My First flight.PV2, the time has come!

[jdmutton]

Well it was January the 6th when DHL delivered my much anticipated order from eglobal in HK, those **** public holidays got in the way of a speedy despatch, but at $1288 with a spare battery thrown in and free delivery I couldn't resist after smooth pitch from Colin Guinn and those impressive tutorial vids sold me.
Had introduced myself to quads 6 months ago with an AR parrot drone but was frustrated by the wifi limitations of it and after totally replacing it in hulls, blades and every conceivable extra known to man decided it was just not for me but was hooked on the FVP concept and aerial video, now guys I'm 53 so it's all Big Boys Toyz to me, love them! But my track record on keeping them in one piece isn't so CRASH hot. The day this unit arrived for me I was walking out the door on an 18 day Dubai cruise holiday so with 6 hours b4 leaving home here in Sydney, Australia, I unboxed it, charged all the batteries and attempted to connect the app to the unit which I had sitting on my iPhone 5 for 4 weeks prior to receiving the phantom ( sick puppy huh!) Needless to say left Sydney without making a flight or a video connection to the iPhone....that had me worried!....first port of call was Beijing on the 7/1 found this blog site, "thanks for being here guys by the way !" and started dissecting why I wasn't connecting to the camera without having the unit with me, came to the conclusion that in my hurried unboxing of the unit had unbound the extender by pressing that reset button at least I was hoping that was all it was, you can read yourself sick on all the assorted issues on the PV2.Today it's up and running the time has come to fly this thing....apprehensive yes, worried yes any preflight suggestions and tips as a newbie would be great,I will lastly update the firmware b4 it flys not sure about the transmitter and there's no External USB on this one either guys, old stock?
John.

 

[Pull_Up]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

Three preflight tips (assuming you've read up all about proper compass calibration area and all the fundamental stuff like that, sounds like you've had the time!):

1. Have a simple plan for your first flight - take-off. Hover in front of you about 10ft off the deck, check the hover is stable. Then test the controls gently in each direction and see exactly how the affect the aircraft. Bring it back to roughly where you took off. Ease down on the throttle. Land. Hold the throttle fully closed until props stop. Breathe. Grin.

2. Enjoy the sensation!

3. Do it again, but now you've got the maiden flight out of the way you can play with the app, take a snap, all that. Just don't push height or distance on your first battery.

Have fun, and welcome!

 

[iDrone]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

Another P2V'er from Down Under... Welcome! There are plenty of folks here (and there in AUS) who can help. Take a deep breath, a sip of brew, and cruise thru the STICKY's at the top of the Vision Forum. Top suggestions:

1) Check & Upgrade Vision & TX/Controller firmware if necessary.
2) Do NOT upgrade your camera firmware at this time, or at least not until you get a few weeks enjoyment under your belt
3) Read the suggested PreFlight Checklist.
4) Turn the Volume up on your iDevice so you can hear any Alarms or Warnings
5) Fly in fair weather, bring it back & land if Vision is shaking badly fighting the wind to remain in position or while flying.
6) Descend slowly or diagonally to stay out of your own prop wash.
7) Have Fun!

Lather, Rinse, Repeat...

iDrone

 

[pault]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

Echo what pull_up says about powering down. Keep the left stick right down until the props stop, do not use the two sticks pulled down and centered (same as power up) as you can easily risk a tip over if you do not do it perfectly.

 

[pault]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

.....
6) Descend slowly or diagonally to stay out of your own prop wash.
7) Have Fun!

Rinse, Lather, Repeat...

iDrone

I have read that you should never descend if there is any forward or backward motion that is in the same direction as the wind or to put it another way never descend in the same direction that the wind is blowing (to) or even another way, descend against the wind not with it. (one of those might make sense ).

 

[jdmutton]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

Three preflight tips (assuming you've read up all about proper compass calibration area and all the fundamental stuff like that, sounds like you've had the time!):

1. Have a simple plan for your first flight - take-off. Hover in front of you about 10ft off the deck, check the hover is stable. Then test the controls gently in each direction and see exactly how the affect the aircraft. Bring it back to roughly where you took off. Ease down on the throttle. Land. Hold the throttle fully closed until props stop. Breathe. Grin.

2. Enjoy the sensation!

3. Do it again, but now you've got the maiden flight out of the way you can play with the app, take a snap, all that. Just don't push height or distance on your first battery.

Have fun, and welcome!

Thanks, fun is the only reason for doing what we do, thanks for the tips....there comes a point when you got to stop reading and get up there,

 

[Pull_Up]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

Go on then...

We're anxiously waiting the flight report!

 

[jdmutton]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

Go on then...

We're anxiously waiting the flight report!

You'll be the first to know....spent another day today upgrading the firmware on the phantom and the controller....booted it all up activated the motors with the props on.....looked out the window and it's blowing a Gail...sort of....and not gutsy enought to lift off inside the house.

John

 

[PETELEEUK]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO FLY INSIDE YOUR HOUSE UNLESS YOU LIVE IN A MANSION.. IT WILL END HORRIBLY!!

TRUST ME .. I WAS ADVISED THIS BUT COULDNT HELP MYSELF... LUCKILY NOTHING BROKE

 

[iDrone]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

..and not gutsy enought to lift off inside the house. John

Not recommended (as explained by another fellow P2V'er)... You may cease to remain someone's significant other for a disproportionate amount of time, banished to the sofa, etc. (assuming we interpreted correctly).

iDrone

 

[PETELEEUK]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

before I got (or even heard of)my phantom I had bought a little one from red 5 for xmas. taking to my mums for xmas day I ended chopping the flower off a prayer plant that does not flower very often.. she was not hp..

still a great little thing for learning the basics with though...!

 

[MrTommy]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

I ended chopping the flower off a prayer plant that does not flower very often.. she was not hp..

still a great little thing for learning the basics with though...!

I too began my quad career with a smaller (and much harder to control) machine. The Blade 180QX HD. I still like it because it requires that you pay attention all the time! There's none of this 'let the sticks alone and it comes to a stationary hover' stuff. If you let go - it's crash city. However, I DID do some indoor flying - where I clipped off some Christmas tree parts, knocked a picture to the floor (but luckily did not break any glass), and the final and last straw, cut some leaves off wifey's favorite plant. After that, I had to wait for nice weather outside. Nice in this case means NO WIND. This little 180QX cannot DO wind at all. The slightest wisp of breeze takes it away. Good practice, I guess, but not fun because I almost lost it altogether one day.

My big project for the upcoming week is to launch the Phantom, set it at a hover, then grab the 180QX and launch it with its dippy little camera going in video mode - and video my Phantom in the air. All the while, the Phantom will be videoing back at ME as I put the other quad in the air. Whew... If wifey was going to be with me I could have her fly the Phantom (she's actually pretty good at it!) and we could do the quad airborne dance...

I've seen other videos (like one of the now gone DJI vids with Colin) looking down at an airborne Phantom from above. Kinda cool.

 

[PETELEEUK]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

lol.. I toyed with the idea of getting another vision but I think i'll have to leave my missis first!!!!

hmmmmm????

 

[jdmutton]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

lol.. I toyed with the idea of getting another vision but I think i'll have to leave my missis first!!!!

hmmmmm????

You don't think my wife really knows the full ticket price now do you? Remember the sacred rule take 30% off and add free postage :twisted:

 

[Pull_Up]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

<cough> More like 50% <cough>

 

[jdmutton]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

Finally the wind dropped today allowing me to let her fly, wow,wow and another wow.....took her up 60ft let the sticks go and she hovered like a kite, expelled the juice in 1 1/2 batteries learnt the basic took it out to 200ft up to 60ft switched off the transmitter and she came back and landed as described in the manual, sweet.....even let my 21yo son have a fly :roll: hope he doesn't get a taste for it! In all so far text book, landing like a feather takes a little practice, tipped it over when I thought from a distance I'd shut down the motors and accidentally tapped the controller.

 

[PETELEEUK]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

NICE... bum clenching moments when you test the rth

cool toy or what!!!

 

[jdmutton]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

NICE... bum clenching moments when you test the rth

cool toy or what!!!

Tell me about it.....aborted the first attemp when I thought it was going to land on the food of the building behind me...lol

 

[jdmutton]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

NICE... bum clenching moments when you test the rth

cool toy or what!!!

Tell me about it.....aborted the first attempt when I thought it was going to land on the roof of the building behind me...lol

 

[lazysnowdog]

Re: My First flight..PV2,the time has come!

Dammit...

Mine will be here Monday... you all are killing me.. LOL

I'll have plenty of time to read up on it, though, as it'll be a week before I'm able to give 'er a try.

CANNOT WAIT!!!!!

-J