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Hello from a wannabe pilot in North Yorkshire, UK

Hi all.

I'll be getting a drone of some sort shortly, but have a few questions which I'll be asking in the relevant forums.

See you around Thumbswayup
Welcome.
Before you decide on a drone tell us in what sort of area you are most likely to fly, e.g. town/city, urban, middle of the moors etc..
Thoroughly read the manuals of the drones you are considering BEFORE you buy a drone.
Ask questions about things in the manuals that you even think you might not understand.
BEFORE you buy a drone that will be using a phone etc. as a screen device, download the relevant control app and check whether or not your phone is compatible. Look for the relevant App on DJI's website or perhaps from Apple, DO NOT look for any DJI Android app in the Google play store, DJI apps are no longer listed in Google's play store.

I'd suggest buying a second hand drone first e.g a mini 2, you might find you do not enjoy drone use, additionally they will be cheaper than a new drone and not as painful an "ouch" if you wreck it. If you like drone flying you can always sell the drone and upgrade. Besides the resale price of a 'third hand' drone won't be much less than that of a second hand drone.

BUT if you buy second hand ENSURE that the drone is not bound to the original owner's DJI account and that the controller is not bound to the drone.
 
Last edited:
Welcome.
Before you decide on a drone tell us in what sort of area you are most likely to fly, e.g. town/city, urban, middle of the moors etc..
Thoroughly read the manuals of the drones you are considering BEFORE you buy a drone.
Ask questions about things in the manual that you even think you might not understand.
BEFORE you buy a drone that will be using a phone etc. as a screen device, download the relevant control app and check whether or not your phone is compatible. Look for the relevant App on DJI's website or perhaps from Apple, DO NOT look for any DJI Android app in the Google play store, DJI apps are no longer listed in Google's play store.

I'd suggest buying a second hand drone first e.g a mini 2, you might find you do not enjoy drone use, additionally they will be cheaper than a new drone and not as painful an "ouch" if you wreck it. If you like drone flying you can always sell the drone and upgrade. Besides the resale price of a 'third hand' drone won't be much less than that of a second hand drone.

BUT if you buy second hand ENSURE that the drone is not bound to the original owners DJI account and that the controller is not bound to the drone.
Thanks for the tips! I'm not a total newcomer to drones (have borrowed a Mini 2 for half a year from a friend) and the questions I will be asking cover a lot of the things you mention (where and why and how I want to fly it, previous experience and limitations I had with the Mini 2 etc).

I'm going to stick the question in the forum relevant to the drone I currently think fits the bill (Air 3) and take it from there.
 
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Welcome to Mavic Pilots! :) Enjoy the forum!Thumbswayup
 
Welcome to the forum! :)
 
I'll be asking in the relevant forums.

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.


Since you live in the UK, there are specific laws and rules for you to follow, please check to ensure these are current.


I've included the Mini 2 User Manual link below. DJI has not put out much on the Air 3 yet, so check out all the postings on YouTube…

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, and 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 puppy or kitten 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, 6 feet (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 2, 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…"


Fly On and Fly Safe…
 
Greetings from Birmingham Alabama USA, welcome to the forum! We look forward to hearing from you!
 
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