New Pilot from Melbourne

[Martyr_67]

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.

Member Map

mavicpilots.com

Since you live Down Under, there are specific laws and rules for you to follow, please check to ensure these are current.

Drone rules

Australia’s recreational drone rules are designed to keep you and others safe, on the ground and in the air. Here are the rules you need to know now, before you take-off.

www.casa.gov.au

Even if you may 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, 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…"

https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/DJI_Mini_3/UM/20230217/DJI_Mini_3_User_Manual_v1.0_EN.pdf

Fly On and Fly Safe…

Champion

 

[Martyr_67]

Welcome! I'm new here as well and still learning a lot from the experienced folk here onsite. I'm also a long time photographer and wanted to expand my photo capabilities. After seeing drone videos and checking on the specs, I was pleasantly surprised at all the built in safety features, the range and the flight times - and now, the fantastic smooth 4K video and still shots.
Your drone should provide plenty of new challenges and views no new lens can get - looking forward to seeing some of your "sights" from your part of the world.

Thanks and yes, I think a long time in photography is a great place to start (M2CW...) as a very new pilot.
I am blown away by just how good the video is from this unit.