Flying Drone Anxiety

I am a new to my P3A and have experienced major stress when too high or too far. How far is too far??? I experienced an auto land via low battery and
was quite stunned by the aircraft response and auto repositioning/relocation to the Home launch location.
Always make sure line of sight is used whenever you fly. If you can see it and the soundings, then it should take away some stress.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
  • Like
Reactions: Azmopic
A good start is bring it in to a hover in gps mode and accelerate vertical only left stick and bring it up slowly till you reach 400 feet cough cough United States rule you will still be able to see it line of sight bring it down to 150 or 200 feet then right stick forward only till your a little nervous then pull back on the stick it will come back or if you mess up let go of the sticks and put it in fail safe via switch if in naza mode or turn off the controler. Just make sure you calibrate the compas every flight and have 5 or better sat


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
  • Like
Reactions: Azmopic
I was at first I bought a cheap tracker now I got the Marco Polo tracker and a getter back float on my bird piece of mind for me


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

Hoe much is that one?
I'm about to buy a trackimo
 
  • Like
Reactions: Azmopic
RTM from front to back and get to know and understand the modes and settings.
Burn a battery or two(props off)inside, getting to know the simulator and all your settings.

Once you are sure of the operations, set your RTH height, Safe Return Home, Multiple Flight Modes, etc. and then your camera settings.

Practice just high enough in a field somewhere not to cut heads and get to know and understand the Sat Mapping and "Radar." Also the orientation and spatial awareness of controls/vs orientation.

Then launch and do as you please where you please responsibly with no worries.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Azmopic
Hoe much is that one?
I'm about to buy a trackimo
215 on acesdeals.biz shipped no monthly bill vs gps tracker


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
Glad I found this thread. Thought I was just being silly. My biggest issue is trying to find the best altitude to fly at. I'm paranoid about hitting a tree, so I usually seem to be flying about 100' higher than I need to. I am trying to figure out the camera and when I see something on the edges of the video, just how far away from it am I. I was looking over one of the flight videos, and on the camera footage, it looked like I was inches from a branch, but when I was watching that part of the flight it looked more like 2 feet away. I think I need to setup a 2x4 with markings on it and see what the camera sees to get an idea of clearance.

And thanks to my being naive, I did have one incident where trees and a house were between me and the drone, and signal was lost. With a very nervous wait, I learned that return-to-home worked pretty good. Have been better about keeping it in sight and not just watching the video feed. Just hard to see at a distance.
 
I wouldn't say I was nervous the first time flying, but I was cautious. I've never flown any RC aircraft before besides a $20 havoc heli they sold many years ago.
I didn't know exactly what this new Phantom 3 thing was capable of, but I really was surprised how easy and natural flying GPS guided drone was.

Remember the cost of a replacement while flying and take your time.

When you're ready and want to get good at precision maneuvering:
Practice developing your muscle memory out in the wide open while in atti mode. Be ready to quickly ascend or switch to GPS mode if things get hairy. Practice flying with the drone facing different directions and strafing in a circle and figure 8's. Practice swooping in at max descent and forward speed, then air-braking at the last second to get a close up. Do nighttime landings on a custom built helipad using only the onboard camera and gps for guidance. Winds up to 15-20 mph are great for practicing landings while in atti mode.

Sorry, at some point in my list of flying tips they got more risky.
Don't try [some of that] at home kids.
 
I had the exact same feeling![emoji4] once you get the hang of it it's a whole new world. 1 tip: DO NOT get to dependent on your phone with FPV unless you set home point. ALWAYS set the home point before flight. Because if you loose connection to the drone without setting the home point. Say goodbye to your $500 investment [emoji4][emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
Big time! Everytime I fly I get a bit anxious for the same reasons you do. I also worry I'll lose control and it will crash into a house or a car and cause property damage. Its not like the P3A is my only Quad. I've got a a Traxxas Alias I started on a few months ago, and a Rakon/Blade QX3. But the capabilities of the P3A beg for higher and further flights.

Before I bought the P3A, I asked myself; "What is the most I'm willing to spend on a Quad, and not totally freak out if I lose it for any reason"... The P3A was a couple hundred above my self-imposed limit. But thats what I had to do to get over the major anxiety...

But you aren't alone. I feel the same way and for those thinking; "This guy has OCD", yeah I've got a touch of OCD but it works to my advantage in some ways. I'll go over my stuff thoroughly to ensure its ready for flight.


Just got my P3S and I have really no issue to report about, besides I get anxiety flying the drone to high or over water or to far away or from a high up location.
I know is silly, but curious if anybody else went thought this :).
 
Just got my P3S and I have really no issue to report about, besides I get anxiety flying the drone to high or over water or to far away or from a high up location.
I know is silly, but curious if anybody else went thought this :).
Sorry but you will crash, it's not if but when.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
It's natural to be anxious. Before I flew I read the manual several times, and studied these forums and watched all the videos. Then I used the DJI phantom academy simulator for a while.

My first flight I flew at an empty park and saw a lake. So then I flew all around the lake. I really enjoyed myself. I even had a weight off my shoulders thinking- this is not as hard as I thought. Then I watched my footage and saw all the branches and power lines I nearly missed while cruising over water... So I bought the Getterback UAV recovery system for $10.

Then 40 flights later with no crashes or near misses I was flying over the mountains on a snowboarding trip at 7,500 feet altitude and my tablet crashed. My sphincter still twitches. The return to home saved my quad from a certain doom in the woods miles away from home point. Needless to say I bought a Marco Polo RF tracker for insurance in case my tablet ever crashed.

I regularly fly over great distances in the woods and GPS rarely works. Marco Polo seemed right for my situation. Besides, the Boy Scout club I teach RC to loves to play hide and seek. It's a nifty gadget, but expensive. Alternative is RF-UAV-finder and a ham 2-way radio walki-talki with a yagi antenna.

I use the TK102 gps tracker for in town. Gets the job done but I don't recommend it- if you want GPS get flytrex or trackimo. Keep it simple!


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
"Just make sure you calibrate the compass every flight and have 5 or better sat"

No. Do not do this. Get a good compass calibration and leave it unless you fly in an area far (as in miles) away from the calibration point. Read the Primer on Compass Calibration carefully.

Otherwise, slow and steady. Find an open spot where you can see the P3 and you don't have to worry about Things. Go through the App carefully and practice with the simulator. Get a small drone (Hubsan X4 or similar) and crash that a bunch of times while getting used to a craft without GPS.

When you get more comfortable, fly around in ATTI mode.

Read the manual a bunch of times.

Have fun.
 
I wasn't that nervous when I started flying the Phantom, but by that time I had several months of practice on the Dromida Vista quad that I had crashed a few times and learned from my mistakes. Actually, when I first started with the Phantom I was impressed by how easy it was to fly as compared to the Dromida that constantly needed attention and would not hover on its own.

Now, the first time my Phantom lost signal and there was what seemed like an eternity before it came back with RTH.... Nervous does not begin to describe how that felt....
 
215 on acesdeals.biz shipped no monthly bill vs gps tracker


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app


question on trackers, what in the end do they really do for us

Now that the quads have reached a price point so low (just bought a p3s for 399.00) and p3pro is now 999 new.

and the p3 go app shows flight track on phone/tablet now unlike my p vision plus.

If you have need to actually use the tracker , that means it has left your site/control and most likely when / if you find it via tracker it will have crash landed. thus needing some type of repair.
so 200 for tracker to find (maybe) the broken quad that needs more money to repair. Cam and gimbal 300-400.00

I figure that it is smarter for ME to use that money to buy a second used quad, thus getting a battery(we all need more) and a replacement in one. so for 399.00 I got a spare battery for " 150.00" , extra props, and a complete functioning aircraft for the "250.00 " balance.
B&H has great used p3's at super good prices and they are like new(bought and used or sold 6 of them.

good luck and have fun flying!
 
Just got my P3S and I have really no issue to report about, besides I get anxiety flying the drone to high or over water or to far away or from a high up location.
I know is silly, but curious if anybody else went thought this :).
Only after the 5 mile mark!
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,355
Members
104,934
Latest member
jody.paugh@fullerandsons.