Mavic Mini new pilot in San Diego

[S1EP1_Pilot]

Hi pilots,
I just got a Mvic mini and have never flown a drone before. I am intending to use it for recreation and photography.
- Can you suggest any good places I can fly in San Diego around the beach?
- Anything I need to do before flying here? I know I don't need FAA registration for Mavic Mini but any other thing that I should do?
- I was looking for an app to check the no fly zones. Since B4ufly hasn't been rated well, any suggestions are welcome.

I am looking forward to contribute to this community once I get my hands set on this drone. Thanks a lot for the awesome forums.

 

[dirkclod]

Welcome to the forum.
I hope you will find our site helpful and look forward to any input , photo's/video's you might post .
Don't be shy and ask anything if you can't find it by searching . ?

 

[Drone Master]

Welcome to Mavic Pilots! Enjoy the forum!

 

[RkyMtnHigh]

Hi pilots,
I just got a Mvic mini and have never flown a drone before. I am intending to use it for recreation and photography.
- Can you suggest any good places I can fly in San Diego around the beach?
- Anything I need to do before flying here? I know I don't need FAA registration for Mavic Mini but any other thing that I should do?
- I was looking for an app to check the no fly zones. Since B4ufly hasn't been rated well, any suggestions are welcome.

I am looking forward to contribute to this community once I get my hands set on this drone. Thanks a lot for the awesome forums.

Welcome to the forum from the mountains of Colorado. San Diego is one of our favorite places in SoCal. We've been there many, many times. Happy and safe flying!

 

[mrjohnc1]

Welcome!

 

[old man mavic]

welcome to the forum

 

[Motorcycle Rider]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Hauptmann]

Welcome to our Forum, from Hauptmann in Texas!

You picked a winner in the Mini. Don't be fooled by its small size and low price. It's a high performance quad with a great camera.

Be careful flying in wind. Many of us have lost our Minis due to high winds. Read the manual, and practice using the “Find My Drone” App. Chances are you’ll crash and perhaps lose your Mini. Don't wait until that happens to learn how to recover a lost drone.

I don't use B4UFly. I prefer AirMap. It's free, and very useful. Lots of the coastal areas of SD are off-limits because of NAS North Island, SAN, MCAS Miramar, and the glider/paraglider port just west of UCSD. AirMap will keep you out of trouble. If you fly at Moonlight Beach (Encinitas), it's best not to fly over houses or where your camera can see into windows. A few residents there are paranoid about drones, and have gotten violent in the past.

I hope DJI updates the Fly App with larger fonts to make it easier to read. Some of our members have trouble with it.

Glad to have you as a member!

 

[japharl]

Hi pilots,
I just got a Mvic mini and have never flown a drone before. I am intending to use it for recreation and photography.
- Can you suggest any good places I can fly in San Diego around the beach?
- Anything I need to do before flying here? I know I don't need FAA registration for Mavic Mini but any other thing that I should do?
- I was looking for an app to check the no fly zones. Since B4ufly hasn't been rated well, any suggestions are welcome.

I am looking forward to contribute to this community once I get my hands set on this drone. Thanks a lot for the awesome forums.

Recommend you look at Airmap. It will have the best saftey information for places you can go.
Also, look at uav forecast. In the settings, go set gusts / wind to the highest altitude you will fly (400'), and before you go, always look at the wind indicator. If it's fast (above 20mph), be very cautious. You may either not want to fly, or if you do decide to fly, stay low and close. Don't risk it. Also, learn the app well before go on a long journey with the drone. It's worth it to take the time and learn how to set a new home location, etc. (I lost one in the trees because I didn't know the app as well as I should...) Also, finally, *enjoy* it. It's a fun hobby.

 

[Laborous]

Welcome to the forum from the beautiful woods of Maine!
There are a lot of good videos on YouTube that will walk you through the steps from unboxing to your first flight. Flytpath has a good series. Kittyhawk is also a good app to use before you take off. Stay away from “Sport” mode until you’ve mastered the normal mode. Take your time and don’t go for long distances right off. Understand the RTH settings before you hit the button or you may experience your first crash.
Happy flying!

 

[Seisiuneer]

I live a few miles east of El Cajon.

I use AirMap to check the airspace, and KittyHawk to request clearances since I'm in the Class D airspace for Gillespie Field. I mostly fly just at my house or in local parks taking promo videos and photos of my wife's outdoor martial arts classes.

It is a challenge flying in San Diego with the complex airspace. I hear it's possible to fly at Oceanside Pier, and Sweetwater Reservoir without any issues. Most of the coast near San Diego is either in the flight path for Lindbergh Field or Miramar. You also cannot fly in the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park or Anza-Borrego State Park, so it's a little frustrating.

 

[zeusfl]

Welcome to Mavic Pilots!

 

[Steel63]

Greetings from ? Florida

 

[JohnLietzke]

Hi pilots,
I just got a Mvic mini and have never flown a drone before. I am intending to use it for recreation and photography.
- Can you suggest any good places I can fly in San Diego around the beach?
- Anything I need to do before flying here? I know I don't need FAA registration for Mavic Mini but any other thing that I should do?
- I was looking for an app to check the no fly zones. Since B4ufly hasn't been rated well, any suggestions are welcome.

I am looking forward to contribute to this community once I get my hands set on this drone. Thanks a lot for the awesome forums.

I have flown in San Diego quite a bit. Definitely check AirMap.com or download the app.

1) Chula Vista Bayfront Park is good and you can fly across the bay to Coronado Cays. Be on the look out for military helicopters. You will certainly hear them well before they are close. Also, remember you are in a small area that is unrestricted airspace with a military No Fly Zone on each side.

2) Pacific Beach, Del Mar, La Joya and Salono Beach are open airspace. Be careful when flying directly over the beach or surf as people are often under you. I usually go out a couple hundred feet over the issue. The Mini is highly effected by wind so I check the UAV Forecast app before flying.

3) Much of the east part of San Diego is open airspace especially around the reservoirs.

4) If you fly from the Silver Stand open airspace much of it is State beach where you can not take off or land but can fly over. Find somewhere in Cononado Cays to take off.

5) Mission bay is restricted airspace but you can instant LAANAC approval through AirMaps if you file a flight plan. Just make sure to stay below the altitude restrictions.

 

[Seisiuneer]

Great suggestions, JohnLietz! I'll definitely have to try the Chula Vista Bayfront Park!

 

[wjkrysak]

Welcome to the forum. You will find plenty of support here. We look forward to your contribution.

 

[Thomas B]

Welcome to the forum from the deserts of Arizona! Enjoy.

 

[JohnLietzke]

Great suggestions, JohnLietz! I'll definitely have to try the Chula Vista Bayfront Park!

It is one of my favorite places and flying over the Bay should not have as much signal loss for the Mavic Mini. I have Mavic Air 2 and have no problems over the Bay or ocean. You should though be mindful of the wind as from what others have been posting has a significant effect on the Mavic Mini.

 

[Seisiuneer]

I've got my snap-on Yagi antennas. I generally don't fly more than a few hundred feet away, the Mini is so tiny, beyond that it disappears.