So, I finally overcame my initial nerves and flew.

[BlackViperXI]

It's been three weeks since I purchased my Mavic 2 Pro and between making sure I've accumulated enough knowledge about the device, finding an insurance provider, doing the UK operator theory test and Christmas it's been hard to find time to take my new little gadget for it's first flight.

Yesterday I decided it was a case of now or never, weather was great and it was generally a nice day to fly, I spent most of the day flying it (between battery re-charges) and it's so addictive and great fun.

Next on my to do list is to pick up Fly More Kit so that I have a couple of spare batteries so I can fly for longer periods.

Pic below from yesterdays final flight (once I felt confident enough to go over the embankment with the controls and how the Drone handles)





This forum is a great community.

 

[FoxhallGH]

Well done ... Fly safe & have fun ...

 

[old man mavic]

the more you do it the better it gets(fly your drone) great start

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Jolly Good!

Just a cautionary note: don't get over-confident of the obstacle avoidance, especially with the side sensors (when on) as they're less sensitive (and they are off in some modes). Even when they're on, if you're going to fly sideways, turn the craft and LOOK for objects on your screen, then turn back and fly with the knowledge that there's nothing there.

In fact, regardless of direction, flying blind should always be done with care. (But then, VLOS means knowing what's around your craft with your eyeballs.)

Another risk: flying backwards is always a good shot, but look behind you before do.

Chris

 

[BlackViperXI]

Jolly Good!

Just a cautionary note: don't get over-confident of the obstacle avoidance, especially with the side sensors (when on) as they're less sensitive (and they are off in some modes). Even when they're on, if you're going to fly sideways, turn the craft and LOOK for objects on your screen, then turn back and fly with the knowledge that there's nothing there.

In fact, regardless of direction, flying blind should always be done with care. (But then, VLOS means knowing what's around your craft with your eyeballs.)

Another risk: flying backwards is always a good shot, but look behind you before do.

Chris

Cheers for the advice

 

[The Dude Aflys]

Beautiful picture. I'm brand new to this, I picked mine up on Boxing Day. There was significant trepidation, on my part, prior to the 1st flight, but now I'm out everyday using that wonderful Hasselblad camera.

 

[StuartMacfarlane]

Also a newbie and got mine just before Christmas. Had the same nerves at first but you slowly get used to what you drone can/cannot do and I now spend more time framing shots and playing with video settings than I do actually flying.

Occasionally I will break out into sports mode and just go nuts but nothing low just high level circles and figure of eights.

 

[Skywatcher2001]

Carry on Mister . . . .

 

[dkuhne]

There should be a warning on the box that says "First 10 flights come with heart palpitations". Exhilarating and scary in equal measures!

Oh, and nice picture - Maybe use the 'HDR' function in your future flights to correctly expose both the foreground, and skyline.

Happy Flying!

 

[BlackViperXI]

There should be a warning on the box that says "First 10 flights come with heart palpitations". Exhilarating and scary in equal measures!

Oh, and nice picture - Maybe use the 'HDR' function in your future flights to correctly expose both the foreground, and skyline.

Happy Flying!

Thanks a lot for the tip, I thought HDR was enabled by default?

I've just left the Camera on Auto if I am honest, not got that far into experimenting with the different settings.

 

[dkuhne]

Thanks a lot for the tip, I thought HDR was enabled by default?

I've just left the Camera on Auto if I am honest, not got that far into experimenting with the different settings.

Thanks a lot for the tip, I thought HDR was enabled by default?

I've just left the Camera on Auto if I am honest, not got that far into experimenting with the different settings.

'Single shot' is the default photograph setting. HDR is selected just underneath that. Appreciate theres a lot to take in at first.

The below vid helped me understand some of the trickier aspects initially.

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[BlackViperXI]

'Single shot' is the default photograph setting. HDR is selected just underneath that. Appreciate theres a lot to take in at first.

The below vid helped me understand some of the trickier aspects initially.

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Thanks so much @dkuhne, I'll give it a watch

 

[Paulf10]

It's been three weeks since I purchased my Mavic 2 Pro and between making sure I've accumulated enough knowledge about the device, finding an insurance provider, doing the UK operator theory test and Christmas it's been hard to find time to take my new little gadget for it's first flight.

Yesterday I decided it was a case of now or never, weather was great and it was generally a nice day to fly, I spent most of the day flying it (between battery re-charges) and it's so addictive and great fun.

Next on my to do list is to pick up Fly More Kit so that I have a couple of spare batteries so I can fly for longer periods.

Pic below from yesterdays final flight (once I felt confident enough to go over the embankment with the controls and how the Drone handles)



View attachment 89441

This forum is a great community.

Congratulations on your first flight! It made me think back to when I first started with my P4 when it first came out. I was scared to death having that much money flying around. Plus just watching videos of people flying over open water would get me sweating bullets! Now the ocean is my preferred area to fly.
There is lots of great advice and tips on this forum and people are generally eager to help. BTW... Great picture!

 

[Deleted member 94047]

Carry on Sir! May you get a thousand flight hours out of this amazing machine (all safe and all with fantastic images to boot of course )

 

[ToddCarey]

Congrats on your early flights. The Mavic 2 is an excellent platform, and as long as you are careful and follow the protocols of flying, it will take care of you well. One point I find is so important is when using the RTH, always be sure you have a good 50 foot diameter vertical clear space. The GPS which is used initially to head for home can be off by up to 20 feet, but the bird will correct on the way down, usually at around 50 to 70 feet for precision landing. When flying with adjacent tall trees, that can be a problem if your vertical window is not big enough.

I have found the landings are very accurate, as long as you have a good contrasting landing pad. Over the holiday I was up in the mountains at a rental house flying off a back porch made of wood but the color of the wood apparently was not enough different from the orange target, and the hot tub cover on the deck, that it would come down close (+/- 3 feet), but not dead on the target. When I flipped it over to the blue target, it went back to be spot on. At least that is how my M2 reacted....

 

[Kelly Dickson]

Been flying my Phantom 3S for over 3 years + my Mavic Air for 9 months and still get nervous every time. Still love it and yea, I'm additicted to flying my drones. Welcome to the flying camera world.

 

[Camino Ken]

My experience is similar to a lot of the other poster’s. My first flight was mostly nervous mixed with a little joy. With each subsequent flight I found more and more joy with a lower level of nervousness. Now, after a year of flying it is almost all joy but I try to keep just a little bit of trepidation. Once you get completely comfortable you get cocky, and that‘s when you can have a mishap. I have yet to have a accident with my M2P and hope I never do.

 

[old man mavic]

My experience is similar to a lot of the other poster’s. My first flight was mostly nervous mixed with a little joy. With each subsequent flight I found more and more joy with a lower level of nervousness. Now, after a year of flying it is almost all joy but I try to keep just a little bit of trepidation. Once you get completely comfortable you get cocky, and that‘s when you can have a mishap. I have yet to have a accident with my M2P and hope I never do.

@Camino Ken totally agree ken ,you do have to stay focused and follow your preflight routines at all times,for me they are part of the experience and they do become second nature after a while as far as the flying part is concerned ,although i have complete faith in my MPP, and getting there with my MM i am always conscious of the fact that things can and will go wrong,when you least expect it

 

[wendyc]

Thanks a lot for the tip, I thought HDR was enabled by default?

I've just left the Camera on Auto if I am honest, not got that far into experimenting with the different settings.

There are some really good You Tube videos on customising for best experience, video and much more, have a look

 

[wendyc]

Please dont be over confident and careless as I was with my first Mavic 2 Pro, may she rest in peace. I fiddled with the battery warning levels because I thought it was being too conservative, and then ran out of battery and she landed a few feet from me in the water. It was so traumatic I have hardly used my new one, thank you insurance, and will never ever get too gung ho again. Hard lesson learned, for me, it will never be the same with this drone as with my first one, I feel like the whole thing has been trashed with my drone. The replacement is never as good even with the new Smart Controller I bought, and you cant go back, only forward. Eventually I will build up my confidence again but I am using it mostly for real estate work which is what it was intended for. ie Work tool, not fooling around and crashing. You can tell its really spooked me hey!! Be careful, be alert and listen to the experienced guys, they know it all, have seen it all too. But have fun too, just be careful and dont fiddle with the battery settings!!!