Maiden "Voyage" (to use the term very loosely) and newbie questions :)

[RetiredInFL]

Well, I finally opened the box last night and charged the batteries. After a lot of reading I decided to take it outside in beginner mode today and just play around very VERY VERY close by.just to get a feel of it. A few questions arosee:

#1) Controller. Controller Battery seems to drop very quickly when in use (flying). After maybe 15 minutes it was showing 68%. When I shut down the MPP with controller still on it was back up in the 90's. I understand being under load can do that but it seems excessive. Is it normal?

#2) Aircraft itself. Heatsink, yes I know that's it's purpose! gets VERY warm. I'll have to task my infrared thermometer to it. I assume that is normal.

#3) Flying (mostly RTH question). Yes, I was in a small area. About 20 feet wall-to-wall between homes. There was a palm tree about 50 feet away and a small shrub maybe 7-8 feet away. Whenever I tried RTH I would get the message that there was an obstacle in the way. There were obstacles "in the general area" but PLENTY of clear space to land on the colorful pad from where I took off. Then it prompted "do you want to FORCE LAND". Now, how much open space does a RTH landing need especially since I was flying only about 30 feet above the ground straight up from where I took off. I did MANUALLY land "on target" but how RTH works confused me. ALSO, if I selected FORCE LANDING would it head over to the pad where it started or just go straight down to the grass 10' from the pad? Wasn't quite sure where a "forced landing" would take me.

#4) Camera files. Files get saved by the DJI APP on the SD card. I guess the only way to get them on to my phone (actually I am using an iPad Mini) is to physically transfer them which means removing the card every time. Are there any utilities to transfer them using the communications link between the MPP and the phone or even a way to save to the phone instead of memory card? I would assume not. To bad there is no wifi or bluetooth link from the MPP to another wifi device.

Using a set of Master Air Screw Props ..... WOW, this thing is very quiet compared to otehrs I have heard. I'll have to try the OEM props for a comparison. LOL, I really wanted to try landing on my roof! Too much of a pitch.


Thanks for listening! I'd upload my maiden flight video but didn't want anyone to fall over laughing (or crying ).

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Well, I finally opened the box last night and charged the batteries. After a lot of reading I decided to take it outside in beginner mode today and just play around very VERY VERY close by.just to get a feel of it. A few questions arosee:

#1) Controller. Controller Battery seems to drop very quickly when in use (flying). After maybe 15 minutes it was showing 68%. When I shut down the MPP with controller still on it was back up in the 90's. I understand being under load can do that but it seems excessive. Is it normal?

#2) Aircraft itself. Heatsink, yes I know that's it's purpose! gets VERY warm. I'll have to task my infrared thermometer to it. I assume that is normal.

#3) Flying (mostly RTH question). Yes, I was in a small area. About 20 feet wall-to-wall between homes. There was a palm tree about 50 feet away and a small shrub maybe 7-8 feet away. Whenever I tried RTH I would get the message that there was an obstacle in the way. There were obstacles "in the general area" but PLENTY of clear space to land on the colorful pad from where I took off. Then it prompted "do you want to FORCE LAND". Now, how much open space does a RTH landing need especially since I was flying only about 30 feet above the ground straight up from where I took off. I did MANUALLY land "on target" but how RTH works confused me. ALSO, if I selected FORCE LANDING would it head over to the pad where it started or just go straight down to the grass 10' from the pad? Wasn't quite sure where a "forced landing" would take me.

#4) Camera files. Files get saved by the DJI APP on the SD card. I guess the only way to get them on to my phone (actually I am using an iPad Mini) is to physically transfer them which means removing the card every time. Are there any utilities to transfer them using the communications link between the MPP and the phone or even a way to save to the phone instead of memory card? I would assume not. To bad there is no wifi or bluetooth link from the MPP to another wifi device.

Using a set of Master Air Screw Props ..... WOW, this thing is very quiet compared to otehrs I have heard. I'll have to try the OEM props for a comparison. LOL, I really wanted to try landing on my roof! Too much of a pitch.


Thanks for listening! I'd upload my maiden flight video but didn't want anyone to fall over laughing (or crying ).

RTH if your to close will land immediately so 20 feet is way to close to initate it thus the forced landing.
Try to use the RTH at 100 ft min and remember to set your ceiling height for the RTH .

You can abuse RTH by using on every flight several times but not when its so close or its going to force land.

Its possible you were running the battery while you were setting up and took longer than you thought , so that would explain the battery loss for you.

Yes you need to remove the card that is best , Keep in mind that your new and you will need to be more aware of Magnetic Interference and Landing on the Roof may not be a good idea for a beginner.

Once you know your lay of the land , what to do in atti mode if you loose GPS than you can have some fun like that.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mavic in the Rain or Float on Water
Coal

 

[netfolks2000]

It does not sound like a good area to fly with homes that close to each other, making it necessary to fly over other homes to get to the take off and land point, get anywhere. You probably have trees and power lines in the mix. And, no doubt, there will be WiFi signals interfering from all those homes. Some of those people will take notice and many many complain about privacy, even though you are just getting up and away. Oh, I forgot auto traffic in the area, too, making you cross roads with cars moving.

 

[RetiredInFL]

It does not sound like a good area to fly with homes that close to each other, making it necessary to fly over other homes to get to the take off and land point, get anywhere. You probably have trees and power lines in the mix. And, no doubt, there will be WiFi signals interfering from all those homes. Some of those people will take notice and many many complain about privacy, even though you are just getting up and away. Oh, I forgot auto traffic in the area, too, making you cross roads with cars moving.

It was never my intent and I never planned to NOR DID I fly all over the place. All I did was go up 30 feet (beginners mode) and then land a few times until the time I get a chance to get out of the area to an open field. Just wanted to get a feeling of the controls. There was plenty of room to do that. As for neighbors most of them are hunkered down in their homes in Covid-19 panic (this is a large retirement development) emptying out all the supermarkets of bread, toilet paper, bleach, alcohol (both kinds)and hand sanitizer. Also this thing is SO quiet especial;ly with the MAS props once I'm up 30 feet it can barely be heard.

 

[Platinum 4 ever]

It was never my intent and I never planned to NOR DID I fly all over the place. All I did was go up 30 feet (beginners mode) and then land a few times until the time I get a chance to get out of the area to an open field. Just wanted to get a feeling of the controls. There was plenty of room to do that. As for neighbors most of them are hunkered down in their homes in Covid-19 panic (this is a large retirement development) emptying out all the supermarkets of bread, toilet paper, bleach, alcohol (both kinds)and hand sanitizer. Also this thing is SO quiet especial;ly with the MAS props once I'm up 30 feet it can barely be heard.

Hello. Just go ahead and have fun with your drone. Use common sense. Some people on this forum take things to seriously if nobody is complaining. You doing well. Stay safe and have fun

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

It is best to go find a large, flat oval / sports ground type area, and do some stuff like this . . .

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It's not an easy time to do the outdoors thing, so it could be frustrating with the new gear and not being able to travel as freely as normal right now.

 

[New England Droning]

Watch the youtube videos. I've watched a lot of them and learned quite a bit. My first flight was in a 100' circular clear area between two homes and the rest are woods. I didn't even turn on the video as I was exploring the functions.
I was playing with the lateral turns (flying in a circle while rotating and I gave it too much power and I didn't catch the widening arc... Ended up nicking a bush but it righted itself and I was more careful after that...

What I'm trying to say is to start slow and work your way up to more difficult things.
As long as your drone lands under its own volition, it's a successful flight...