Hi, just ordered my P2VP.  am expecting to to arrive tomorrow. took advantage of the midweek 15% off offer.  In the meantime I have been reading up..   Could anyone point me to a proper detailed 'by the book' preflight and post flight checklist.   

I am inexperienced and I don't want to do something stupid on my first flight that could have easily been avoidable.

Thanks

The preflight checklist in the flight app is pretty good but maybe someone here has something to add?

Hi, Welcome aboard!   Firstly, download the manual from the DJI web site and study it before you do anything in the field with your copter.  The hard copy manual supplied is really only a quick start and there is much more you need to learn before you fly.  This forum is supported by flyers (such as myself!) who have already made most of the mistakes and learned from them!! so are in a good place to help you.

So secondly, having read the manual, and are not clear about anything, ask here, you will get lots of help to ensure you get the best from the bird!  It is an amazing machine, but it don't bounce too well, so chat with the guys here and learn from our mistakes--- happy flying!

Just remember, "there's no such thing as a stupid question if you don't know the answer"  ASK before you crash.  

If you have never flown R/C or a quadcopter I'd caution you to not use your new Phantom until you fly a toy model for at least a couple hours. This is in addition to the good hints given above (read manual, etc.).
Many of the hints and tips - and links - are given here:
http://www.droneflyers.com/2014/ ... om-fly-away-crashes
It's one thing to know stuff conceptually - quite another to develop the muscle memory and experiences of piloting. I'm going to quote 3D Robotics and others about this:

"Drone makers say they are cursed by their biggest success: the rise in novice users.

Technology has made the devices cheaper and easier to fly, giving anyone who can spare a few hundred dollars access to small aircraft that can climb thousands of feet. As a result, drone makers say, many flyaways occur because untrained pilots struggle to steer drones to safety if the devices lose orientation because of bad GPS data or issues with their compasses. The companies say flyaways can also happen when users don’t calibrate the drone’s compass or configure its fail-safe functions.

“Now that we’ve made them so easy to fly, people just open up the box and put them in the air,” Mr. Anderson says. “It’s not that people are worse pilots; it’s that they’re not pilots at all.”

So if you fit the "no pilot at all" description, get some training with toy quads, contact a friend who may have experience, call up the local R/C club, etc. to get some!

I dont plan to fly it before I feel confident of all the details in the manual and i will start off only with basic manouevers over short distances and getting used to the app..  I assume it is safest to fly in gps mode only first until i am comfortable.

I am mostly afraid of flyaways and the phantom tipping when it lands..    Got any tips??  I assume proper compass calibration and properly setting the home point are the things you have to get right to avoid flyaways..
I am just reading through the manual at the moment..

And also, i must say, delivery to Malta is quite quick.  Ordered direct from dji on the 27 th in the evening and this morning, 29th its already in Malta, shipped from the uk.

one tip that will prevent tip overs when landing is to kill the engines with throttle down for 3secs INSTEAD of doing CSC.  while csc will turn the motors off, the subsecond movements to GET TO the csc position are interpreted by the craft as you pitching and yawing HARD.  if you csc SUPER FAST you wont tip over but there is a speed at which if you GET to the csc position slow enough, you will tip before you reach the position.  that is my experience.  i find the 3sec single stick throttle down the best way to avoid landing tip overs.

gnixon2015 Posted at 2015-1-29 21:02
one tip that will prevent tip overs when landing is to kill the engines with throttle down for 3secs ...

Noted.  Makes sense    Cheers

When I got mine it took me 2 days before I'd attempt to fly it.  I'd read the manuals (which, obviously, you can do now before you receive it).  But they don't prepare you for the fear of crashing or losing your relatively-expensive machine. (Let's face it, I've bought working CARS for less!)  So day 1 I was willing to turn it on.  It was pleasant to hear to startup tones.  Day 2 I started the motors!  Man, what a feeling!  Later on in Day 2 I lifted off the ground about 6 inches.  I tipped it when I landed.  Shame on me!  Listen to gnixon2015 and do the 3-sec down gesture.  I haven't tipped it since that day, but the props DO spin up fast, just for a second, every time I do the CSC.

Aside from the manuals, watch the YouTube videos.  They help.

Also, as some have said earlier, ASK BEFORE YOU CRASH.

And, my last bit of advice...  Don't take off until you have your Home position recorded.  This is important: Just because the lights are green, doesn't mean it's recorded.  It just means it has a good GPS signal.  You have to wait for them to blink to indicate that the home position is locked.  Also understand the various methods of engaging Return-To-Home. (Easiest being turn off the controller.)  It WILL save you.

Happy flying!

adrianmizzi1983 Posted at 2015-1-29 20:44
I dont plan to fly it before I feel confident of all the details in the manual and i will start off  ...

Hi Adrian, re tipping: fit prop guards and remember on take off, (AFTER HOME POINT IS ESTABLISHED AND MORE THAN 6 SATELLITES SHOWING), give it full throttle quickly to get it off the ground, then let it hang there at about 2 metres until you are sure it is stable . If you apply take off throttle slowly it will almost certainly tip.  

You will almost certainly have read about prop wash being caused by prop guards. But there are many more reports of blades hitting the deck and burning out boards or motors so don't get hung up on it.  I am a professional videographer and use the drone in my business.   I have had guards on since the PV2+ was first launched and with scores of flights, some in tricky conditions, I have never had prop wash, although I have had a couple of tips onto the guards which saved the bird from damage.

The most important thing to avoid prop wash is always descend in two axes. Avoid dropping vertically- always add some lateral directional movement to a descent.   One last thing: I have been to Malta several times and know it to be dusty and rocky.  Pick your take off/landing areas carefully, you don't want any grit getting in those little motors!

Keep us informed on your progress!
Cheers!
Rod

Hi Rod, thanks for the input. Yes i purchased a set of prop guards and intend to use them..  To be honest so far i see no reasson why i should ever remove them...  Thanks for the tip on descending.  Noted..    As for takeoff and landing, i plan on carrying around a small gym mat for that purpose.  See pic . I am not particlarly worried about prop wash..

adrianmizzi1983 Posted at 2015-1-30 06:33
Hi Rod, thanks for the input. Yes i purchased a set of prop guards and intend to use them..  To be h ...

Great stuff Adrian, you sound like a new user that is doing all the right things! Keep us updated with your exploits.
Cheers!
Rod

Absolutely on the 3 second throttle down. You're already pushing the stick that way anyway! Having finally had my first tip over when landing, I can tell you the best thing NOT to do is keep trying to land it real slow and lightly. I don't mean you go full throttle into the ground, but if you hop around while trying to land it like a feather you have a good chance of tipping over. If/When you test (and you should) your return to home (RTH) function, watch how well the thing lands by itself! You simply want to bring it straight down and land at a reasonable speed.

FantOmas assembled this must read.  I found it extremely helpful.  
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mv8d1hohc3mceym/DJI%20Phantom%20Vision%20Summary%20Guide.pdf?dl=0

droneflyers.com Posted at 2015-1-29 20:19
If you have never flown R/C or a quadcopter I'd caution you to not use your new Phantom until you fl ...

Find a local R/C club is great idea. This link will help you find one

http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx

Two things that any R/C pilot needs to remember.

If something is not right, fix it
If you can't fix or not sure you fixed it, don't fly.

Good question because i am expecting my DJI Phanton 2 shortly and like you i am a newbie to drones. Been flying RC Aircraft for years but the phanton looks like a lot of fun.

Just got my P2VP, charging batteries and reading up..  Question.  is the mobile holder on the controller meant to be so stiff?  Its kinda hard to swivel around..

read the manual, read it again, read some great 'straight to the point' manuals posted on this forum. read again and then.......read again. I'm on the seventh time reading a manual by 'fantomas' (sorry - I don't have a link). outstanding guide. I always find something new.
practise is best but by doing the 'theory' so many times it becomes second nature.

adrianmizzi1983 Posted at 2015-1-30 21:41
Just got my P2VP, charging batteries and reading up..  Question.  is the mobile holder on the contro ...

You can loosen it with the... uhhh... white looseny turny thing.  It's ribbed so you can turn it.  But don't make it too loose.  It's your expensive mobile device that's being held there!

Been looking for same myself, some great posts above, just found this PDF thinking it offers some good guidance I am goint to adapt it to my own needs.... http://www.frischling.com/preflight.pdf

Once you have read and understood the manual thinking it is a good idea to practice the start up and landing routines with numerous short flights out and back so that you get to know the aircraft along with its pre and post flight routines well. Lots of learning!

Here is a checklist I've built and been using/modifying for the last week...  It is in no way original, but a collection of several I've found.

...and a little military thrown in for good measure.

You can download the whole manual here: http://www.dji.com/product/phantom/download

We also developed an autopilot app for the Phantom Vision Plus, check us out! http://autoflightlogic.com/autopilotphantom

Happy flying!