So unfortunately I had tomsell my Mavic Pro. In this time I had a huge response on Craigslist with people driving 2 hours to see it and want to buy it.
The first person that bought it was a new pilot, never flew before and this worried me so I spent an hour with him going over the basics and typed up an email with information. I realized this information was good for any new pilot or Mavic pro owner so I decided to post it in a thread.
I hope this helps some people start off flying safe.Please add any tips to the thread as new technologies and apps develope, or key things you believe would add help a new pilot/Mavic owner. Enjoy your new Mavic, it's a great drone.
First I will start off by saying this isn't to scare you. But a good pilot is an informed pilot and knows they aircraft. So I thought I would type up some information and tips to help start you off. Some of this are things I wish people mentioned to me before I started flying with a DJI product.
Read posts, watch videos. Don't be afraid to ask questions, no question is a stupid question when it comes to the safety of others and your Mavic Pro.
One of the best mavic specific sites for information would be:
DJI Mavic Drone Forum
Their are a lot other site also.
I've attached a screen shot of some of the most useful apps I use for flying.
Most of these are free, some have paid features or in app purchases.
Some may seem like duplicate information, but take Hover for example. Hover shows the KP Index rounded to to something like 3, but if you look at KittyHawk.io it shows the KP is really closer to 4 with a 3.7. This could make a difference. I use each all for a different piece of information. Hover has a good new feed for updates like changes with FAA regulations.
Live ATC let me listen to the local airport Air Traffic Control, they also house the tower for the MedFlight Medivac. But police Scanner + can also listen to the local ATC and run in the background while I'm fling at the same time so I can hear if the police chopper or medical chopper is heading into my neighborhood and land. Then I can use Planes Live or FlightRadar24 to locate them and see when they are done.
If you don't understand METAR's or TAF's yet since your new, then AeroWeather will decide them for you until you memorize how to read them.
HD Sync is to upload your flight logs to health drones website. Their are other sites for reviewing your log files also and relaying you flight data, but I'm sure someone else has already listed these.
I recommend trying all the apps as they all have good information.
FAA requires all UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System/drones) to be registered that weight more then 0.55lbs take off weight. So this includes the weight of the battery. Some sites claim they help you register and charge $25, these are scams and no help is needed. It all automated now, no paper forms or anything like that.
This is the link to the real FAA site, it's only $5 and expires after three years.
sUAS Registration
The FAA ID should be on the drone, I put mine in the battery compartment. It takes 5 minutes. In fact if you create an account before you come today I can print the label with your ID and put it on the Mavic for you. Or you can register from my house, either way. Or you might have a label maker, then you can do it when ever.
The FAA does list certain safety guidelines to follow. Some argue these are not the laws, just guidelines. But if something goes wrong and your outside of the guidelines, law or not they can still fine you and or include jail time depending on what happened.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
A lot of this FAA legal mumbo jumbo may look intimidating, it really is just common sense. The favorite phrase is "Just don't be stupid". Most of the guidelines are common sense. Don't fly at schools above children, parks with people, and some federal lands like federal wild life reserves.
Fly in line of sight always, if you can't see it then you've gone to far.
Don't fly over 400 feet high from the ground level you take off from.
Don't fly within 5 aeronautical miles of an airports
**These rules, laws, guidelines are always changing. Make sure you also check for any new changes. For example, the FAA just announced yesterday that it's now illegal to fly near 133 military facilities and this comes with some new restrictions also that go into place on April 14, 2017. So keep up on changes, you don't want to be fined or arrested.
It's not a new market, but before it required some level of skill to fly. These new generation of drones have made it so easy to fly that the government is concerned because of some stupid things people have done. To keep this hobby alive for everyone to enjoy "Just don't be stupid" or they will make it illegal and/or only allow licensed pilots to fly.
I'll type up a list of my favorite apps that show airport locations, weather conditions, and something people seem to overlook is "KP index".
The KP index effects the accuracy of GPS signals and interests with GPS Satalite transmissions. So if the KP is high, let's say near or above 4.0, then your GPS location may not be saved when you take off. This is important because if you loose signal with the mavic, if the mavic detects an error or battery problem, or you fly out of range or encounter interference from a local radio tower that screws up communicating with the mavic then the mavic returns to this logged GPS location know as "home". This is also know as RTH, or the return to home feature. It's a feature because you can also enable this by pressing a single button if you loose sight and are not sure what direction it's flying.
Every time you update your firmware you need to double check your setting in the app. DJI likes to change the settings with firmware updates.
Don't use the manual in the box, it changes when they release new firmware for the Mavic. Download the latest version from DJI's website.
A few things I would defiantly want to point out as key parts of the manual to read and understand would be the following parts.
Simulator: Yes the drone has a simulation software application built in to it for practicing. All the settings, features and everything act the same as if your flying the mavic and use use the controller and phone also. This also helps you learn the app and settings without having the mavic really in the sky, but sitting on your desk. Highly recommended, the simulator is as close to flying the Mavic itself. So before trying things like sports mode I would try it in the simulator first. You can even change the wind direction and wind speed to see how the Mavic pro handles in certain winds, or to see how good you are at brining it back under control after a high wind gust.
How to use the simulator:
Turn on the controller, launch the DJI GO 4 app, make sure you have the Mavic chosen as your drone from the top left drop down of the app.
Remove the props from the mavic, turn on the mavic.
On the top right click the three lines and select Academy, then Choose simulator.
Now what ever setting you choose in the app is the same way the simulator Mavic acts.
To get out of the simulator you have to restart the mavic and the DJI Go 4 app. Double check you settings after you restart it, I don't remember if it keeps the settings you change when your in the simulator or not.
Beginners Mode: Still fun and your nephew will still love it. But it puts a virtual leash on the radius and height you can fly, top speed and how it handles. I highly recommend starting in beginners mode.
Compass Calibration: Something you should do before every flight.
IMU Calibration: Not always needed, but it's supposed to tell you when it's needed. I've also noticed after some firmware updates it wasn't as steady with hovering and a IMU Calibration fixed this issue, and the app didn't tell me I needed to do one. Something to keep in mind when test flying after firmware updates.
Return To Home: It shows how to cancel it and use it, especially the parts on return to home altitude and avoidance sensors.
Sports Mode: Sports mode is capable of going 40MPH, the avarice speed with the avoidance sensors is 20MPH. When in sports mode it goes to fast for the avoidance sensors to work. So you need to remember when flying in sports mode all the protection and safety avoidance sensors are disabled.
TIP: Sports mode will also give you extra thrust and power. It's not just for a little more fun flying once you get better, it can also be used to save the drone in high winds to fly defensively. I was able to switch into sport mode once after a high wind gust and bring it back under control, then land it even with the winds still blowing hard.
Propellers: Always check them to make sure they are not damaged or chipped before flying.
Pre-Flight Check List: You can find a lot of preflight check lists online. Print one out and always go over these things before flying.
Batteries: Understand how the smart battery will discharge its self and how cold could affect the flight time and distance of your flight. They recommend not flying in colder then 40F.
LiPo batteries get damaged if you leave them fully charged so DJI created a battery for the everyday user that will discharge after a set amount of days to a safe level. This discharging means that every battery has a little computer in it, so when you update the firmware on the Mavic, you need to also update the controller, and the batteries. You do this by plugging in one battery and turn it on. When you turn it on the mavic will update the one battery, then turn it off and plug in the second battery and repeated for all batteries.
The safe level is at 3.7V to 3.8V volts DC, a fully charged battery is at 4.2V. So it doesn't take long to charge them back to full the day you fly or the day before you fly. It drains it about 20% total. So it would take on a average 20% to 25% the normal time to charge them back up. Although you can change the time when the battery discharges and select from 1 day to 10 days later after it's fully charged, the default is three days.
I would leave it at three days or less. Less will just help the batteries last longer.
Now I'm old school without the computer safe batteries, so I had mine set for 1 day then always checked the batteries on day two. If they didn't self drain for some reason then I plug it into the Mavic and play some simulator, or fly it for 5 minutes to drain a little off the battery.
TIP: If you know you won't be flying for a week until the following weekend then don't charge the batteries all the way to full when you get home. Just charge them to when the third green LED is either blinking or solid and that would be the safe level to let let them sit until your next flight.
The first person that bought it was a new pilot, never flew before and this worried me so I spent an hour with him going over the basics and typed up an email with information. I realized this information was good for any new pilot or Mavic pro owner so I decided to post it in a thread.
I hope this helps some people start off flying safe.Please add any tips to the thread as new technologies and apps develope, or key things you believe would add help a new pilot/Mavic owner. Enjoy your new Mavic, it's a great drone.
First I will start off by saying this isn't to scare you. But a good pilot is an informed pilot and knows they aircraft. So I thought I would type up some information and tips to help start you off. Some of this are things I wish people mentioned to me before I started flying with a DJI product.
Read posts, watch videos. Don't be afraid to ask questions, no question is a stupid question when it comes to the safety of others and your Mavic Pro.
One of the best mavic specific sites for information would be:
DJI Mavic Drone Forum
Their are a lot other site also.
I've attached a screen shot of some of the most useful apps I use for flying.
Most of these are free, some have paid features or in app purchases.
Some may seem like duplicate information, but take Hover for example. Hover shows the KP Index rounded to to something like 3, but if you look at KittyHawk.io it shows the KP is really closer to 4 with a 3.7. This could make a difference. I use each all for a different piece of information. Hover has a good new feed for updates like changes with FAA regulations.
Live ATC let me listen to the local airport Air Traffic Control, they also house the tower for the MedFlight Medivac. But police Scanner + can also listen to the local ATC and run in the background while I'm fling at the same time so I can hear if the police chopper or medical chopper is heading into my neighborhood and land. Then I can use Planes Live or FlightRadar24 to locate them and see when they are done.
If you don't understand METAR's or TAF's yet since your new, then AeroWeather will decide them for you until you memorize how to read them.
HD Sync is to upload your flight logs to health drones website. Their are other sites for reviewing your log files also and relaying you flight data, but I'm sure someone else has already listed these.
I recommend trying all the apps as they all have good information.
FAA requires all UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System/drones) to be registered that weight more then 0.55lbs take off weight. So this includes the weight of the battery. Some sites claim they help you register and charge $25, these are scams and no help is needed. It all automated now, no paper forms or anything like that.
This is the link to the real FAA site, it's only $5 and expires after three years.
sUAS Registration
The FAA ID should be on the drone, I put mine in the battery compartment. It takes 5 minutes. In fact if you create an account before you come today I can print the label with your ID and put it on the Mavic for you. Or you can register from my house, either way. Or you might have a label maker, then you can do it when ever.
The FAA does list certain safety guidelines to follow. Some argue these are not the laws, just guidelines. But if something goes wrong and your outside of the guidelines, law or not they can still fine you and or include jail time depending on what happened.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
A lot of this FAA legal mumbo jumbo may look intimidating, it really is just common sense. The favorite phrase is "Just don't be stupid". Most of the guidelines are common sense. Don't fly at schools above children, parks with people, and some federal lands like federal wild life reserves.
Fly in line of sight always, if you can't see it then you've gone to far.
Don't fly over 400 feet high from the ground level you take off from.
Don't fly within 5 aeronautical miles of an airports
**These rules, laws, guidelines are always changing. Make sure you also check for any new changes. For example, the FAA just announced yesterday that it's now illegal to fly near 133 military facilities and this comes with some new restrictions also that go into place on April 14, 2017. So keep up on changes, you don't want to be fined or arrested.
It's not a new market, but before it required some level of skill to fly. These new generation of drones have made it so easy to fly that the government is concerned because of some stupid things people have done. To keep this hobby alive for everyone to enjoy "Just don't be stupid" or they will make it illegal and/or only allow licensed pilots to fly.
I'll type up a list of my favorite apps that show airport locations, weather conditions, and something people seem to overlook is "KP index".
The KP index effects the accuracy of GPS signals and interests with GPS Satalite transmissions. So if the KP is high, let's say near or above 4.0, then your GPS location may not be saved when you take off. This is important because if you loose signal with the mavic, if the mavic detects an error or battery problem, or you fly out of range or encounter interference from a local radio tower that screws up communicating with the mavic then the mavic returns to this logged GPS location know as "home". This is also know as RTH, or the return to home feature. It's a feature because you can also enable this by pressing a single button if you loose sight and are not sure what direction it's flying.
Every time you update your firmware you need to double check your setting in the app. DJI likes to change the settings with firmware updates.
Don't use the manual in the box, it changes when they release new firmware for the Mavic. Download the latest version from DJI's website.
A few things I would defiantly want to point out as key parts of the manual to read and understand would be the following parts.
Simulator: Yes the drone has a simulation software application built in to it for practicing. All the settings, features and everything act the same as if your flying the mavic and use use the controller and phone also. This also helps you learn the app and settings without having the mavic really in the sky, but sitting on your desk. Highly recommended, the simulator is as close to flying the Mavic itself. So before trying things like sports mode I would try it in the simulator first. You can even change the wind direction and wind speed to see how the Mavic pro handles in certain winds, or to see how good you are at brining it back under control after a high wind gust.
How to use the simulator:
Turn on the controller, launch the DJI GO 4 app, make sure you have the Mavic chosen as your drone from the top left drop down of the app.
Remove the props from the mavic, turn on the mavic.
On the top right click the three lines and select Academy, then Choose simulator.
Now what ever setting you choose in the app is the same way the simulator Mavic acts.
To get out of the simulator you have to restart the mavic and the DJI Go 4 app. Double check you settings after you restart it, I don't remember if it keeps the settings you change when your in the simulator or not.
Beginners Mode: Still fun and your nephew will still love it. But it puts a virtual leash on the radius and height you can fly, top speed and how it handles. I highly recommend starting in beginners mode.
Compass Calibration: Something you should do before every flight.
IMU Calibration: Not always needed, but it's supposed to tell you when it's needed. I've also noticed after some firmware updates it wasn't as steady with hovering and a IMU Calibration fixed this issue, and the app didn't tell me I needed to do one. Something to keep in mind when test flying after firmware updates.
Return To Home: It shows how to cancel it and use it, especially the parts on return to home altitude and avoidance sensors.
Sports Mode: Sports mode is capable of going 40MPH, the avarice speed with the avoidance sensors is 20MPH. When in sports mode it goes to fast for the avoidance sensors to work. So you need to remember when flying in sports mode all the protection and safety avoidance sensors are disabled.
TIP: Sports mode will also give you extra thrust and power. It's not just for a little more fun flying once you get better, it can also be used to save the drone in high winds to fly defensively. I was able to switch into sport mode once after a high wind gust and bring it back under control, then land it even with the winds still blowing hard.
Propellers: Always check them to make sure they are not damaged or chipped before flying.
Pre-Flight Check List: You can find a lot of preflight check lists online. Print one out and always go over these things before flying.
Batteries: Understand how the smart battery will discharge its self and how cold could affect the flight time and distance of your flight. They recommend not flying in colder then 40F.
LiPo batteries get damaged if you leave them fully charged so DJI created a battery for the everyday user that will discharge after a set amount of days to a safe level. This discharging means that every battery has a little computer in it, so when you update the firmware on the Mavic, you need to also update the controller, and the batteries. You do this by plugging in one battery and turn it on. When you turn it on the mavic will update the one battery, then turn it off and plug in the second battery and repeated for all batteries.
The safe level is at 3.7V to 3.8V volts DC, a fully charged battery is at 4.2V. So it doesn't take long to charge them back to full the day you fly or the day before you fly. It drains it about 20% total. So it would take on a average 20% to 25% the normal time to charge them back up. Although you can change the time when the battery discharges and select from 1 day to 10 days later after it's fully charged, the default is three days.
I would leave it at three days or less. Less will just help the batteries last longer.
Now I'm old school without the computer safe batteries, so I had mine set for 1 day then always checked the batteries on day two. If they didn't self drain for some reason then I plug it into the Mavic and play some simulator, or fly it for 5 minutes to drain a little off the battery.
TIP: If you know you won't be flying for a week until the following weekend then don't charge the batteries all the way to full when you get home. Just charge them to when the third green LED is either blinking or solid and that would be the safe level to let let them sit until your next flight.
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