Reflecting Back ..... trials and tribulations

[GustavL]

Hi there

Today, I am sitting in the same place at my dining room table, as about 4 months back when I unpacked my brand new Phantom 2 Vision + and reflecting back over this amazing period.

Also thinking back how stupid I was and how little I knew.

On the first day I opened the box, took the Phantom out, attached the propellers, charged the batteries and started the engine and took off in the house from the dining room table. That day I flew 1m up in the air, hovering just underneath the dining room light and with some luck managed to land back on the table.

No compass calibration - Compass was probably still calibrated for China
No GPS signals - indoors
No Home Point - Didn't know how it worked
No LED checks - Thought the colours look amazing in the dark
no firmware updates or checks
no pre-flight routines and checks
NOTHING!

I must say I read the manual about 3 times before that and thought I knew everything.

The next day a friend came to visit and I thought I'm the master of this incredible piece of technology. So, again take off from the dining room table (luckily it was raining outside - otherwise I would have lost my bird on the second day). This time more daring, I managed to lift off, but it started to drift off the table, but I managed some way or another to keep control, missed some of the furniture and landed on the floor. My nerves were finished. I though, wow what a difficult thing to fly!

Now I can only laugh at myself. Over the last few months I have spent hours and hours reading, researching, practicing and watching videos and only now realize how much their is to learn and take in. What an incredible journey!

The Phantom story has changed my life!

Sorry, got to go and fly!

 

[RedRyderMedia]

Made me smile....thanks!

 

[hdrider]

Just what I wanted to read as I sit here with my batteries charged and the bird sitting on the table as I charge the GoPro LOL!!

 

[Happyflyer]

It made me :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
I don't think you could pay me enough to attempt a take off in the house.

 

[sidebox]

Hi there

Today, I am sitting in the same place at my dining room table, as about 4 months back when I unpacked my brand new Phantom 2 Vision + and reflecting back over this amazing period.

Also thinking back how stupid I was and how little I knew.

On the first day I opened the box, took the Phantom out, attached the propellers, charged the batteries and started the engine and took off in the house from the dining room table. That day I flew 1m up in the air, hovering just underneath the dining room light and with some luck managed to land back on the table.

Haha. First time was exactly the same for me. I flew it in a small warehouse and chopped up a set of propellers on the side of a steel drum. No calibration, no GPS, nothing.

 

[Rustysocket]

This is how we all did it in the early days of rc helis... I flew my first with no gyro...

 

[HarryT]

This is how we all did it in the early days of rc helis... I flew my first with no gyro...

The difference between then and now is that we had to spend 6 months learning how to do "tail in" hovering, and really learn how to fly. Modern quads are great, but their ease of flying can perhaps lead some people to be a little reckless, and not know what to do when they get out of their comfort zone.

 

[GfFlyer]

This is how we all did it in the early days of rc helis... I flew my first with no gyro...

The difference between then and now is that we had to spend 6 months learning how to do "tail in" hovering, and really learn how to fly. Modern quads are great, but their ease of flying can perhaps lead some people to be a little reckless, and not know what to do when they get out of their comfort zone.

+1

 

[rrmccabe]

I resemble this reflecting back. Although not in the house!

 

[Khudson7]

Yes, I too, had to laugh at your initial adventures. It reminded me of my first attempt(and I still get chills thinking about it)

My first day, I took it out to a large park, started flying all around the park and even took it over a river next to this park...wow that was daring of me...so...lets send it across to the other side of this very large park. But wait, I just looked down for the tiniest of seconds, then look up again and it was gone!...nowhere to be seen. YIKES! At that time I did not have fpv or the iosd to help get it back. Heck I did not even know what RTH was, or how to do it. All I could think of was since it was last headed for trees and houses, I better give it throttle to get it up over them(I was assuming it was still in the air). Well long story short, I was extremely lucky that day. I finally spotted it, but had no idea what direction it was pointed. After what seemed like an hour(probably 5 minutes) I somehow managed to get it back and landed it. I rushed home to change my pants, and while reviewing the video, I saw I just missed hitting a house within about 5/6 feet. So that put the fear of God in me, and I realized I need to slow down, learn and practice more, to properly fly this thing. Luckily, it only cost me a pair of pants that day.

 

[Dirty Bird]

I was one of the guys on the waiting list with a pre-order @ DJI, when all of sudden Dave's Discount Motors had them in stock. I ordered it overnight on a Friday, and she showed up Saturday afternoon. During the preceding weeks I had read the manual front to back numerous times, and researched just about every video & tidbit of information I could find on the Vision+. As soon as the package arrived I opened the box, connected one battery to the charger, connected my phone, connected the bird and controller to the software for calibration and configuring to NAZA mode, then plugged the Wi-Fi extender to charge. That last part took about 3 hours while I waited impatiently as daylight faded. Finally the excruciating wait was over, and it was outside for a compass calibration and my first flight.

I've never tried to launch in the house. With five cats running around that might prove disastrous, plus I had made that mistake previously with a rather large helicopter. So off she went on her maiden flight. My neighbor, who is big time into one of my old hobbies...model rocketry... knew I had the Vision+ coming, heard it fire up, and came down to watch the flight. While the maiden flight was kind of boring, you'll notice I wasn't very shy or timid, and I was immediately hooked. Of all the RC aircraft I had ever flown, the Vision+ was simply the coolest. I climbed to 1000' on that first flight, and flew both batteries back-to-back. About 3am Sunday morning I am sitting in the house looking at the bird, and just had to go out for my first night flight. My love affair with the Phantom continues still...

Maiden Flight:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9-Go4tJ1UQ[/youtube]

First Night Flight:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcdl-fM1brE[/youtube]

 

[Rustysocket]

I cant wait to get one...awesome videos

 

[GustavL]

Thanks for all your great stories. I'm sure everybody has something to say about that first time!

 

[GustavL]

Yes, I too, had to laugh at your initial adventures. It reminded me of my first attempt(and I still get chills thinking about it)

My first day, I took it out to a large park, started flying all around the park and even took it over a river next to this park...wow that was daring of me...so...lets send it across to the other side of this very large park. But wait, I just looked down for the tiniest of seconds, then look up again and it was gone!...nowhere to be seen. YIKES! At that time I did not have fpv or the iosd to help get it back. Heck I did not even know what RTH was, or how to do it. All I could think of was since it was last headed for trees and houses, I better give it throttle to get it up over them(I was assuming it was still in the air). Well long story short, I was extremely lucky that day. I finally spotted it, but had no idea what direction it was pointed. After what seemed like an hour(probably 5 minutes) I somehow managed to get it back and landed it. I rushed home to change my pants, and while reviewing the video, I saw I just missed hitting a house within about 5/6 feet. So that put the fear of God in me, and I realized I need to slow down, learn and practice more, to properly fly this thing. Luckily, it only cost me a pair of pants that day.

Hahaha - I know the feeling

 

[GustavL]

We can just laugh about it now !