For Beginners: My Two Cents for New Drone Pilots:
(Disclaimer: I in no way feel I know more than anyone else with my knowledge and experience flying drones. The below are my thoughts for new drone owners and I’m sure others will disagree with at least some of them).
Bought a $100 Drone, Bad Idea:
I forget what maker it was but it was a cheap knockoff Chinese drone. I didn’t know better at the time or did any real research. I tried flying it a few times, after one too many ‘fly aways’ I threw it in a dumpster.
After Some Research:
Went to Best Buy and bought the Mavic Air 2 (it just came out but had great reviews) along with the Fly More Combo and DJI Care Refresh. I also now have a Phantom 4 Pro for commercial work as well. I could mention the latest drones in this article but do your own research for what is available, in your price range and right for you.
YouTube, YouTube, YouTube:
From unboxing, camera settings, advanced maneuvers and more there are many great YouTube videos that explain and help with any information you may want for your drone or drones in general. This includes FAA rules and properly registering yourself and your drone.
Your best resource for registration and most things related to the FAA is: FAADroneZone.
Facebook Groups:
Search Facebook and you will find many groups for your drone and most likely at least one local one. Besides being able to ask almost any question and get an answer, searching the groups for information is a great resource. Warning: if your having an issue or question make sure to research the answer before asking a group. Most are happy to help but all expect you to attempt to find the answer yourself first.
Know when and where and how high you can fly:
Download the the B4UFLY and Aloft phone apps to help with this. AIRMAP is good too and I know there are others out there now and will be released after this article. The important thing is to know your airspace and be safe.
I found a nearby park that was flat and void of people to practice different manual maneuvers and the automated ones that come with the drone software (again, YouTube has a lot of great information). I would suggest practice flying before you begin using the camera for photos and videos but as soon as your comfortable with beginner flying most want to see how good the camera is and start doing both.
If I’m planning to fly in a populated park or location I do attempt to contact a park ranger or office for example to determine their stance on the use of drones. I’ve had a few uncomfortable encounters; the FAA owns the airspace but where you takeoff and land a drone is a different story. Even if your legally allowed to fly at a park, contacting them let’s them know your there and can prevent unwanted conversations.
Experience along with knowing the rules concerning the use of unmanned aircraft will really help you with your confidence flying in general.
If possible fly with an experienced drone pilot:
It will get you up to speed much faster. I did not have this luxury, I started flying and typically fly alone. Seems difficult getting a group together. There are also on-line and some in-person training courses available.
In summery:
When your a beginner, do not just go out on the street and put it up in the air. Best to go through a number of tutorials, learn the FAA rules, do your registrations if required then fly in a safe location to gain comfort and confidence. There are so many other things that could be added to this but in the end it’s all about knowledge and experience.
Always keep up with the latest FAA drone laws and general news concerning drone use.
Later on:
Getting my Part 107 certification for commercial drone use was really important to me, not just because I sell a service but also because it teaches you a lot about how and when to fly a drone legally and safely. I compare it to my concealed carry gun license. I do not carry a gun very often but going through the process taught (and honestly scared me about) all the possibly laws and consequences. I highly recommend the Pilot Institute to learn and take your Part 107 exam but there are other training courses out there too. You learn so much more beyond what is needed for the exam; I now have thoughts of becoming a manned aircraft pilot someday.
My Phantom 4 Pro. I have a Mavic Air 2 as well but use the Phantom for commercial work.
