Welcome to the forum
@mikeexplorer!
After flying many DJI consumer drones (I own most all of them) since 2016, here's what I recommend you do (at the minimum) to get started with your DJI drone:
- Before attempting to fly, watch some videos on YouTube.com to learn more about your drone. Search for something like "
Mini 2 Beginner's Guide" (replace "
Mini 2" with your drone model).
- Read the DJI manual (available in the "Products" section of the
DJI Download Center) from beginning to end (maybe a few times). You're certainly not going to remember everything, but it'll give you a good understanding of the available features and capabilities of your drone. And then you can go back to the manual or YouTube videos when you need to take a deeper dive into a specific topic.
- Before flying in the US, you must
register your drone with the FAA (if it weighs 250 grams or more) and take the free online
TRUST test (I like
this one).
- When flying in the US, your drone must broadcast RID if it weighs 250 grams or more (or is registered with the FAA). Many DJI drones (especially the newer models) have that feature built into them. If you're ever flying a drone that does not broadcast RID (meaning it's not on
this list), then you'll need to attach an external RID module like the
Holy Stone or
Ruko RID module.
- Before taking off, always review the drone settings in DJI Fly (or the app you're using) to ensure everything is set as expected. If you do plan on flying near any obstacles, ensure the RTH altitude is set properly in case your drone needs to automatically return back to the home point mid-flight.
- DJI drones have a lot of awesome automated flight features. Use them with caution and never assume they are always going to function as expected (always be ready to take control if needed).
- Sensors are great and they can help prevent your drone from crashing into obstacles. They are not foolproof though. Never rely on them 100% or assume they are going to work perfectly in all flight conditions -- or react the same way when flying in similar conditions from past flights.
- Find a flat, wide open place to practice (free of people, trees, and all other obstacles). It's pretty hard to crash a DJI drone into the ground, so you'll likely have the best success if that's your only obstacle. Continue flying in this location (or similar locations) until you're able to control your drone without thinking about it (like riding a bike).
- Make sure you can easily see your drone at all times (required by law in most countries). After removing all nearby obstacles, nearly everyone who crashes/loses a drone is either not watching it with their eyes or cannot clearly see where it's located.
- The screen is chock-full of great information. Use it as a reference (sparingly) as you do when looking at your dashboard while driving a car. It's also a great tool for framing the perfect photo or getting your drone in just the right spot before hitting record. If you're mostly staring at the screen while flying, you'll probably have no idea where your drone is located.
- Don't fly in sport mode until you're comfortable controlling your drone. You don't want to get into a situation where you need to maneuver quickly and aren't quite sure which stick to move (another reason not to practice near obstacles).
- DJI drones record a lot of useful information in the TXT flights. The logs are helpful for things like troubleshooting issues you experienced during a flight, locating a lost drone, and many other things. The TXT files can be found on your phone/tablet or remote controller (if it has a screen). See
these instructions for more details. And then you'll need a tool like my
free online DJI log viewer or
Flight Reader to decrypt and access/view the data within.
