My P3 Advanced is at home and will be unboxed tomorrow.

I can barely handle a camera and struggle to boil a kettle.  Yet I have every apple commodity and gadget known to man.

Any hints and tips?

Read guides front to back over the next 4 days and then start flying Monday?

Or, open, charge, build and find the on switch?

What the optimum so I dont end up smashing it after 23 minutes, and there is no App launched either . . .

Thoughts please.  I have 4 days to play and I live in the Warwickshire countryside, but I dont want to trash it too soon!

Start here:

http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3/download

PLEASE Read the user guides thoroughly before flying! I read a couple posts today, one where a P2 went into "go home" mode and crashed into a tree because the operator didn't know there was such a mode. The other was asking why the left control stick gets stuck in the down position on the 3.0 type P2 controller.
Scary to think there are people flying these who don't know simple things like that!

This is my first quad also so I went on ebay and purchased a syma quad for practice. From what i have read on the forums here there are a handful of cheap quads (less than $50) that you wont be heartbroken if you crash and it will help you become proficient before flying this nice expensive toy into the side of a house.

Its much cheaper to learn from others lessons learned before you make your own lessons.   

Good Luck!

Youtube...Youtube..Youtube.Watch any videos  pertaining to phantom 2.Alot of your p3 (But Not All) flight operations are the same.Calibrating the IMU,Calibrating the Remote,Calibrating the quad,and basic flight controls.Very similar to phantom 2s.Comb this forum like the IRS combs Bill Gates tax returns.Enjoy the bird and welcome.

Both of my ebooks are free for downloading from Amazon today and tomorrow!
You are likely to learn something and maybe get some hints....
http://www.droneflyers.com/2015/ ... -days-only-wed-fri/

If I had to really give the 3 most important tips, they would be...in addition to reading manuals, learning sticks, etc.

1. This is a flying camera. Use it only as that - use other machines for your fun, demo's, racing, learning and everything else.
2. Fly ONLY in large open areas with no bodies of water of large forests nearby...for the first few flights.
3, Install "insurance" devices when you can - gimbal guards and savers, prop guards and even a second GPS (Trackimo type)....

Thanks for that. Any idea how long it will be before the insurance devices are on the market?
Does the extra weight not compromise something?

jake1164@hotmai Posted at 2015-5-1 07:40
This is my first quad also so I went on ebay and purchased a syma quad for practice. From what i hav ...

Superb Idea.  Amazon it is.  

Michael Starley Posted at 2015-5-1 07:41
Youtube...Youtube..Youtube.Watch any videos  pertaining to phantom 2.Alot of your p3 (But Not All) f ...

Thanks Michael.  Never even considered You tube.  

I cam make a mean omelette but I am clearly digitlaly blind

paul.roebuck@k3 Posted at 2015-5-1 08:42
Thanks for that. Any idea how long it will be before the insurance devices are on the market?
Does t ...

Any extra weight hits performance.
Prop guards have the additional problems of getting in your camera's view, catching wind like a sail and hitting performance and making it easier to get into, or harder to get out of a VRS situation leading to a crash.  They tend to give flyers a false sense of security.
If you are flying somewhere that you think you need propguards (with the possible exception of indoors) you are probably flying in the wrong place.
Do your learning in a clear open area well away from buildings, trees and other obstacles.
The Phantom is easier to fly than any $50 trainer drones.

labroides@yahoo Posted at 2015-5-1 09:24
Any extra weight hits performance.
Prop guards have the additional problems of getting in your cam ...

Thanks for your reflections.  I will be in a  field a long long way from anywhere initially, your comments on the P3 being easy to fly are noted too.

paul.roebuck@k3 Posted at 2015-5-1 08:42
Thanks for that. Any idea how long it will be before the insurance devices are on the market?
Does t ...

The Trackimo and other GPS devices are available now. The extra weight is no problem.

You can make your own bottom (between the landing gear) protector out of a piece of 4mm corrugated sign materials (like they use for yard and real estate signs)....but there should be plenty of them on ebay and elsewhere within a couple weeks.

Those protect the gimbal and camera from getting poked and destroyed when you land on rocks and bushes and branches.

I suspect the other type of gimbal savers will be updated and available soon - these are like the "Phantom Fix" brand.
http://www.djiphantomfix.com/

young.selina@ro Posted at 2015-5-1 20:07
Hi,

I'm also a novice and agree with the idea of practising on a cheaper quadcopter; I chose the Hu ...

thanks selina

Unboxing now

Its been amazing.  I had a tiny incident on flight 2, but no damage done and it ensured I have taken more care since.  Ive had a handful of flights and I am definitely gaining confidence.  I need two batteries more though to maximise the pleasure.  And its been windy and rainy so I am now waiting for tomorrow.  


I want to use it indoors but it feel really tricky to maintain control, hows yours?

From what I read on the Phantom 3 features, DJI includes a virtual simulator that you can use with the remote  control that comes with your P3.
I would imagine that it will be helpful for new users...

You can see one of my videos on You tube, I have now done several flights and weather permitting I will be doing more tomorrow



I hope you get the IOS soon

I apologize for posting this very newbie question as I am sure it has been posted elsewhere and is likely obvious to most of you.  It is embarrassing, but...
I ordered and received my P3, still awaiting the iOS update.  I have read ALL of the manuals, watched many YouTube videos, and read quite a bit throughout this forum.
Is it not possible to fly the P3 without the app (i.e. "fly blind"), just to get flight practice without bothering with the camera and the app?  I have charged all batteries and calibrated the aircraft.
When I turn it on and try to start the motors nothing happens.  Is this because it won't fly or work at all without the app?

Quite sure you need the app. I had to login with my DJI account to pair the aircraft to my account, it wouldn't even allow me to take off otherwise.

I borrowed a friend's old Galaxy Note 2 and have done a simple test flight with it. Works quite well, however quite a few issues to learn such as controlling the camera, calibrating aircraft/gimbal etc that I didn't know with just basic quad practice. Also if you've never flown RC before, it's probably worth getting a small quad to practice. I've flown RC 6ch helicopters in the past extensively but a bit rusty now, that experience helped me greatly with flight orientation.

SJS94 Posted at 2015-5-4 07:25
I apologize for posting this very newbie question as I am sure it has been posted elsewhere and is l ...

I had the exact same question (especially as one of the manuals refer's to manual flying) and I can confirm you CANNOT fly without the App, and as you know IOS is not out yet.  

I purchased a £100 android tablet to keep me going and so far its worked well.  I have however found that my budget Android has  power retention problem but that is a known fault of the tablet not the P3 (HUDL2).  

Once the app arrives just follow the pre take off instructions exactly as the page on the instructions and hey presto it'll work like a dream.  

One thing it makes you do is calibrate your compass prior to first flight and you do this by holding the drone at chest hight and circling it.  You may want to research that as it feel odd, but it sets you Return home location

young.selina@ro Posted at 2015-5-4 16:21
Wow, you've got your P3 and flying it with confidence! You look very happy in the video you did be ...

I have a superb 3min video of collected footage but its too bog to load over the internet, I will add to Tube tomorrow.  Lovely sunny day, going flying later!!!!!!