Too nervous to fly

[SanAntonPilot]

So I got my mini 2 in Oct 2022 and have barely flown it. I live in a neighborhood and flew it straight up, took some photos, and brought it right back down. I don’t know where to fly. I know not to fly over other peoples homes, or traffic, etc. and that limits my take offs from home. I live in San Antonio, TX and all outlying areas are peoples land and I don’t want to fly over without permission. Am I just being overly cautious? All the fly maps/apps that I have show all areas around me ok to fly but I also don’t want to upset anyone. Any advice for a newbie?

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Best thing you could do is find a lake , and fly from your car , go out a ways and use your RTH to get some confidence in your drone.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mini 2 in the Rain. Land on the Water.

 

[GFields]

San Antonio, TX

I lived in Austin TX for a few years and was able to find places to fly. Do a Google Search for vacant lots, etc.

 

[SanAntonPilot]

I’m more nervous about flying somewhere that I’m not supposed to. Sure I can follow the maps but is it someone’s property and will they get angry?

 

[GFields]

I’m more nervous about flying somewhere that I’m not supposed to. Sure I can follow the maps but is it someone’s property and will they get angry?

Concentrate on "Public" areas

 

[Yaros]

Start flying in places where there are no people. Do not fly inside cities for now.

This might seem strange, but when I started flying I was not worrying at all about this, but now I am worrying even more than I was when I started flying, maybe because back then I didn't care about the laws, neither I did care about someone hating my flying, but now I'm a bit more considerate, which is a good thing, and try to not disturb many people while flying.

Let's face it, you will probably at some point run into an unpleasant situation while flying, no matter how careful you are, there are still people that don't like drones flying above them or their property and will try to claim it's not allowed, even if it is. Here's an example of such an occurrence, this one happened to me: My worst drone confrontation yet! Come on, not again...

 

[Yaros]

I’m more nervous about flying somewhere that I’m not supposed to. Sure I can follow the maps but is it someone’s property and will they get angry?

That might happen, however if you're following laws, have registered your drone and done the TRUST test, you shouldn't worry much about it. Your drone is considered an aircraft by the FAA, so it can fly above private property, however don't be annoying about it.
And the mini 2 isn't that loud so people won't hear it much if you fly close to 400ft.

 

[Yaros]

Am I just being overly cautious?

Consider watching this video, it might help you:

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[Bob in Savannah]

Consider watching this video, it might help you:

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lol. "I told my girlfriend I was going to break up with her if she didn't stand here and watch me do this,"

Some good stuff here even if it is kind of borderline asking for trouble. Im game, tho.

I enjoyed the video.

 

[RoarRoar]

If you are that paranoid this might not be a hobby for you. Give it some time. Once you are more comfortable your anxiety will change.

 

[jcw7268]

So I got my mini 2 in Oct 2022 and have barely flown it. I live in a neighborhood and flew it straight up, took some photos, and brought it right back down. I don’t know where to fly. I know not to fly over other peoples homes, or traffic, etc. and that limits my take offs from home. I live in San Antonio, TX and all outlying areas are peoples land and I don’t want to fly over without permission. Am I just being overly cautious? All the fly maps/apps that I have show all areas around me ok to fly but I also don’t want to upset anyone. Any advice for a newbie?

Learn what is Navigable air space is.
If local authorities are hassling you about flying in what is clearly navigable US airspace, here is some potent information you can use to educate them.

(NOTE: State-level laws and regulations can only dictate where you may take off and land from, NOT what airspace in which you may fly.)

From the FAA:

UAS flying in a yard or over private or business property is considered to be in navigable airspace. Navigable airspace is from the ground up. Anyone flying a UAS in compliance with FAA rules is permitted to fly in all such navigable airspace. The FAA regulates the airspace not local ordinates [It] is a federal offense to interfere with the operation of an aircraft, so private property owners and business owners are prohibited from interfering with or preventing the operations of a UAS in navigable airspace even if that space is private property.

 

[Lady Flyer]

So I got my mini 2 in Oct 2022 and have barely flown it. I live in a neighborhood and flew it straight up, took some photos, and brought it right back down. I don’t know where to fly. I know not to fly over other peoples homes, or traffic, etc. and that limits my take offs from home. I live in San Antonio, TX and all outlying areas are peoples land and I don’t want to fly over without permission. Am I just being overly cautious? All the fly maps/apps that I have show all areas around me ok to fly but I also don’t want to upset anyone. Any advice for a newbie?

Do you have the apps that tell you where you can fly? I use Air Control and B4UFLY. They are immensely helpful. Also, this web site ... may give you some ideas.

Best Places to Fly Your Drone in San Antonio - Pilot Institute

pilotinstitute.com

Have fun!!

 

[Rchawks]

Something to keep in mind once you get comfortable flying and confident about how to read your map indicators take your drone to 200 to 400 ft altitude and if anyone does look up all they're going to see is what appears to be a bird flying across the sky. You can always launch from somewhere like a church parking lot and sit in your car and you won't be noticed by anyone. When I first started I had (and still do some) paranoia about being noticed so I would stand among some trees to conceal myself while maintaining VLOS and again once you're at a certain height no one can see you. As stated just make sure your airspace is legal using airmap or some other program to make sure your not breaking the law. I never have or will fly over people or traffic, you can always find some out of the way place on a country road or off the beaten path to practice. What got me over the jitters was flying at a friends 160 acra farm, that made a huge differnce for me and he got lots of AP shots of his farm for free.

 

[mobilehomer]

First, RTFM many times. Take the TRUST - The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) | Federal Aviation Administration

Then fly low and slow around your back yard several times. Then fly higher as suggested.

 

[Rchawks]

Make sure you fly in the slower modes, drones can be touchy, Be very aware that when it's facing you the controls seem to be reversed. Same care should be noted on landing to have the drone facing the same way as your standing to make landing much easier. Pilot institute has a course to practice maneuvers such as flying in figure eights and squares ect. Good things to practice in your backyard if it's big enough. We use to have a house in Corpus Christ Tx that had a very, very small yard, so I know that's not always a option. I flew from schools several times on the weekends when no one was there. It depends on your area. In 3 yrs of flying I haven't had a single bad experience with anyone about any of my flights. But I do take great care in how and where I fly. I have noticed at the high schools now have signs posted banning drones, I'm sure that has to do with football games and such and it says you have to have permission first, which is vey reasonable.

 

[LoudThunder]

So I got my mini 2 in Oct 2022 and have barely flown it.

Welcome from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, USA. We have a Member's Map in the Upper Right of the Title Bar. Click on "Members" and then Click on "Member's Map…" Check it out and you might find some new flying friends.

Member Map

mavicpilots.com

As a New Drone Pilot, there are a couple of Legal Things you may need to do…

If you have not already done so, you will need to get your TRUST Certificate. You can get that at the Pilot Institute Web Site (FREE…) . Your Drone weighs less than 250-grams (0.55 pounds) and you are flying under The Exception for Recreational Flyers, you are not required to register your Drone.

When I first started flying I registered my Mini 2 because the TRUST Certificate and FAA Registration established me as a "certified" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Pilot.

Link to the TRUST Certificate at the Pilot Institute Web Site (FREE…)

FAA TRUST Online Portal for Recreational Drone Operators - Pilot Institute

Get your FAA TRUST Certificate of Completion to legally fly drones for recreational reasons in the United States.

trust.pilotinstitute.com

Link to the FAADroneZone (Optional Registration for Drones under 250-Grams…)

FAADroneZone

faadronezone.faa.gov

Since you live in Texas, there are specific laws and rules for you to follow, please check the link below for all the Rules and Laws that are in effect in your neck of the woods and it also links you to some of the Best Places to Fly in your area… Also, if you travel on vacation, visit friends, and relatives in other parts of the country, check back here so you do not run afoul of the law.

Drone Laws and Best Places to Fly in Every US State - Pilot Institute

pilotinstitute.com

Even if you have flown Drones before, here is some Good Old Fashion Advice…

First off, I've included the link to the User manual for the Mini 2, Read it, then read it again. Understand what you drone will do and will not do. Go watch a bunch of YouTube Videos on the Mini 2. There are Good and Bad Videos (or Blooper videos) you can learn what not to do…

You need some "handholding…" Join the San Antonio Drone Users Facebook Group. They have over 2.500 members and I bet there are lots of get togethers where they fly. You might also connect woth someone who will take you out and show you the ropes…

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

Next, you can also check out our Sub-Forum in "Local and Regional Discussions -- San Antoino…"

San Antonio

Welcome, San Antonio TX Mavic drone users! - Join the other Mavic pilots in your area to discuss local laws, restrictions, great places to fly, local drone shops, etc. Start a thread to introduce yourself and let us know where in SA you like to fly!

mavicpilots.com

Finally, here are a couple of videos to watch that show basic Flight Manuvers…

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You paid a lot of money for that Drone, put your phone number on it. If your drone gets lost or stuck in a tree and it finally comes down when you are not around, give the finders an opportunity to contact you so it can be returned.

Now, for the Fun Part, But do not let the excitement of the moment get the best of you. When you are going out to fly, do it slowly and deliberately. Get used to a set procedure and even practice it.

There are so many things I could write but these are the highlights that I feel need mentioning.

Plug in your phone/tablet into your controller; turn on the Controller and DJI Fly App (if it does not start on its own…). On the Drone, open the front legs, then open the back legs, then remove the Gimbal Cover.

The Gimbal is the most delicate item on the Drone and banging or bumping can damage it. I also fastened a short "Remove Before Flight" ribbon to the cover so it's more noticeable and I do not forget to remove it…

Turn on the drone and watch it come to "life." Watching the Gimbal go through its self-check is almost like watching a kitten or puppy opening its eyes for the first time…

Place the drone down (preferably on a Landing Pad) while it finishes its self-test (collecting satellites, etc…).

Check your battery status (Phone, Drone, and Controller), check the Signal Strength, by now the Controller should have reported it updated the Home Point.

Lift off, 4-5 feet (1-1/2 meters) or so, hover a bit, check the controls (move the drone a bit forward, back, left, right, yaw left and right). By now, your Controller will probably report again, Home point Updated.

If you go out in a rush and race thru your start up and take off before the drone has finished it prep, it may update its Home Point over that pond or that old tree you are flying over and in your excitement, you'll fly the drone long past it Low Battery point and when it engages Return to Home and lands in the pond or in a tree; it will be all on you…

Now go have fun, learn to fly the drone by sight before you try to fly it out a distance depending on the video feed, FPV.

I would also advise you to use YouTube and watch a lot of the Videos on flying and setting up the Drone. When it is too dark, too cold, or too wet, you can "fly it vicariously" through YouTube. Also watch some of the Blooper Drone Videos and learn how not to fly your "New Baby."

Below is the link to all of the downloads offered by DJI for the Mini 2, including the User Manual.

After you read the Manual, read it again, you will be surprised what you missed the first time and you will be better prepared for that first "scary moment…"

DJI Mini 2 - Download Center - DJI

Learn and download DJI Mini 2 related apps, software, and manuals at the DJI Download Center

www.dji.com

Happy Droning…

 

[Aerophile]

Take the TRUST - The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) | Federal Aviation Administration

This is not "optional" - it is a legal requirement, BEFORE you fly a drone. You will learn a lot in the process. One of the things you will learn is how to stay legal (and safe).

BTW, though it's not explicitly called out as illegal, I don't think it's a good idea to sit (hide) in your car (or inside anything else) and fly the drone from there. You not only need to keep your drone in sight the entire time you are flying it, you also need to "maintain situational awareness" of the airspace your drone is flying through - these are legal requirements. Being inside a car will make it a lot harder to see your drone, and you won't be able to hear it, or see/hear other aircraft that might be approaching. To maintain situational awareness, you should not be in a bubble, you need to be out observing (and listening to) what your drone is doing.

 

[jcw7268]

Make sure you fly in the slower modes, drones can be touchy, Be very aware that when it's facing you the controls seem to be reversed. Same care should be noted on landing to have the drone facing the same way as your standing to make landing much easier. Pilot institute has a course to practice maneuvers such as flying in figure eights and squares ect. Good things to practice in your backyard if it's big enough. We use to have a house in Corpus Christ Tx that had a very, very small yard, so I know that's not always a option. I flew from schools several times on the weekends when no one was there. It depends on your area. In 3 yrs of flying I haven't had a single bad experience with anyone about any of my flights. But I do take great care in how and where I fly. I have noticed at the high schools now have signs posted banning drones, I'm sure that has to do with football games and such and it says you have to have permission first, which is vey reasonable.

The only thing a school can do is not allow you to take off or land on school property. The air space over the school grounds is consider navigable airspace. and is controlled by the FAA, I'm not saying one needs to go to a school and fly over the grounds. The point is if you are going to fly understand where when and how you can fly, local officials do not control airspace the FAA controls airspace and navigable airspace is considered from the ground up even though it may be over private property. Some states like Oregon and a few others have adopted their own drone laws when it comes to flying over private property, but I do believe when it comes right down to it the FAA rules would supersede anything they have passed. Congress has provided the FAA with exclusive authority to regulate aviation safety, the efficiency of the navigable airspace, and air traffic control, among other things. State and local governments are not permitted to regulate any type of aircraft operations, such as flight paths or altitudes, or the navigable airspace.

 

[tca]

So I got my mini 2 in Oct 2022 and have barely flown it. I live in a neighborhood and flew it straight up, took some photos, and brought it right back down. I don’t know where to fly. I know not to fly over other peoples homes, or traffic, etc. and that limits my take offs from home. I live in San Antonio, TX and all outlying areas are peoples land and I don’t want to fly over without permission. Am I just being overly cautious? All the fly maps/apps that I have show all areas around me ok to fly but I also don’t want to upset anyone. Any advice for a newbie?

Why can't you fly over people's homes?

 

[Dale D]

So I got my mini 2 in Oct 2022 and have barely flown it. I live in a neighborhood and flew it straight up, took some photos, and brought it right back down. I don’t know where to fly. I know not to fly over other peoples homes, or traffic, etc. and that limits my take offs from home. I live in San Antonio, TX and all outlying areas are peoples land and I don’t want to fly over without permission. Am I just being overly cautious? All the fly maps/apps that I have show all areas around me ok to fly but I also don’t want to upset anyone. Any advice for a newbie?

Best advice I can give is to get into your car and get out of the city and fly over large vacant spaces. Try some of the basic moves and pre-programmed maneuvers under video. Look for road pull outs near large swaths of open fields. Also, I'd add a strobe to reduce stress of seeing the tiny drone. Don't need to go far away from your car.

Dale