Got me a Mavic Air about 3 years ago, but not had much chance to fly it due to lockdown.
Making up for lost time on holiday in Portugal, but suffered a SEA CRASH
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.
mavicpilots.com
Since you live in the UK, there are specific laws and rules for you to follow, please check to ensure these are current. As you've said you've had it a while, but be sure to fly legally… You do not want the Drone-Bobbies knocking on your door…
According to CAA, drones are allowed in the UK, subject to CAA regulations. Read on for more details.
drone-laws.com
Where you able to recover the Drone from the "old man" of the sea? For all to know, the salt in sea.ocean water can cause so mach damage sometimes it's easier to just put your drone in a small basket and set it on fire and return it to the sea like a Viking funeral…
But, sometimes, you can soak it really good with fresh water to rinse out the salt water and then blow it out with a vacuum cleaner on blow, not suction, then bury it under a bucket of rice to soak up all that moisture. Sometimes the rice gets so saturated, you have to put the rice in the oven for an hour to dry out and then when it has cooled back down, re-bury that drone. The worst that can happen is you waste a couple of pounds of rice…
Whether or not it was recovered and in case you are getting a new one, here is some Good Old Fashion Advice that might help you keep your next drone dry…
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 Mavic Air, 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…"
At DJI Download Center, Learn aboutMavic Air
www.dji.com
Happy Droning…
