Hi,

First post.  Quick intro.  Been flying flight sims for 37 years.  RC (Plane, glider, slope, heli) flying for 10 years.  FPV (Skywalker long range setup) flying for 3 years.  Paragliding for 4 years, few dozen hours.  A few PPL lessons.  Just bought a Mini 2.

Out of the box I had zero issues flying the Mini 2 RC line of sight, 'cept maybe a little lag compared to an RC heli.  

Flying it 'FPV' using the screen was fairly easy too.  The only minor issue is it's a Cinematic camera with exposure hunting, deep shadows, beautiful, but un-desirable for VFR flight, especially in high contrast environments like nearing sun-set.  Looks stunning, but if too much sky gets in the picture, the exposure plummets and the land disappears.  Disconcerting.  In the old days we used wide dynamic range, flat profile, CCTV cameras that just expanded the dynamic range way out and then compressed it, making a very flat image even in low light or 'blue hour'.

Actually my issue I'm having most is balancing VLOS flying / awareness and orientation with FPV, screen reference flying and transitioning back and forward between the two.  I seem to lose orientation when I switch sometimes.  Sometimes I actually have lost orientation and fly the wrong way using the screen but eventually work out I've been flip around in my head.  Other times, more worryingly it's been my thumbs alone that have become disorientated to the point of doing something very different to what my brain is thinking.  Classic 'Dumb Thumb'.


I nearly had it in a tree on day 2 because I flew left instead of right, ending up between two branches with inchs to spare, 50ft up.
Last week I flew it sideways into the wall in my garden, when I was thinking 'yaw left', but my thumb stuck the cyclic stick full left instead.  No damage, save a few chips on the prop tips.  It had a soft landing on it's back in my strawberry patch.
On Sunday, I nearly hit a couple and a bin when I did the same thing.  Flew left instead of yawing.  Most embarressed about this as it was actually dangerous.  Completely by accident, but I learned to be more careful in the landing zone and simply land, no messing around in close quarters unless you are completely alone.

This is not helped by the funky limit settings for Cine, Norm, Sport.  I set my yaw rate in Cine to be very, very slow, but the fastest I'm willing to go on a panoramic/cinematic pan shot.  However, I can't change the laterally speed to match.  So my thumbs are pushing yaw and seeing very little response the instinctively add 'alieron' to roll into and increase the turn rate.  Of course the 'alieron' is actually the 'move left' and as it's in no way limited (comparable to the yaw rate) an accidental press in close quaters and the drone covers 5-10 feet in a second or two.

I have been thinking of using a more procedural approach to flights, where I actually make a list of things/shots I want to make and work through it.  Then take off and fly the drone LOS to somewhere near the first shot.  Make a conscious transfer to screen reference to set up the shot properly.  Take the shot.  Then bring the drone back and off to the next shot line of sight again.   I'm thinking the delibrate points where I swtich between LOS and FPV and having some form of plan other than, 'Hey look that's cool, let's fly over there... no lets do this... oh wait, that looks cool... I wonder can i do this.... WHACK.  Ooops.  No.'

Anyone tried this or have links to systems people use?

Yes I know that the larger drones have colision avoidance, but they have equally high prices!

I am a relatively new flyer, so no way expert in these matters. If, as you say, you
are having problems with using the sticks flying left and right instead of yawing. Wouldn't it suit you better to fly in Mode 1 where the controls are reversed. I believe this would be more comfortable for you as coming from years of flying aeroplanes etc.
Or am I totally wrong and talking rubbish.

Don't know how that image got posted. Mistake on my part.

yogi053 Posted at 6-1 05:02
Don't know how that image got posted. Mistake on my part.

Thanks, but I'm used to mode 2 anyway.
I think I'll just have to work through that.   I mean if it was a heli and you stabbed right cyclic instead of rudder for a quick about turn, it would end just as badly or worse.

I think I'm maybe just rushing myself and trying to do too many things at once and not pausing the think about stuff.

PaulCam Posted at 6-1 06:56
Thanks, but I'm used to mode 2 anyway.
I think I'll just have to work through that.   I mean if it was a heli and you stabbed right cyclic instead of rudder for a quick about turn, it would end just as badly or worse.

Just practice a lot....  ;-)

Tip, if you land your craft manually in a convined area ; put the front of your MINI2 away from you, so left = left and right = right on the controls.

cheers
JJB