Is it normal to be afraid?

[Guy Driver]

Wow proud of you all for no doing a flame job.

 

[Tone]

One not mentioned: For practice, remove props, connect drone, controller & phone. In the go4 splash screen open the top right menu, select "Academy" and "Simulator".
The sim controls are very close to real flying and it lets you explore most of the go4 app to practice and experiment safely. You can change point of view too. The only down side is you have to be connected to the craft & use batteries when you use simulator.

Also, when really flying remember ... Altutude is life! Not always, but most times. If you get disoriented or lose sight, don't panic - pause!! Check the map for orientation. Rise well above any obstacles (unless your under a tree) and background hills, if you can't work it out use RTH until you can take back control.
ALWAYS set a max distance limit!!!
Never fly far away on a low battery, leave the annoying battery warning at 30% or higher so you have plenty of time to land - and land early rather than late as its less stressful, safer and better for your batteries

 

[Marco Cantieni]

Oh and one other thing, i suggest if you dont know how to fly without GPS, get youself a toy model and learn how to actually control a non gps drone. You will not regret knowing how to control a drone if the Mavic switches into ATTI mode

I started with a toy drones and lost two of them. It make me appreciate the stability of my Mavic but I've learned not much from flying in ATTI mode with the toy drones for the Mavic flying. Then I did an experiment from what I've learned much more. I wrapped the Mavic in tin foil to block GPS and switched off all sensors. ATTI mode. Then open field and wow! I learned how to control the Mavic manually but with the familiar remote.

 

[Dragon2650]

I have the exact same feelings and I am a drone newbie. Here is some good advice
Am I Just Paranoid or What?!

 

[dewster]

The responsible think about that every flight. There are a few stories and videos of drones hitting people. It’s mostly due to reckless operation of the craft or flying in areas that block or have intermittent GPS reception.

I bought my Mavic, having skipped the Phantom 3 generation, because of redundant flight systems to improve reliability. Dual IMUs, dual compass, separate processor to check flight systems for errors. Even the flight battery monitors its health and prevents the craft from flying when trouble is detected. If your craft is in flight and there is a battery issue you’ll receive an alert prompting you to land. I don’t think I’ve read about midair reboots.

But still...I don’t fly over people, simply out of fear that anything could go wrong. I’ve built drones that have dropped from the sky into open fields. It’s not a good feeling.

 

[Wipster]

I am brand new to this remote control stuff so I do have very little confidence in my abilities.
Is it normal for brand new Droners to be afraid of sending the drone high or far from the take off point.
For some reason I am afraid that something will go wrong and then good bye drone, plus it would kill me if I accidentally hurt someone with an out of control drone.
I do hope I will get over this fear.
Highest flight was 100 ft
Longest distance is about 150 yards...

Relax and enjoy you have to be really lax to destroy your drone I have recked 3 or so. Insurance

 

[Lee51]

It was 3 months after opening the box before I even flew.
The fear factor was real, pulse rate, respiration all shooting up, my first low battery alarm set at 30% caused a near panic attack.
Gradually, flight by flight I began to trust the machine and train myself to stay calm and read all the flight data in a measured and habitual manner.
This week I flew it approximately 2 miles away from a mountain ridge, out over inaccessible canyons and mountainous terrain getting a look at last summers forest fire. The ritual and routine I've developed made it seem very matter of fact, I was more freaked out by the tick that dropped down out of the pine tree I was shaded under and latched onto my neck. Just finished up a 3 week stint of antibiotics after the last one that bit me, didn't feel like going through THAT again.

If the tick was not on you for about 24 hours and had not filled up on your blood then you not going to get Lymes - after it fills up on your blood it releases the virus into your system and that’s if the tick has Lymes - you will know if a red ring surrounds the bite spots- so get the tick off asap and use some alcohol on wound - and don’t panic

good luck or I should say better luck next time!

 

[Cuervo]

If the tick was not on you for about 24 hours and had not filled up on your blood then you not going to get Lymes - after it fills up on your blood it releases the virus into your system and that’s if the tick has Lymes - you will know if a red ring surrounds the bite spots- so get the tick off asap and use some alcohol on wound - and don’t panic

good luck or I should say better luck next time!

Not having the proper tweezers, I did a botch job of removing the tick. It had dug in far enough that by the time I pulled it loose, intact, it was dead and flattened, all it's nasty contents squeezed into my system. The red ring appeared within a few hours. My companion was bit also, same basic situation though hers was not quite as deeply dug in.
I'm not one to panic, but after having prepared a tick field kit and taken all precautions even to the point of staying only on the road gravel; to have one drop down onto me from the trees above is somewhat alarming.
It's been very educational, not just for me but for local health care providers as well, we're the first cases in the area.
Climate change marches on!

 

[Terry G]

I am brand new to this remote control stuff so I do have very little confidence in my abilities.
Is it normal for brand new Droners to be afraid of sending the drone high or far from the take off point.
For some reason I am afraid that something will go wrong and then good bye drone, plus it would kill me if I accidentally hurt someone with an out of control drone.
I do hope I will get over this fear.
Highest flight was 100 ft
Longest distance is about 150 yards...

I am brand new to this remote control stuff so I do have very little confidence in my abilities.
Is it normal for brand new Droners to be afraid of sending the drone high or far from the take off point.
For some reason I am afraid that something will go wrong and then good bye drone, plus it would kill me if I accidentally hurt someone with an out of control drone.
I do hope I will get over this fear.
Highest flight was 100 ft
Longest distance is about 150 yards...

Yes! Your confidence will grow with each successful flight. You will learn to trust what you see on the screen and each flight will be more relaxing and soon you will forget your fears. Fly and enjoy.

 

[Doug Schloendorn]

I am brand new to this remote control stuff so I do have very little confidence in my abilities.
Is it normal for brand new Droners to be afraid of sending the drone high or far from the take off point.
For some reason I am afraid that something will go wrong and then good bye drone, plus it would kill me if I accidentally hurt someone with an out of control drone.
I do hope I will get over this fear.
Highest flight was 100 ft
Longest distance is about 150 yards...

Don’t be afraid Larry. The drone almost flies itself. That being said, watch all the you tube videos you can to learn. I bought mine while on a trip to California and flew it right out of the box with some help from my friend. Flew in beginner mode and had a wild time. Remember, you don’t have to fly at 400’ or 3 miles away. The best videos are shot right in front of you at about 75 to 150 feet up. Just relax and enjoy your man toy.

 

[Cannaboy]

State Farm will insure your drone for full replacement and no deductible for about $60/year! That helps your confidence level!

 

[RBeaton]

A little bit of nerves are normal... invulnerability ("it won't happen to me") is one of the five hazardous attitudes*, and it sounds like you have a healthy awareness that things can go wrong to any of us. BUT think about it this way: your car is much more expensive, much heavier, and can do a heck of a lot more damage if something goes wrong. You probably -- hopefully -- don't get nervous every time you drive. You might have been nervous when you first started, though. It's okay to be a little nervous, just as long as it doesn't overwhelm you and turn into panic. Nothing good ever comes out of panic.

I've heard lots of different acronyms for it, but I like to think FEAR = Focus Energy Around Routine. Get to a point where you've flown it enough times around open spaces to have developed a routine -- how to make it go higher, lower, left, right, takeoff, land, and really whatever you want it to do. When you feel fear, don't let panic set in. Stop and hover for a moment if you need to, then focus on the routines that you've practiced. You know how to fly the thing!

Also, playing devil's advocate: Insurance isn't a bad idea, but don't rely on it. Instead, rely on good piloting skills to get your bird up and down successfully every time.

*The hazardous attitudes is from the Part 107 test. I have to say that studying for and taking the Part 107 test can be a big help. Knowing the rules and passing the test made me much more confident about what I'm doing and that I'm doing it safely and according to the guidelines.

 

[nealh]

I am brand new to this remote control stuff so I do have very little confidence in my abilities.
Is it normal for brand new Droners to be afraid of sending the drone high or far from the take off point.
For some reason I am afraid that something will go wrong and then good bye drone, plus it would kill me if I accidentally hurt someone with an out of control drone.
I do hope I will get over this fear.
Highest flight was 100 ft
Longest distance is about 150 yards...

Hi Larry,
Welcome to our community of fliers. You have a great drone that is very safe and stable.
It is normal to feel some trepidation when first doing anything outside your comfort zone.
The best way to build confidence is to keep practicing.
As others in this group (family), have mentioned start out slow in an empty open field and gradually fly highest and further. But first go in circles, backward and forward at low heights and short distance. It’s good to watch a lot of YouTube and other videos on instructions how to fly, film and edit.
Don’t be afraid, but do enjoy the excitement. Am lot of the pilots here either started with cheaper drones and crashed them and were all newbies at some point. The Mavic has so many safety features that it is very safe if you follow the rules.
Keep at it and soon you will experienceing the thrill and not the fear!

 

[RonBower]

For the first couple of months I was so nervous that I often had to sit in a lawn chair while flying. My first flight, I went up about 20 feet, then out another 20-30 feet then pressed RTH...... which shot it 100 in the air, almost causing a heart attack. But each day my confidence grew. I learned to turn the sensitivity settings WAY down so that the Mavic was easier to control. Now, after 6 months, my risk is getting TOO confident and using poor judgement.