DJI Mavic, Air and Mini Drones
Friendly, Helpful & Knowledgeable Community
Join Us Now

New guy intro.

R M Ford

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2023
Messages
14
Reactions
26
Age
78
Location
Martinsburg PA
I just joined yjis group. my name is Rich Ford. I am only 76 years old. I live in Martinsburg PA. It is dairy farm country south of Penn State University by abiut a 45 minute drive. I live inside the control zone for AOO. (Altoona-Blair County Airport) I made my first flight today for forty five minutes. i took a little video but focused on trying all the options of flying. Thr drone does RTH when i ask iy to but it lands one ro two feet from the pad it took off from. i am not sure how to address that. I hhave not tried the getting permission to fly in an area needing aithorization yet., so i drove down the road to where it was legal to fly. Is gettting authorization difficult?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I just joined yjis group. my name is **** Ford. I am only 76 years old. I live in Martinsburg PA. It is dairy farm country south of Penn State University by abiut a 45 minute drive. I live inside the control zone for AOO. (Altoona-Blair County Airport) I made my first flight today for forty five minutes. i took a little video but focused on trying all the options of flying. Thr drone does RTH when i ask iy to but it lands one ro two feet from the pad it took off from. i am not sure how to address that. I hhave not tried the getting permission to fly in an area needing aithorization yet., so i drove down the road to where it was legal to fly. Is gettting authorization difficult?
Greetings from Birmingham Alabama USA, welcome to the forum! We look forward to hearing from you!

A couple of feet is pretty normal for most drones.
 
Hello from the Crossroads of America R M Ford

If you hover for a moment about twenty feet after you launch, I've read that the camera on the bottom takes a picture for a landing reference.

The use of a landing pad will help identify the landing area and keeping debris from entering the aircraft when launching and landing.

Welcome to the Forum. 😎
 
Hello from the Crossroads of America R M Ford

If you hover for a moment about twenty feet after you launch, I've read that the camera on the bottom takes a picture for a landing reference.

The use of a landing pad will help identify the landing area and keeping debris from entering the aircraft when launching and landing.

Welcome to the Forum. 😎

Hello from the Crossroads of America R M Ford

If you hover for a moment about twenty feet after you launch, I've read that the camera on the bottom takes a picture for a landing reference.

The use of a landing pad will help identify the landing area and keeping debris from entering the aircraft when launching and landing.

Welcome to the Forum. 😎
Thanks for the info.!
 
I just joined yjis group. my name is **** Ford. I am only 76 years old. I live in Martinsburg PA. It is dairy farm country south of Penn State University by abiut a 45 minute drive. I live inside the control zone for AOO. (Altoona-Blair County Airport) I made my first flight today for forty five minutes. i took a little video but focused on trying all the options of flying. Thr drone does RTH when i ask iy to but it lands one ro two feet from the pad it took off from. i am not sure how to address that. I hhave not tried the getting permission to fly in an area needing aithorization yet., so i drove down the road to where it was legal to fly. Is gettting authorization difficult?
Welcome from Savannah, GA!

I hope to see you around here... It's a great place to just search old threads and learn.

Good luck.
 
Welcome to the forum, R M Ford!
Your drone missing the RTH by a few feet is fairly normal. If you calibrate the compass and the IMU per the manual, then after launch, let the drone hover ~20 feet above the landing pad for a few seconds, you'll likely see a more accurate landing. The procedure for seeking permission to fly in restricted areas has changed since the last time I needed it, so I can't be of much help. But surely one of our many thousands of members will help you out.
Glad to have you with us!
 
Welcome to the forum !
 
Welcome to Mavic Pilots! :) Enjoy the forum!Thumbswayup
 
Welcome to the forum! :)

Here are some things to help you get started with your drone:
  • Download the DJI manual for your drone here (it doesn't come in the box). The manual is packed with lots of useful tips and will give you a better understanding of your drone's features.

  • Check out this getting started guide for some tips not found in the DJI manual.

  • Your drone batteries will last longer if you use and maintain them like this.

  • Practice flying outdoors in a wide open location that's free of all obstacles. Don't attempt to fly inside your house or in other confined locations.

  • The drone records flight data each time you fly. You can decrypt and view those flight logs with these tools.

  • Check out MavicHelp.com for commonly used accessories you might need.

Thr drone does RTH when i ask iy to but it lands one ro two feet from the pad it took off from
If you haven't already done so, make sure your pad is easily distinguishable from the surrounding area. For example, you shouldn't use a green landing pad on green grass.
 
I just joined yjis group. my name is Rich Ford. I am only 76 years old. I live in Martinsburg PA. It is dairy farm country south of Penn State University by abiut a 45 minute drive. I live inside the control zone for AOO. (Altoona-Blair County Airport) I made my first flight today for forty five minutes. i took a little video but focused on trying all the options of flying. Thr drone does RTH when i ask iy to but it lands one ro two feet from the pad it took off from. i am not sure how to address that. I hhave not tried the getting permission to fly in an area needing aithorization yet., so i drove down the road to where it was legal to fly. Is gettting authorization difficult?
Greetings from Detroit.
 
I just joined yjis group.

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.


As a New Drone Pilot, there are a couple of Legal Things you may need to do…

If you have not already done so, you will need to get your TRUST Certificate. You can get that at the Pilot Institute Web Site (FREE…) . If your Drone weighs less than 250-grams (0.55 pounds) and you are flying under The Exception for Recreational Flyers, you are not required to register your Drone.

When I first started flying I registered my Mini 2 because the TRUST Certificate and FAA Registration established me as a "certified" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Pilot.

Link to the TRUST Certificate at the Pilot Institute Web Site (FREE…)


Link to the FAADroneZone (Optional Registration for Drones under 250-Grams…)


Since you live in Pennsylvania, 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.


Now, you had a question aobut getting an suthorization to fly in your AOO Controlled airspace. It all depends if you are in a Zero Altitude Airspace Quadrant or not. I also live in one for Langley AFB. The Zero Altitude weatern edge runs right doen the middle of my street, across the street, the max height is 400'. As a Recreational Pilot, I could nto get an authorization to fly on my own property, but I could fly down the street all day long…

If you are not in a ZERO Max Altitude Zone, you need to go to the FAADroneZone Web site and register. Since your Mini 3 Pro does not weigh more than 250grams, you do not need to register it at the same time. On this web site, you can request an authorization to fly in that none zero zone for a year or more…

Goto YouTube and search "Controlled Airspace Authorization" and watch several videos, it's realtively easy…

Good Luck, Now keep reading…

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 kitten or puppy 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, 4-5 feet (1-1/2 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 3 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…"


Fly On and Fly Safe…
 
I just joined yjis group. my name is Rich Ford. I am only 76 years old. I live in Martinsburg PA. It is dairy farm country south of Penn State University by abiut a 45 minute drive. I live inside the control zone for AOO. (Altoona-Blair County Airport) I made my first flight today for forty five minutes. i took a little video but focused on trying all the options of flying. Thr drone does RTH when i ask iy to but it lands one ro two feet from the pad it took off from. i am not sure how to address that. I hhave not tried the getting permission to fly in an area needing aithorization yet., so i drove down the road to where it was legal to fly. Is gettting authorization difficult?
Hi from Len in South Wales U.K. hood you enjoy, cheers Len
 

DJI Drone Deals

New Threads

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
134,578
Messages
1,596,454
Members
163,079
Latest member
jhgfdhjrye
Want to Remove this Ad? Simply login or create a free account