Recommendation for a beginner

[HMPate]

I'm interested in a drone as a hobby and possibly more after experience. I've done some research and would like to buy a Mavic 2 Pro, but would like to learn more.
Can anyone recommend a good way for a beginner to get started? A local group, forum, chat for example?

 

[Repaid1]

I'm interested in a drone as a hobby and possibly more after experience. I've done some research and would like to buy a Mavic 2 Pro, but would like to learn more.
Can anyone recommend a good way for a beginner to get started? A local group, forum, chat for example?

Boy when you jump in, you go all in don't ya? The M2P is certainly no beginner drone. I am not saying with due diligence and time you can't learn on it and with that kind of overhead, the sky is your limit on learning. But I really think at this point in the game you learn flight characteristics and develop a skill set with a much cheaper drone that will give you a basic, then intermediate to advanced skill of flying and filming with such a rig.

As far as where to go to learn, you would do that on your own, possibly locally at a flying club, like the rest of us did (Hopefully) with tips and tricks and this place is fine for that...and YouTube is your friend. If I had to make a call I would say get you a good clean used MP1 fly it for a year, save the thousand. Come back out next year when the Mavic 3 has matured and jump on that wagon for a few years. All IMHO

 

[HMPate]

I'm interested in a drone as a hobby and possibly more after experience. I've done some research and would like to buy a Mavic 2 Pro, but would like to learn more.
Can anyone recommend a good way for a beginner to get started? A local group, forum, chat for example?

Boy when you jump in, you go all in don't ya? The M2P is certainly no beginner drone. I am not saying with due diligence and time you can't learn on it and with that kind of overhead, the sky is your limit on learning. But I really think at this point in the game you learn flight characteristics and develop a skill set with a much cheaper drone that will give you a basic, then intermediate to advanced skill of flying and filming with such a rig.

As far as where to go to learn, you would do that on your own, possibly locally at a flying club, like the rest of us did (Hopefully) with tips and tricks and this place is fine for that...and YouTube is your friend. If I had to make a call I would say get you a good clean used MP1 fly it for a year, save the thousand. Come back out next year when the Mavic 3 has matured and jump on that wagon for a few years. All IMHO

I appreciate your reply and you’ve given me something to think about. My original thought was to go high to start and not have the upgrade in a year, but obviously concerned with learning on a 2k rig. Thanks...

 

[Starz]

M2 P is a good choice.

 

[DaveK-OR]

I'll agree, the M2P is a good choice, but with first flights, your "pucker-factor" goes way up because of the investment. Be patient, take your time, and do short, low flights at first. Practice simple maneuvers (squares, circles, ascents, descents, take-offs, and manual landings), then try the more automated things to get used to those. It's an awesome drone and you will have a lot of fun with it.

I did the same and jumped in with the M2P and am still learning. What you will find, most likely, is that the M2 is a very stable aircraft, and as long as you don't jump into "Sport Mode" it is easy to control and reasonably forgiving. The camera is awesome, both for photos and video.

As far as whether you should have gone with something lower end, and waited for the M3, well, sure, the M2 is nearing the end of its production cycle. The bad part of that is that something more awesome will be coming out soon. The good thing, however, is that virtually all the quirks and occasional bugs in the system have been worked out, and it is a far more dependable drone than it was when originally released.

 

[Repaid1]

I appreciate your reply and you’ve given me something to think about. My original thought was to go high to start and not have the upgrade in a year, but obviously concerned with learning on a 2k rig. Thanks...

As I said, it's not that you can't learn on one...they have many safety features built in...in fact more than any other DJI Drone at present. I myself pretty much did what you want to do. I invested almost 2K in my first rig. I learned on it, and I took things slow. But it wasn't my first quad, but was my first big investment beyond a failed one. I did however have 25 years in R/C flying and was scared as heck for 6 months when I flew it beyond putting it around the yard and low level flight.

However with time I was hotdogging and going miles from home point. I honed my shooting style, learned from pro's (Inspire 1 and 2 pilots) to set up camera and angles and that video/camera side. I still have it and have invested well over $3.5K in it, and it is still my baby.

I recently invested in my 4th DJI Drone. A M2Z (Same drone as M2P, different camera) I love the thing. Perhaps you could go the preferred route of learning and get you a small $25-40 mini quad and learn some flight info and maneuvering to get that locked into your brain-hand-eye level coordination and once a bit familar take the ole' M2P up and put it in tripod mode and practice with that. All I can say is baby steps...and don't count on the O/A systems to save you...they probably will...but don't count on them or get too complacent.

Whatever you decide we have a great group of guys/gals around here. And we are here to help you in your journey. Not sure of rules here but RCGroups has a great site too, many (like myself) common both forumns. Best of luck to you...and "See" you around.

 

[JohnnyD913]

I suggest picking up a phantom-3 standard first.
Can be bought for as little as $200 on some sites....
The P3 is a DJI product therefore the “TRAINING”
Can be done on a very similar platform as a Mavic..

just saying since ur BRAND NEW to all this..
WELCOME, btw and your in the right place for
Drone info....

 

[afreakofnature]

I’d go with Repaid1’s advice and get a used Mavic Pro original. You can generally find them on craigslist or eBay from people that maybe only flew once or twice. And you can get them for less than $400! Or at least I found one. They are a great drone they work with all the old equipment like an iPad4 and I’ve never had a problem with it. Plus you can get all the accessories super cheap because it’s old gear. I have a M2P that I have to use for work and unless you’re into making some spectacular films and photos I’d go with the original. My flying for home use is different though. I like to just fly around and have fun flying not so concerned about video or photos. Not that it won’t make good video or photos though. I did try out a Phantom 4 and that might be good for work but it’s big and bulky and hard to take around places if you’re in the hiking. They are still a fun drone to fly and I found it easier to see in the sky vs the Mavic, but I like the portability of the Mavic

 

[Kyle76]

i wouldn’t be too concerned with trying to learn on an M2P. After all, the more that’s at stake, the more careful you will be. These things are easy to fly, but you must know the rules and stay aware of your surroundings. It’s very helpful to know the height of the tallest obstacle. If you’re above that and in line of sight, you can relax a bit as you learn. It takes awhile for your mind to wrap around the concept of spatial orientation when left can be right and vice versa. Take it slow, your mind will adjust.

 

[Dale D]

I appreciate your reply and you’ve given me something to think about. My original thought was to go high to start and not have the upgrade in a year, but obviously concerned with learning on a 2k rig. Thanks...

I cannot really agree with starting low and going high. It will just prolong the learning curve. I learned on a Mavic Air 1 but then had to re-learn everything new anyway with the M2P. Why not just do one learning curve slowly and meticulously instead of two learning curves. Saves money in the long run anyway.

 

[HMPate]

I appreciate everyone's response, and see the value of both directions - start low and minimize the $$ risk while learning vs. going high with one learning curve and being very careful.
I'm going to look around and see what used rigs are available for learning and that should help me make a decision.
Hopefully I can find some local folks near Vancouver, WA / Portland, OR to help along the way and if anyone knows how to find a local group, please let me know.
Thanks again guys and I look forward to sharing as a newbie and learning from the pros...

 

[Tolly]

So here is my two penneth. I started the hobby only 6 months ago and bought the Mavic Mini. It is a superb beginner drone. Easy to control, forgiving yet still well featured with great 2.7k camera resolution. The two downsides are that it is light so doesn't hold up too well in the wind and the range isn't spectacular but as a beginner you don't want to be flying in wind or further out than a kilometer! They also hold there price pretty well so when it comes to trading up you will get a fair return and if you buy a used one now I don't think you can lose a great deal when you trade. I'm just about ready to move up but I suspect the MA2 will be superseded in the next 6 months so I'm still very happy to play with my Mini for now, sttill plenty to learn

 

[HMPate]

Thanks Tolly - good advice - it is windy where I live, so that is a good thing to remember.
I've started looking around for used rigs and will keep that in mind.
It appears there will be some upgrades coming soon on a couple of DJI models, so I may be in a good position to do some learning while those come out.

 

[dronerdave]

It Don't hurt to read the instructions of the model you plan to buy prior to the purchase. Go online and take a look.
Watch youtube videos such as pros/con or comparison videos just to get your feet wet.
Find out where you can and can't fly with respect to airspace and local ordinance rules. Learn your countries flight rules.
I'd suggest learning to read sectionals.
Going out with others (experienced people) helps to find whether or not this hobby is for you. As an example I thought making videos was gonna be big on my list but found I prefer shooting still photography. As for fun factor I really enjoy my racing drones more. Each person is different just don't let your new purchase become a paper weight.

 

[Duggy]

I cannot really agree with starting low and going high. It will just prolong the learning curve. I learned on a Mavic Air 1 but then had to re-learn everything new anyway with the M2P. Why not just do one learning curve slowly and meticulously instead of two learning curves. Saves money in the long run anyway.

v

I cannot really agree with starting low and going high. It will just prolong the learning curve. I learned on a Mavic Air 1 but then had to re-learn everything new anyway with the M2P. Why not just do one learning curve slowly and meticulously instead of two learning curves. Saves money in the long run anyway.

Good advice. No hurry to be an expert, learn in time on the drone you really want and eventually be confident and safe on your choice of quad.

 

[HMPate]

dronerdave:
I really appreciate that input!
Good advice on learning the rules and going out with others. I'm hoping to find some locals in the forums on here.

Advice from you guys is great - thank you. Starting to lean toward getting one for the long term and not have to upgrade later, but still looking.

 

[dozzn]

So here is my two penneth. I started the hobby only 6 months ago and bought the Mavic Mini. It is a superb beginner drone. Easy to control, forgiving yet still well featured with great 2.7k camera resolution. The two downsides are that it is light so doesn't hold up too well in the wind and the range isn't spectacular but as a beginner you don't want to be flying in wind or further out than a kilometer! They also hold there price pretty well so when it comes to trading up you will get a fair return and if you buy a used one now I don't think you can lose a great deal when you trade. I'm just about ready to move up but I suspect the MA2 will be superseded in the next 6 months so I'm still very happy to play with my Mini for now, sttill plenty to learn

dronerdave:
I really appreciate that input!
Good advice on learning the rules and going out with others. I'm hoping to find some locals in the forums on here.

Advice from you guys is great - thank you. Starting to lean toward getting one for the long term and not have to upgrade later, but still looking.

That’s a great idea and I would recommend getting a brand new Mavic air 2! Don’t worry about the cost, get it new! You deserve it!
If you get something used you’re gonna worry about it.

 

[DanMan32]

It also depends on what you want to get out of it. If you're big on photography/videography, then you may need the M2P. If you're only interested in the basics, then an MM1 may be your ticket.

Think of it like buying and driving a car for the first time. Different features and performances at different price points, but with much shorter market life.

 

[pelagic_one]

I've done some research and would like to buy a Mavic 2 Pro, but would like to learn more. Can anyone recommend a good way for a beginner to get started? A local group, forum, chat for example?

There are plenty of people flying around Vancouver and Portland. Although MeetUp groups are not allowed to get together just yet, you could always contact the organizer and ask if there were someone in the group willing to meet up and fly somewhere with you. You’ll learn best practices, while picking up local knowledge.

There‘s nothing wrong with starting with the M2P. It was my second Mavic, right after the Mini, and I have never regretted the purchase. It was like migrating from a compact car to and Audi R8, and has put tons of smiles on my face over the last year.

Welcome to the forum, by the way!

 

[Terry777]

I've only been flying drones for a couple of months so am about as far away from "a great" pilot as you can get, i will say these things are easy to fly and easy to learn on as long as you take your time.

Just take things easy and listen to the guys who've been at it a while. Very few if any will tell you how to crash your drone or how to get in trouble with it or anything like that.
They'll all be very eager to help you learn to fly well and keep you safe and also teach you from experiences they have either had or learned off along the way.
It's difficult to get into trouble but if you take your eye off the ball or "go looking" you'll find trouble real quick.