Needing Tips for Orientation Practice

Kai Mele · Sep 14, 2016

I am keenly awaiting the arrival of my new P3 but in the meantime I'm practicing flying in various orientations using my little camera-less quadcopters indoors. And, ahem,... it's not going so well. Lots if confusion, lots of crashes - ack!

I'd like to get any tips you might have to share with regards to the best method of improving skills necessary to fly in any orientation.

I'm already nervous thinking about what might happen if I lose control of the new bird when I start practicing outdoors with it!

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Meta4 · Sep 14, 2016

Kai Mele said:
I am keenly awaiting the arrival of my new P3 but in the meantime I'm practicing flying in various orientations using my little camera-less quadcopters indoors. And, ahem,... it's not going so well. Lots if confusion, lots of crashes - ack!
I'd like to get any tips you might have to share with regards to the best method of improving skills necessary to fly in any orientation.
I'm already nervous thinking about what might happen if I lose control of the new bird when I start practicing outdoors with it!

Your Phantom is going to be much, much easier to fly than cheap trainer quadcopters.
It's packed with some very smart technology to give you a lot of help.
Take your hands off and it's like hitting a pause button.
Take your time and do your early flying in a big open area, well away from trees and buildings and study the manual and you'll be fine.

The camera view, the radar display and map window are all good for orientation.

shockwave199 · Sep 14, 2016

Fly the simulator when you first get it and practice. There's no pressure to run right outside and fly if you don't feel comfortable. You can also keep the orientation nose out for a while, till you get comfortable. Absolutely fly in a large open area. Don't mistake a small confined spot as being safer- it isn't. Avoid a confined back yard like the plague. Open field all the way. When I bring my bird back down before landing, I take a few minutes to practice box circuits, both nose in and nose out facing, and figure eights. You'll find the phantom is just a joy to fly. Have fun.

alokbhargava · Sep 15, 2016

Radar view will be very useful to you. Try to understand it's working.

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shockwave199 · Sep 15, 2016

Everything in the app can be a great aid but nose-in flying takes practice and muscle memory. You gotta get your brain and your fingers together like it's second nature. I would suggest practicing nose-in looking only at the bird, not at the app all. Only then can you really train your brain. Other routes to practice is a box circuit in front of you with the nose facing left and right, conversely. You'll have to stop and think about the sticks until you get the hang of it. Since it can be a bit of an ordeal to get out to where I fly, the simulator is handy to keep up the chops too. And the simulator is also the very best way to learn the app too. It really helps to know how to fly the app well and there's no better way to learn it than in the simulator, when you're new to the DJI experience.

MapMaker53 · Sep 15, 2016

Here's an orientation tip to bring your Phantom back to you if it is a dot in the sky and you suddenly lose GPS. Naturally, you could use your screen and FPV to orient and fly back just based on your view from the cockpit, but what if you also lose your wifi? Push your right stick forward and, while watching that dot it in the sky, notice in what direction your Phantom is heading -- to the left or right. If heading to the right, keep pushing the right stick forward but also push the left stick to the right until the movement to the right stops. Then let go of the left stick. Your Phantom will be heading back to you. Conversely, If the Phantom movement is to the left, push the left stick to the left until the Phantom movement to the left stops. It will be facing you, and you just need to keep pushing forward on the right stick to bring it back to you. Moving right, push left stick right. Moving left, push left stick left. A handy thing to keep in mind. You can check it out the next time you fly or on a simulator.

Kai Mele · Sep 15, 2016

Geez guys, I really appreciate your suggestions here, thanks!

Will be putting these tips to use right away.

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Trinimon · Sep 15, 2016

I locked my compass direction down in the map/radar view. I found it disorienting when I was flying and it was auto rotating to the drone's direction. Might help you but try both and see which you prefer.

Monte55 · Sep 15, 2016

Sometimes it is difficult to see which way the Phantom is facing but the solution is easy. Since I am always facing the bird I just remember which way I was flying. If I was flying straight out I can pull back on right stick to bring it back. I have never had my bird turn without my input. Now if you are just buzzing all over and lose orientation, I can understand that. I fly a P1 so I have no video. I just remember what I'm doing. I would think if one is constantly losing orientation, maybe you're flying out too far or beyond your skills. I know that if you are glued to your video screen and not paying enough attention to bird, you can and will have problems especially if you lose video feed. I guess flying without video, I have to pay more attention. Just my opinion.

WetDog · Sep 15, 2016

The training you get with a small quad is muscle memory for short moves. You will use the telemetry features at a distance and also rely on the ability of the Phantom to hover - gives you time to sort things out that you don't get with the little ones. But being able to smoothly move the craft in small distances can be very useful.

Practice close in stuff - figure 8's , 'H' patterns, threading through objects. After some time you will start to feel much more comfortable in maneuvering. It's a real thrill to bring a Phantom down for a landing in your hand nice and smoothly - no jerking back and forth and up and down. Looks neat. Could also save your bird if you have to maneuver around something.

If all you are going to do is fly around 200 feet off the ground this sort of control really isn't needed. If you want to put it near a tree or a rock formation or land on a boat it's really a game changer.

Trinimon · Sep 15, 2016

WetDog said:
The training you get with a small quad is muscle memory for short moves. You will use the telemetry features at a distance and also rely on the ability of the Phantom to hover - gives you time to sort things out that you don't get with the little ones. But being able to smoothly move the craft in small distances can be very useful.

Practice close in stuff - figure 8's , 'H' patterns, threading through objects. After some time you will start to feel much more comfortable in maneuvering. It's a real thrill to bring a Phantom down for a landing in your hand nice and smoothly - no jerking back and forth and up and down. Looks neat. Could also save your bird if you have to maneuver around something.

If all you are going to do is fly around 200 feet off the ground this sort of control really isn't needed. If you want to put it near a tree or a rock formation or land on a boat it's really a game changer.

Good tips there. I think I need to spend a few sessions every now and then just flying it without focusing on video to keep the feel.

Chasbro · Sep 15, 2016

I use the good dog / bad dog analogy. If its facing away from you, its a good dog. Use the stick to tell it where to go. If its facing you its a bad dog. Use the stick and say "get away from there".

Monte55 · Sep 15, 2016

Chasbro said:
I use the good dog / bad dog analogy. If its facing away from you, its a good dog. Use the stick to tell it where to go. If its facing you its a bad dog. Use the stick and say "get away from there".

Not every thought has to be shared

Borocay · Sep 15, 2016

I bought a Syma X5C and practiced in front of my house until I got comfortable flying it. It's VERY easy to lose orientation flying it so you will get plenty of orientation practice. I went though 4 or 5 of them due to me hitting trees, power lines, mailboxes, etc, before I got it down. Flying a Phantom is much easier since it has GPS and other controls to help you but it's well worth the aggravation learning how to fly manually in case something goes wrong.

Matchlock · Sep 15, 2016

The simplest way to keep your orientation is to picture yourself inside the cockpit of the bird that you're flying. That way, it's a natural decision as to which direction to push the stick, and go in the direction you want the bird to go.

For example. Picture yourself inside the bubble of a small heli and you are flying away from the spot you just took off from. You're looking straight out the front window and you want to turn left. You simply push the stick to your left and BINGO, The bird turns left. Now, turn the bird 180 degrees and start flying back toward you. Remember, as you're looking out the front window of the heli you want to turn left. You simply push the stick to your left and once again, BINGO, the bird turns left.

It doesn't get any easier than that. Just remember to always picture yourself sitting inside the bird, and think from there. I've flown high performance RC helicopters for many years now and it's the safest way to keep your orientation. If you learn to fly this way as a beginner, you'll be able to fly any RC aircraft you can buy. This method goes for RC boats, cars, and trucks as well.

I hope that helps you out, friend.

Bud

Kai Mele said:
I am keenly awaiting the arrival of my new P3 but in the meantime I'm practicing flying in various orientations using my little camera-less quadcopters indoors. And, ahem,... it's not going so well. Lots if confusion, lots of crashes - ack!

I'd like to get any tips you might have to share with regards to the best method of improving skills necessary to fly in any orientation.

I'm already nervous thinking about what might happen if I lose control of the new bird when I start practicing outdoors with it!

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

Kai Mele · Sep 16, 2016

Bud, that's a great technique - thanks for explaining it here!

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Matchlock · Sep 16, 2016

Thank you, and I'm glad I was able to help you.

Bud

Kai Mele said:
Bud, that's a great technique - thanks for explaining it here!

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Dronemaster · Sep 17, 2016

Best words of advice I was given when started was.. spend 1st hour playing about "GPS" flying ... then learn to fly in ATTI mode .. then when (not if) the day comes when it looses GPS fix "you" have ability to fly it. The previous post of sitting in bubble/**** pit is absolutely best/perfect/must advice.. ohh I find your self a nice big field, no trees... and fly at a good height 100ft min.. height buys you time to think. Remember it's the last inch that does the damage! When your flying ATTI you stand "down wind" fly it into wind.. then as it drifts it will come nearer to you instead of away/out of range risk ... good luck and enjoy!

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Dronemaster · Sep 17, 2016

....and a good pair of sunglasses are a must...even on a dull day[emoji41]

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Matchlock · Sep 17, 2016

Hi Dronemaster;

Thanks for your kind comment. You're dead on with the advice that altitude is your friend. Every "real" pilot knows this and every RC pilot should know it. I also like the advice on standing downwind when in "ATTI" mode. Make a lot of sense and could save a heart full of ache when the time comes.

Regards

Bud

Dronemaster said:
Best words of advice I was given when started was.. spend 1st hour playing about "GPS" flying ... then learn to fly in ATTI mode .. then when (not if) the day comes when it looses GPS fix "you" have ability to fly it. The previous post of sitting in bubble/**** pit is absolutely best/perfect/must advice.. ohh I find your self a nice big field, no trees... and fly at a good height 100ft min.. height buys you time to think. Remember it's the last inch that does the damage! When your flying ATTI you stand "down wind" fly it into wind.. then as it drifts it will come nearer to you instead of away/out of range risk ... good luck and enjoy!

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots