New to Air 3

[Flyn2024]

I,m New To the Air 3 and have not put it in the sky Yet. what new features on the Air 3 has everyone noticed ??

 

[msinger]

what new features on the Air 3 has everyone noticed ?

It depends on which other drones you're comparing it to. You can compare the main features of the Air 3 against other DJI drone models here.

 

[Starz]

Is this your first DJI product?

 

[Flyn2024]

Is this your first DJI product?

Yes
I am New to Drone flying
I do need to learn a lot and look forward to asking many questions in the future

 

[msinger]

I am New to Drone flying

Ah, in that case, here's some helpful information to get you started on your new journey.

After flying many DJI consumer drones (I own most all of them) since 2016, 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.
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• 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 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.

 

[Starz]

Your search for information is a good start. Look through the links posted above.
Spend some time going through the different settings in the Fly app before you fly.
Home point recorded is a must prior to takeoff.

 

[Suren]

Lots of valuable information above. Download the manual and read it 3 times just to be sure, create a pre-flight checklist like, hover drone above ground at 4 meters, fly forward 1 meter, back, side left side right to check no interference with compass, IMU errors and AC direction, ensure homeport is updated, battery fully charged, enough GPS sats etc.

 

[Starz]

Something else to research. Updates are not mandatory and in many cases not needed for first flight. It will fly fine straight out of the box.

 

[sugaloy]

From my experience, the few tips sometimes not mentioned are :
1. The foam on your gimbal is not needed, the gimbal protector already protects and hold the gimbal in place, worst case scenario is you put unnecessary strain on the gimbal when you are taking it on and off. I think it's only there to protect it while in transit.
2. Take off the gimbal protector if you are going to turn on the drone even when you're not planning to fly (Maybe just Quicktransferring the files from the SDcard to your phone). The drone does a gimbal calibration when it's booting.
3. Do not use CPL filter when you are taking Panorama shots or the sky will get weird.
4. The joysticks.. I dropped them 3 out of 5 times when trying to put it on the remote control, almost lost them too, so be careful.
5. The obstacle avoidance sensors rule of thumb is : if you think you will be having a hard time navigating the obstacles, the sensor will also have a hard time navigating around the obstacles

 

[Flyn2024]

Does the Air 3 and The RC-N2 Controller use the same Micro SD Card? the list for both seems to be different.
I installed a Scan Disk extreme pro 256 in my drone but have not gotten any for the Controller yet

 

[sugaloy]

I think it's the same, someone mentioned a size limit about 1.5TB for the remote. Other than that you can get away with slower speed MicroSD card for the RC2 since it is mainly used for screen recording and maybe transferring files between drone and remote which the weakest link is the WiFi connection, not sure about RC-N2 if it has any other use or even has a card slot at all

 

[Flyn2024]

ALL DRESSED U and ready to go

 

[Flyn2024]

Thank You ALL for help moving me forward
I need to ask about buying Props and downloading files
I'm stuck and not having any luck either plugging the controller into my MAC or using quick transfer ,and need input going forward
When Buying Props
Is it safe to trust NON DJI purchases?

 

[msinger]

Is it safe to trust NON DJI purchases?

They are safe until they snap off mid-flight and your drone crashes to the ground.

OEM DJI props are designed and tested by DJI and known to work well. I only trust DJI props on my drones.

 

[sugaloy]

On a slightly unrelated note, is there any tips on doing maintenance for the motors, especially after taking off and low flying on a very dusty environment?

blowing the motor with air? or just leave it be

 

[Droning on and on...]

Thank You ALL for help moving me forward
I need to ask about buying Props and downloading files
I'm stuck and not having any luck either plugging the controller into my MAC or using quick transfer ,and need input going forward
When Buying Props
Is it safe to trust NON DJI purchases?

Props (ignoring screws) are the least expensive part of the drone, and are a "wear item", so are expected to be replaced. Pretty cheap.

I stick to OEM props. Too many stories here of aftermarket props breaking and causing a crash.

 

[Flyn2024]

From my experience, the few tips sometimes not mentioned are :
1. The foam on your gimbal is not needed, the gimbal protector already protects and hold the gimbal in place, worst case scenario is you put unnecessary strain on the gimbal when you are taking it on and off. I think it's only there to protect it while in transit.
2. Take off the gimbal protector if you are going to turn on the drone even when you're not planning to fly (Maybe just Quicktransferring the files from the SDcard to your phone). The drone does a gimbal calibration when it's booting.
3. Do not use CPL filter when you are taking Panorama shots or the sky will get weird.
4. The joysticks.. I dropped them 3 out of 5 times when trying to put it on the remote control, almost lost them too, so be careful.
5. The obstacle avoidance sensors rule of thumb is : if you think you will be having a hard time navigating the obstacles, the sensor will also have a hard time navigating around the obstacles

I ordered a larger case and joystick cover to stop taking them off to put away.

 

[Yaros]

Props (ignoring screws) are the least expensive part of the drone, and are a "wear item", so are expected to be replaced. Pretty cheap.

I stick to OEM props. Too many stories here of aftermarket props breaking and causing a crash.

Master Airscrew seem reliable from what I heard. However I also fly DJI props on all drones except my FPV drones (which are custom built)