As a commercial pilot for over 35 years, your advice is spot on. Always approach the sport with safety as your first priority. Do a thorough preflight and build a comprehensive checklist. Fly safe has always been my motto. Rick, continue to produce videos. They have been so helpful.
3 years ago and you said so many info!!! Man I have to respect that you are a pioneer!!! Thanks for this video! I watch your youtube channel but I never watched the "old" videos you made. My mistake!!! Its like buying a book and never wondering what else the writer has ever wrote! Thanks again!!!
The latest kind of attack to a drone are hackers, who sit of to the side and take control, now you cannot control your drone. Make sure you have antivirus and malware loaded on controller device. Incredible video, I am in the process of ordering my first drone DJI Mavic pro 2 and studying all the relevant you tube videos. You have some excellent informative videos. Thank you
I have a number of drones and did major research before trying to fly them , plus I made sure that when I did fly I stay compliant with all FAA rules. My biggest fear when I first bought one was not having control over the drone in all aspects and being around houses, cars , people was something I wasn't wanting to be involved in. The great thing is I contacted my small town city hall and spoke with someone who allows me to fly in a area where my ability to learn my hobby and avoid all situations has helped me build up some confidence.thank you for this video
I see this video is over 3 years old. But thank you so much for this. I've ordered a new drone and it's on back order because of Xmas. I'm 73 years old and never flew a quad. But a friend of mine told me once that this is an awesome thing to try. So here I go......can't wait to get it and learn to fly safely.
Thanks for this video. I've owned the Mavic mini and have only flown it once for fear of crashing, fly away, etc. I'm an older, (55) disabled pilot and I had to save my change to get this drone! lol I'm looking forward to watching your other videos and continuing my drone journey! Thanks again!
I am a drone pilot with little experience and fear of flying. Your video was a turning point in my perspective of flying a drone. I am very grateful to you. Your video should be mandatory in any drone pilot course.
I have had my Mavic Pro for a month now and you have opened my eyes so much THANK YOU!! You are so right , I have usually avoided areas with even one person at them in fear of someone disliking what I was doing.i think I'll open up a little more and increase the drone population. Thanks again and keep up the good information. Subscribed!
I just got my new drone. I love it. I'm learning. I crash mini time. But every time I fly I am getting better. I like what you say. The worst fear? is flying away or crashing. My drone is not expensive, it's good for beginners. I am planning to get a better one in the future. And thank you for that information make me feel a lot better, I'm not gonna extend my limitation. One step at a time.
I'm a newbie having had my quad for just over two weeks now. I really appreciate this video and many others you and others have posted. I haven't crashed my drone yet and hope that day never comes. The good news for me is I live on ten acres of land with lots of that in open pasture. So I'll be practicing here for a few months before ever even thinking of going somewhere else.
This video never gets old. I identify with section 3. I work in IT; the same percentage of users start the discussion with "I didn't do anything wrong". I start by asking "why is that important to you? I make mistakes all the time, every day in fact I learn more from my mistakes than anything else. Until you get past ASSIGNING BLAME, you are unlikely to learn a damn thing."
Thanks for your guidance. I just bought a Hubsan Zino Pro and I realized that this is a serious craft, and I have to take all sorts of precautions and take it very seriously. Once again, thanks for your advice. Regards from Mexico City.
“Crashes and flyways” Had my first crash yesterday. My drone crashed because I failed to keep an eye on it while flying side ways. Lucky for me I was only 6 ft off the ground and flew into small trees. Pilot error is all I can put this down to. Heading in to do an inspection on my investment after having listened to you very informative video, thanks once again Rick.
Thank you very much for the video! I just bought my 1st drone and even I has been flying RC models for while, I had weird feeling when I went out to fly this one even it was in the middle of nowhere. The reason is exactly as you said, people are feared that it can compromise their privacy. But you are absolutely right that it needs some practice to get used to it and be prepared that people will come to you and will challenge you by asking questions. I had very similar experience with my 360 camera. People (including police officers) were concerned when they saw it first time but when I explained to them what it is and especially when I showed them how pictures look like, they become very curious and excited in the positive way. Usually when I see somebody is staring at my 360 camera on the 3m long pole with a puzzled face, I start explaining to them what it is and so. As you said, when you take your time and kindly explain and show people what are you doing, it helps a lot to dissolve their concerns and often ends up in very friendly conversation.
I've just got a quadcopter just over a week ago and have had a few hair-raising experience in the first few initial flights, like getting caught in a gust up the mountains, disappearing in low cloud and stuff like that. Now I'm getting more and more confident with it while knowing the quadcopter's limits and my own limits!
I am so glad I found your channel. You have superb presentation skills - and the material you present always teaches me something. I have a DJI P3A that I've not flown enough. But .... NOW is the time to start.
Your a mind reader - you have answered so many questions........... Of all the sites I have buried myself into - you are the best ! Thanks for taking the time - You are proof positive that even an 70 year old can learn new tricks
Keith G , Mr. Keith, Have you seen anything on how or if you could flight at night? I’ve purchased my first quad ever, Hubsan X4 H501SS. There are some that say it’s ok or it’s a gray area and so on... I’m a little confused. Thank you!
If your a hobbyist you have the 1/2 hour before and after sunrise & sunset to fly in the good old USA. - if you are part#107 and receive a permit - the permit will determine the when/where/and time to fly. To be truthful it is so easy to loose site of a drone - even with lights on and just think if it goes down %^#&*%%* what then? OMG and tears will flow - flying and following the basic rules will keep you out of trouble and save you $$$$ - your choice! Respect the rules of your area. And love this sport, I do!
Fantastic posting. I’ve had my drone for just over a month and everything you said makes great sense and I wish I watched this earlier. Please keep up the great work!
this is an amazing channel and tech guru! Even these old videos are filled with gems of hard core important knowledge! I just spend 3 hours watching these old videos and i picked up a ton of new good stuff. cheers m8!
This is the best learning video I have seen. This should be used as a training video by all drone sellers. Thanks for such wonderful and very important information. Absolutely fantastic.
Great viideo. I like how you say - clearly, specifically, straight to the point. How do you do such long cuts without errors? I think it is a passion and love for this hobby. Good job. I like your movies, mainly because you are not wasting my time. I see it as the second gift you have - a great rhetorician.
Hi Rick, greetings from the UK. I have been flying for 3 years now, but watched anyway. All good points. The public reaction points you make are critical to our sport/hobby, and I endorse your comments, the business cards are a good idea, and people have asked me for footage. I fly over generally deserted areas of coastline, but there are regular walkers, dog owners, and horse riders. I never fly when horses are about, and obviously avoid overflying people. So far all my public response has been positive, never a cross word, and I regard it as a duty to explain to people any queries they have. Yes showing them my ipad screen usually elicits the WOW statement, and "Thank you for taking the time to show me". We are ambassadors and need to positively engage, so far in the UK we have avoided too much bad PR, but like the US we have plenty of bad actors. Thanks keep up the good work.
I am a new drone pilot and can’t tell you how much I appreciate your videos. I have been watching everything I can find on the Mavik Air, and yours are the best by far. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Great video Rick! Very interesting and helpful information. I definitely had that moment about "should I post this video" a couple days ago, thankfully I went with yes, despite being terrified of flying over a lake 😉
One thing that I think should have been covered in this video is the "Do I need a Remote Pilot Certificate?" question. The answer to which is 'Probably' if your aircraft/quad has a camera on it. The reason being that the FAA has a very broad definition of what is considered commercial operation. Simply posting a video to youtube when you have ads on your channel is enough for them to classify your operation as commercial. Which means you'll have to have a remote pilot certificate and adhere to part 107 rules. Operating FPV also requires a remote pilot certificate. The FAA expressly requires visual line of sight by the pilot to operate under part 101 (the RC model rules) and has stated FPV isn't allowed even using another person as a spotter. However FPV flight is allowed (using a spotter) under part 107 and requires having a remote pilot certificate to do it legally.
Qumefox So if I have an RC UAV weighted less than .55 that can record footage and I post it commercially am I exempt? Is this commercial nonsense all just a weight thing?
The only thing being below the 250 gram limit gains you, at least in the US, is that you are no longer required to register your drone. It doesn't otherwise exempt you from part 107. If the government thinks they can make a buck off you, a simple weight limit isn't going to stop them.
Ian, thanks so much for the kind words. I love flying and want others to enjoy the hobby as well. Stay tuned as I have a lot more content posting soon. Rick
I'm subscribed to your channel for good rerason sir. It kinda of got me through some issues I had with my first Mavic and I still refer back to it to make doubley sure I understand my drone fully! :)
Aussie Pilot i agree with all you have said our regulations in. Great videoi Australia are not so strict yet its a great hobby i am only a new pilot have a yuneec typhoon h each time i fly i think its great i am retired in the country so am lucky to have plenty of places to fly Great video
Great video for a newby who's waiting for his first drone . I'm in Port Elizabeth South Africa and as soon as I am able to , I'll send you some clips of my area and surrounds . Thanks once adain for a very informative video
The video was in depth, detailed, very interesting and informative. Thank you. I enjoy your video very much. I ordered a Mavic pro on Jan 5th of this year, I'm very eager to get the drone. To your knowledge is there a specific time frame from order placed to shipment received? I spoke to an online rep and she said it would ship out on the 20th. It has not though, I sent 4 emails and the reply I got was, "orders placed before the 5th have shipped out by now and we ship out later orders with the same rapid efficiency. That reply does not answer my question, then I mentioned to them that prior to placing my order. Their website stated, "orders placed now ship within 2 weeks. In short, Im still waiting. The payment came out of my account the same day I placed the order on the 5th, I think that for some reason I'm getting the run around. I know it's been only 18 days that ive been waiting but some part of me wants to cancel my order placed due to lack of transperancy from DJI online personel. Everyone seems to be telling me a different story. Thank you, any advice will definitely help. Have a blessed day.
I'm a new pilot, I have an Mavic Air2, 2nd nervous flight, I had a fly a way!! I was flying around my house and surrounds. After 15mins I was getting tired so pressed RTH. It took off at speed, went up to 30mtrs as previously set that was ok, but then headed off north past my place at speed. It's gone I thought and panicked and hit RTH again, holding it down until I heard the beep. But it kept going, I was thinking I've lost it $2000 wasted. I pulled the sticks down hoping the motors would stop, well it came down into a tree near me right at the top... but I haven't been out since. We are in lock down and I ain't allowed to go any where, or do any thing except shopping for 1hr or exercise 1hr, I'm also not allowed to go past 5km from home. I wish I could reduce myself to nano size and hop into my drone and fly away, ha ha..I managed to get it back later.. thank God
LinoPR 2016 hi i have a quad pro sky v2 I have difficulty in flying it and controlling it while in the air , I have been looking at the phantom 4 and it's great
flown cheapie drones for years, got over the controller newness, after crashing into several trees, houses etc. I recently bought my mavik mini. First time with a real fpv and thanks to all the predecessors on RUclips that I've watched for months had the confidence to take off and go over trees and get it way out in places I never would have dreamed before. Several long distance flights since, and knock on wood, haven't lost it or crashed it ... it's a whole new world. Looking forward to taking the 107 test and getting into bigger and better quads.
Photography has been my passion for 19 years and I'm sometimes worried about running out of material. Buying a drone this year will expand the possibilities. I got a Mavic Air recently so when/if summer comes back here to the Northwest (we get ~2 months good, 10 months of eternal winter) I'll be experimenting at mah favorite parks and gardens. :) Not entirely sure about getting a license and whatnot. I can't remember jack squat but it's probably easier than I anticipate. It'd probably ease some peoples' minds although the locals are _very_ laid back but you never know. RUclips is chock full of angry people confronting drone flyers. We're here taking footage/pics of the scenery, not your butt-ugly kids. =Þ
As a new person and a 72 years young pensioner (your never too old lol) to this hobby, I live in the UK and we too have the same sort of restrictions as to where we can or cannot fly these drones. Near airports, military establishments, prisons, hospitals, power stations and the list goes on. But as a sensible and responsible person, common sense tells you, to abide by the rules and fly sensibly. Not everyone adheres to rules and regulations and your talk on this subject was well worth listening to. Let's just hope that everyone taking up this hobby, understands that there are rules and regulations to be followed, before flyng one of these drones in public places. Great introduction Rick, for anyone taking up this hobby or those who already fly and don't know the rules. Let's hope this message spreads and is understood for all those thinking of buying a drone. You have a new subscriber and a big thumbs up!
Rolmar2 Private light aircraft also fit in the airspace. Private pilots are not allowed to fly below 500 feet. I am a quadcopter pilot and a private pilot these rules make sense.
So they are not allowed to fly below 500 feet, whats your point? How many times do you see puddle jumpers flying at 500 feet? For the most part when they are taking off or landing. Its just over regulation as usual.
Helicopters routinely fly at 500" AGL which keeps them clear of fixed wing traffic which typically flies at 1000" AGL. Don't be a know it all and ruin this hobby for all of us. Fly by the rules or stay out our airspace ! The rules are not unreasonable yet, but they will get that way quickly if UAV's and Aircraft start colliding.
I hate the regulations on heliports (hospitals) for having the 5 mile rule too! I think that 5 miles is too large of an area for their every so often flights. I live in South Florida and finding a safe area to fly because of the airports and heliports is very discouraging. For the most part I can fly out in the swamp and there I have to be careful I’m not near the Everglades National Park.
I know this is an old video and as a new owner of a drone I have a long ways to go! I’ve had a lot of teachers in my life and it does not happen that often, that you find one you can mind meld with, some create more problems than solve, I find you in the latter. I was drawn into your video from the start. Your presentation is great very informative and the style or the personality that you present it in make it very easy to understand, dare I say like a good movie that you become a part of as your watching and at the end you can’t believe two hours has gone by! I know these are skills that are not learned but inherent in the person, great work Sir I know your sight will be in my top ten. Thank you for your time and keep up the good work!
I congratulate you on using the correct term, Quad. Drone has a negative connotation, brought forth by lack of education and fear, spread mostly by the sensationalizing media in the US. Serious RC flyers detest the use of the word drone. Congratulations on your professional videos.
Really enjoyed your video Rick it was funny hearing it because I felt exactly the same way when I started flying I was flying in the church parking lot and I was taking a picture of Jesus statue and all of a sudden well the battery was low in the drone flew away back to the home. and I thought it was Jesus taking control of my drone
Thanks for this video. I have had a lot of anxiety around getting my new Mavic mini up in the air, will be using this video as a reference as I move forward.
About your NFZ view point. I get what you're saying. But i really think you missed the why on much of it. Media hype was to blame for much of the public negativity. That hype came from Corporations who got caught doing dirty deeds via an aircraft with a camera. And once caught, laws fast tracked and some politician jumped on a soap box screaming "Ban the drones!..." FAA was smart enough in the beginning to realize that all this negative hype was unfounded. Unfortunately them being smart enough apparently changed. If you look at many areas such as the entire S. Florida coast line. From West Palm Beach all the way to the Keys (and beyond) NFZ's over lap. Making the entire Southern half along the coast a No Fly Zone. And that's just FAA NFZ's. Then you add in State and local NFZ.... And add in Yuneecs personal property NFZ's which they're pushing. You can't fly anywhere going by that. For a manufacturer to force NFZ restrictions on anyone let alone consumers who spend a bloody fortune on these birds and all that go into them, such as DJI or Yuneec, it's an out rage. These regulations, FAA, State, Local are simply guidelines. NOT written in stone. And not meant to be enforced by manufacturers for who it is impossible to know a pilots flight plan. And the public who suck up the hype like sheep going to slaughter see a video of say a guy flying at an airport and freak out. Without having a clue about the flight plan or the pilot. The idea is to share airspace responsibly. "Share" and "responsibly" being the optimum words. People who buy RC spend a ton of money be it for Air, Land or Sea craft. I can't think of one that sends it out into oncoming traffic risking total destruction of that RC craft. And that's exactly what will happen, total obliteration of the craft. We've already seen this when a pilot of a manned aircraft intentionally struck a large scale plane on a high speed fly by after being waved and called off by ground control knowing full well the RC craft was there. (He was fined by the FAA later) Minimal/minut damage to the manned craft, total destruction of the RC craft. I get your stance as a seller.. you can't say much without offending one or the other. But the FAA is not a happy medium by far at this point. And with politicians, namely one wench that apparently owes some favors to those that had the money to get her elected pushing a bill to further restrict personal UAV's. You're going to have to take a stance one way or the other or loose your freedom to fly at all except at some stupid park flyer area going round and round in a circle. Which is not the type flying i care to do. Nor did i ever care to. I didn't spend close to $10 grand on RC aircraft to fly line of sight in a limited circle at some little park. Point is forced NFZ restrictions these manufactures are installing should be removed. That's the first step. And this... It's because of pilots like you crap by those that feel the sky is going to fall if a pilot is confident enough and does fly in a NFZ or above 400ft has to stop. It's those idiots who ruin it for the rest. Not the pilot that proved he could and did fly responsibly in those areas. Anyway... That's my rant and I'm sticking to it. 😀 Cheers...
Rick, great video. I've only been flying for 9 months (since I retired) and will reenforce the fact that EVERY crash and the 1 fly away was pilot error, and hopefully I learned from each experience. The top 5 things I learned, but not necessarily in any order: 1. Pilot Prep/Attitude - develop your own pre-flight Check List and follow it each and every time, and do not rush and/or skip steps to get the copter in the air. 2. As part of the "plan" understand your basic objectives for flying that day and what you want to accomplish, be it learning a few new capabilities, video/photograph a specific location, etc. 3. Don't ever fly under the influence 4. Have fun and be prepared to be an advocate for this exciting new technology 5. Understand a follow the rules
Richie Bikelane he is a very detailed person and the people that follow him like that there is a lot of other channel on RUclips about drone that don’t explain things as long go there 😉
I looked at my quad sitting on the counter for 3 days before I put it up in the air! The fear of something happening to a $800 toy was overwhelming. I've had it up 5 times now and even taught my grandson to fly it. There was another overload of anxiety there that I had to overcome. He's really good at it surprisingly!! Lots of great memories to be made with him now.
The feeling when I pulled those two sticks together and launched was similar to the near terror I felt when I first went behind the wheel of a car when I was 16 and started the engine. I felt the same way the first time I took it up to the 120m altitude limit - I swore it was going to disappear., was drifting away or about or fly off.
Thanks so much for this video. I’m 55 years old and just ordered my 1st quad. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. This is the most informative video I’ve seen and I’ve watched a lot! Great job!
Thank you very much for your studied, thoughtful, methodical approach to the advice and cautions that you give. You obviously love your hobby and are a good ambassador for it.
Hi, Rick. Thanks for this clip. I'm a newbie to the drone world and while I'm excited to dive in....the 5 biggest fears you mentioned are what make me hesitant. My husband presented me with a DJI Mini 2 as a birthday gift and I'm thrilled about the prospects of it. I felt that tinge of excitement the first time I put it in the air. That same excitement turned to fear as I realized that I'd just put a drone in the air. There is a huge responsibility that comes with this hobby and I want to respect that and all it entails. Your video was the voice of reason and encouragement I needed and helped calm the fear/nerves. I'm looking forward to more practice and flight time. Cheers!
I recently received a Holy Stone HS720 a "beginner drone" as many may call it, as a gift and happenened upon your channel from a YT search. I found this video very informative and reassuring. My first flight ended up as a crash into my shed and again into my fence. Both times a result of my error in not correctly calibrating my quad. Since then I have gained more confidence and I am slowly working my way up in distance and altitude over my property. Now I'm trying to learn how to edit video so that I can post my footage. I already love this hobby and wish I had gotten into it sooner. I have watched a few of your videos and I thank you for your content and information.
So glad I found this channel and subscribed today. New quad owner and I can't express how informed this channel is. Keep up the great work with these videos.
Hi Rick. Just over a week ago, I purchased my 1st drone (DJI mini 2). I have been trying to learn as much as I can, so I can be as safe as I can, while enjoying my new hobby. I'm glad I stumbled across your channel. Thank you so much. This video is so helpful to a new pilot. I really appreciate the time you took to explain all the different points. Thanks again mate.
I have flown for some time and found myself lax on some of these concepts. I made myself watch this video as a refresher to ensure I follow rules and inspect before flying. Ill probably watch this again each month to keep my mind on the important needs of flying a drone.
Great clip. I started following you about 2.5 months ago while researching in preparation for the purchase of a drone. I picked up the Mavic Air & Mavic Pro Platinum about 2 weeks ago and am truly enjoying this hobby BUT wanted to face my fear about fly-aways. This clip helped me face that fear and trust the tech. And, as with all other things in life, ‘practice makes perfect ‘. So, thanks!
Just one other thing, your videos are so informative and inspirational Rick. I'm learning a lot and have learnt the easy way and have put into practice a lot of the moves and procedures that you show in your videos. Thanks so much! People like you instil confidence and whenever I take to the air, your voice in my head carries through and makes my flying more confident and more enjoyable.
As always, Drone Valley is the ultimate source of information for everything drone related. You have the ability to put yourself in the viewer's minds and somehow always able to answer all the questions on a particular topic. You are awesome sir.
I'm a new drone pilot started off with a crappy one I bought at the mall now own a DJI Spark. I have to say you absolutely made me feel more at ease with flying it. Thank you and I subscribed due to your superb presentation skills.
Great walk-through of the issues for drone pilots. Thanks. A small point ... The airport restriction is misleading, even on the FAA website. It is actually a restriction on flying in controlled airspace. Your local airport, unless it has a control tower, is Class G (uncontrolled). You can fly there (though you are still responsible to avoid other aircraft). There is a way to get permission to fly within 5 miles of a tower-controlled airport (i think they call it LAANC, link through the FAA website).
I can't thank you enough, Rick, for putting these videos together! I especially am impressed with this one and how you describe dealing with the public when flying a quad. I have had my Mavic Pro now for about three weeks and really learned a lot of great tips from your professionally produced videos. As a commercially rated fixed wing pilot and flight instructor I decided to get into quad flying about a month ago. I also am really into photography, so this hobby really got me excited when I found out how it has advanced so much in the past year or so. I took the FAA 107 exam and got issued my temporary certificate before I bought the Mavic. I also decided to register my Mavic even though since May of this year it was no longer mandated by the FAA. I still feel it is a good idea, especially since I feel it will again be a regulation that will probably be enforced again as more quads take to the air. So I encourage you to keep up the exceptional effort that you have been devoting to keeping us informed on flying our quads. I have you on my subscriber list of channels and look forward to more of your instructional videos in the future.
Thank you for your honesty, thank you for the simplicity, and thank you for sharing your opinions that are based on experience. All is much appreciated.
Nice presentation and lots of thoughtful suggestions. One story about pre-flight checklists. Had done my pre-flight and was ready to take off, the screen showed quad was ready for flight and then received message that the IMU needed to be calibrated. Went back inside and completed a recalibration, and I did a few other things before going out two hours later to fly. Had already done the preflight earlier and put the quad up in the air since nothing had changed. Less than two minutes later received a low battery notice for my phone that I was using for a monitor. Rick, your point to use each experience to learn and improve is critical. One area to consider, especially for new pilots, is the weather. First flights are best done on clear, calm days. I set personal limits that were lower than limits listed by the manufacturer with respect to maximum wind speed for safe flight, and I increased my minimums as I gained confidence & experience.
I learned by simply watching people like you, who do teach me things One of them things that others have taught me was how you should always look ahead of the drone, not just at the drone itself. You can crash, if you don't look all around you every single step of the way. You should look all about the area to make sure you can have a fun, safe time in the Magic Mini 2 Drone. I've never ever crashed thus far. I've flown it about seven times outside the back of my building parking lot. But it's enough to spread my skills and sharpen new ones. I like the fact that I have to fly it without front sensors. At least I can actually fly my very own drone. I do love my bottom sensors. They are a must on every drone.
rick, this clip is just what the drone community needs, even here in the uk, and as a pilot of only one year I picked up on some really useful information here especially the bit about public relations, I have many stories regarding this and so far thet have been positive. im hoping to do the course this year so that I can be qualified and I feel that in itself when dealing with a sceptical public will help boost the positive position of us drone pilots, well done rick!
Hi Rick, Just wanted to add my thanks as new drone flyer here in the UK. I've found your channel to be really helpful and informative. As a slightly more mature viewer (age wise not attitude :) ) I started with a cheap drone flying around the garden (Arcade Orbit) before getting a DJI Phantom 3 Standard as a Christmas present from my darling wife :) . I then got a teeny drone (F36) for practice flying around the house on bad weather days as recommended in a previous video. This video I think touches on why I sometimes find it more fun flying the tiny drone around. No worry about causing injury or damage to the drone or anyone else, as opposed to the anxiety I have watching a large stack of cash flying up to 300 feet into the sky (my bravery limit! 400 feet for UK height rules) with the potential of flying off into the distance or God forbid hurting someone. I think practice and incremental steps are definitely the key to confidence for me at least. It's interesting hearing from a US perspective on how similar it seems to the UK (and I imagine a lot of other countries) with the same issues regarding the regulations and public perception struggling to deal with the new technology and where you can and can't fly a drone. Thanks Again Sir.
I am new to the hobby and want to learn as much as I can about it. I have the Mavic Pro and have been looking for some guidance on You Tube and have not found much that I like and I have watched a lot of You Tube videos on the subject. So far and by far yours has given me the most useful information out there! I'm serious about this and am looking for useful information that will help me become a better quad pilot. A lot of what I have seen seems to be of people trying to make themselves know or become more popular and in my opinion they go over the top. I'm looking for useful information to help me get up to speed and better at this. I absolutely love the straight forward and no nonsense way you educate people. I am looking for more and am hoping that you can guide me to more like minded people like yourself. Please advise and PLEASE keep posting more! Your guidance is very much appreciated! Your are doing a great job and service to people like myself!
As a commercial pilot for over 35 years, your advice is spot on. Always approach the sport with safety as your first priority. Do a thorough preflight and build a comprehensive checklist. Fly safe has always been my motto. Rick, continue to produce videos. They have been so helpful.
3 years ago and you said so many info!!! Man I have to respect that you are a pioneer!!! Thanks for this video! I watch your youtube channel but I never watched the "old" videos you made. My mistake!!! Its like buying a book and never wondering what else the writer has ever wrote! Thanks again!!!
They should make this video official for training new quad pilots. Thanks!
Yeah. And they could call this channel “ fanboy keeps chubby the entire time he talks about mavic pto
@@dereksuperstrong1210 huh
@@dereksuperstrong1210 you make no sense. Try again
The latest kind of attack to a drone are hackers, who sit of to the side and take control, now you cannot control your drone. Make sure you have antivirus and malware loaded on controller device. Incredible video, I am in the process of ordering my first drone DJI Mavic pro 2 and studying all the relevant you tube videos. You have some excellent informative videos. Thank you
As a commercial pilot that has been flying for 63 years I can confirm that your tips are spot on!
I have a number of drones and did major research before trying to fly them , plus I made sure that when I did fly I stay compliant with all FAA rules. My biggest fear when I first bought one was not having control over the drone in all aspects and being around houses, cars , people was something I wasn't wanting to be involved in. The great thing is I contacted my small town city hall and spoke with someone who allows me to fly in a area where my ability to learn my hobby and avoid all situations has helped me build up some confidence.thank you for this video
I see this video is over 3 years old. But thank you so much for this. I've ordered a new drone and it's on back order because of Xmas. I'm 73 years old and never flew a quad. But a friend of mine told me once that this is an awesome thing to try. So here I go......can't wait to get it and learn to fly safely.
Thanks for this video. I've owned the Mavic mini and have only flown it once for fear of crashing, fly away, etc. I'm an older, (55) disabled pilot and I had to save my change to get this drone! lol I'm looking forward to watching your other videos and continuing my drone journey! Thanks again!
As a new drone pilot I can't thank you enough for these videos.
I am a drone pilot with little experience and fear of flying. Your video was a turning point in my perspective of flying a drone. I am very grateful to you. Your video should be mandatory in any drone pilot course.
I have had my Mavic Pro for a month now and you have opened my eyes so much THANK YOU!! You are so right , I have usually avoided areas with even one person at them in fear of someone disliking what I was doing.i think I'll open up a little more and increase the drone population. Thanks again and keep up the good information. Subscribed!
russell klenz 👍🏼
👍
Good pieces of advice. Thanks for taking the time to pass them on to us.
They hate me cause they so t me...
I just got my new drone. I love it. I'm learning. I crash mini time. But every time I fly I am getting better. I like what you say. The worst fear? is flying away or crashing. My drone is not expensive, it's good for beginners. I am planning to get a better one in the future. And thank you for that information make me feel a lot better, I'm not gonna extend my limitation. One step at a time.
New Pilot, April 2019, everything in this video is still true today. Thank you for making it.
Still relevant a year and a half later.
@@MarineMike77 2021 - still relevant !
I love your honesty and your sincerity. Very nice video. I really enjoyed it and learned alot
I'm a newbie having had my quad for just over two weeks now. I really appreciate this video and many others you and others have posted. I haven't crashed my drone yet and hope that day never comes. The good news for me is I live on ten acres of land with lots of that in open pasture. So I'll be practicing here for a few months before ever even thinking of going somewhere else.
As a new 'rooky pilot' I enjoyed all of your info. I've taken notes and look forward to more of your clip. Thks for the encouragement!
This video never gets old. I identify with section 3. I work in IT; the same percentage of users start the discussion with "I didn't do anything wrong". I start by asking "why is that important to you? I make mistakes all the time, every day in fact I learn more from my mistakes than anything else. Until you get past ASSIGNING BLAME, you are unlikely to learn a damn thing."
Thanks for your guidance. I just bought a Hubsan Zino Pro and I realized that this is a serious craft, and I have to take all sorts of precautions and take it very seriously. Once again, thanks for your advice. Regards from Mexico City.
“Crashes and flyways” Had my first crash yesterday. My drone crashed because I failed to keep an eye on it while flying side ways. Lucky for me I was only 6 ft off the ground and flew into small trees. Pilot error is all I can put this down to. Heading in to do an inspection on my investment after having listened to you very informative video, thanks once again Rick.
Woow, nice video. I started for 2 years with a race/acro quad and now is my goal, a Dji Air 2..
one of the best quadcopter-clips I ever seen. Thanks a lot.
Dude, you're awesome, you did your best, very informative for beginners I really learn and enjoyed
Great video Rick. All your videos are so good. You are a great communicator.
Thank you very much for the video!
I just bought my 1st drone and even I has been flying RC models for while, I had weird feeling when I went out to fly this one even it was in the middle of nowhere. The reason is exactly as you said, people are feared that it can compromise their privacy. But you are absolutely right that it needs some practice to get used to it and be prepared that people will come to you and will challenge you by asking questions.
I had very similar experience with my 360 camera. People (including police officers) were concerned when they saw it first time but when I explained to them what it is and especially when I showed them how pictures look like, they become very curious and excited in the positive way. Usually when I see somebody is staring at my 360 camera on the 3m long pole with a puzzled face, I start explaining to them what it is and so. As you said, when you take your time and kindly explain and show people what are you doing, it helps a lot to dissolve their concerns and often ends up in very friendly conversation.
A very needed video for the new flyers which I am one of.
I've just got a quadcopter just over a week ago and have had a few hair-raising experience in the first few initial flights, like getting caught in a gust up the mountains, disappearing in low cloud and stuff like that. Now I'm getting more and more confident with it while knowing the quadcopter's limits and my own limits!
Wow 42 minutes packed full of good information. Thanks Rick
Very good information. Thanks for posting. I'm a new drone pilot up in Ontario.
I am so glad I found your channel. You have superb presentation skills - and the material you present always teaches me something. I have a DJI P3A that I've not flown enough. But .... NOW is the time to start.
Thank you for your video! I took your advice and post some on my footage on my channel!
Your a mind reader - you have answered so many questions........... Of all the sites I have buried myself into - you are the best !
Thanks for taking the time - You are proof positive that even an 70 year old can learn new tricks
Keith G , Mr. Keith, Have you seen anything on how or if you could flight at night? I’ve purchased my first quad ever, Hubsan X4 H501SS.
There are some that say it’s ok or it’s a gray area and so on... I’m a little confused.
Thank you!
Except that this is NOT a site. It's a channel, it's just not 2.4GHz.
If your a hobbyist you have the 1/2 hour before and after sunrise & sunset to fly in the good old USA. - if you are part#107 and receive a permit - the permit will determine the when/where/and time to fly. To be truthful it is so easy to loose site of a drone - even with lights on and just think if it goes down %^#&*%%* what then? OMG and tears will flow - flying and following the basic rules will keep you out of trouble and save you $$$$ - your choice! Respect the rules of your area. And love this sport, I do!
That's why I have drones with a RTH feature..they always come back if you lose sight..day or night.
Fantastic posting. I’ve had my drone for just over a month and everything you said makes great sense and I wish I watched this earlier. Please keep up the great work!
this is an amazing channel and tech guru! Even these old videos are filled with gems of hard core important knowledge! I just spend 3 hours watching these old videos and i picked up a ton of new good stuff. cheers m8!
You have one of the best drone channels my friend. Thank you very m much!!
This is the best learning video I have seen. This should be used as a training video by all drone sellers. Thanks for such wonderful and very important information. Absolutely fantastic.
Thank you for putting this together for this newbie. Excellent tips!
GREAT GREAT content for starters!!! Very well produced.
P.S.: It's not a "crash", it's an "alternative landing"… ;-)
lol.. I'm gonna save that for the next time my car meets up with somebody's bumper.
Excellent advice and well-presented! Thanks!
Abouloutly excellent advice.
Big RESPECT to you buddy.
One of the best informative videos you made & I watched a bunch :)
Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the wisdom you are sharing here. All the Best from The Bahamas 😎
getting involved with some kind of "Drone Club" can be a real time (and money) saver!!
Very informative! Thank you so much for taking the time to help out us beginners.
Great viideo. I like how you say - clearly, specifically, straight to the point. How do you do such long cuts without errors? I think it is a passion and love for this hobby. Good job. I like your movies, mainly because you are not wasting my time. I see it as the second gift you have - a great rhetorician.
Hi Rick, greetings from the UK. I have been flying for 3 years now, but watched anyway. All good points.
The public reaction points you make are critical to our sport/hobby, and I endorse your comments, the business cards are a good idea, and people have asked me for footage.
I fly over generally deserted areas of coastline, but there are regular walkers, dog owners, and horse riders. I never fly when horses are about, and obviously avoid overflying people.
So far all my public response has been positive, never a cross word, and I regard it as a duty to explain to people any queries they have. Yes showing them my ipad screen usually elicits the WOW statement, and "Thank you for taking the time to show me".
We are ambassadors and need to positively engage, so far in the UK we have avoided too much bad PR, but like the US we have plenty of bad actors.
Thanks keep up the good work.
WhAt a great forward straight video. Best common sense list I've heard of.
I am a new drone pilot and can’t tell you how much I appreciate your videos. I have been watching everything I can find on the Mavik Air, and yours are the best by far. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Great video Rick! Very interesting and helpful information. I definitely had that moment about "should I post this video" a couple days ago, thankfully I went with yes, despite being terrified of flying over a lake 😉
The best self-study I have ever seen. Clear, simple, no nonsense and all-embracing. Thanks and regards from the Netherlands.
One thing that I think should have been covered in this video is the "Do I need a Remote Pilot Certificate?" question. The answer to which is 'Probably' if your aircraft/quad has a camera on it. The reason being that the FAA has a very broad definition of what is considered commercial operation. Simply posting a video to youtube when you have ads on your channel is enough for them to classify your operation as commercial. Which means you'll have to have a remote pilot certificate and adhere to part 107 rules. Operating FPV also requires a remote pilot certificate. The FAA expressly requires visual line of sight by the pilot to operate under part 101 (the RC model rules) and has stated FPV isn't allowed even using another person as a spotter. However FPV flight is allowed (using a spotter) under part 107 and requires having a remote pilot certificate to do it legally.
Qumefox So if I have an RC UAV weighted less than .55 that can record footage and I post it commercially am I exempt? Is this commercial nonsense all just a weight thing?
The only thing being below the 250 gram limit gains you, at least in the US, is that you are no longer required to register your drone. It doesn't otherwise exempt you from part 107. If the government thinks they can make a buck off you, a simple weight limit isn't going to stop them.
Rick I love your videos! There are very few NON-condescending drone teachers out there but you are most certainly one of them
Ian, thanks so much for the kind words. I love flying and want others to enjoy the hobby as well. Stay tuned as I have a lot more content posting soon. Rick
I'm subscribed to your channel for good rerason sir. It kinda of got me through some issues I had with my first Mavic and I still refer back to it to make doubley sure I understand my drone fully! :)
Aussie Pilot i agree with all you have said our regulations in. Great videoi Australia are not so strict yet its a great hobby i am only a new pilot have a yuneec typhoon h each time i fly i think its great i am retired in the country so am lucky to have plenty of places to fly Great video
Great video for a newby who's waiting for his first drone . I'm in Port Elizabeth South Africa and as soon as I am able to , I'll send you some clips of my area and surrounds . Thanks once adain for a very informative video
The video was in depth, detailed, very interesting and informative. Thank you. I enjoy your video very much.
I ordered a Mavic pro on Jan 5th of this year, I'm very eager to get the drone.
To your knowledge is there a specific time frame from order placed to shipment received?
I spoke to an online rep and she said it would ship out on the 20th. It has not though, I sent 4 emails and the reply I got was, "orders placed before the 5th have shipped out by now and we ship out later orders with the same rapid efficiency. That reply does not answer my question, then I mentioned to them that prior to placing my order. Their website stated, "orders placed now ship within 2 weeks. In short, Im still waiting. The payment came out of my account the same day I placed the order on the 5th, I think that for some reason I'm getting the run around. I know it's been only 18 days that ive been waiting but some part of me wants to cancel my order placed due to lack of transperancy from DJI online personel. Everyone seems to be telling me a different story.
Thank you, any advice will definitely help. Have a blessed day.
I'm a new pilot, I have an Mavic Air2, 2nd nervous flight, I had a fly a way!! I was flying around my house and surrounds. After 15mins I was getting tired so pressed RTH. It took off at speed, went up to 30mtrs as previously set that was ok, but then headed off north past my place at speed. It's gone I thought and panicked and hit RTH again, holding it down until I heard the beep. But it kept going, I was thinking I've lost it $2000 wasted. I pulled the sticks down hoping the motors would stop, well it came down into a tree near me right at the top... but I haven't been out since. We are in lock down and I ain't allowed to go any where, or do any thing except shopping for 1hr or exercise 1hr, I'm also not allowed to go past 5km from home. I wish I could reduce myself to nano size and hop into my drone and fly away, ha ha..I managed to get it back later.. thank God
I was incredibly surprised how much stress I experienced during the first flights
Great advice in the UK from across the pond inspirational and interesting content just subscribed👍
This is years old but relevant
Well put together video 👍
LinoPR 2016 hi i have a quad pro sky v2 I have difficulty in flying it and controlling it while in the air , I have been looking at the phantom 4 and it's great
Would this be my better option to own one
flown cheapie drones for years, got over the controller newness, after crashing into several trees, houses etc. I recently bought my mavik mini. First time with a real fpv and thanks to all the predecessors on RUclips that I've watched for months had the confidence to take off and go over trees and get it way out in places I never would have dreamed before. Several long distance flights since, and knock on wood, haven't lost it or crashed it ... it's a whole new world. Looking forward to taking the 107 test and getting into bigger and better quads.
Photography has been my passion for 19 years and I'm sometimes worried about running out of material. Buying a drone this year will expand the possibilities. I got a Mavic Air recently so when/if summer comes back here to the Northwest (we get ~2 months good, 10 months of eternal winter) I'll be experimenting at mah favorite parks and gardens. :)
Not entirely sure about getting a license and whatnot. I can't remember jack squat but it's probably easier than I anticipate. It'd probably ease some peoples' minds although the locals are _very_ laid back but you never know. RUclips is chock full of angry people confronting drone flyers. We're here taking footage/pics of the scenery, not your butt-ugly kids. =Þ
lol i would bet you live in Alaska like me and out of 2 months 30 day`s of rain or close lol have a good day.
As a new person and a 72 years young pensioner (your never too old lol) to this hobby, I live in the UK and we too have the same sort of restrictions as to where we can or cannot fly these drones. Near airports, military establishments, prisons, hospitals, power stations and the list goes on. But as a sensible and responsible person, common sense tells you, to abide by the rules and fly sensibly. Not everyone adheres to rules and regulations and your talk on this subject was well worth listening to. Let's just hope that everyone taking up this hobby, understands that there are rules and regulations to be followed, before flyng one of these drones in public places. Great introduction Rick, for anyone taking up this hobby or those who already fly and don't know the rules. Let's hope this message spreads and is understood for all those thinking of buying a drone. You have a new subscriber and a big thumbs up!
When is the last time you seen an airplane fly at 500' when it wasnt taking off or landing.. even puddle jumpers.
Rolmar2 Private light aircraft also fit in the airspace. Private pilots are not allowed to fly below 500 feet. I am a quadcopter pilot and a private pilot these rules make sense.
So they are not allowed to fly below 500 feet, whats your point? How many times do you see puddle jumpers flying at 500 feet? For the most part when they are taking off or landing. Its just over regulation as usual.
Rolmar2 The point is, if some know-it-all jackass decides to fly above the limit they're playing with fire.
Helicopters routinely fly at 500" AGL which keeps them clear of fixed wing traffic which typically flies at 1000" AGL. Don't be a know it all and ruin this hobby for all of us. Fly by the rules or stay out our airspace ! The rules are not unreasonable yet, but they will get that way quickly if UAV's and Aircraft start colliding.
I hate the regulations on heliports (hospitals) for having the 5 mile rule too! I think that 5 miles is too large of an area for their every so often flights. I live in South Florida and finding a safe area to fly because of the airports and heliports is very discouraging. For the most part I can fly out in the swamp and there I have to be careful I’m not near the Everglades National Park.
I know this is an old video and as a new owner of a drone I have a long ways to go! I’ve had a lot of teachers in my life and it does not happen that often, that you find one you can mind meld with, some create more problems than solve, I find you in the latter. I was drawn into your video from the start. Your presentation is great very informative and the style or the personality that you present it in make it very easy to understand, dare I say like a good movie that you become a part of as your watching and at the end you can’t believe two hours has gone by!
I know these are skills that are not learned but inherent in the person, great work Sir I know your sight will be in my top ten.
Thank you for your time and keep up the good work!
I congratulate you on using the correct term, Quad. Drone has a negative connotation, brought forth by lack of education and fear, spread mostly by the sensationalizing media in the US. Serious RC flyers detest the use of the word drone. Congratulations on your professional videos.
Ray R not necessarily the correct term. When I think of quad, I think of the four wheel atv.
It might be if in the first reference you use the full name, Quad Copter. Rick usually uses the complete name early on.
Without a doubt, this is the most informative video I have watched about this amazing hobby. Thank You Rick!
Really enjoyed your video Rick it was funny hearing it because I felt exactly the same way when I started flying I was flying in the church parking lot and I was taking a picture of Jesus statue and all of a sudden well the battery was low in the drone flew away back to the home. and I thought it was Jesus taking control of my drone
Thanks for this video. I have had a lot of anxiety around getting my new Mavic mini up in the air, will be using this video as a reference as I move forward.
About your NFZ view point.
I get what you're saying. But i really think you missed the why on much of it.
Media hype was to blame for much of the public negativity. That hype came from Corporations who got caught doing dirty deeds via an aircraft with a camera. And once caught, laws fast tracked and some politician jumped on a soap box screaming "Ban the drones!..."
FAA was smart enough in the beginning to realize that all this negative hype was unfounded. Unfortunately them being smart enough apparently changed.
If you look at many areas such as the entire S. Florida coast line. From West Palm Beach all the way to the Keys (and beyond) NFZ's over lap. Making the entire Southern half along the coast a No Fly Zone. And that's just FAA NFZ's. Then you add in State and local NFZ.... And add in Yuneecs personal property NFZ's which they're pushing. You can't fly anywhere going by that.
For a manufacturer to force NFZ restrictions on anyone let alone consumers who spend a bloody fortune on these birds and all that go into them, such as DJI or Yuneec, it's an out rage.
These regulations, FAA, State, Local are simply guidelines. NOT written in stone. And not meant to be enforced by manufacturers for who it is impossible to know a pilots flight plan.
And the public who suck up the hype like sheep going to slaughter see a video of say a guy flying at an airport and freak out. Without having a clue about the flight plan or the pilot.
The idea is to share airspace responsibly. "Share" and "responsibly" being the optimum words.
People who buy RC spend a ton of money be it for Air, Land or Sea craft. I can't think of one that sends it out into oncoming traffic risking total destruction of that RC craft. And that's exactly what will happen, total obliteration of the craft. We've already seen this when a pilot of a manned aircraft intentionally struck a large scale plane on a high speed fly by after being waved and called off by ground control knowing full well the RC craft was there. (He was fined by the FAA later) Minimal/minut damage to the manned craft, total destruction of the RC craft.
I get your stance as a seller.. you can't say much without offending one or the other. But the FAA is not a happy medium by far at this point. And with politicians, namely one wench that apparently owes some favors to those that had the money to get her elected pushing a bill to further restrict personal UAV's. You're going to have to take a stance one way or the other or loose your freedom to fly at all except at some stupid park flyer area going round and round in a circle. Which is not the type flying i care to do. Nor did i ever care to.
I didn't spend close to $10 grand on RC aircraft to fly line of sight in a limited circle at some little park.
Point is forced NFZ restrictions these manufactures are installing should be removed. That's the first step.
And this... It's because of pilots like you crap by those that feel the sky is going to fall if a pilot is confident enough and does fly in a NFZ or above 400ft has to stop. It's those idiots who ruin it for the rest. Not the pilot that proved he could and did fly responsibly in those areas.
Anyway... That's my rant and I'm sticking to it. 😀
Cheers...
An interesting and common sense video. Thank you.
awesome info.... this is drone school 101 sub/
Rick, great video. I've only been flying for 9 months (since I retired) and will reenforce the fact that EVERY crash and the 1 fly away was pilot error, and hopefully I learned from each experience. The top 5 things I learned, but not necessarily in any order:
1. Pilot Prep/Attitude - develop your own pre-flight Check List and follow it each and every time, and do not rush and/or skip steps to get the copter in the air.
2. As part of the "plan" understand your basic objectives for flying that day and what you want to accomplish, be it learning a few new capabilities, video/photograph a specific location, etc.
3. Don't ever fly under the influence
4. Have fun and be prepared to be an advocate for this exciting new technology
5. Understand a follow the rules
it took 40 minutes to list 5 things. how is this even possible?
Richie Bikelane he is a very detailed person and the people that follow him like that there is a lot of other channel on RUclips about drone that don’t explain things as long go there 😉
I looked at my quad sitting on the counter for 3 days before I put it up in the air! The fear of something happening to a $800 toy was overwhelming. I've had it up 5 times now and even taught my grandson to fly it. There was another overload of anxiety there that I had to overcome. He's really good at it surprisingly!! Lots of great memories to be made with him now.
The feeling when I pulled those two sticks together and launched was similar to the near terror I felt when I first went behind the wheel of a car when I was 16 and started the engine. I felt the same way the first time I took it up to the 120m altitude limit - I swore it was going to disappear., was drifting away or about or fly off.
Thanks so much for this video. I’m 55 years old and just ordered my 1st quad. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. This is the most informative video I’ve seen and I’ve watched a lot! Great job!
Nice. No props, no glam, just solid confidence building information professionally delivered. Thanks Rick.
Thank you very much for your studied, thoughtful, methodical approach to the advice and cautions that you give. You obviously love your hobby and are a good ambassador for it.
Hi, Rick. Thanks for this clip. I'm a newbie to the drone world and while I'm excited to dive in....the 5 biggest fears you mentioned are what make me hesitant. My husband presented me with a DJI Mini 2 as a birthday gift and I'm thrilled about the prospects of it. I felt that tinge of excitement the first time I put it in the air. That same excitement turned to fear as I realized that I'd just put a drone in the air. There is a huge responsibility that comes with this hobby and I want to respect that and all it entails. Your video was the voice of reason and encouragement I needed and helped calm the fear/nerves. I'm looking forward to more practice and flight time. Cheers!
Awesome job Rick, I am new too this and you have brought me great confidence in flying my drone🤠
Confidence is KEY!
I recently received a Holy Stone HS720 a "beginner drone" as many may call it, as a gift and happenened upon your channel from a YT search. I found this video very informative and reassuring. My first flight ended up as a crash into my shed and again into my fence. Both times a result of my error in not correctly calibrating my quad. Since then I have gained more confidence and I am slowly working my way up in distance and altitude over my property. Now I'm trying to learn how to edit video so that I can post my footage.
I already love this hobby and wish I had gotten into it sooner.
I have watched a few of your videos and I thank you for your content and information.
So glad I found this channel and subscribed today. New quad owner and I can't express how informed this channel is. Keep up the great work with these videos.
Hi Rick. Just over a week ago, I purchased my 1st drone (DJI mini 2). I have been trying to learn as much as I can, so I can be as safe as I can, while enjoying my new hobby. I'm glad I stumbled across your channel. Thank you so much. This video is so helpful to a new pilot. I really appreciate the time you took to explain all the different points. Thanks again mate.
I have flown for some time and found myself lax on some of these concepts. I made myself watch this video as a refresher to ensure I follow rules and inspect before flying. Ill probably watch this again each month to keep my mind on the important needs of flying a drone.
Great clip. I started following you about 2.5 months ago while researching in preparation for the purchase of a drone. I picked up the Mavic Air & Mavic Pro Platinum about 2 weeks ago and am truly enjoying this hobby BUT wanted to face my fear about fly-aways. This clip helped me face that fear and trust the tech. And, as with all other things in life, ‘practice makes perfect ‘. So, thanks!
Just one other thing, your videos are so informative and inspirational Rick. I'm learning a lot and have learnt the easy way and have put into practice a lot of the moves and procedures that you show in your videos. Thanks so much! People like you instil confidence and whenever I take to the air, your voice in my head carries through and makes my flying more confident and more enjoyable.
As always, Drone Valley is the ultimate source of information for everything drone related. You have the ability to put yourself in the viewer's minds and somehow always able to answer all the questions on a particular topic. You are awesome sir.
I'm a new drone pilot started off with a crappy one I bought at the mall now own a DJI Spark. I have to say you absolutely made me feel more at ease with flying it. Thank you and I subscribed due to your superb presentation skills.
Great walk-through of the issues for drone pilots. Thanks.
A small point ...
The airport restriction is misleading, even on the FAA website.
It is actually a restriction on flying in controlled airspace. Your local airport, unless it has a control tower, is Class G (uncontrolled). You can fly there (though you are still responsible to avoid other aircraft).
There is a way to get permission to fly within 5 miles of a tower-controlled airport (i think they call it LAANC, link through the FAA website).
Great Video, I am new to the sport........Thank You.......Rick Bryan from Canada
I can't thank you enough, Rick, for putting these videos together! I especially am impressed with this one and how you describe dealing with the public when flying a quad. I have had my Mavic Pro now for about three weeks and really learned a lot of great tips from your professionally produced videos. As a commercially rated fixed wing pilot and flight instructor I decided to get into quad flying about a month ago. I also am really into photography, so this hobby really got me excited when I found out how it has advanced so much in the past year or so. I took the FAA 107 exam and got issued my temporary certificate before I bought the Mavic. I also decided to register my Mavic even though since May of this year it was no longer mandated by the FAA. I still feel it is a good idea, especially since I feel it will again be a regulation that will probably be enforced again as more quads take to the air. So I encourage you to keep up the exceptional effort that you have been devoting to keeping us informed on flying our quads. I have you on my subscriber list of channels and look forward to more of your instructional videos in the future.
Drone Valley - - Perfect intro to drones...well spoken and articulate....great details and easy to understand. Thank you!
Great video. As a new drone pilot, you shared what I needed. I look forward to learning more from what you share.
As a photographer I can't wait to learn more and use my quad copter to use for my photography.
Thank you for your honesty, thank you for the simplicity, and thank you for sharing your opinions that are based on experience. All is much appreciated.
Drone Valley has the best presentations about all things drone-related, bar none. How anyone can give this video a thumbs down is beyond me...
Nice presentation and lots of thoughtful suggestions.
One story about pre-flight checklists. Had done my pre-flight and was ready to take off, the screen showed quad was ready for flight and then received message that the IMU needed to be calibrated. Went back inside and completed a recalibration, and I did a few other things before going out two hours later to fly. Had already done the preflight earlier and put the quad up in the air since nothing had changed.
Less than two minutes later received a low battery notice for my phone that I was using for a monitor. Rick, your point to use each experience to learn and improve is critical.
One area to consider, especially for new pilots, is the weather. First flights are best done on clear, calm days. I set personal limits that were lower than limits listed by the manufacturer with respect to maximum wind speed for safe flight, and I increased my minimums as I gained confidence & experience.
I learned by simply watching people like you, who do teach me things One of them things that others have taught me was how you should always look ahead of the drone, not just at the drone itself. You can crash, if you don't look all around you every single step of the way. You should look all about the area to make sure you can have a fun, safe time in the Magic Mini 2 Drone. I've never ever crashed thus far. I've flown it about seven times outside the back of my building parking lot. But it's enough to spread my skills and sharpen new ones.
I like the fact that I have to fly it without front sensors. At least I can actually fly my very own drone. I do love my bottom sensors. They are a must on every drone.
rick, this clip is just what the drone community needs, even here in the uk, and as a pilot of only one year I picked up on some really useful information here especially the bit about public relations, I have many stories regarding this and so far thet have been positive. im hoping to do the course this year so that I can be qualified and I feel that in itself when dealing with a sceptical public will help boost the positive position of us drone pilots, well done rick!
Hi Rick,
Just wanted to add my thanks as new drone flyer here in the UK. I've found your channel to be really helpful and informative. As a slightly more mature viewer (age wise not attitude :) ) I started with a cheap drone flying around the garden (Arcade Orbit) before getting a DJI Phantom 3 Standard as a Christmas present from my darling wife :) . I then got a teeny drone (F36) for practice flying around the house on bad weather days as recommended in a previous video.
This video I think touches on why I sometimes find it more fun flying the tiny drone around. No worry about causing injury or damage to the drone or anyone else, as opposed to the anxiety I have watching a large stack of cash flying up to 300 feet into the sky (my bravery limit! 400 feet for UK height rules) with the potential of flying off into the distance or God forbid hurting someone. I think practice and incremental steps are definitely the key to confidence for me at least.
It's interesting hearing from a US perspective on how similar it seems to the UK (and I imagine a lot of other countries) with the same issues regarding the regulations and public perception struggling to deal with the new technology and where you can and can't fly a drone.
Thanks Again Sir.
I am new to the hobby and want to learn as much as I can about it. I have the Mavic Pro and have been looking for some guidance on You Tube and have not found much that I like and I have watched a lot of You Tube videos on the subject. So far and by far yours has given me the most useful information out there! I'm serious about this and am looking for useful information that will help me become a better quad pilot. A lot of what I have seen seems to be of people trying to make themselves know or become more popular and in my opinion they go over the top. I'm looking for useful information to help me get up to speed and better at this. I absolutely love the straight forward and no nonsense way you educate people. I am looking for more and am hoping that you can guide me to more like minded people like yourself. Please advise and PLEASE keep posting more! Your guidance is very much appreciated! Your are doing a great job and service to people like myself!
I'm a brand new Spark owner and I've really appreciated your thoughts and tips for new pilots here. I really appreciate what you're doing, Rick!
Great video Rick. Thanks.
Absolutely love these long videos! Great presentation.