Howdy From Houston

[OG&Fam]

Howdy! I hope everyone here is doing well.

I'm truly about as new and uneducated as someone can be, so this forum will be a godsend to me. A friend invited me to a Civil Air Patrol sUAS academy in Utah on about five weeks' notice. I was somewhat interested, but when my 18 and 15 year old sons both expressed great interest in obtaining Mission Pilot ratings in Civil Air Patrol I knew this was going to be a fantastic bonding opportunity. In the last week I've purchased a Mini 4 Pro Fly More kit, some accessories commonly recommended on Youtube, taken the TRUST course, registered the UAS with the FAA so I can use the Intelligent Battery Plus, and successfully set up the UAS.

Next steps are passing Part 107 knowledge exam soon (really hoping that $200 I just dopped on Drone Pilot's course pays off!) and getting as much flight time as my older son and I can before attending the academy. And, of course, learning as much as I can here and from Youtube.

I'd be grateful for any advice you wish you'd known when you were brand new to flying UASes. I've been impressed with the friendliness and helpfulness of the members in the threads I've read so far, and I'm excited to join a great group like this.

 

[LoudThunder]

I'm truly about as new and uneducated as someone can be, so this forum will be a godsend to me.

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

You mentioned that you have your TRUST and you registered the drone, that is GOOD, did your sons also take the TRUST Training they need to fly your drone…

You also mentioned "$200" for a Drone Pilot Course and I am really joping tha you meant $175 and and you are enrolled in the Pilot Institutes Part 107 Course…

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

Even if you are not enrolled there, you should log onto their Community 101 Web Site…

https://community.pilotinstitute.com/c/community-101

Since you live in Texas, 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.

Federal Drone Laws in the United States (FAA) - Pilot Institute

44809 is an exemption from Part 107 drone laws. This means that drone pilots fly under Part 107 drone rules by default unless they meet all 9 of the requirements to fly under 44809, the exception for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraft. You can read more about these requirements...

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 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 4 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 4 Pro - Download Center - DJI

At DJI Download Center, Learn aboutDJI Mini 4 Pro

www.dji.com

Fly On and Fly Safe…

 

[MA2 317]

Hello from the Crossroads of America OG&Fam.

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[Kendallfordguy]

Welcome from Wisconsin!

 

[old man mavic]

welcome to the forum

 

[careless]

Welcome from Kentucky

 

[twickers14]

Hi and welcome. You seem to be going about in just the right order. Fly safe and happy.

 

[PakNheat380]

Welcome to the forum from NW Montana

 

[Laborous]

Welcome to the forum from the beautiful woods of Maine!

 

[howardK]

Howdy from Pearland. I am both old and old school so I pride myself on being on the lagging edge of technology, hence I still fly and M1P. Great drone and with the aftermarket software installed it really freed it up. I recently installed a Holystone RID just to keep it legal. Houston is a big city and i have no idea what part you are in but if you ever want to go flying let me know.

 

[Murph66]

Hey, Hello from Co. Cork , Ireland You seem to be going exactly the right way in fact it's perfect, there's an excellent knowledge base with the folks on here, they taught me plenty when I was a complete novice a few months back with my Mini 2 SE, planning an Air 3 soon. And don't forget, there's no such thing as a stupid question
Happy Droning

 

[Talldiver]

Welcome to the forum from Northwest, New Jersey.

 

[GFields]

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

 

[wjkrysak]

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

 

[HenryMow]

Welcome from the Hudson Valley, NY. Great that you can do it with your son, using Pilot Institute's training is a great choice. Looking forward to seeing your posts... agree that this is a great forum, lots of knowledgeable and helpful folks here.

 

[RodPad]

Wow, Great Intro!!

Whats your experience flying something in the sky, with a string or remote?

Good day can go bad, really fast.
I'm a Professional finding Mavic Magnets ()

Rod ..

 

[CrystKen]

Hello and welcome, from Beaumont (TX). I agree with RodPad: great intro.

You will always find the best info and guidance here, even when not asking. I always see something here pertaining to a question/situation I may not have considered. So many helpful people with seemingly unlimited resource info.

Enjoy flying and family bonding.

Mavic Mini
Mavic Pro Zoom
Mavic 3 Pro
Air 2S

 

[SpitFire]

Greetings: and welcome to the forum, from Chicago the Windy City.
FLY SAFE & FLY SMART