Newbie from Michigan with questions

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I bought my Phantom 3 Advanced in June 2015, and due to busy work and personal schedules didn’t try my first flight until October 2016. I realized then that I had a bad controller and had to play email tag with DJI for 2 more months before they agreed to replace it. I have only flown my drone once and can’t wait for warming temps this spring to enjoy many more flights here in Michigan. I have a few questions first, not sure if I should ask them in introductions, but here they are.

  1. I have read online that the drone’s batteries should be fully charged after every flight. Not knowing how long it might be between flights, is it wiser to charge the batteries only before each flight? Since each charge is a cycle on the battery, and I’m supposed to charge before each flight, it seems I am wasting a charging cycle to charge after a flight if not knowing when the next use will be. Can they be stored at whatever percent was left after a flight, and then charged to full right before a flight without damage/stress to the battery?

  2. Weighing the Pros and Cons of registering my drone with the FFA. With only one flight on my drone I have not yet registered with the FFA, I will only be flying as a hobbyist so I know I don’t need a part 107. My concern with registration is that every time an irresponsible 12 year old does something stupid with his drone in my area, the FFA will look up registered owners (ME) and come knocking at my door demanding answers and drone flight logs. Am I blowing this out of proportion or do others feel the same way? What have you all done with registration and what are the consequences of not registering? I am also assuming when notifying and airport to my planned flight they will ask for the registration number as well as my name correct?

  3. Thoughts concerning informing airports before drone flights. I have downloaded the 2 apps AIRMAP and B4UFLY. They are both up to date but show different “small” airports or helipads in my area. B4UFLY seems to show every possible farmer who has a remote airstrip (never knew there were that many!) while AIRMAP seems to show fewer in the same area. Which one is right? If they both are for the same purpose why do they not match up? Am I actually supposed to contact every farmer who has an airstrip within 5 miles before I fly, or just strips that have active traffic?
 
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Welcome to Phantom Pilots! :)

I have read online that the drone’s batteries should be fully charged after every flight.
They should be charged up to 100% before flying. You only need to charge them up to 40-65% after flying.

Can they be stored at whatever percent was left after a flight, and then charged to full right before a flight without damage/stress to the battery?
It would be best to store them between 40-65% charged.

Weighing the Pros and Cons of registering my drone with the FFA.
It's not a choice. You're required to register by law.
 
don't worry about the faa knocking on your door. Just ask to see a warrant. THEY have to prove it was your drone, you have no need to prove it wasn't.
I doubt DJI is going to give them what they need to read the logs even if they steal your drone to get them. Does the dmv knock on your door every time a thug does a drive bye becasue you have a car? They don't even know what kind of drone you registered, all faa knows is you registered. you don't even need a drone to get the number since you have to put it on ALL rc aircraft, not just drones.
YOU are what is being registered, not the drone.
But put the number in the battery compartment so it is NOT in plane sight, to be safe if they do break in they cant read it.

airstrip with MANNED towers is the key. To a pilot, ANY strip is a good one when you have problems in the air. Your not even going to care if it is a drug lords airstrip if the other choice is a mountain, or redwood trees 350 feet up.

http://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/phan...gent_Flight_Battery_Safety_Guidelines__en.pdf

If my lying weatherman says it will rain all week, I will charge to ~50%, otherwise I fill it up for tomorrow.
 
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airstrip with MANNED towers is the key. To a pilot, ANY strip is a good one when you have problems in the air. Your not even going to care if it is a drug lords airstrip if the other choice is a mountain, or redwood trees 350 feet up.

So you are suggesting I only need to contact strips that have a manned tower if I'm in their 5 mile radius before flying my drone?
 
My concern with registration is that every time an irresponsible 12 year old does something stupid with his drone in my area, the FFA will look up registered owners (ME) and come knocking at my door demanding answers and drone flight logs. Am I blowing this out of proportion or do others feel the same way?
Blowing this out of proportion? Yes - extremely, you live in Michigan USA - not North Korea.
If someone misuses a car or a gun, do the police round up all registered drivers or gun owners in your area?
Likewise rounding up registered drone owners and making them prove they are innocent wouldn't achieve much and would be a big waste of investigator's time.
What have you all done with registration and what are the consequences of not registering?
Here's the answer from the FAA's drone registration FAQ: Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Frequently Asked Questions/Help
  1. Is there a penalty for failing to register?
    Failure to register an unmanned aircraft may result in regulatory and criminal penalties. The FAA may assess civil penalties up to $27,500. Criminal penalties include fines of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years.

    There is no one-size-fits-all enforcement action for violations. All aspects of a violation will be considered, along with mitigating and aggravating circumstances surrounding the violation. In general, the FAA will attempt to educate operators who fail to comply with registration requirements. However, fines will remain an option when egregious circumstances are present.
 
So you are suggesting I only need to contact strips that have a manned tower if I'm in their 5 mile radius before flying my drone?
No, the FAA says to contact the airport or tower. Basically, you are expected to, at least try to contact all of those airports. In reality, you won't be able to find contact info for a lot of those private, grass strips. Apparently, the FAA doesn't purge its directories very often. We've all found examples where strips no longer exist, have even been developed in o housing, etc. my practice is to make an honest, onetime effort to contact them then move on. Of course, I still contact the 'real' airports each time as required.
 
Welcome to the forum pho .
I hope you will find our site helpful and look forward to any input , photo's/video's you might post .
Don't be shy and ask anything if you can't find it by searching .
This bunch here are the smartest you will find anywhere :)
 

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