Phantom flying courses, anyone done one?

[FL1H1]

Just getting my Mavic Pro Combo this past Sunday from John Lewis/Waitrose click & collect, hopefully picking up a cellular mini ipad 4 tomorrow, I hope to start unpacking it all, charging batteries and setting it all up tomorrow or Friday/Saturday (Friday looks to be a bit of a wash out so it won't be getting flown Friday)

I'll bet many started off excited but also very apprehensive flying it for the first time? And much as I can fly very early in the morning in an unbuilt recreational area of land probably at least two square miles, I must admit to being a bit nervous. However, the Phantom flying school do courses not too far from me, not cheap so I'm inclined to ask if anyone's attended one? And given its £200 for two hours, if they're worth it? Thanks. Kevin.

 

[rickw]

no way,watch videos,read everything you can,big open area,go fly.Just take it nice and slow,walk before you run,ENJOY your new bird

 

[MavicNoob79]

Never flew anything remotely.
Got a Mavic Air a couple weeks ago and just started out slow and in beginner mode. You'll catch on. No way is that much money worth it. You'll learn. Make sure to be in big open area and don't go very high or too far. Practice makes perfect

 

[tiparoch]

Hi Kevin. Yup, what they said. Where I live things are very restricted, have to go out of a huge metro area. So places try to seize on that and over charge. In your DJI GO4 .app, on your phone or tablet, there is a flight simulator. That is a good way to start. I think it is under the Academy icon. I started with a old old Phantom 2, no display, You had to look at the flashing lights and figure out if you had enough satellites. My how things have changed. The Mavic is quite intuitive and generally wont let you take off unless thing are ok. As they said, watch stuff on YouTube. Make sure you know what the controller does...The pause button and RTH return to home buttons are very good to know just in case. Take things slow, Don't be in a hurry. Maybe write down a list of pre-flight checks etc. Have a big open space, if possible. No people. Or keep them near you...not too high or far. Oh, you might keep your Mavic pointed in the same heading, ie. keep it going forward, in front of you. Go out pushing forward, and then to bring it back home, pull the stick to go backward, and it backs up. If you go out and turn around, your right and left controls are now opposite. This can be confusing at first. And some times you cant tell which way the head is going, I still do this. I was shooting in some really high mountains, heavy winds and 5 km. away. I still do my trick...go out going forward and just pull the stick back to bring it home. Go slow and have FUN! Chaz

 

[microlinux]

The basic "flying" part is extremely easy, the drone goes where you point the sticks - except as been mentioned, right/left are reversed if the front of the drone is facing you. It's really not all that different than a RC car. As long as you have good GPS, you're not going to be fighting wind, etc . . . anyone can do it. It's more the feeding and care of the drone, and knowing exactly how the more advanced features operate that require more in-depth learning. These things you can find in the manual, Youtube videos, here, etc . . .

Some people do learn better in a classroom setting, but I'd take it out to a nice open area and give it a try first to see what you think. It didn't take me long at all to feel comfortable. Read the entire manual!

 

[FL1H1]

Thank you all for your replies. As it turns out the course for this weekend, when it's forecast to clear up after a few days of high winds, heavy showers, heavy rain and where I live I have had thunder and lightning, is fully booked and the next available course I can attend isn't for a full month. Well, I'm not waiting that long before flying it so I ended up just watching yet more tutorials on you tube, even having watched many I actually found more, some are better than others and maybe a good idea would be for me and others to post links to what we think are good tutorials on you tube. I'll look at doing that later today. This just made me look up videos like best apps for drones and more and the more videos I view the more confident I get.

Maybe hasn't helped that yesterday, where I planned to first fly it, I saw a helicopter flying very low, probably about 1000ft, and today another, just skimming the clouds at maybe 1500 - 2000 ft, and although a little outside a no fly zone ( actually might not be a strict no fly zone, I think from an app it might just be a case of notifying a local grass aerodrome of ones flying?) , I've decided to relocate a few miles drive to this recreational parkland/public golf course area. As for the course, well, I'll take a view on it later, maybe I'm just accustomed to courses from scuba diving? Though I think Govt might make us all take courses one day, and maybe I should leave it till then when recognised certificates can be issued.

 

[tiparoch]

Just a thought, you should not go very high, especially your first flight or two. Also dont get over complicated, more get confused and forget. Keep it simple and just learn to fly it

 

[FL1H1]

Just a thought, you should not go very high, especially your first flight or two. Also dont get over complicated, more get confused and forget. Keep it simple and just learn to fly it

No worries there. Do I sound so full of confidence? No, I can see from watching A LOT of you tube videos that there's a lot to discover and learn and whilst I'm really pleased to have found this hobby, and look forward to getting back into photography and video I'm in no massive rush to get going. My Mavic has yet to be unboxed and I've had it since Sunday, should get a cellular mini ipad 4 with which to fly it today, scheduled to pour with rain Friday clearing Saturday morning with light winds, that's planned as my first launch day. I'd like to be fairly proficient by August, that would be nice as then I'm off to Norway for my err... 50th Birthday. [emoji2]

 

[droneing]

Enjoy your first flight, be safe.....

 

[tiparoch]

No worries there. Do I sound so full of confidence? No, I can see from watching A LOT of you tube videos that there's a lot to discover and learn and whilst I'm really pleased to have found this hobby, and look forward to getting back into photography and video I'm in no massive rush to get going. My Mavic has yet to be unboxed and I've had it since Sunday, should get a cellular mini ipad 4 with which to fly it today, scheduled to pour with rain Friday clearing Saturday morning with light winds, that's planned as my first launch day. I'd like to be fairly proficient by August, that would be nice as then I'm off to Norway for my err... 50th Birthday. [emoji2]

Hi there. You will be FINE... As I mentioned...you should try the simulator... The controls are about exactly the same. though of course the views are 'simulated'.
If you are a photographer you will REALLY like your Mavic Pro. There are some very nice features that basically only the Mavic Pro can do, such as taking still photos in Landscape and Portrait view points. Start practicing now. Download the DJI 4 app on your phone and experiment inside, with the props off...and try the simulator. I think it will reduce your anxiety a bit. You are smart to want to get proficient before going abroad! I tell people that where I live don't make your first flight while abroad! I was in Fiji on holiday a few years back and heard 4 separate stories of tourists that had come there on holiday with drones...had never flown the thing and they flew off. This is in the days of no monitors and sketchy GPS... Maybe I should not have mentioned that ... Don't worry! Like with Scuba Diving the best thing is to stay calm. I once heard some good advice, if things get a bit wonky actually go up... (moderate) altitude is your friend. You have more options. The Mavic Pro is a great machine... You will be ready for Norway and be able to properly celebrate your birthday! Keep up informed!

 

[FL1H1]

Hi there. You will be FINE... As I mentioned...you should try the simulator... The controls are about exactly the same. though of course the views are 'simulated'.
If you are a photographer you will REALLY like your Mavic Pro. There are some very nice features that basically only the Mavic Pro can do, such as taking still photos in Landscape and Portrait view points. Start practicing now. Download the DJI 4 app on your phone and experiment inside, with the props off...and try the simulator. I think it will reduce your anxiety a bit. You are smart to want to get proficient before going abroad! I tell people that where I live don't make your first flight while abroad! I was in Fiji on holiday a few years back and heard 4 separate stories of tourists that had come there on holiday with drones...had never flown the thing and they flew off. This is in the days of no monitors and sketchy GPS... Maybe I should not have mentioned that ... Don't worry! Like with Scuba Diving the best thing is to stay calm. I once heard some good advice, if things get a bit wonky actually go up... (moderate) altitude is your friend. You have more options. The Mavic Pro is a great machine... You will be ready for Norway and be able to properly celebrate your birthday! Keep up informed!

Will do. Only thing is I too am going by cruise ship and I have just received a reply on another thread how he found using a drone in Norway. Well, he advised they categorically refused to let him take it which is a shame because that is how I am visiting. In truth, I'd rather cancel and go by ferry and car but a family member, nephew, works for one of the big cruise agencies and can get family, very good deals so I've got many family members joining us and well, we just can't all go in a carI will try the simulator. Thanks

 

[tiparoch]

Hi . Who refused to let him take it? The Cruise Company? I wonder how would they know?
I can see that the cruise company would not want people flying drone on their boats... That is a dumb thing to do anyway... but at the ports of call? One idea I had , if the cruise company forbade them..in luggage...maybe? Maybe surrender it to them and pick it up when you leave ...?

 

[tiparoch]

found this

Can You Bring a Drone on a Cruise Ship? - Cruise Critic

 

[FL1H1]

found this

Can You Bring a Drone on a Cruise Ship? - Cruise Critic

@tiparoch Right, thanks for that . . . I can appreciate their no flying from the ship policy, what gets me I think is that technically you could take batteries on board - for numerous devices, have one catch fire but batteries aren't banned whilst a drone, not to be flown from the ship, and so posing no risk can be deemed 'prohibited' - it rates with me as a lazy cover all policy.

 

[FL1H1]

Hi . Who refused to let him take it? The Cruise Company? I wonder how would they know?
I can see that the cruise company would not want people flying drone on their boats... That is a dumb thing to do anyway... but at the ports of call? One idea I had , if the cruise company forbade them..in luggage...maybe? Maybe surrender it to them and pick it up when you leave ...?

P&O, he phoned them to ask them if he could take it and they categorically refused him permission. It'll be some big wig who knows little about drones just refusing to listen to reason. I can see they do have some valid concerns but it's like mobiles - it's not that long a go the airlines were keen to stop people bringing smart phones, lap tops and ipads on aircraft but they just fought a losing battle didn't they.

 

[tiparoch]

Mmm.yeah. not a nice policy. But sadly that is an aspect of drones. Where l live there are massive no fly zones. But l have learned where to go. Have you checked with your cruise lines' rules? There are some idiots flying out there ruining it for the rest of us.

 

[Mossiback]

...However, the Phantom flying school do courses not too far from me, not cheap so I'm inclined to ask if anyone's attended one? And given its £200 for two hours, if they're worth it?...

Nope. Read the manual. Go to an open area, get RTH set up properly, keep it close, and fly it around.
Once you are comfortable with the controls you can play around with the app. A more in-depth look at the Go 4 settings can be found here: Syonyk's Project Blog: DJI Mavic Pro: The Missing Handbook: Basic Operations

... maybe a good idea would be for me and others to post links to what we think are good tutorials on you tube...

I like this one. Not a lot of BS.

Welcome and have fun!

 

[MavicNoob79]

And hope your like is not as bad as mine. I just finally decided to go up higher than I have. This is only meeting 3rd time I've flown. Anyways, I'm at about 100 feet and getting a great view. Then I glance to the right of where my drone is hovering and see a fly away helium mylar balloon coming towards my drone!
Hit the switch to sport mode and dropped it fast lol. Whew. Close one

 

[FL1H1]

Mmm.yeah. not a nice policy. But sadly that is an aspect of drones. Where l live there are massive no fly zones. But l have learned where to go. Have you checked with your cruise lines' rules? There are some idiots flying out there ruining it for the rest of us.

Yeah, my belief is the policy will change as more and more get drones. People are saying they don't want to damage other guests experience meaning peace and quiet in theory and they always quote safety but I've seen the same happen with phones and smart phones. Cameras, video cameras have long been banned from theatres and cinemas, even rides at theme parks but a go pro is a video camera and they've had no choice but to relent. Probably not enough yet own one for most companies to employ people to run and enforce rules so they take the easy option of ban them. The idea seems to be ban them and no one will buy them and the problem will go away, but that's not the direction it's going to go and as for peace and quiet, well, drones will get lighter and quieter and compared to the 80s and 90s peace is already infringed by all of us having smart phones and what can we do but learn to live with it.

 

[FL1H1]

Thanks for this though I note this too forgets to calibrate the compass, which I think is essential prior to flight, also antennae extended 45 degrees. I'm also a bit confused, some tutorials say turn the drone on first, Then the controller, others the controller then the drone. What's the official one? I have yet to unpack it, put it together, charge things, look at the simulator and read the manual. I'm waiting to get good, dry, low wind weather, the weekend off work, and absolutely everything together, with a landing pad and good weather about the only things I'm now left waiting for, both expected by Saturday morning.