Drone flying tips – don’t crash your Christmas present!
Drone flying tips
Do you know someone that received a drone for Christmas? Chances are they’ll want to fly it ASAP and will probably crash or lose it! The following are some drone flying tips – please share with your friends and family:
1. Fully charge the batteries first. Your batteries will probably come with around 50% charge in them (maybe less), which won’t give you very much flight time (possibly causing an unexpected loss of power).
2. While you’re charging the batteries, take the time to read the instruction manual (even you blokes!). It will explain how to correctly turn on an operate the drone, and more importantly, how to use “failsafes” in case you get into trouble (i.e. lose your video feed, low battery etc.). If you don’t like reading, watch YouTube – there are heaps of video (even some great ones from manufacturers like DJI).
3. Ok, now you’ve read the instructions and charged your battery, go somewhere where you have a LOT of space, and is well away from people. Not your backyard (unless you live on acreage)! You’re going to be like a mule with a spinning wheel the first couple of flights – minimise your chance of crashing into a tree, house, or more importantly, your kids!
4. Don’t fly too high straight away. I bet this is the first thing you will want to do – but it increases your chances of a loss of control or being blown away by the wind. Practice flying below 10 metres above ground level first, even lower if your drone doesn’t have GPS-hold or good stabilisation. A crash from 2 metres up will cause less damage than a crash from 60 metres!
5. Don’t drink alcohol then fly. Not only is it going to increase your chances of destroying your drone within the first 5 minutes, it’s actually against the law. Yep, aviation legislation doesn’t allow you to fly a drone while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
6. Know CASA’s safety rules. The big ones are don’t fly near airports, within 30 metres of (or directly overhead) people or beyond your own line of sight.
For more information about CASA’s rules, have a read of the following blog we wrote:
We recommend downloading CASA’s “Can I Fly There?” app. The following blog explains how to use the app to comply with the rules:
Hopefully this drone flying tips will help you this Christmas. Have fun guys, but stay safe and don’t destroy your present during the first flight. Santa won’t be happy!
