Hello all!

So after some great input from forum memebrs a few days ago I went and got myself a P3A today. Very exited for my first flight, but taking is slowly. does anyone have any advice for a drone virgin? I registered with the FAA today so once the batteries are charged im ready to go!

Any tips would be greatly appriciated.

Many thanks!

Find a lot of wide open space.  Practice ATTI mode as much as you can.  Oh, & don't forget to read the manual.  Happy flying!

Yes, wide open spaces, staying away from trees or any other obstacles. Also, go slowly. Use small motions with the stick. Stay in Beginner mode as long as you can stand it just getting used to the basics.

Hi
See if this helps any

https://docs.google.com/document ... Vl8IvA8/mobilebasic

Good advice above. If you can, I'd also recommend third party liability insurance if you can get it cheaply (in the UK it's only about $20). Really nice to know that you're protected from any mishaps.

I believe State Farm (amongst others) offer extended insurance that covers loss / damage to your drone for very little money. Even more confident feeling!

Cheers guys!

I've been reading through the manual and will be making up a pre flight check list. I haven't read about a dedicated beginner mode yet how does that work?

Jakk Posted at 2016-5-12 07:32
Cheers guys!

I've been reading through the manual and will be making up a pre flight check list. I ...

In the Mc settings turn on beginner mode

Mine was set at beginners mode when brand new.

Make sure you get comfortable with what to do in a bad situation. Know how to manually activate RTH from the transmitter as well as fly with no app and in atti mode.

rayrokni Posted at 2016-5-11 18:38
In the Mc settings turn on beginner mode

I believe that is default when it is new out of the box.

I bought my Phantom 3 Advanced back in January and I am still loving it. I first took mine to a park area that didn't have alot of trees around me, and I went in the late afternoon so it wouldn't be so busy and I wouldn't scare anyone or have a bunch of people around that may want to ask questions. I also made sure and read the owners manual so many times that I could almost memorize it.
A few other things I remember are to make sure is to set the maximum altitude on the RTH in case you have to use that feature, and yes, flying in Beginner mode was helpful.

Read the manual thoroughly and watch the tutorials.  Feel free to come back here and ask questions if you didn't understand any of the materials.

There is a simulator in the Dji go app. Its not all that great at emulating the way the drone flies,  but it will let you get familiar with the app before you fly.  Some things to get familiar that are very important.
1.  Return to Home.  Learn it.  Live it. Love it.  or hate it.  but know it.
2.  You do not need the app to fly the drone.  You do not even need a device to fly the drone.  Except for the very first time,  when you have to register it with Dji.  After that,  if you are flying and the app crashes,  no need to crap in your pants.  Just remain calm,  hover the drone where it is while you recover the app,  or fly it home if you can or press the rth button on the controller if you cant.  Be aware,  if you press rth within 20 meters of the home point,  it will not come the rest of the way home.  It will land straight down from where it is at the time you initiate rth.

These things are among the most common reasons for new pilot confusion and crashing.
Hope you have fun and take some great videos and pics to share on here.  

Read on this forum, A LOT. Of course you need to read the manual, but the manual only describes how things SHOULD work, and in a perfect world. This forum has so many real-life experiences that are nowhere to be found in the manual.

One tip I didn't see in the posts before me; always check the wind direction before you take off. I usually do that by throwing a bit of grass or sand in the air and see where it goes. Try to fly against the wind. That way, it takes less time and battery power to fly back when your battery is low. If you fly with the wind and you need to fight the wind while flying back to you and you see the battery power dropping fast, that's not too good for your heart.

Kneepuck Posted at 2016-5-12 06:35
There is a simulator in the Dji go app. Its not all that great at emulating the way the drone flies, ...

Does RTH work when your app isn't working? If so, how will it determine RTH altitude? Or will it remember the last setting you had when flying with the app?

Find yourself a large open area. Take your time and practice, practice, practice.

sevadu Posted at 2016-5-12 11:26
Does RTH work when your app isn't working? If so, how will it determine RTH altitude? Or will it r ...

Does RTH work when your app isn't working? If so, how will it determine RTH altitude? Or will it remember the last setting you had when flying with the app?

Yes RTH will work, data is held on aircraft, if App' crashes then RC will still have full control of aircraft. If RC fails (battery flat, switch off, or just fails) then the aircraft sees loss of signal and 'should' return to home if all has been well thought out.

Aardvark Posted at 2016-5-12 13:26
Does RTH work when your app isn't working? If so, how will it determine RTH altitude? Or will it r ...

Awesome, thank you!

I would agree with all of the above also. I think reading the manual is very important, and you definitely need to understand the RTH feature as mentioned before you actually have to use it. It is beneficial to understand what is going to happen in certain situations before it happens. Explore around in your app and know were your settings are and how to change them when need be and understand what information it is giving you. I have also spent a fair amount of time reading these forums. There  is a tremendous amount of information here that may not be exactly called out in the manual, but you can be assured that someone has encountered just about everything imaginable here. Get out in the open and play with things a bit so you get the "feel" of things and comfortable with what to do if you get into a situation. Turning on "Atti" mode (middle selection) on your controller will also give you an accurate indication of where the wind is coming from. Don't panic if it starts to take off, just remember you can toggle it back to "GPS" if it starts to drift away from you and it will immediately re-gain control, but this is good to play around with. Good luck!

ARM-001 Posted at 2016-5-11 19:28
Good advice above. If you can, I'd also recommend third party liability insurance if you can get it  ...

+1 for State Farm.  Less than $100/year for a $0 policy covering drone damage and I think it also includes a small amount of additional injury/property liability.

Thanks so much guys

I linked the RC to the aircraft today and had a poke around int he settings to get my bearings and also used the simulator. Now I am super nervous about flying it! I do need to get my head around the return to home function thats for sure. I am very concerned about getting the RTH altitude correct as to not hit anything on the way home. I also had an odd question. When i took the aircraft out of the box I noticed that only two of the little plastic rods that hold the gimbal plate on were being used. I had to add the other two from the accessories box. Did anyone else have a unit come like this?  

Jakk Posted at 2016-5-12 16:07
Thanks so much guys

I linked the RC to the aircraft today and had a poke around int he settings to  ...

" I had to add the other two from the accessories box. Did anyone else have a unit come like this?  "



Take them off again, only two required, the other two are spares. You will suffer some vibration or shake in your images as you are hampering the damping effect of the gimbal.

Jakk Posted at 2016-5-12 08:07
Thanks so much guys

I linked the RC to the aircraft today and had a poke around int he settings to  ...

Only 2 are used. The other 2 are  spare.  Use one in opposite corners for a total of 2.

Jakk Posted at 2016-5-12 23:07
Thanks so much guys

I linked the RC to the aircraft today and had a poke around int he settings to  ...

The aircraft only uses the two pins so remove the other two.
Also, in the app Academy section are tutorial videos, please watch all of those and you'll get great information from them.
And the advice from everyone else is great.
if you are in an open area and you stay within that area, you do not need to worry about the RTH altitude. You only need to adjust it if you fly somewhere with building or very tall trees that are higher than the default 30m.
Also within 20m if you test RTH it will land right where it is.
There's been several crashes where people are trying to show their friends how cool it is that the aircraft can come back and land right next to them if it loses signal, only to be embarrassed by it descending into a tree and either getting stuck or come crashing down to the ground through the tree branches. Even if that were to happen, RTH is easily cancelled but panic ensues and they just watch it descend into the trees or water.

man I'm such a noob. thanks for staying with me!

It would seem that once these are on they don't come off =/

Any Ideas?

Jakk Posted at 2016-5-12 23:07
Thanks so much guys

I linked the RC to the aircraft today and had a poke around int he settings to  ...

Two is enough. The two came are just spared parts in case you broke the original two.

Yes thanks, but now I cant get the other two off.

Just practice. The P3A is so much easier to use than the I1, and my first drone was the I1...

Blue Skies!

Hello all, now I have an issue when trying to update the firmware in the aircraft. It starts to update making the steady beeping noise and flashing green and red then is starts to flash green and yellow and beeps rapidly and will not stop.

Jakk Posted at 2016-5-12 13:35
Hello all, now I have an issue when trying to update the firmware in the aircraft. It starts to upda ...

     Read  my tips page ASAP .  When your   update is done , the light should be steady green and the tone will be d-dd d-dd d-dd d-dd d-d.  If it is a solid dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd it has failed.
You can plug the sd card back into the computer and read what it says, if it says "success" you are good.  I check mine after every update to be sure, If it says "fail," start agian, but this time  heading all my advice on my tips page.  

Like I say read my tips page before you go any further.
also make: DAM SURE THE RC TRANSMITTER IS OFF WHEN UPDATING THE  AIRCRAFT.  

http://forum.dji.com/thread-45630-1-1.html

donnie

Thanks Donnie I have read your info but it doesn't cover whats happening with my P3. when I tried to do the update the first time it was making the correct noise but the lights were flashing red yellow not red green so I canceled the update took the card out formatted reinstalled the FW file and placed the card back in the P3. when I turned on the P3 again I got the correct noise but also a very very loud a constant tone that did not sound happy at all playing over it along with no lights at all this time. Any ideas?

Jakk Posted at 2016-5-12 11:30
Yes thanks, but now I cant get the other two off.

Only use two of those retaining clip ( Pins )  rings, just pinch the spiked end , it will come off , or pry it off ( the button end )  being careful.  Worst case scenario, cut it  off carefully, do not nick the rubber dampers.  

donnie

Jakk Posted at 2016-5-12 13:52
Thanks Donnie I have read your info but it doesn't cover whats happening with my P3. when I tried to ...

These updates can sometimes take a while, dont rush it.  Sometimes the sound is goofy, the nost important thing is to check on the SD card for the Word" success".  Plug the SD card in after it is done updating and see what it says.

did you read my tips page ?

are you using a Mac ?

Are you sure you have the correct file? You have the advanced  files loaded  correct ?

Did you load just the bin file ?

did you format The SD card ?
Is the Transmitter off ???

I read your tips page and followed the instructions

I am using a mac

as for the file. the odd thing is even though Im downloading the file on the advanced page the Bin file is marked P3S_FW_V01.08.0080. I thought it would have been P3A?

I formatted the card and installed only the Bin file.

I am reluctant to let the aircraft beep at me for up to an hour when its not making the correct beeping noise as described in your tips and the DJI manual.

Jakk Posted at 2016-5-12 13:52
Thanks Donnie I have read your info but it doesn't cover whats happening with my P3. when I tried to ...

Where is it flashing yellow ?  are you looking at the camera gimble small light correct ?  That is the light that should be red and green when updating, and solid green when done .
Is this the file that you loaded, below and on the top left 1.8 ?

I had no lights at all just a really angry loud beeping from the aircraft not the gimbal and I cant find any meaning for that noise in the user manual.

Jakk Posted at 2016-5-12 14:10
I had no lights at all just a really angry loud beeping from the aircraft not the gimbal and I cant  ...

I would just take the SD card out if that is the case, turn it off and remove sd card.

As for the 2 extra rods/dampers, here is a video that describes how. Note that if this doesn't work well, the worst that happens (as the video mentions) is that you just have to break them off. Don't worry, they are not expensive to replace and you like will not need replacements for a long time.



Chris