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TOP 10 common pilot errors
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artworksmetal
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I have had my P3 for less than I day. And I can already envision myself doing 2,5,6,7,9.and 10.
Especially 6. Staring at the screen is just so mesmerizing.
Thank you for the insightful reminders.
2016-1-27
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mgstuhrenberg
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Great post
2016-1-27
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DJI-Tim
DJI team

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Thank you sir!
2016-1-27
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strangpad
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Thank you Tim great info.
2016-1-29
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noaches232
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RichJ53 Posted at 2015-11-19 00:11
Nice logical information Tim

Written in a prefect way for all of us to understand....

Yes. Very helpful - in case we were landing our $3000 drones in water...
2016-1-30
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RichJ53
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noaches232 Posted at 2016-1-30 05:18
Yes. Very helpful - in case we were landing our $3000 drones in water...

I hope you didn't experience landing in water (#4)!

The idea is to keep us informed before something bad happens. Make sure you charge your batteries before you fly.

I have done some experiments with the auto discharge feature and found out how the battery drops out if it is not charged up. The LED indicators and DJI App can not be trusted after the battery has auto discharged (IMO).

Check this post:
http://forum.dji.com/forum.php?m ... mp;page=6#pid275283

Rich
2016-1-30
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Fly Girl
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Great Posts!
2016-2-1
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alexdds
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DJI-Dave Posted at 2015-11-19 11:58
Here you go.

Common Pilot error #11.

I hear they are training eagles to snatch drones. We need countermeasures. High strobe lights or anti eagle sound or taser hull.
2016-2-4
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drojo
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Mexico
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Hello everybody, this is my first post.
I have to add something that may be logic for most users, but not so ovbious for others: Using a small screen to fly -my iPhone 5s, in my case- can become the source of some of the accidents named here, since the size of this gorgeous screen is not enough to actually see some important details while flying. A bigger screen is a safety measure because is not the same to see an obstacle in the retina display (yes, those pixels are there, but they are tiny) than in a bigger screen -say an iPad- where those same pixels are 2 or 3 times bigger. I have almost crashed 3 times with some plants because of this and I have even not seen the threat until I have played back the recorded video in the computer screen.

There was another time when I saw the obstacle just a second before impact and I managed to -almost- avoid it, turning the P3A left proppelers into blades cutting some innocent plant.... :-/

I hope it helps
2016-2-5
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DJI-Dave
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alexdds Posted at 2016-2-4 15:51
I hear they are training eagles to snatch drones. We need countermeasures. High strobe lights or a ...

Yeah I heard about that and to be honest that really pisses me off!!! They shouldn't be using Eagles for something like that. They are putting the Eagles in unnecessary risky situation they are putting them in harms way.
I feel like calling PETA  And have them go after these morons that are using Eagles so inappropriately!

Dave
2016-2-5
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noaches232
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Thanks as always tim!
2016-2-8
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uptolevel6
Second Officer
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EDIT:  

Firstly, THANKS so much for this list and warning!!!

I'm gonna shorten this.

If the #1 reason that birds fall from the sky is the CSC control failsafe, WHY not change it?  That stat alone should say to anyone, includoing DJI that maybe it's a little too easy.  FPV drone fliers are used to crazy motions on the controls and when feeling a little jaunty even with the Phantom (never the Inspire), I remind myself not to end up in that position, not that I almost had.

So why not make the way to set the self destruct a little more difficult if the accidental use of it is the #1 reason for RMAs?

Please?  Also with all the people jumping in the game at $499 with real birds, I don't want one falling in my living room. ;)

As a side, is it possible to restart the enginges during a free-fall if this did happen to you?




2016-2-9
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SpeedracerXT
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A good list that covers most crash issues. It should also have a warning about winds that seem light but get much stronger just meters higher - I've encountered that scenario and had an MR attempt to RTH but still drift off as it fought the wind. Luckily I was able to find it, albeit a month later.
2016-2-12
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gedgar2016
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#2 I actually forgot to tighten the props I had put on 3 days earlier.  I flew for 10 minutes before red warning lights, about engine vibration (something along those lines), then ENGINE AT IDLE.   
2016-2-14
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gedgar2016
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I got bit by #2 (Forgot to tighten props that I had just spun on 3 days prior).  I got some weird red warnings after 10 minutes,  the being ENGINE AT IDLE.   I was close, landed quick, and actually has trouble figuring what went wrong.  Until at idle in my living room,  it went into a resonance amplified oscillation/vibration.  I grabbed a landing skid and it stopped.  Then I remembered remembered the props.  They had actually self tightened to where they just weren't tight.  USE A CHECKLIST!
2016-2-14
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gedgar2016
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The CSC control inputs will quite reliably tip the bird over when used to stop the engines normally.  That, and accidentally doing it in flight makes me think there HAS to be a better way.  I think there is a video where they dropped a P3 from a bigger UAV at altitude, and couldn't start the motors because the P3's attitude was nearly inverted.   Maybe you could restart if it was falling straight and level.  But maybe it needs to be still for initializations.
2016-2-14
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gedgar2016
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#5 Flying out of sight bit me.  AND it was hitting a power line!   The power line caught the landing gear,  flipped the bird into a forward flip, it fell from the line down to about a foot off the pavement, level with the camera pointing in a bizarre direction,  then everything snapped back upharmacy staff at this particular store, upright.  I missed a few seconds of live feed after hitting the line.  I was heart-broken.  I had killed my bird.  Then the video came back,  and the thing had a tilted horizon, and was climbing back up (to where it had hit?).  I gingerly found it controllable,  flew it around the block to me,  and by then it was fine.   I cleaned the gunk from the lines off the gear,  and it's flown many hours since then.   BUT flying out of sight is fun, in remote areas you're taking a risk, but only to your P3.  BUT BE CAREFUL!  LOL
2016-2-14
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gedgar2016
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#7 Of course I had a minor mishap in my living room.  I wish I had read this 6 months ago!
2016-2-14
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gedgar2016
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The CSC stick combination would be about the most bizarre stick combination as you could imaging once you have any experience.  In a RC plane, it would be a possible initial start to a flat spin.  Power at idle,  full left rudder,  full back elevator and full right aeleron.  Then you'd come up with the throttle.  In a quad, you're commanding a rapid rotating decent, while commanding a backward slewing motion opposite the rotation.  It hurts my head to even think of it.  DJI picked the most unlikely set of stick inputs that anyone trying to fly it would ever execute.  I'm not saying it's the best solution,  but if you're going to use the control inputs,  they got it right!  LOL
2016-2-14
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gedgar2016
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It's quite embarrassing to realize that I've duplicated 3 of these errors, and yes luck is involved as no damage has resulted.   But I have to give DJI cudos for making a rather sturdy vehicle.  I read about putting the battery in gently so as not to jar the gimble.  So I run into a powerline and do at least one flip, and also dropped it out of a tall tree.  I followed it down and broke my pelvis.  But my P3P was fine!  I sorely (pun intended), wish I was making the tree thing up.  Go DJI!
2016-2-14
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gedgar2016
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tarikciftci Posted at 2016-1-4 18:10
I have phantom 3 professional when I shoot video while using samsung S6 edge after flight when I vie ...

Don't forget that what is being streamed back to your Samsung via the Lightbridge, is always at 720p, and that will be recorded on your Samsung unless you disable doing so.

The REAL footage, which in the Pro could be up to 4K video, is stored on the SD card in the Quad.  And boy, the quality of that will blow the recording from the live feed (Which is actually amazingly good, considering it's a real time feed) away.  Huge files, but computers can handle them these days.  On a high resolution monitor the results can be breathtaking.
2016-2-14
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gedgar2016
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Gory Lori Posted at 2016-1-17 18:41
Hi Tim,
I am a fresh newbie at understanding drones (PHANTOM 3 ADV) and your report of the common mi ...

Gary, when you get just a little familiar with flying your Phantom,  those control inputs will be the last thing you would ever think of doing.  For flying purposes, they're absurd.  You'll find you'll quickly agree, and won't be worried. You'll have a blast.
2016-2-14
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Mr Lou Lar
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Thanks for that , knowing the low battery bit is gonna help , dont wont to go and grap it and that happens
2016-2-17
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themudbear
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Thanks, I needed to hear all of that. Great Job.
2016-2-18
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EL GATO VOLADOR
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Thanks Tim for these advices, I would like to add another one, because that happened to a friend of mine with a Phanton 3 Professional, the weather was cool and he kept the aircraft in the garage where the temperature drop to 0, then he ignore the cool battery warning and went up, after 5 seconds the motors stop and the drone came down and crash. If I notice the battery is bellow 15 C, I take it out and put it close the hot wind from the heater.
2016-2-20
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powersofts
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Netherlands
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Thank you all for the fly tips and the do's and don't s , so I just ordered one "CSC safety"  to try. Thanks for the incredible offer.
2016-2-21
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SwedishDroneDud
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I agree with flying backwards and only looking at that FPV video.
2016-2-21
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claudioscenogra
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DJI-Dave Posted at 2015-11-21 03:00
No problem, I understand.  I am Dave not Tim by the way.

Adding an extra button to the CSC c ...

I think dji should better inform all users of this function of CSC. of which not all are aware, especially new pilots who full of enthusiasm not study all the function of the phantom remote control. you can not pull a phantom out of the box and fly. advertising for sales often deceives customers who think that flying a drone is simple. (sorry for my bad english)

extra button csc? like missile launch :-)

extra button csc? like missile launch :-)
2016-2-21
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DJI-Dave
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claudioscenogra Posted at 2016-2-21 11:40
I think dji should better inform all users of this function of CSC. of which not all are aware, es ...

I will forward your request.

Also, I like the picture.


Dave
2016-2-21
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arock387
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All of these bullet points are great

The only one I have a little bit of an issue with is the "make sure you have line of sight"  I live in a mountainous region with lots of trees (Vermont, USA) and its easy to lose line of sight.  If the drone says I have a three mile range than I'm going to want to use it.  and I can lose visual of the bird pretty easily before it even gets 400 ft away if there are trees tall enough.  So pretty much making the "range" useless and I have a very expensive drone with the same range as a 130 toy rc drone
2016-2-21
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drone
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A very helpful list! Thank you.  As someone who had had a Phantom Vision 2 for 15 months, and who just had his first significant crash, I propose to add Part 6(a).

6 (a).  When you THINK the camera gimbal is in the Full Down position and it isn't, and rely on the remote vision to guide to you a landing in a forest clearing.....

No real  harm done...a broken prop, anohter chipped and $9 for the gimbal mount, but a lot of momentary horror and anxiety, and an INTERESTING end to the video.

The humiliating part is I am a pilot (Fixed wing, SEL) and really should have known better.
2016-2-22
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dehner
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Best of all "DON'T PANIC!!!"
2016-2-25
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dehner
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DJI-Dave Posted at 2015-11-20 03:58
Here you go.

Common Pilot error #11.

Ah did encounter some birds as well
2016-2-25
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DJI-Tim
DJI team

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dehner Posted at 2016-2-26 13:23
Best of all "DON'T PANIC!!!"

exactly! I've seen so much mistakes made by people in panic
2016-2-26
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carboni.vs
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thanks a lot, these tips are really useful. Today I avoided beat with a bird (crow) thank god
2016-2-26
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DJI-Dave
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dehner Posted at 2016-2-25 21:23
Best of all "DON'T PANIC!!!"

Yep that's the big one!


Dave
2016-2-26
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DJI-Dave
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dehner Posted at 2016-2-25 21:23
Best of all "DON'T PANIC!!!"

Yep that's the big one!


Dave
2016-2-26
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DJI-Dave
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dehner Posted at 2016-2-25 21:23
Best of all "DON'T PANIC!!!"

Yep that's the big one!


Dave
2016-2-26
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DJI-Dave
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Forum software screwing up again with the multiple post....


Dave
2016-2-26
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Michael M
First Officer
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Canada
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If flying aggressively and you need to stop pull back on the throttle and throttle up.
2016-2-28
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