Too nervous to fly

[ScottTX]

I live in Forney Texas and I regularly fly in the local municipal park. Never had a confrontation and actually a number of friendly conversational inquiries. Their is also a local RC plane pilot that flies at the same park, regularly on Sunday mornings. I just pick my days and time so that I'm not flying over the various sporting events that occur there. I also fly in my neighborhood and never had an issue there either. I maintain VLS.

 

[SanAntonPilot]

Update…..I finally flew! Went to a local high school and got 3 batteries of flight time. What a blast! Got some great pics of the sports field and practiced making a full circle around the campus. Went nice and slow to prevent the video from looking choppy. Took her up to 350 ft and just flew around. Thanks for all the ideas, help, and support. What a great community! Can’t wait to fly again!!

 

[SanAntonPilot]

Update…..I finally flew! Went to a local high school and got 3 batteries of flight time. What a blast! Got some great pics of the sports field and practiced making a full circle around the campus. Went nice and slow to prevent the video from looking choppy. Took her up to 350 ft and just flew around. Thanks for all the ideas, help, and support. What a great community! Can’t wait to fly again!!

Even got to practice with the angle and straight up shots.

 

[kpmac]

Congratulations. Sounds like you had a great time.

 

[LoudThunder]

It is easy to get over confident, stay cautious, its what you do not see in the video that gets you the most times, a branch too small to see, a wire, etc... Keep that drone is plain eyesight until you can control it confidently. 350' high and flying around the campus sounds like you are pushing the visual range.

 

[SanAntonPilot]

It is easy to get over confident, stay cautious, its what you do not see in the video that gets you the most times, a branch too small to see, a wire, etc... Keep that drone is plain eyesight until you can control it confidently. 350' high and flying around the campus sounds like you are pushing the visual range.

I’m sorry, I should clarify. I didn’t fly around at 350 ft. I took it up that high to take some pics of the skyline. Only went straight up from my position. I was only flying around at around 150-200 ft so I could see it. Was a beautiful day in Texas so it was easy to spot.

 

[LoudThunder]

I should clarify.

I should clarify also. When you go up so high, you can expectantly hit gusting winds that can challenge the Drones ability to fight them. With your inexperience, you might not realize what it happening and your drone could be several hundred feet away by then. Granted, the GPS should hold your position, but perhaps in your excitement, you did not wait until the Drone has enough Satellites to establish a Home Point and when it did, it was 200' up in the air and over the middle of the school…

And you probably would not know where to look for it. Your video only shows the roof of the school or just tree tops in the adjacent lot, not the parking lot where you are standing…

And you would then be trying to yaw your drone around (turn left or right) looking for familiar territory to fly back to and all the while you are doing this, your drone is being blown further and further away and when you hit Return to Home, it goes back over the School's roof.

I am just saying fly low and slow until you can confidently fly your drone to you while it is facing you as the left/right controls are reversed…

I and others have posted various videos for you tro view and practice doing until you do not have to stop and think, "is it left, up, and over, etc…"

It makes up sad when we read about a newbie loosing or damaging their drone when they are just beginning… Our members have taken the time to post 4-pages, almost 80-responses, offering help and support to you…

So, please do not make us sad…

 

[SanAntonPilot]

I should clarify also. When you go up so high, you can expectantly hit gusting winds that can challenge the Drones ability to fight them. With your inexperience, you might not realize what it happening and your drone could be several hundred feet away by then. Granted, the GPS should hold your position, but perhaps in your excitement, you did not wait until the Drone has enough Satellites to establish a Home Point and when it did, it was 200' up in the air and over the middle of the school…

And you probably would not know where to look for it. Your video only shows the roof of the school or just tree tops in the adjacent lot, not the parking lot where you are standing…

And you would then be trying to yaw your drone around (turn left or right) looking for familiar territory to fly back to and all the while you are doing this, your drone is being blown further and further away and when you hit Return to Home, it goes back over the School's roof.

I am just saying fly low and slow until you can confidently fly your drone to you while it is facing you as the left/right controls are reversed…

I and others have posted various videos for you tro view and practice doing until you do not have to stop and think, "is it left, up, and over, etc…"

It makes up sad when we read about a newbie loosing or damaging their drone when they are just beginning… Our members have taken the time to post 4-pages, almost 80-responses, offering help and support to you…

So, please do not make us sad…

Understood….thanks