I read somewhere that when you first fire up the props you should hover in place until home point has been updated, but what then? Someone on Youtube also pointed out you should rise up 25 feet and let the drone snap a pic for its' return home location assuming it's an Air 2s or higher with percision landing. Others say test out the Yaw in both directions before taking off. Any other suggestions? What happens if you dont go up to 25 feet, is the downward home pic stored in memory still being taken?
What are some best practices after initial take off?
- Thread starter Skyryder
- Start date
cheddar-man
Well-Known Member
izometric
Well-Known Member
Take off: both sticks inwards, propellers start spinning, left stick up, shoot it into the sky 50-60 meters or so to get rid of the noise as soon as possible and start flying to wherever I need to be.
By the way, I am always impressed on how fast the Air 2S is ascending. It is like it is catapulted into the sky.
By the way, I am always impressed on how fast the Air 2S is ascending. It is like it is catapulted into the sky.
cheddar-man
Well-Known Member
This is assuming you fly Mode 2? (most people do) Mode 1 the right stick is for height control.
izometric
Well-Known Member
If the objective is "testing" then the suggested 'shooting up to 50-60m' hardly seems a sensible thing to do and is not possible without the GPS being sufficient. For some people the ground is in GPS shadow and a homepoint can not be established until the drone is airborne.
Besides which, the CSC motor-start stick-position is both sticks fully and simultaneously down and inwards or down and outwards, not both sticks inwards.
Besides which, the CSC motor-start stick-position is both sticks fully and simultaneously down and inwards or down and outwards, not both sticks inwards.
Last edited:
After home point recorded, take off fly about 20 feet high and away, test all controls to see if drone is behaving itself, if satisfied enjoy yourself, cheers Len
With my MA2, before I fire up the props, I check that my compass is accurate and the drone is facing the correct direction, I also wait until I've got at least 12 GPS satellites locked. After that, I start the motors and take off, hovering just a few feet above my takeoff point, until I see for sure my home point is set. After that, I test controls (yaw, roll, pitch, throttle, gimble). After that, I go flying. Only takes a few minutes from power on to flying, and for me, it's worth the couple extra minutes to know everything is functioning as it should be.
Yaros
Well-Known Member
I do. Basic check, here are the steps:
Before Takeoff:
- Make sure the propellers are attached correctly, I lift the drone up a little with the part of the propeller that is attached to the motor, to make sure that the propellers will not fly off when spinning, repeat this with each motor/propeller.
- Before turning on the drone, make sure the gimbal can rotate freely and will not bump into anything when turning on and calibrating.
- Always turn on the controller, then the drone, to turn off use reverse order.
- Make sure no scratches/missing parts are visible on drone and especially the propellers.
- Make sure GPS Lock has been established (the satellite icon is white).
Takeoff:
- Hold both sticks diagonally inwards (CSC Command) for about 1 second, the motors will start spinning.
- Push gently the left stick up (assuming you're using the default RC Mode 2), the drone will start to rise up.
- When the drone ascends to 7 meters (23 feet) hover for about 5 seconds, let the drone record its precise RTH location (using Visual Positioning System)
- Ascend a little more, to about 15 meters (50 feet) and test all inputs, make sure the drone responds correctly.
- Check homepoint on the map
- Fly off and have fun
Assuming your air 2 has a similar arrangement to the M2P/Z then I would suggest adding a twist towards the prop's trailing edge and then a twist towards the prop's leading edge.
The former ensures the prop's mounting lugs or whatever, are against the stops that will drive the prop and the former checks that those lugs are in the detent notches that is their proper location.
Alternatively, if the same as the M2P/Z, when the prop is correctly home/seated the top of the motor's shaft is flush with the top of the props centre.
It is possible for an M2P/Z prop to "lift the drone up a little" but not be "home", the 'jerk' of motor start might twist the prop so that it does seat correctly.......but it might not. When not seated correctly the top of the motor shaft projects above the prop's top.
Last edited:
I do. I use the following checklist, prior to take off and immediately after takeoff. I open the checklist on my phone, which I don't use for my UAV'S. Open to feedback though.
@Skyryder, In my opinion, it's a very good idea to pause immediately after takeoff and do some common sense checks. Many of the crash and lost drone incidents reported here would have been avoided by simple checks before proceeding with a flight.
- GPS ok
- homepoint established and correct
- compass direction correct
- drone battery status ok
- controller and phone/tablet battery status ok
- control function ok
- altitude and distance readout ok
- Area clear
- Ascend and pause for precision landing photos, if applicable
- ...
Faster
Well-Known Member
Hey, Yaroslav. Please tell me about the following preference you expressed in your post. Thanx. .. KenI do. Basic check, here are the steps:
Before Takeoff:
- Make sure the propellers are attached correctly, I lift the drone up a little with the part of the propeller that is attached to the motor, to make sure that the propellers will not fly off when spinning, repeat this with each motor/propeller.
- Before turning on the drone, make sure the gimbal can rotate freely and will not bump into anything when turning on and calibrating.
- Always turn on the controller, then the drone, to turn off use reverse order.
- Make sure no scratches/missing parts are visible on drone and especially the propellers.
- Make sure GPS Lock has been established (the satellite icon is white).
Takeoff:
- Hold both sticks diagonally inwards (CSC Command) for about 1 second, the motors will start spinning.
- Push gently the left stick up (assuming you're using the default RC Mode 2), the drone will start to rise up.
- When the drone ascends to 7 meters (23 feet) hover for about 5 seconds, let the drone record its precise RTH location (using Visual Positioning System)
- Ascend a little more, to about 15 meters (50 feet) and test all inputs, make sure the drone responds correctly.
- Check homepoint on the map
- Fly off and have fun
"Always turn on the controller, then the drone, to turn off use reverse order."
Yaros
Well-Known Member
This is mostly personal preference, but from the days I was flying Arducopters I got used to this.
I turn on the RC, then the drone. To turn off, I turn off first the drone, then the controller.
Mostly the reason I do this is to make sure that while the aircraft is turned on, I have some kind of control over it, even if it's not flying.
Home point lock should be waited before taking off, or really even starting motors.
That way you can't accidentally fly drone somewhere before GNSS lock.
Unfortunately DJI (dung)Fly hides that information deeper instead of giving fast access to it.
Hi Ken and Yaroslav,
"Always turn on the controller, then the drone, to turn off use reverse order." I do exactly the contrary.
I always turn on the drone on its pad, then the controller, to turn off, I use reverse order.
The main reason being that when I turn on the drone, there is less possibility to have the propellers starting while I have my hands on the drone, the controller being off. The same for the way back. I shot the controller first avoiding any signal from the controller to the drone.
Do I have it all wrong?
"Always turn on the controller, then the drone, to turn off use reverse order." I do exactly the contrary.
I always turn on the drone on its pad, then the controller, to turn off, I use reverse order.
The main reason being that when I turn on the drone, there is less possibility to have the propellers starting while I have my hands on the drone, the controller being off. The same for the way back. I shot the controller first avoiding any signal from the controller to the drone.
Do I have it all wrong?
I believe the drone being "last on" and "first off" stems from RC model days and was done so that there was a strong control signal near the model when the model was switched on. This prevented or hopefully prevented, another controller, on the same frequency but further away and with a weaker signal, triggering the model as soon as the model booted.
Given the way these drones pair the controller and drone I believe it is no longer necessary but I do it that way.
Given the way these drones pair the controller and drone I believe it is no longer necessary but I do it that way.
Similar threads
DJI Drone Deals
New Threads
-
-
DJI Air 2S Fly More Combo (w/ 4th Battery) FOR SALE $650- Started by Dan AISCF
- Replies: 0
-
-
-
Forum statistics
