apps, software, and manuals at the DJI Download Center

www.dji.com

Fly On and Fly Safe…

Thank you SO much for the detailed tips! It's very much appreciated. I'm all for easing myself in at a comfortable pace so that I can really learn the basics and make it muscle memory before doing anything more. I really like the phone number idea as it hadn't occurred to me and also thanks for pointing out the correct usage of the name. I've already gotten my TRUST cert when I was trying out my friend's Mini 2 as I'm very much about abiding by all the laws and regulations (as you can tell from my extensive research from looking for places where I'm allowed to fly haha). I know it'll take some time for me to get to the point where I'll be sharing aerial photos/videos but I'm excited to really learn how to fly properly.

 

[dopeysw20]

The SF Bay Area is GREAT for droning. Just ask a Texan!

1. Try Treasure Island, just west of the dog park. You get a terrific view of the Bay Bridge and the SF Financial District. Early morning is best. You can also reach Alcatraz from there if you have Superman's vision.
2. Another good spot is the parking lot behind the Palace of Fine Arts, from which you can reach the east side of the GG Bridge (again, with Superman's vision).
3. A good spot for taking off to fly the west side of the GG Bridge is the cul-de-sac at the end of 25th St.
4. Alamo Park will give you a good view of the "Painted Ladies", with the Financial District in the background. The streets SURROUNDING Alamo Park have several beautifully-renovated Victorian houses even more spectacular than the Painted Ladies.
5. Flying above Coit Tower is a nice shoot. You can legally take off and land on the surface streets nearby.
6. Lombard Street, with its twists and turns, is a fun shoot. You can legally TO/Land from the sidewalks by the tennis courts.
7. JapanTown has a Pagoda and a really spectacular church. Be sure to go inside--the architecture and stained-glass windows are beyond belief.
8. Alcatraz is pretty ugly up close, but every droner needs to fly it at least once. The best spot is the wood pier at the end of pier 45 ( I think that's the one). Nobody minds if you park right by the dumpsters. But watch out for the seagulls. They can get pretty aggressive while you're trying to land.
8. There is a drone-legal "island" within the Presidio--The Disney/ILM museum, from which you can TO/Land legally.
9. The East Bay: the wood fishing pier at Port View Park is a nice spot for shooting shipping activity and the south side of the Bay Bridge.
10. Most if not all city parks are off-limits to TAKE OFFs and LANDING of drones. You can legally TO/Land from city sidewalks and fly the parks.

That's all I can think of for now. There's a LOT more!

Enjoy your Mini 3 Pro!

Rich R, Hurst, TX

Thanks so much! I think for now I'll just need a place that has a LOT of space so I'd be a little uncomfortable trying too many of the listed places at first until I get the basics down but those will all be definitely on my list to fly once I feel comfortable although Presidio might be a good open spot if I recall from the couples times I was out there. Especially appreciate the tip on #10. That's good to know and might come really handy for me.

 

[LoudThunder]

Thank you SO much for the detailed tips! It's very much appreciated.

Thank you for the note of appreciation. I looked at your Sunnyvale location and It's a very controlled area like my home area is… If you want to fly in any of the area in the colored circles or section on the graphic below, you will need to acquire an FAA Authorization.



Log onto the FAADroneZone.com website and register as a Recreational Pilot, it's free. This is the only site that you can get an authorization to fly in these areas.

If you have not already done so, get the following Apps: B4UFly, UAVForecast, Air Control, Air Map, Windy.com, and DroneUp. The first two are the most needed. And the others will become more useful as you gain experience. I prefer to use DroneUp to view the area I want to fly as it is much more detailed than B4UFly and Windy will give you weather information that you cannot get from the anyplace else (if you surf, it even gives the wave heights…). The are other apps out there and most are good, you just have to decide which ones you prefer…

Since you are a photographer, really take the time to learn your Fly App Controls. I suggest you just take a lawn chair out to your back yard, lift your drone off to a comfortable hovering height and start shooting photos and videos, play with all the settings, etc… By dong this in your back yard verses a park, you do not have to worry about dogs, kids, Karen's, rules, and regulations.

We also have a Sub-Forum for California and the local groups, perhaps you'll get some good contact there…

US - California

Are you a California mavic drone pilot? Join other pilots in the state to discuss local laws, restrictions, favorite places to fly, etc..

mavicpilots.com

And you can Google local clubs in your area for more info…

CMU SV Drone Club

CMU SV Drone Club. 39 likes. theDroneSchool is an initiative by CMU-SV's Drone Club for existing and aspiring drone, UAV, and R/C enthusiasts. Our mission is to promote safe, fun, and educational...

www.facebook.com

View Pilot - MultiGP Drone Racing League | FPV Racing League

www.multigp.com

Good Luck and Fly Safe…

 

[Drone Master]

Welcome to Mavic Pilots! Enjoy the forum!

 

[careless]

Welcome from Kentucky USA

 

[Kendallfordguy]

Welcome from Wisconsin!

 

[Dale D]

Greetings from sunny Cali! I finally bit the bullet and purchased my first drone, a Mini 3 with the built in screen remote! My current experiences with flying anything is about 15 minutes of a Mini 2 that I borrowed from a friend to decide whether to get a Mini 2 or Mini 3.

I've been an amateur photographer for some years now and wanted to start expanding out my hobby to aerial photography/videos.

I plan on going through some tutorial YT videos on how to learn the basics (and best practices) on flying a drone but have been running into difficulty on finding a location to learn. I live in the SF bay area (closer to the south side by Mountain View) and it seems pretty much all the local city parks and county parks do not allow drones. The state parks have a general rule of allowing drones but to check each individual park site and each one I've checked in my area all state no drones allowed.

It looks like the Santa Clara county parks may allow drone flying via a park permit so I'm going to try applying for one of those, but looking to see if anyone has any suggestions on other places to learn. I've also seen some posts mention Bayland park, so I'm going to swing by there and ask any onsite staff to confirm.

Nice to meet you all and happy flying!

View attachment 162727View attachment 162728

welcome!

Dale

Miami

 

[PakNheat380]

Welcome to the forum from NW Montana

 

[Escape_Velocity_Coach]

Welcome! Congratulations on your purchase!

 

[kalimah]

Greetings from sunny Cali! I finally bit the bullet and purchased my first drone, a Mini 3 with the built in screen remote! My current experiences with flying anything is about 15 minutes of a Mini 2 that I borrowed from a friend to decide whether to get a Mini 2 or Mini 3.

I've been an amateur photographer for some years now and wanted to start expanding out my hobby to aerial photography/videos.

I plan on going through some tutorial YT videos on how to learn the basics (and best practices) on flying a drone but have been running into difficulty on finding a location to learn. I live in the SF bay area (closer to the south side by Mountain View) and it seems pretty much all the local city parks and county parks do not allow drones. The state parks have a general rule of allowing drones but to check each individual park site and each one I've checked in my area all state no drones allowed.

It looks like the Santa Clara county parks may allow drone flying via a park permit so I'm going to try applying for one of those, but looking to see if anyone has any suggestions on other places to learn. I've also seen some posts mention Bayland park, so I'm going to swing by there and ask any onsite staff to confirm.

Nice to meet you all and happy flying!

View attachment 162727View attachment 162728

Welcome the forum. Have fun. Remember fto

Greetings from sunny Cali! I finally bit the bullet and purchased my first drone, a Mini 3 with the built in screen remote! My current experiences with flying anything is about 15 minutes of a Mini 2 that I borrowed from a friend to decide whether to get a Mini 2 or Mini 3.

I've been an amateur photographer for some years now and wanted to start expanding out my hobby to aerial photography/videos.

I plan on going through some tutorial YT videos on how to learn the basics (and best practices) on flying a drone but have been running into difficulty on finding a location to learn. I live in the SF bay area (closer to the south side by Mountain View) and it seems pretty much all the local city parks and county parks do not allow drones. The state parks have a general rule of allowing drones but to check each individual park site and each one I've checked in my area all state no drones allowed.

It looks like the Santa Clara county parks may allow drone flying via a park permit so I'm going to try applying for one of those, but looking to see if anyone has any suggestions on other places to learn. I've also seen some posts mention Bayland park, so I'm going to swing by there and ask any onsite staff to confirm.

Nice to meet you all and happy flying!

Greetings from sunny Cali! I finally bit the bullet and purchased my first drone, a Mini 3 with the built in screen remote! My current experiences with flying anything is about 15 minutes of a Mini 2 that I borrowed from a friend to decide whether to get a Mini 2 or Mini 3.

I've been an amateur photographer for some years now and wanted to start expanding out my hobby to aerial photography/videos.

I plan on going through some tutorial YT videos on how to learn the basics (and best practices) on flying a drone but have been running into difficulty on finding a location to learn. I live in the SF bay area (closer to the south side by Mountain View) and it seems pretty much all the local city parks and county parks do not allow drones. The state parks have a general rule of allowing drones but to check each individual park site and each one I've checked in my area all state no drones allowed.

It looks like the Santa Clara county parks may allow drone flying via a park permit so I'm going to try applying for one of those, but looking to see if anyone has any suggestions on other places to learn. I've also seen some posts mention Bayland park, so I'm going to swing by there and ask any onsite staff to confirm.

Nice to meet you all and happy flying!

View attachment 162727View attachment 162728

Welcome to the forum. Remember to take the Trust.