Thinking about getting first drone but nervous about a few things

[DanMan32]

I pulled the trigger! Should get it from Amazon tomorrow. Now I need to decide if I should get dji care. If I crash it into a tree or something will they replace it for free?

They do charge a "deductible" per replacement, about similar to the price of getting Refresh, and you're only allotted 2 replacements. You can extend for one additional year for one replacement with Plus, which also extends the warranty.

You can also purchase the 2 year plan, which is really the Refresh and Plus together.

 

[philly115]

Got the drone today! Thanks everyone here for being so helpful this forum is great! If I'm just controlling it myself does it matter if there are only 10 satellites locked? I want to try it out during my lunch around 12 but the forecast app says there will only be ten satellites and I should not fly.

 

[Repaid1]

Got the drone today! Thanks everyone here for being so helpful this forum is great! If I'm just controlling it myself does it matter if there are only 10 satellites locked? I want to try it out during my lunch around 12 but the forecast app says there will only be ten satellites and I should not fly.

Don't worry about what is forecast, Your actual DJI App will tell you if your sufficient to fly..If it says your good...your good.

 

[MA2 317]

Got the drone today! Thanks everyone here for being so helpful this forum is great! If I'm just controlling it myself does it matter if there are only 10 satellites locked? I want to try it out during my lunch around 12 but the forecast app says there will only be ten satellites and I should not fly.

Don't launch until the Home Point has been updated.

She usually says it twice.

Once at idle, and again when you launch.

Fly safe.

 

[A.O.]

What MA2 317 said, and when you take off ascend straight up to about 20-25 feet and hover for a few seconds before you leave for the drone to get a good pic of the home point.

Take things slow and enjoy!

 

[philly115]

What MA2 317 said, and when you take off ascend straight up to about 20-25 feet and hover for a few seconds before you leave for the drone to get a good pic of the home point.

Take things slow and enjoy!

Sweet sounds good! I was thinking about just keeping it low in my back yard for the first flight and learning the controls. If I keep it at 10 feet or so and set a home point would that work out okay? I do have some trees in my yard so I am kind of worried if RTH triggers id fly up into one of them

 

[A.O.]

Sweet sounds good! I was thinking about just keeping it low in my back yard for the first flight and learning the controls. If I keep it at 10 feet or so and set a home point would that work out okay? I do have some trees in my yard so I am kind of worried if RTH triggers id fly up into one of them

Actually if you go up higher than your trees or other obstacles you can practice without worry of hitting anything.

Just do some circles and figure eights and stuff to get use to the controls, and stay out of sport mode for a while.

 

[DanMan32]

What MA2 317 said, and when you take off ascend straight up to about 20-25 feet and hover for a few seconds before you leave for the drone to get a good pic of the home point.

Take things slow and enjoy!

Does the MM2 support precision landing? If not, there's no need to take off vertically first before moving horizontally.

 

[philly115]

Sweet thanks again everyone! I decided to get the dji refresh for a year since it is my first drone. It would suck to smash it into my shed and be out 500 bucks

 

[A.O.]

Sweet thanks again everyone! I decided to get the dji refresh for a year since it is my first drone. It would suck to smash it into my shed and be out 500 bucks

Good call, its the first thing I did when I got my drone!

 

[philly115]

Good call, its the first thing I did when I got my drone!

Smashed it into the shed?

Just kidding I know what you mean. Thanks again everyone in this thread! Super nice and helpful. I look forward to participating in these forums with everyone!

 

[DanMan32]

Sweet thanks again everyone! I decided to get the dji refresh for a year since it is my first drone. It would suck to smash it into my shed and be out 500 bucks

Consider getting Plus within 6 months as that also extends the warranty two years.
Not all components are warrantied for a year.

 

[philly115]

Just took it for a quick little flight! I forgot to start recording I guess because I have no video but this thing is sweet! I love how quiet it is! This will make me feel a lot better than I am not disturbing people when I fly it.

 

[A.O.]

Consider getting Plus within 6 months as that also extends the warranty two years.
Not all components are warrantied for a year.

Good to know, I will look into that also. Thanks.

 

[A.O.]

Just took it for a quick little flight! I forgot to start recording I guess because I have no video but this thing is sweet! I love how quiet it is! This will make me feel a lot better than I am not disturbing people when I fly it.

You got the Mini 2 correct? And don't worry bout the pics/videos just yet, learn to fly and all that will come. And yes you will have to take some pics that's for sure.

 

[philly115]

You got the Mini 2 correct? And don't worry bout the pics/videos just yet, learn to fly and all that will come. And yes you will have to take some pics that's for sure.

Yeah I got the mini 2. I just want to see what the videos look like. I'll take it up again tomorrow am

 

[johndps]

I bought very cheap drone last October. Loved flying it and never switched on the camera. I just liked the action of flying. However, I didn't realise that it was SO unstable until I got my Mini 2 Flymore at Christmas. The Mini 2 is easy to control, hovers when you take fingers off the sticks and is easily controllable. When I say easy, I took it very easy at first, take offs, landings, always in cine (slow) mode, always close to me, whilst I got used to controlling it. After my second outing I felt much more comfortable. I'm still at the stage where I will fly around two empty football pitches and try never to lose sight. (It's tiny and when it gets 100 feet away, it's hard to see). Thing that surprised me was how quiet it is. Once you have some height, I doubt folks on the ground would know it's there unless the area is very quiet. Go for it, take it easy, enjoy it.

 

[RoarRoar]

I’m across the river in Medford NJ. There are tons of places to fly drones in the Philadelphia area.

In regards to flying near people take off and land in a discreet place. Try to go early in the morning when places are less crowded. I get my best footage then.

I’ve been flying drones for about 5 years and I’ve only been asked to leave one time by a park ranger. I said sorry, landed, and left. Didn’t say anymore than sorry.

Also try not to draw attention to yourself. That’s why I say find a take off spot away from congestion where you can concentrate on your controller and camera settings.

Also look into checking out local drone groups on social media. We have a great South Jersey group with guys that fly everything from tiny whoop fpv drones to cinema drones. Local drone enthusiasts are more likely to be able to help you with locations, repairs, tips, etc. I would bet there is a Philadelphia group as well.

 

[Fogfire]

Sorry if this type of question gets asked all the time or I am in the wrong sub forum. Feel free to delete or let me know if so!



2. Annoying people. I have read a lot of negative opinions about drones online and I have to say I do get it, if you are chilling on the beach and a bunch of people are flying drones I can see how that can get annoying. How do you guys handle that and have you had any run ins with people getting pissed off or annoyed with you while you are flying?

It seems like this could be a fun hobby to do on weekends and when I go on trips but like I said I am also a bit intimidated by it. Any advice is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Tip: Don't always quote the law at people. You can fly a lot more places than people think, as long as you follow the rules. This includes your neighbor's yard. You may have a neighbor get upset, because they assume you are filming them for some reason, or they think their property line extends into space. It doesn't.

But why argue it. Especially during Covid, I practice a lot out of my yard. I try to always be at least 150 feet before going over someone else's yard so its not like I am looking in windows etc.

One day I was out and a guy starts shouting to get my attention down the block. Turns out it is neighbor from down the street. He says "it looks like fun, but please don't fly over my yard." I am in the right here, but why piss him off, I confirm his location and say sure, I don't even quote the law to him.

Out of curiosity I went back and checked all my flight paths. I have touched the edge of his yard line 3 times and been over the center of it twice in 6 months. But I did do a lot of images of the street construction between our yards. So I really haven't been there, but he was feeling uncomfortable.

 

[DanMan32]

Tip: Don't always quote the law at people. You can fly a lot more places than people think, as long as you follow the rules. This includes your neighbor's yard.

I hope you don't mean taking off, landing or operating IN his yard but rather flying OVER his yard.