Josh and Alex share some tips on how to fly a drone and become a skilled drone pilot!
Start Small
Fly something that is more manageable at first. Some of our suggestions are:
- Tiny Whoop or Inductrix (great for indoor flying)
- FT Gremlin (great for indoor/outdoor flying and more advanced)
- Flite Test edition Vortex 150 (great for getting into the racing quad size)
First fly line of sight before jumping to FPV. When you do this you’ll learn the disciplines of flight: yaw, pitch, bank and throttle management. Taking the time to learn how to fly properly will make you a better pilot overall.
There are a handful of fundamental flight modes with drones:
- GPS leveling (let go of sticks, it stays in place)
- Auto level/horizon mode (still have to manage throttle)—also has bank angle limits
- Acro mode/manual—most difficult mode to fly in. You’ll be controlling every aspect of it
Know your orientation
Put an arrow on or mark where the front is; take off with the arrow pointing away from you.
Learn how to hover
Make sure you’re in a space that isn’t around a lot of people if possible. IF you are around others, let them know you’re a beginner. Keep it facing away from you. Doing this will help you learn to control the throttle.
Walk the dog
Follow behind your drone while controlling throttle, pitch, yaw, etc. If you feel like you’re losing control, chop the throttle.
Practice the “S” turn
Fly the quad away from you, turn to fly nose in for a split second and fly it by yourself. You never really fly directly at yourself at first.
Practice pattern flying
At this point, you’ll probably be more secure in using the controls. Try a variety of patterns. Always give it input—don’t let go of the controls and let it coast
Get your own Flite Test edition Vortex 150!
What are some tips you have for flying a drone? Is there anything that has been difficult for you?
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