READ THE MANUAL, please, at least twice.

[Ken K]

READ THE MANUAL, please, at least twice.
Then, when you have a question, check the manual first.
You've forked over all that cash for your craft. You should at least read the manual and understand it before you fly.

End of rant.

Question for all you folks stumbling onto this post:
How many times have you read the manual for your craft?

I've read mine probably 7 or 8 tmes and still refer to it to clarify or answer a question that comes up for me.
I have a current copy downloaded to my tablet and a hard copy printed for reference in the field.
I would like to see pdf format descriptions of all the settings (for both DJI Go 4 and Lichti) as YouTube is great but an internet connection is not always available and download data for many of us is very expensive.

 

[abtocmeptb]

Zero times.
I know everything about product and how it works long before ordering.
This day and age you gotta be really special not to know how to use the wonder of youtube.
Or old.

 

[Mossiback]

YouTube is a great resource, but you should start with reading the manual.

 

[UAVNV]

yes yes, preach it, rest in peace to all the mavics lost in space due to owner abuse.

youtube is only a supplemental learning source.

- to the engineers who worked with documentation writers to create an asset that would be clear enough for a laymen to wrap around their noggin' and protect your investment

*tips drink*

"people will read again!"
- some famous guy

 

[RTKD]

Zero times.
I know everything about product and how it works long before ordering.

I'm the same way. I even watch teardowns of some products before I buy them. I can't help it, I'm just super pragmatic when it comes to spending money. I too found youtube more helpful then the manual, mostly because I found some great videos that don't just cover the mechanicals, but cover the settings THEY use to get a specific look.

I was also a student aid in a fully self contained classroom for many years, so I've worked with people that learn in different ways. Some people aren't as good at relating their problems to the solutions in the text.

That said, if you're not good at reading manuals, you may not be cut out for flying drones.

rest in peace to all the mavics lost in space due to owner abuse.

^This ^

 

[Former Member]

End of rant.

I would not consider it a rant. It sounds like good advice to me.

 

[Olderguyjim]

Zero times.
I know everything about product and how it works long before ordering.
This day and age you gotta be really special not to know how to use the wonder of youtube.
Or old.

And if you’re short on data you tube becomes very expensive

 

[abtocmeptb]

true true.
Candles and books.
What century was it?

 

[Olderguyjim]

true true.
Candles and books.
What century was it?

This one we don’t all live in down town Gotham city

 

[Mikeg]

Zero times.
I know everything about product and how it works long before ordering.
This day and age you gotta be really special not to know how to use the wonder of youtube.
Or old.

Arrogant. I don’t mean to to be impolite but you don’t know what you don’t know. YouTube can take a lot of time and very often convey very little information. YouTube can take a lot of time and very often convey very little information. You should be able to tell when YouTube will be useful and when the manual will be better.

I resent the “or old“ – I am 76 that I have no problem determining when I should use YouTube or when I should use the manual. With most tech products I hate using the manual but with the Mavic 2 zoom I find the manual invaluable. I suspect a little humility will go along way.

Happy watching/reading
From
A geriatric enthusiast

 

[BossBob]

I had 6 months to read the manual between ordering in October 2016 and delivery in April 2017. Back then most of the Youtubers hadn’t bothered reading the manual as evidenced by the amount of compass calibration going on indoors or in parking lots next to their BMW’s so that resource was flawed.

 

[RTKD]

Arrogant. I don’t mean to to be impolite but you don’t know what you don’t know. YouTube can take a lot of time and very often convey very little information. YouTube can take a lot of time and very often convey very little information. You should be able to tell when YouTube will be useful and when the manual will be better.

You're not wrong, but this is generational to a degree. I would bet the farm that I can disseminate information online faster than most, and it's because of my job, and the set of skills I've been working on for the last 20 years.

We do know. Youtube videos signal to me how much value they have with simple cues (views, likes, production value, history on the subject) While manuals (especially from Chinese companies) often read like, well like instruction manuals.

Yes, we do get A LOT of questions that a simple search, or a browse through the manual would answer. Telling someone to just look it up or to "read your manual" is also a form of arrogance though.
**If you don't want to help, then don't reply**

I'll help when I can, and I won't assign homework

 

[abtocmeptb]

This one we don’t all live in down town Gotham city

I also wasn’t born there. But if you want to get certain stuff you gotta move your butt. Or complain about things out of your reach

 

[tck444]

The documentation that came with my Mavic Air , sooooo horribly organized ! Hard to even describe as "manuals" ?

Seven different pamphlets in multiple languages and you will need Grandma's reading glasses to view.

Without YouTube , would have almost impossible to grasp more than just the basics .

 

[JDawg]

Didn't think this thread would become so entertaining.

 

[Ken K]

Can we get back on topic?
This discussion might make an interesting topic in the "Off Topic" forum.

 

[Ken K]

Didn't think this thread would become so entertaining.

Check into Old Geezers vs JOoD in the Off Topic forum and let's continue there.

 

[tonyb]

READ THE MANUAL, please, at least twice.
Then, when you have a question, check the manual first.
You've forked over all that cash for your craft. You should at least read the manual and understand it before you fly.

End of rant.

Question for all you folks stumbling onto this post:
How many times have you read the manual for your craft?

I've read mine probably 7 or 8 tmes and still refer to it to clarify or answer a question that comes up for me.
I have a current copy downloaded to my tablet and a hard copy printed for reference in the field.
I would like to see pdf format descriptions of all the settings (for both DJI Go 4 and Lichti) as YouTube is great but an internet connection is not always available and download data for many of us is very expensive.

Agreed. I have been flying about 4 yrs and 4 drones, never had an accident. Before flying I read the entire manual and view every pertinent youtube. On the first flight, I don't venture too far, often just let it hover before flying. I am convinced that the bulk of crashes/mishaps is do to pilot error, not a faulty drone.

 

[RTKD]

On the first flight, I don't venture too far, often just let it hover before flying.

Those two simple things are the key, and it boils down to "Take it slow" You're 100% correct about pilot error.
The kind of people to heed this advice are the same kind that would research and read, the "Fly away" pilots aren't going to read their manual just because they saw it advised on a forum somewhere. That's the point: they're impulsive.

I'm a judgmental person, though I do my best to keep it to myself. One thing I can say about the drone community is that they make up all walks of life, but they're unified in generally not being stupid. DJI has leveled that playing field substantially by making a product that just about flies out of the box, and as processors get cheaper, drones will continue to get cheaper and easier to fly.

This was a pursuit exclusively held by the researchers among us, now we meet the public. Get ready boys, this is just the beginning .

 

[The Fat Controller]

It would be nice if DJI actually provided a manual instead of expecting customers to download one, especially as they're spending quite a bit on their equipment. DJI should take a leaf out of Nikon's book (pun intentional) and provided a printed booklet. When you read some of the questions asked here it's obvious that the poster has neither RTFM nor used the forum 'search' function.