Hope this doesnt run on too long, but I like to share what I know about RC. I have be into aviation modeling for over 45 years and have taught dozens of people how to fly RC planes, helis and drones. I also buy, sell and repair drones, and these are some tips I give to people who I teach to fly.
What to think about before you even commit to buying a drone
1. What do you intend to do with your drone? Do you really need that
Inspire 2 or can you get by with a Standard?
2. Will you be responsible enough to abide by the rules and regulations for recreational and/or commercial drone operation? Drones are not a buy and fly toy. Even at the base level, for upwards of $400 for the Phantom series and $999+ for the Mavic, you have a serious investment in the air as well as a potentially lethal weapon at your command.
3. Do you have the ability to fly and enjoy a drone? If you are handicapped in terms of mobility, you might need the help of someone else to fly it, since you will have to bend over to put it on the ground or on a table. Do you have good enough eyesight to see the drone line-of-sight at 25, 50, 100 feet away? Can you hear the drone? Fair eyesight and the ability to hear are important to be able to keep track of the drone at all times. If you are lacking in either, maybe best to have a spotter with you and to keep the drone closer to you than what its' maximum range are.
4. Can I afford this hobby? As I mentioned above, any DJI drone is not a disposable toy, it is a serious investment. The ante to get in is set at minimum the price of the drone, but to do it right, you will need to be able to cover it in case of mishap, and to repair it if need be. DJI does offer Refresh, so they have you covered in case of operator error, but for total loss, consider a drone insurance policy, available in many states for very reasonable prices. Should you get both Refresh and drone policy? I have both. Refresh for damage of less than $400, and if the drone is recoverable, as in not at the bottom of the ocean. State Farm covers total loss from a flyaway, total loss or damage not covered by Refresh for whatever reason.
Which drone should you buy?
1. A good place to start would be figuring out what your budget is including insurance and upgrades. Dont forget that almost every part on the drone has a life expectancy, and will need to be replaced at some time. Also, DJI Refresh is only valid for one year, so what will happen if you crash it after Refresh expires? You can use drone insurance as a fallback, but if you have too many claims you could get cancelled, and making a claim for a minor part might not be worth the risk of a higher premium or cancellation.
2. What features do I need at a minimum? Do you really need that 4k camera, or can you get by with a lower res cam and thus lower price tag for the drone? Portability? Accessories? Parts availability?
Getting started after you bought your drone
1. Mavicpilots.com and Youtube are your best friend. The wealth and breadth of information is amazing, and there are so many forum posts and videos as to how to get started, you will have a good basis of what to expect your first time out and what not to do. When I taught people to fly RC planes and helis, I always recommended a flight simulator to practice on before even spooling up the props on a new bird. I still recommend sims for practice, and it's a good way to help keep the fear of flying at bay when you have nothing to risk on your computer.
2. Find a friend or hobby shop person who has a drone and have him/her help you before and during your first flight. They can make sure all your settings are right, such as RTH altitude, failsafes for battery levels, and mode settings. I have repaired many drones for people who crashed on their first flight, because they didnt seek the help of an experienced person beforehand.
3. Dont learn to fly using the devices' screen, learn to fly and control the drone line-of-sight first, then progress on to shooting video and taking pictures. Keep it close to you during the first few flights, learn to turn, hover, land using your skills instead of the device. This helps if something goes wrong, you lose video feed, and are forced to manually land the bird. There are alot of failsafes built in to the drone such as RTH and landing when battery is low, but best to learn to fly it manually, then start to rely on the automated functions later.
4. If it's not working right on the ground, it's not going to fix itself while in the air. I have seen many people try to begin a flight with an intermittent motor or shorting out, or just not running smoothly on the ground, Trust me when I say that it is not going to get better once it's in the air, so best to abort, troubleshoot, and then restart the flight.
5. Start your first flights in a wide open area, free of obstacles, and calm wind conditions, and on a dry day. No need to complicate your life by trying to rush a flight in front of an oncoming rain storm. or trying to keep it stable in 20mph winds. Not worth risking you investment on a dangerous flight.
6. If you are into the hobby for recreation, #1 thing to remember is to have fun! If your hands are trembling after your first flight, it's normal and will get batter over time and with more experience.
7. Keep it simple. Dont try too many new things at once, learn to fly and control it, then learn as much as you can about photography, then you will enjoy the hobby that much more.
8. Dont be upset or frustrated if you are having a hard time at first. there's a learning curve, and it takes a while to get full enjoyment out of your new hobby.
9. Really should be #1. Safety first! Know the rules, get your FAA, when in doubt, dont fly! Dont fly over a densely populated area, outside of line-of-site range, or where it is questionable whether it is a no-fly zone. Not worth the risk.
10. Be courteous and respectful of civilians. Just because you arent breaking any laws where youre flying, doesnt mean that a person isnt going to be upset with you for buzzing the golf course or following them in their activity. Yes there are some rare, crazy people out there who might confront you if they think you are invading their privacy. If you do get confronted while you are in the air, do not let them distract you from your flight, but consider RTH as soon as possible to deal with the situation. One member on MP had an upset person grab his controller and refuse to give it back because they thought he was spying on their daughter. This could become a disaster if it happens during your flight and the drone decides to land in a populated area because you werent able to fly it home.
11. For now, the last thing I want to mention is dont jump in and buy every conceivable upgrade, extra batteries, range extender, until you are sure you are going to stay in the hobby. Any upgrades you do will not be a return on your investment if you decide that drones arent your cup of tea. and will make your drone harder to sell as a package. Start with the basic package, fly a few dozen times, and assess your upgrade needs then. You might even decide that you bought the wrong drone to begin with, or you outgrew it and want to upgrade to a better drone. It will be easier to sell without accessories and/or modifications, and you wont feel bad as to have thrown all that money away for something you arent going to keep. For Mavic owners, none of the components are interchangeable with the next step up in the DJI lineup, the
P4P or
P4P+. So dont buy those accessories until you are sure your mavic is going to be with you long term, or you can afford to keep it if you do decide to upgrade to a more expensive model.
Enjoy and fly safe!
Rob at Thunderdrones (still away enjoying my remaining 3 days of vacation in Thailand)
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