Hi Everybody. I have something to ask you. How do you get over your fear of flying? I mean I am sending half a thousand dollars in the air. If I crash it and lose it, I am done. So how do you get over your fear? I also have another question. What is the max wind speed for the phantom 3 standard?

You can't have a fear of flying when you make the decision to purchase a drone.  Same as you shouldn't have a fear of heights and want to be a fireman... With that being said just because you are sending it up in the air doesn't mean you have to send it on a mile long adventure.  I have stretched the limits of my Spark but, generally fly it where I can still see the little blob in the sky.  Now as far as max windspeed for the P3 I do not have documentation but, I know firsthand that it takes quite a bit more than the Spark and I have flown the Spark in 20 mile an hour winds in order to capture a Garrison size (F'n big) flag at full standout.  The Spark performed beautifully, the video looks like it was shot on a tripod.  There were a few spots where it gusted the Spark off track but it corrected itself almost immediately.  
If you do have a fear of flying and still want to fly your thousand dollar machine around, I would recommend flying a cheap toy drone to get acquainted to the controls since flying in ATTI mode is just like flying a lessor quality drone and takes some piloting to keep it on course.  

Either way good luck and hopefully see ya out there!

I would also suggest flying with others who can offer support. See if there are any groups in your area.

I also had that same fear! I have flown RC airplanes for over 20 years, built them all and crashed a few....several were over $500!
I enjoy the P3S  and all the advanced tech that it has crammed in it. You see, the Phantoms can almost fly themselves. If you study the manual,  watch a bunch of videos, READ THE MANUAL AGAIN, and ask questions on the forum...you will be flying like a pro. Then read the manual again...and discover something new!
If you take it slow, and do all the double checks, fly in GPS mode (wait for all the GPS satellites)...if you get nervous just let go of the controls and it will hover in place until you gather your thoughts!
The worst thing you could do is PANIC ! It is hard to put your trust in an app/program...when there is that kind of money on the line.
Just take it slow and easy, read the manual, palce it in beginers mode (restricted distance and altitude) and get a feel for how it flys.
Good luck and fly safe.

Have to agree with all the above take it slow at first keep it low and close say no more than 30 - 40 mtrs away untill you start to get a hang of how it works.
Read the manual and fully understand the features before you fly.
My very first flight ever with a drone lasted all of 10 seconds i took off hovered at about 3 mtrs then landed again from that point on i took baby steps eventually no longer concerned with the cost.
And now at the point were ive been flying various models for years and finally got to upgrade to the phantom.
You will find that if you follow your pre flight check list and take things slow you have a very stable drone to fly with and will enjoy your new hobby immensely

Get to know your birds ability step by step and don´t be in haste. Panic is  a bad advise. Begin to maneuver your bird slowly for looking at reactions of your bird. First couples of time fly in P-mode as in post #2 mentioned. Who can lands the bird accurate is who will fly safe. But before you let the bird fly you may do the check point for point in your checklist,mechanical and electrical.
And very important is the right recorded home point. If the voice say "....please check it on the map",then check it before you let the bird take off..

All the suggestions in the above posts are very good, but they're no guarantee that you still won't crash it or lose it somehow.  To quit worrying about losing your money, go to State Farm (or someone else) and get insurance for $60/year.  They cover total loss whether crashed, lost stolen, etc...

I've had one dump in a pond (got it back and working ok) and several near misses of lost connections/flying to close to trees that have initially scared me but then I think, ok, I'll have to call State Farm and get another drone (and upgrade at that point)...

Bottom line is....you're taking that risk when you're flying. When I started flying, I also experienced fear but used the anxiety and fear to keep viligant at the controls.  

After 5,311,136 feet of flight time which is equivalent to over 1,000 miles of flying, I still experience a bit of fear but nothing like when I first started flying.
It lessens somewhat with time so keep practicing.

I've had my P3S for around 10 months and I am still nervous when I fly, even over wide-open space and knowing I have DJI Care in case of an accident! I doubt I will ever get over it so I keep the AC within line of sight which is about 600 feet and I won't take it up more than around 200 feet. It's mostly fr photograhy so no need to fly long distance. To answer your question, I don't know that I ever will get over it.

try flying a $2,000 Inspire 1 Pro  with a $900 camera hanging below it.

truth be told the P3S is not very stable in any winds above 5mph also just gotta fly and be cautious of any trees or  powerlines around you

TruGreen Posted at 2018-4-18 06:12
try flying a $2,000 Inspire 1 Pro  with a $900 camera hanging below it.

truth be told the P3S is not very stable in any winds above 5mph also just gotta fly and be cautious of any trees or  powerlines around you

Yes, I have a P3S also and it doesn't handle wind very well despite its size, unlike its younger siblings, for example, P4 and P4P. Anything above 10mph  one will have to be careful. As for fear, I never got over it. Every time I fly there is a chance your bird will not come back.

Use the flight simulator to become familiar with your drone and its functions before you attempt to fly.  When you fly, take baby steps and push yourself a little more each time u fly.  When u try something new, become familiar with it in the flight simulator first.  Don't outfly your experience and knowledge.  Being cautious is a good thing...you might just become one of the best pilots.  But remember, accidents happen even if you've accounted for every contingency.  Take a deep breath, hold on to yourself and go for it!

Seriously, you just need to fly. Depending on the risks you take, the environment you choose fly in, you may loose or severely damage your drone. It happens and is usually pilot error. With all that said, in my opinion the product is solid, if one takes the time to learn it and also learns the lessons the community has to offer, the risk of loss is greatly reduced.  

Maxi3D Posted at 2018-4-18 06:31
Yes, I have a P3S also and it doesn't handle wind very well despite its size, unlike its younger siblings, for example, P4 and P4P. Anything above 10mph  one will have to be careful. As for fear, I never got over it. Every time I fly there is a chance your bird will not come back.

just gotta upgrade, the Inspire 1 is bigger, and may not fly as long. but 10-15 mph winds dont effect it. hell some brave soles take em out in 20-30 mph winds

You have to have to trust in your equipment.  Fly often to prove that trust.  Just use common sense and remember to not panic. If you get into trouble just remember your drone is well equipped to get you out of it.

Even though I got a little late to this thread, I felt like I could voice my experience with flying for the first time. I first got a small drone for $60 and practiced with that one. This was way before I even thought about getting this drone. Once I got this drone for Christmas, I was probably feeling exactly what you are feeling right now. I couldn't get myself to fly it because I was worried about putting half a grand in the sky. Also, because I was flying it close to the ground, I got many compass glitches and got really worried that it would happen midair. Once I got it in the air, I would slowly go farther and farther away every time I flew it. Eventually, I worked my way to be able to fly it to the max distance and was able to trust that it would return.

Basically what I'm trying to say is just practice with a smaller drone and then go a little out of your comfort zone with your Phantom. It will be safe.

Dhillskiier1653 Posted at 2018-4-19 04:26
Even though I got a little late to this thread, I felt like I could voice my experience with flying for the first time. I first got a small drone for $60 and practiced with that one. This was way before I even thought about getting this drone. Once I got this drone for Christmas, I was probably feeling exactly what you are feeling right now. I couldn't get myself to fly it because I was worried about putting half a grand in the sky. Also, because I was flying it close to the ground, I got many compass glitches and got really worried that it would happen midair. Once I got it in the air, I would slowly go farther and farther away every time I flew it. Eventually, I worked my way to be able to fly it to the max distance and was able to trust that it would return.

Basically what I'm trying to say is just practice with a smaller drone and then go a little out of your comfort zone with your Phantom. It will be safe.

Excellent Advice.

I doubt I’ll ever get over my fear of flying. But one thing that makes it easier, is knowing that I’ve studied the manual and read all the posts here discussing flyaways.

Make sure your batteries are well cared for, charged and properly seated in the aircraft. Wait for the nice lady to tell you the home point has been updated, and check it on the map. Launch and hover for a few to see if there are any error messages that pop up. Read any messages as they appear. Keep your aircraft nearby in visual sight. Follow the rules and your fear will subside with each successful flight.

Jeff

Your fear will diminish over time but the biggest advise I can give you is just practice. Find the biggest open space you can and just practice. Don't even worry about filming anything yet just focus on flying. Sometimes you can be distracted by what you want to capture instead of the drone itself. In fact just yesterday afternoon I took the P4P out with a full battery and just flew around the neighborhood. I wasn't filming anything I was just practicing my turns and rotations.

So good luck and just take the plunge. You will soon become addicted.

All the above sounded like good advice...it seems that the P3 does not deal with winds well so keeping it below 10kts of wind may be your safest bet.
All in all, it is not really your fear that is bothering you, or you would never had bought your drone, it is your lack of confidence in flying it.  Meaning, if you follow a lot of the advice you received here, then in relatively short time you will gain your confidence in your skills and the bird.  Then the fear you feel about flying will go away or at least subside greatly.  However, several mentioned this above, never truly lose your fear, what I really mean is your cautiousness about flying, that is what helps you avoid trouble or problems.  It is usually when operators throw caution to the wind or become overconfident that trouble occurs.
The biggest thing of all, HAVE FUN!
Fly Safe!

If you need to, start off low and keep it around you, and TAKE YOUR TIME, just practice turning and landing

Buy a cheaper drone like the Spark or the Tello first and practice.

See if you can get a PAP policy from State Farm so that your drone and accessories are covered just in case you have a mishap.  Happy flying

Don't go higher initially. Try to find an open area where you can practice. Don't panic . And make sure to read manuals, it really helps. Good Luck.

I have been flying for 8 months and more than 100 flights and all the issues I have had were always my fault one way or another. I think that a consistent and rigorous battery cycling (correct usage > correct storage), keeping an eye on wind all the times and VLOS at all cost is what keeps my drone still alive. Also training is key, don't look always for easy peasy conditions, as soon as you have some practice, challenge your self with limit winds, ATTI flying and landings, orientation and positional awarenes challenges, etc.

You got to trust that the machine will do what its meant to do. Start flying short distances to get comfortable and then go farther and farther till your comfortable with your control of the product.

When I said a year ago that your fear will subside with each successful flight, I meant it. I was scared to death the first time I sent my P4P out on a Litchi mission. So scared in fact, that I cancelled it three times before it got to the second Waypoint. A couple days ago, I turned it loose and it flew over 3 miles and was away for 14 minutes. Twice, the signal was lost to the controller due to a water tower and a large building. But it came home safe and sound. I was a little nervous with the loss of signal but after 20 seconds or so the signal came back. I'm sure that I'm starting to overcome the fear of loss, because I have a heart condition... and I'm still breathing. If you're so scared that you don't fly, and trust your bird, your knowledge, and your ability... this might not be the hobby for you. But understand, there was a time when I was so nervous I wouldn't take it out of beginner mode. Now, due to seeing video by guys like Dirty Bird, I've gotten to the point I'll turn it loose and let it fly it's program without suffering an anxiety attack or worse.

Jeff

State Farm. The more time you fly, the more confident you will be. It takes time. I do not fly my drone in any winds above 20mph because it could cause hair line cracks in the frame where the motors are located.

A little fear is probably good for you. If you get complacent you can go wrong very quickly. Keep thinking of it as a full sized aircraft, and thus the checks that have to be undertaken on the craft and the place you fly before you actually get there. Once those are done you can be  rest assured that the aircraft will do you proud and keep flying for years. As you say $500 in the air who would do such a thing unless they knew that all was well and that they had taken precautions to minimise risk, not just to the craft but to others. Full sized aircraft pilots no doubt had similar misgivings on their first flights. These are craft that are built to fly well and to be enjoyed not feared. And, as already has been said, insurance covers the rest of the worries.

djilover10, it's been a year.  Any update on your flight status?  How goes it?

Each time you fly, it will become less scary. You will build confidence in you and the app. As for the anxiety, it will always be there. One thing I can tell you is if you do all your preflight checks and use Litchi your drone will always come back. This includes verifying home position, having at least 10 satellites and flying within the wind capability of your drone. P.S. make sure you turn on smart battery. This will return your drone if it senses battery is getting to low to complete mission.

Small steps to start with and use beginner mode for your first couple of flights. Fly in wide open areas and progress from there. I thought the drone would fall on me when I first took off but you'll be cruising at 400' in no time as your confidence builds.

Remember Bob Wiley (What About Bob?). Babysteps. Just take it a bit at a time. Hover in beginner mode until you get the basic hang.  Fly some patterns to get used to orientation. Do some take offs and landings. Get a bit further away and practice the return to home features to know what that it like. Etc., etc..

I completely get it it. You are sending well spent money into the air as a new experience. You are right to have some apprehension, as you should. That is what keeps us safe - a little bit of healthy fear. It is a hazardous attitude to be "fearless" of things. That is what gets people hurt. Too much fear is bad too, as you won't get anything accomplished. So JUST ENOUGH to get you into the air safely keeps you safe and from taking stupid risks. Calculated risks are fine (think of a risk matrix). You just gotta get out there and do it.

Good luck and happy flying!

Find better paying job, second job or do some overtime. Earn enough to be able to replace $500 drone with every paycheck.
Your fear is coming from that very same knowledge that you will not be able to afford another drone.

I own nearly ten grand in diving equipment inc rebreathers if i was scared of dying wich im not as long as its a notable death i dont care not something mundane like gettin run over by a bus. I did have the same feeling as you i wont call it fear as its been trained out of me as far as diving & bod recoveries go ive done 17 so far .  Start out flying away from anything a field is ideal that way if it goes badly you have a bailout plan also get insurance for total loss of drone may also help . That way if you do eat ... you only have to have flight data or drone to do a claim for me it`s both. As far as wind goes im used to abort points ie scrubbing a dive as a gen rule i wont fly anything above 17mph as it juss stresses everything

I can totally understand & respect your fear of flying your drone, as I also experienced this.   I don't think it's simply a fear of losing or breaking your drone.   I think it' goes deeper than this.   I think it's a lack of confidence in yourself.    The best way forward is to take baby steps.   By that, I mean practice, practice, practice.    Start with simple flying manoeuvres until you feel confident and then build from there.   You will get there.  Just be patient and don't give up.  Good luck