New guy intro,,,,,,, and ?

[FliegenKerl]

New guy here, old fart {65}. Live in Englewood FL. First drone, lots of stupid questions to follow. Been wanting one for like 5 years and couldn't decide on one and would get mad and quit looking. FINALLY pulled the trigger today on a DJI MINI 4 PRO flymore. Had about 4-5 flights on it. Mint condition.
First question,,,what SD card should I get that will hold 30-40 minutes of video? I'll just dump the video and reuse the card. I won't be recording much anyway, I don't think. More stupid questions coming,,,,,
Thanks all !

 

[msinger]

Welcome to the forum @FliegenKerl!

First question,,,what SD card should I get that will hold 30-40 minutes of video?

Here are a few good choices:

• 128GB Samsung EVO Select
• 128GB SanDisk Extreme
  
  

First drone, lots of stupid questions to follow

After flying many DJI consumer drones since 2016 (I own most all of them), here's what I recommend you do (at the minimum) to get started with your DJI drone:

• Skip buying a non-DJI practice drone and start with any of the DJI consumer drones (ideally the model you'll be flying most). While it's true DJI makes one of the most expensive consumer drones, you likely won't learn much about your DJI drones by flying drones made by other manufacturers. And then you'll be back to square one again when you finally decide to ditch the practice drone and start flying a DJI drone.
  
  
• Before attempting to fly, watch some videos on YouTube.com to learn more about your drone. Search for something like "Mini 2 Beginner's Guide" (replace "Mini 2" with your drone model).
  
  
• Read the DJI manual (available in the "Products" section of the DJI Download Center) from beginning to end (maybe a few times). You're certainly not going to remember everything, but it'll give you a good understanding of the available features and capabilities of your drone. And then you can go back to the manual or YouTube videos when you need to take a deeper dive into a specific topic.
  
  
• Before flying in the US, you must register your drone with the FAA (if it weighs 250 grams or more) and take the free online TRUST test (I like this one).
  
  
• When flying in the US, your drone must broadcast RID if it weighs 250 grams or more (or is registered with the FAA). Many DJI drones (especially the newer models) have that feature built into them. If you're ever flying a drone that does not broadcast RID (meaning it's not on this list), then you'll need to attach an external RID module like the Holy Stone or Ruko RID module.
  
  
• Don't power on your drone or take off when within about 10 feet of any magnetic metal objects (like your car or rebar in concrete sidewalks). See more on compass interference in this compass calibration guide. Before takeoff, always confirm that the aircraft shown on the map in DJI Fly (or the app you're using) is oriented in the correct direction. Any discrepancy is usually a sign of magnetic interference in the surrounding environment.
  
  
• Before taking off, always review the drone settings in DJI Fly (or the app you're using) to ensure everything is set as expected. If you do plan on flying near any obstacles, ensure the RTH altitude is set properly in case your drone needs to automatically return back to the home point mid-flight.
  
  
• Never take off before DJI Fly (or the app you're using to fly) audibly mentions or shows the home point has been set. The drone will attempt to fly back to the home point location automatically if it loses connection with the remote controller, so it's crucial to ensure that location has been set prior to takeoff.
  
  
• DJI drones have a lot of awesome automated flight features. Use them with caution and never assume they are always going to function as expected (always be ready to take control if needed).
  
  
• Sensors are great and they can help prevent your drone from crashing into obstacles. They are not foolproof though. Never rely on them 100% or assume they are going to work perfectly in all flight conditions -- or react the same way when flying in similar conditions from past flights.
  
  
• Find a flat, wide open place to practice (free of people, trees, and all other obstacles). It's pretty hard to crash a DJI drone into the ground, so you'll likely have the best success if that's your only obstacle. Continue flying in this location (or similar locations) until you're able to control your drone without thinking about it (like riding a bike).
  
  
• Make sure you can easily see your drone at all times (required by law in most countries). After removing all nearby obstacles, nearly everyone who crashes/loses a drone is either not watching it with their eyes or cannot clearly see where it's located.
  
  
• The screen is chock-full of great information. Use it as a reference (sparingly) as you do when looking at your dashboard while driving a car. It's also a great tool for framing the perfect photo or getting your drone in just the right spot before hitting record. If you're mostly staring at the screen while flying, you'll probably have no idea where your drone is located.
  
  
• Don't fly in sport mode until you're comfortable controlling your drone. You don't want to get into a situation where you need to maneuver quickly and aren't quite sure which stick to move (another reason not to practice near obstacles).
  
  
• DJI batteries require special care that is unlike other batteries you commonly use. To prevent any damage to your DJI batteries, follow the tips in this DJI battery maintenance & storage guide.
  
  
• DJI drones record a lot of useful information in the TXT flights. The logs are helpful for things like troubleshooting issues you experienced during a flight, locating a lost drone, and many other things. The TXT files can be found on your phone/tablet or remote controller (if it has a screen). See these instructions for more details. And then you'll need a tool like my free online DJI log viewer or Flight Reader (keeps your flight logs offline) to decrypt and access/view the data within.

 

[FliegenKerl]

msinger
Thanks for the helpful list of tips !

 

[Cafguy]

Welcome to the Forum from Bakersfield!

 

[a2tomm]

No such thing as a stupid question ,lots of great answers can be had on youtube though

 

[FliegenKerl]

You are 110% correct !!!
I've been watching youtube videos on the Mini 4 Pro for months. But they don't answer all my stupid questions, believe me, my mind races around every thought/scenario possible.

 

[a2tomm]

You are 110% correct !!!
I've been watching youtube videos on the Mini 4 Pro for months. But they don't answer all my stupid questions, believe me, my mind races around every thought/scenario possible.

I have owned all the DJI drones ,personally I recommend (SANDISK EXTREME) sd cards ,Fly on young Brother

 

[FliegenKerl]

Stupid question 1.} Which hard case should I buy?
Stupid Question 2.} Which screen hood, sunshade?
Stupid Question 3.} Zoom lens?

Thanks as always!

 

[LongRifle]

Skip the hard case. I have one. I never use it. Look into this instead. I have something similar (and bigger), but this should accommodate your Mini 4 Pro nicely:

https://www.amazon.com/LowePro-Lightweight-Compact-Backpack-Cameras/dp/B013MC8F5Y/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1Y6U5RNRJ2T63&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.52of8v_Ujz3M67-Tqq_MoOtnMw6-cvzjHrWqNlwjIBN1avUDA0wRm754pIj4vDFvx2GICA-1CRvGfUaov8roe_BwqskIEgNGcan9tgxT3jqDZbWsNEJKdyMG6mWvfYTculkBj2zWFReLWkdOKkrCQsP6Xt0_hjVCzuyM8Cv1uYo3wyTfzxwP2F0Cr3Bqo6QulsvwysQ92b-n-H2hxbYjXi7rY-CwElymDuz9Sh1BoYEFXFb98bbVagWxq6B7_EuhP8892qTP2LkAAkYZOVuPcGi6sqqhdj22WvnZ9D2hwmi5klqh_tqskrTkj19azNJmD--vqrU6PIodCzmwMXz0OyUEuTTELi1fggB45ubRSuA.Dzb9pSC4tRhkTefmopQ36BSJddjXwb3NC748XT5z6ic&dib_tag=se&keywords=lowe%2Bpro%2Bbp250&qid=1738166350&s=electronics&sprefix=lowe%2Bpro%2Bbp250%2Celectronics%2C134&sr=1-4&th=1

 

[FliegenKerl]

I don't want a backpack, I'd NEVER wear it. A hardcase is more protective when the wife or Mal's knock it off or step on it. And more protective when stacking with other hardcases holding "essentials" if I'm not being too subtle.
But thanks for the suggestion.

 

[msinger]

Which hard case should I buy?

There are plenty of great hard case options here on Amazon.

For hard cases, my favorite is Go Professional. They're pricey but exceptionally high quality.

 

[a2tomm]

Personally I went thru the hard case thing ,but instead went by the way of back packs ,hard cases limits you to just one drone and very little else besides batteries ,there is a multitude of choices out there ,again youtube helped me make my decision

 

[a2tomm]

no zoom lens but lens filters ,i choose a good name brand ,just like props ebay have a bunch but are mostly junk ,Master Airscrew and DJI oem props are best

 

[a2tomm]

dont remember the name but this case has served me well ,two drones a mini ,and air2s all batteries two controllers ,props extra sticks for controllers lens wipes all fit nicely

 

[msinger]

dont remember the name

K&F Concept

 

[FliegenKerl]

I'm only interested in a hard case. Thanks

 

[MA2 317]

Stupid Question 2.} Which screen hood, sunshade?

I don't use one now, but when I did, I used a four sided hood that helped keep the glare off of the screen better than the three sided ones.


Goggle search for that and a lanyard to fit the type of remote you have.

A lanyard helps when flying and protects it from accidentally dropping it.

.

 

[moldorf]

No such thing as a stupid question

you obviously have never had Thanksgiving with my in-laws