Newbie question with Vision Plus?

[Mal_PV2_Ireland]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Oh another bit of advice is to forget about looking at your phone for fpv. I dont mean dont look at your phone at all because you will need to, to take pics and need to learn how to use the app but to truly learn how to fly you will need to be able to just look at your phantom and be able to control it fluidly. A good test is to fly it about 10ft high and 20 ft away. Point the camera at you and make it circle you while you turn on the spot looking at the camera. As you turn try make the camera look into your eyes. Then stop and go back in the other direction. It'll give you good depth perception and understanding of backwards left to right control

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Thanks again Mal....that sounds like a fairly difficult maneuver to make it circle me while keeping the camera pointed at me! LOL I will head your advice though and try not to focus on the video too much at first, this sounds sensible for sure and until I can master flying it by sight alone. I know that for my maiden flight(s) I will be keeping it low and not too far away at all times while I practice using the controls.

 

[Elginet]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Oh another bit of advice is to forget about looking at your phone for fpv. I dont mean dont look at your phone at all because you will need to, to take pics and need to learn how to use the app but to truly learn how to fly you will need to be able to just look at your phantom and be able to control it fluidly. A good test is to fly it about 10ft high and 20 ft away. Point the camera at you and make it circle you while you turn on the spot looking at the camera. As you turn try make the camera look into your eyes. Then stop and go back in the other direction. It'll give you good depth perception and understanding of backwards left to right control

Don't do that until you're proficient in flying it facing away from you when left is left, right is right, back is back and forward is forward. You will crash in 10 secs from RVS (reverse view syndrome, yeah, I just made that up, but it's true!) if you turn it around and try and fly circles. :roll:

 

[Mal_PV2_Ireland]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Haha **** yeah thats not a first day maneuver, at best I could see you getting dizzy and your phantom would be trying to pick you up off the ground. Yep learn left is left and right is right first hahaha
My bad but you get my drift, read and read, ask and ask, watch the youtube vids, enjoy and progress. Please dont come back and say its broke or flew away, I'd take it personally danielson, wax on wax off

 

[DCGOO]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Remember, the red lights are in the front. Green in the back, heheh

 

[Mal_PV2_Ireland]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Now even I'm confused

 

[Elginet]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Remember, the red lights are in the front. Green in the back, heheh

And when in doubt, if you lose it or lose sight of it, ALTITUDE IS YOUR FRIEND!!! Climb, climb, climb.

 

[Mal_PV2_Ireland]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Haha nice one, climb climb climb, just hope you can remember whatbstick is up when you panic. You'll love your first panic experience lol

 

[IrishSights]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

When we say stay low, make that - not too low! If you are low there is bushes, trees, people, buildings, hills to back into. Up there is nothing but space, backing up in space by mistake is safe!

Sent from my Galaxy Note 8

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Thanks as well; Elginet, DCGOO and Irishsights. I do appreciate all the advice, tips and help from everyone so far and certainly need all the help I can get since I'm just starting. On the other hand however and even though I may seem really stupid, clueless and out in left field, I'm really not a total dummy. I hope you guys can understand the fine line I'm walking here. Please don't assume things about me or try to read into my mind too much about what I may be concerned about. I'm a direct guy and if I have a specific question or concern about something, I will ask.

And since saying that, I will ask my 5th question now. When I power up the motors/engines and throttle 'up' (I do this without props to test), I have found that the motors don't seem to respond very smoothly to the subtle 'up' motion of the stick. There seems to be maybe 3 speeds only when trying to lift up or descend and because of this, I wonder if this might be a reason for some of the crashes mentioned. Any thoughts, insights or ideas? The gradual, incremental increases in speed using the 'forward' throttle lever on the right side seems to be much smoother, like pressing your foot on the gas pedal of a car.

Otherwise, I'm still trying to read as much as I can, watch the tutorial videos and go over my manuals continuously. I don 't suspect I will be attempting to fly until next weekend, maybe even later yet. It all depends on my confidence and if I get all the answers to my questions and concerns.

Here's a pic of my bird in dry dock, eagerly awaiting its maiden flight.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

I'm very anxious to start flying, BUT, I have read all the stories about new vision plus owners who've crashed and burned and it's got me very nervous. It was a perfect weekend to fly my new bird, sunny, no wind but I held off because I want to make sure all my questions and concerns are answered before I make my maiden flight.

Find a big, OPEN field. Follow the pre-flight instructions, make sure the switches are UP, wait for at least 7 satellites before launching. Hit record just before you start the motors. When you lift off, do NOT try to feather the throttle! Just burp the throttle hard for a second and let her jump up about 10'. Let her sit there for a minute and stabilize. Make sure she is staying relatively still and not drifting around more than a few feet. Now, while watching the Phantom, perform the "Flight Training" maneuvers listed in the manual until you gain a feel for how she responds and build confidence. Don't go fast. Think PRECISION...slow, smooth, deliberate movements. Fly the aircraft...don't chase it. When landing, come down SLOWLY. If she starts to wobble, press the RIGHT stick in any direction to get out of your prop wash. Land softly on a level surface. In short time you will be flying like a pro.

One piece of advice: When you start traveling further, always stay higher than the highest object between the Home Point and your Phantom. That way, should you lose control and a RTH be enacted, you will clear any obstacles along the way.

To your question #5, the motors are proportional but, without props, there is very little resistance so you might not notice.

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Find a big, OPEN field. Follow the pre-flight instructions, make sure the switches are UP, wait for at least 7 satellites before launching. Hit record just before you start the motors. When you lift off, do NOT try to feather the throttle! Just burp the throttle hard for a second and let her jump up about 10'. Let her sit there for a minute and stabilize. Make sure she is staying relatively still and not drifting around more than a few feet. Now, while watching the Phantom, perform the "Flight Training" maneuvers listed in the manual until you gain a feel for how she responds and build confidence. Don't go fast. Think PRECISION...slow, smooth, deliberate movements. Fly the aircraft...don't chase it. When landing, come down SLOWLY. If she starts to wobble, press the RIGHT stick in any direction to get out of your prop wash. Land softly on a level surface. In short time you will be flying like a pro.

One piece of advice: When you start traveling further, always stay higher than the highest object between the Home Point and your Phantom. That way, should you lose control and a RTH be enacted, you will clear any obstacles along the way.

To your question #5, the motors are proportional but, without props, there is very little resistance so you might not notice.

Ok thanks very much DB, especially for the part I've highlighted in bold and underlined. Also for yours and others advice about not staying too low and since I am kind of in a suburban (tree bowl) type area. I have the instinct to keep it low, but I do realize that height can be advantageous too. I have a couple of areas picked out already; ones a large school yard area, the other is a humongous corn field ( no stalks yet, just open field).

 

[IrishSights]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Find a big, OPEN field. Follow the pre-flight instructions, make sure the switches are UP, wait for at least 7 satellites before launching. Hit record just before you start the motors. When you lift off, do NOT try to feather the throttle! Just burp the throttle hard for a second and let her jump up about 10'. Let her sit there for a minute and stabilize. Make sure she is staying relatively still and not drifting around more than a few feet. Now, while watching the Phantom, perform the "Flight Training" maneuvers listed in the manual until you gain a feel for how she responds and build confidence. Don't go fast. Think PRECISION...slow, smooth, deliberate movements. Fly the aircraft...don't chase it. When landing, come down SLOWLY. If she starts to wobble, press the RIGHT stick in any direction to get out of your prop wash. Land softly on a level surface. In short time you will be flying like a pro.

One piece of advice: When you start traveling further, always stay higher than the highest object between the Home Point and your Phantom. That way, should you lose control and a RTH be enacted, you will clear any obstacles along the way.

To your question #5, the motors are proportional but, without props, there is very little resistance so you might not notice.

Ok thanks very much DB, especially for the part I've highlighted in bold and underlined. Also for yours and others advice about not staying too low and since I am kind of in a suburban (tree bowl) type area. I have the instinct to keep it low, but I do realize that height can be advantageous too. I have a couple of areas picked out already; ones a large school yard area, the other is a humongous corn field.

The closness of buildings might limit you in getting enough satellite locks.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 8

 

[Chris Hick]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Trust me, you are over thinking this. These things are ridiculously easy to fly. Find a nice open area, do your pre-flight, make sure you have at least 7 sats and home lock, then full throttle straight up!

Keep her up at least 15'-20' and stay away from any obstacles. Worst case scenario, take your hands off the controls and she will hover in place until you regain your wits.

Just get out there and do it!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[IrishSights]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

I would forget about the school yard for your beginning flights, go for the open corn field, space doesn't hurt. I would suggest also that you set your geo-fence very small to start with. You can always increase it as your experience grows.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 8

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Thanks again Irishsights and Chris...

The school yard I had in mind is quite a large one and since I don't plan on doing anything very risky or rash on my first flight, I think it'll be just fine. Actually, I just remembered that the corn field I had in mind has high voltage power lines nearby (the huge ones with metal towers) and I don't think that is a good idea from what I've read.

I have a new question; what's with all these discussion about getting a separate GPS locator for the phantoms? There is a 'find my phantom' feature in the app that uses GPS tracking, is this not sufficient enough?

 

[pjw73nh]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Hello, Like Sasquatch, I am noob with the PV2+. I too have had many of the same questions and I appreciate him asking them. I have been flying a HeliMax 1sq Vcam for a few months off and on.

Ordered my PV2+ a week ago and it came yesterday, In the meantime while waiting for it I have spent numerous hours reading all manuals cover to cover (some parts are not that well written and are confusing). I have also looked at many many videos on the DJI web site and youtube. Essentially, anything I could find.

I followed all instructions in the manual and videos. I updated the the controller and phantom firmware to the latest. Calibrated the sticks. It worked fine. I was able to calibrate the compass (though I had some difficulty).

I have not been able to get 6 GPS sats to lock steady, but I am not in a wide open space (yet). Will probably take it to an open spot this weekend.

Took it to my back yard for a few VERY short (30 seconds) low (10 ft) "test flights" seemed to work OK, but I was very nervous. Like most have mentioned, without GPS lock it tends to drift.

I have read about flyaways and they scare me.

I have a lot of questions, but I'll start with ones mentioned in this post. And make new posts for others.

Elginet, why do you say "when panic sets in, climb climb climb"?

Also, can someone explain what the differences are in RTF GPS mode and RTF Non-GPS mode. This really confuses me. Yes I know they activate based on number of acquired sats, but what is the affect of non-GPS on the aircraft and controls other than just drifting somewhat? How does "home-lock" compare/interact with "GPS lock"?

How does failsafe work if you are in RTF NON-GPS mode? Doesn't "go home" need GPS sats to navigate back home?

Like Sasquatch,I have also found the throttle stick to be very touchy/ sensitve and when lifting off it really takes off quickly with very little deflection of the stick.

One of the DJI vids recommends viewing the "PV2+ quick start video". I couldn't find that vid anywhere. Does this vid still exist, or is it only in PDF?

Thanks again for any suggestions you folks can offer.

P

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Thanks pjw73mh for your contributions to this topic. I also agree with and understand many of your own concerns.....would like some more clear answers myself.

My own reasoning is and regarding your specific question to Elginet; the one about keeping the UAV up high. To me at least, this makes perfect sense. No matter your own personal background or experience with flying these crafts, if you're 'new' and inexperienced, you would want to make sure the craft is up high enough to move over high buildings and tree tops, especially if/when you have to enable the fail safe/return to home command.

This seems to be a topic with many facets we are both interested in however. NAZAM mode, vs Phantom/stock mode.

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Another question to PV2+ owners....Do you plan on or want to modify the look of your bird?

The reason I'm asking is because I've seen the beautiful modifications to earlier phantom models. Sometime down the road and once I've mastered controlling my bird in flight, I would like to alter its appearance and change it to an all black bird. I've seen other birds that have been painted and/or stickered to look like a true phantom. Birds that have been painted to be 'ravens' of the sky....they are beautiful! The stock, white, cheap plastic shell of the original quadrocopter leaves little to be desired really...

Thought about, researched and not worried about specific carbon props myself. But, I can see my bird being all black with fake carbon fiber decals on the top half of the shell.

Will this interfere with the compass and/or calibration of the unit?

Here is a video of an older phantom that altered to make it unique with a new paint job:

http://youtu.be/pGf7uTBqufs

Here is a video of a phantom that has been professionally carbon dipped and really a WOW factor bird:

http://youtu.be/84JuiYNdspI

and lastly, here's a bird that is a combination of both...been painted and not professionally carbon dipped but still looking quite good:

http://youtu.be/BsmQ-8REpso

Thoughts on vinyl decals, paint and difficulty with painting a PV2+?

thanks!

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: Hello from a newbie with questions

Today is the day I have decided to make my maiden flight, just one problem, it's a little breezy. Wind is approx 10mph with gusts up to 16 mph...is that too dangerous to try a first flight?