How to fly drones for beginners

Summary

This video script offers essential tips for beginners to safely fly a drone for the first time. It covers the basics of drone control, including takeoff, navigating in different flight modes, and understanding the controller functions. The script also emphasizes the importance of practicing in open areas, building muscle memory, and using smart features for capturing great footage. It advises against relying solely on obstacle avoidance and promotes manual flying for better control. Additionally, it touches on video recording settings and the use of auto mode for easy, quality results.

Takeaways

• 🛫 Always start your drone flight in a legal and open area to avoid obstacles like trees and buildings.
• 🕹 Learn the basic drone controller movements: left stick for altitude and direction, right stick for forward, backward, and side-to-side movements.
• 🔄 Understand the different flight modes: slow (cine or tripod mode), normal (with obstacle avoidance), and fast (sport or ludicrous mode without obstacle avoidance).
• 🔄 Familiarize yourself with additional controls like the pause or return to home button, and gimbal control for camera movement.
• 📹 For beginners, use the auto mode on the drone for easy and good quality photos and videos in most conditions.
• 📸 Practice is key to mastering drone flight; building muscle memory will help you control the drone without overthinking.
• 🔄 When the drone faces you, the controls for left and right movements are reversed, requiring practice to adjust.
• 🎥 Combine basic movements with practice to perform advanced maneuvers like orbiting a subject.
• 📷 For manual settings, keep ISO low, shutter speed at double the frame rate, and adjust white balance according to lighting conditions.
• 🛡 Don't rely solely on obstacle avoidance; learn to fly manually for better control and safety.
• 🌟 Use smart features and pre-programmed flight paths for fun and creative footage, but always be aware of your surroundings.

Q & A

What are some basic steps to ensure a safe first flight with a new drone?

Before the first flight, ensure you are in a legal and open area to fly, check apps like AirMap or Before You Fly for regulations, and familiarize yourself with the controller's functions.

How can you find out if it's legal to fly a drone in a specific area?

You can use apps such as AirMap or Before You Fly to check the legality of flying in a particular area.

What is the purpose of the left stick on the drone controller?

The left stick controls the drone's altitude and orientation, allowing it to move up, down, left, or right while maintaining its position relative to where it hovered.

What does the right stick on the drone controller do?

The right stick moves the drone forward, backward, left, or right relative to its takeoff position.

What is the 'Return to Home' button on the drone controller used for?

The 'Return to Home' button is used to bring the drone back to its starting point in case of trouble, but it's recommended to manually fly the drone back when possible.

What are the different flight modes on most drones and what do they control?

Flight modes include Cine or Tripod mode for slow and careful control, Normal mode with obstacle avoidance active, and Sport or Ludicrous mode for maximum speed without obstacle avoidance.

How should you start the drone's propellers before takeoff?

Most drones have a soft start feature that gets the propellers spinning before takeoff, but you can also manually spin them if desired.

What is the recommended method for taking off with a drone for beginners?

For beginners, it's recommended to take off from a hard, clean surface and avoid hand launching or catching the drone until comfortable with the controls.

Why is it important to practice flying the drone with the drone facing away from you first?

Practicing with the drone facing away helps build muscle memory for the controls and reduces the risk of crashing, as the controls' response is more intuitive in this orientation.

What are some simple tips for capturing good photos and videos with a drone?

Use the auto mode for most situations, practice flying to build muscle memory, and combine motions for advanced maneuvers like orbiting a subject.

Why should you not rely solely on a drone's obstacle avoidance feature?

Obstacle avoidance can fail and miss small objects or branches, and not all drones have 360-degree obstacle avoidance, so manual flying is safer and more reliable.

What are smart features in drones and how can they enhance your flight experience?

Smart features are pre-programmed flight paths that drones can follow to capture unique footage, making it easier for users to get creative shots without complex manual flying.

Outlines

00:00

🚁 Drone Flying Basics and Safety First

This paragraph introduces the fundamentals of flying a new drone, emphasizing the importance of safety and legality. It suggests using apps like AirMap to find suitable flying locations and recommends starting in an open area to avoid obstacles. The script also covers the basics of drone controller operation, explaining the functions of the left and right sticks for movement and orientation, as well as additional controls like the pause and return-to-home features. It introduces different flight modes, such as Cine mode for beginners, Normal mode with obstacle avoidance, and Sport mode for experienced pilots, and mentions the availability of a paid course for in-depth knowledge.

05:09

🎥 Mastering Drone Controls and Video Recording

The second paragraph delves into the process of recording video with a drone, recommending the use of auto mode for most situations to ensure good footage. It provides a step-by-step guide on how to perform the first flight, including turning the drone away from the pilot and practicing basic maneuvers. The script discusses the importance of muscle memory in drone operation and suggests practicing regularly to improve control. It also touches on advanced maneuvers like orbiting a subject and the use of manual settings for more control over video exposure, explaining the need for ND filters in bright conditions. The paragraph concludes by cautioning against relying solely on obstacle avoidance and the benefits of smart features for pre-programmed flight paths.

10:10

🛰️ Advanced Drone Features and Safe Flying Practices

The final paragraph focuses on the advanced features of modern drones, such as smart flight modes and obstacle avoidance, while stressing the importance of not relying on them entirely. It encourages pilots to learn manual flying skills for better control and safety. The script highlights the fun and utility of smart features for capturing footage and the importance of practice in improving drone flying skills. It also mentions the availability of a playlist for learning how to film with a drone and invites viewers to join live streams for further questions, concluding with a reminder to fly smartly and safely.

Keywords

💡Drone

A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle that can be remotely controlled or fly autonomously. In the context of the video, the drone is the central subject, with the script focusing on how to safely operate it for a first-time user. The script mentions various aspects of drone operation, from taking off to using different flight modes.

💡Safe Flying

Safe flying refers to the practice of operating a drone in a manner that minimizes risks to people, property, and the drone itself. The video emphasizes the importance of safe flying by suggesting the use of apps like AirMap to check for legal flying areas and by advising beginners to practice in open spaces away from obstacles.

💡Controller

The controller is the device used to operate the drone. The script explains how to turn it on and the basic functions of its sticks and buttons, which are crucial for controlling the drone's movements and flight paths.

💡Flight Modes

Flight modes are different operational settings on a drone that affect its speed and response to control inputs. The video describes three flight modes: Cine mode (or tripod mode) for slow and careful movements, normal mode with obstacle avoidance, and sport mode for maximum speed without obstacle avoidance.

💡Obstacle Avoidance

Obstacle avoidance is a feature on some drones that uses sensors to detect and avoid collisions with objects. The script warns against relying solely on this feature, as it may not be infallible, especially with small branches or in the absence of 360-degree coverage.

💡Gimbal

A gimbal is a device that stabilizes a camera, allowing for smooth footage even when the drone is moving. The video mentions the gimbal control wheel on the controller, which is used to tilt the camera up and down to achieve desired angles.

💡Auto Mode

Auto mode, in the context of a drone's camera settings, refers to an automatic setting that adjusts camera parameters to achieve good exposure and color balance. The script suggests using auto mode for most situations, especially for beginners, as it simplifies the process of capturing good photos and videos.

💡Manual Settings

Manual settings allow the user to adjust camera parameters such as shutter speed, ISO, and white balance to achieve specific artistic or technical results. The script briefly touches on manual settings, noting the importance of understanding them for more advanced videography and photography.

💡Smart Features

Smart features are pre-programmed flight paths and actions that drones can perform autonomously. The video highlights the fun and convenience of using smart features for capturing creative footage without needing to manually control every aspect of the drone's flight.

💡Practice

Practice is emphasized throughout the script as the key to becoming proficient at flying a drone. It is mentioned in the context of building muscle memory for control inputs, learning to combine movements, and improving overall flight skills.

💡Muscle Memory

Muscle memory refers to the ability to perform certain actions without conscious thought, as a result of repeated practice. The script advises building muscle memory for drone controls to make flying more intuitive and less thought-intensive.

Highlights

Basics of flying a drone safely for beginners, including choosing a legal and open area to fly.

Use of apps like AirMap to check for legal flying zones and ensuring a clear flying space.

Understanding the drone controller, with a focus on the functions of the left and right sticks.

Different flight modes: Cine/Tripod, Normal, and Sport/Ludicrous, and their implications on speed and obstacle avoidance.

The importance of the pause or return to home button on the controller for safety.

Proper unfolding and preparation of the drone before the first flight, including removing the gimbal cover.

Taking off the drone for the first time and the recommended method of launch.

Basic drone movements: up, down, left, right, forward, and backward with corresponding stick controls.

The concept of muscle memory in drone flying and the importance of practice for mastering controls.

Combining basic movements for advanced maneuvers like orbiting a subject.

Auto mode for easy and good quality photos and videos in most situations.

The use of ND filters and manual settings for more professional videography and photography.

Understanding exposure settings and the role of ISO, shutter speed, and white balance in drone photography.

The limitations of relying solely on drone obstacle avoidance and the importance of manual flying.

Smart features in drones, including pre-programmed flight paths for capturing unique footage.

The necessity of time and practice for mastering drone flying and capturing quality content.

The availability of a paid course for in-depth learning on drone flying and maintenance.

Engagement opportunities like live streams for further learning and Q&A sessions.

Transcripts

if you just bought a drone and you want to  learn how to fly it safely today i want to  

give you some of the basics so you can go out and  have a great first flight and hopefully not crash  

your first drone now if you want to go really in  depth and dive into how to fly your drone well  

and learn some advanced moves how to take care of  your batteries how to take every drone all those  

kinds of things i do offer a paid course it's  linked in the description but for now we're going  

to jump in the basics of how to fly pretty much  any drone that's come out on the market in the  

last few years now when you take off or when you  go fly for the first time make sure that you're  

in a place that you're okay to fly and there's  a lot of different ways to look at that i use an  

app called air map there's before you fly there's  a few other ones that you can check and make sure  

you can legally fly wherever you're gonna go fly  and make sure you're in a big wide open area where  

you're not going to be really concerned with  running into any trees any poles any buildings  

anything like that could get in your way so make  sure you go out to a big field big open field  

big open space and fly there for the first time  before we jump into flying the drone for the first  

time the first thing you want to do is turn the  controller on and we want to understand how the  

controller works so you double tap and hold the  second push to turn the drone on once it beeps  

turns on then it's on open up the app plug  your phone in whatever device you're using  

and then be ready to go now there's a  few basics that we need to understand is  

this stick on the left side here is the one that  basically the drone stays in the same position  

but moves uh up or down or turns left or right but  it stays above the position wherever it's hovering  

at that time so if you push up the drone will  go up if you push down it'll go down you turn  

to the left it'll go left if you turn to the right  it'll go right so that's the basics of movements  

on this side this side the right stick is a little  bit different this is the one that actually makes  

the drone move forward backward or left to right  relative to whatever the position it took off of  

so if you push left the drone is going to slide  left if you push right the drone will slide right  

if you push up the drone will move forward and  if you push down the drone will move backward  

those are the basics of all the controls and  everything we're going to do today revolves around  

those things now there's a few other things  that you might want to familiarize yourself  

with if your remote has a pause button or return  to home button like this one does that's good to  

know just in case you get in trouble you can push  it and have the drone come back i always recommend  

flying the drone back to yourself don't just use  the return to home function because sometimes that  

can go wrong depending on the settings that you've  used and then in the middle we have a switch here  

that selects between three different flight  modes the one furthest on the left cine mode  

or sometimes called tripod mode is the slowest  and the drone everything about the drone will  

will respond slowly to the controls so that's  a good mode to start with if you've never flown  

drones before normal means that if you have  obstacle avoidance that obstacle avoidance is  

also active just like it was in the city mode but  everything is a little faster the drone will move  

faster it will go places faster up down left right  all of those things will happen a lot faster and  

the gimbal will move faster and then sport mode or  the fastest mode ludicrous mode depending on the  

drone manufacturer will move the drone at the  absolute maximum speeds that it is capable of  

but if your drone has obstacle avoidance there  will be no obstacle avoidance available so then  

it is 100 dependent on you to not crash your drone  and then on most dji drones on the back of the  

remote here is a record button so you can take  pictures or start and stop the video recording  

and a gimbal control wheel so if you push the  wheel one way the gimbal will tilt down if you  

push it the other way the gimbal will tilt up  so now that we've gone over some of those basics  

let's jump into unfolding our drone taking off  and flying for the first time some drones might  

unfold differently than this but you should be  able to find your directions in your manual or  

there's probably videos out there about how to do  it the first thing you want to do is definitely  

take the gimbal cover off so that the gimbal has  free range of motion before you turn the drone on  

and then usually you unfold these two legs  the front two legs or the top two legs  

by moving them forward first and then the back two  legs fold down and back now the drone is unfolded  

you don't have to straighten out the  propellers if you don't want to but you can  

most drones will have a like soft start to  be able to get the drones going or get the  

propellers going and spin them out before  the drone actually takes off and then power  

it on by double pressing and hold the second  press until it beeps or you hear it turn on

once it's completed its boot up process you'll  hear that tone everything's ready to go so let's  

take off for our first flight i don't recommend  that you hand launch and hand catch if this  

is your first time using a drone i'm going to  because that's how i do it a lot of times i do  

have a whole video about how to hand launch a hand  catch it'll pop up here and it'll be linked in the  

description but for the most part just take off of  the ground something hard some surface area that  

won't get your drone too dirty and that will  give you safety to be a little ways away

so first things first if you are going to  video record this you want to make sure that  

it is in auto that may not be the best for all  situations but it is good and it will certainly  

get you through most things and will give  you pretty usable footage in most conditions  

so make sure that you're in auto and everything's  ready to go and record the way it is and then what  

we're going to do is turn the drone so it's  facing away from us and perform our first few  

flights up down turn it left and right back or  forward backward left right all that with the  

drone facing away from us if you remember this  is up down and left and right so if you push  

up the drone is going to go up if you push down  the drone is going to come down and then if you  

push it to the left the drone will turn left if  you push it to the right the drone will turn right

but all of that is staying in the same position  that the drone took off in it's not moving forward  

or backward and then when we come to the right  stick if you push left the drone slides left  

if you push right the drone slides right  

i'll get it back here in the center and then  if you push forward the drone moves forward

and if you push backward the drone moves  backwards now that's relatively easy but  

when you turn the drone around and have it  facing towards you everything on this stick  

and the left and right on this stick has just  become the opposite and so this takes a little  

more time and a little more practice but that's  all you need is a lot of practice if you've never  

flown drones before so again remembering that when  you push these sticks this is forward backward  

left right and then turning right and turning  left on the left side here you just want to  

remember that it's going to respond the opposite  of what you think because it's now facing you

so the way to do that is just very slowly and very  gently move the drone to the left to the right  

maybe a little forward a little backward

up down is of course still the same  but and then turning left to right

all you're really doing is building muscle  memory and so the way to do this is keep an  

eye on the drone don't get stuck looking at  your screen all the time but keep an eye on  

the drone as it's flying and do these motions  over and over and over again and you'll be a  

pro in no time because what you want to do is  build the muscle memory so that you don't have  

to think about it as much and that just takes a  little bit of time and a little bit of practice  

and then as you get more practice you can combine  the motions together to do things like orbit  

like what i'm doing right now which is where  the drone is moving around me the subject and  

keeping me somewhat in the center of the frame or  on a third because that's kind of where i want it  

as i'm moving around i'm keeping my subject and  this is where you do want to keep an eye on the  

screen but also check on your drone to make sure  you're not going to run into anything because  

obstacles do appear out of nowhere and just get  a nice smooth motion around your subject as you  

go takes practice you're combining two different  controls don't try this until you've gotten a lot  

of practice with the single controls and now i get  a lot of questions about how to make your videos  

look good how to get good photos if you don't do a  lot with videography and photography there's some  

really simple ways one is just use the auto mode  on the drone that will get you good photos and  

good video in like 90 percent of situations  especially if you're just doing it for you  

for friends for family just for fun don't worry  about it we talk a lot about using nd filters  

and there are times and places to use those but  if you don't know what those are you don't know  

how to use them just don't worry about it go out  and shoot a lot of stuff in auto you'll get some  

great footage and have a really good time as you  can see here i'm recording in auto and that means  

the drone is managing everything for me now if i  switch it to pro which is where i have set all the  

settings you can see that it's dramatically over  exposed that's because i have the shutter speed  

set to what i would use the shutter speed  at and the iso is set at what i would use  

the iso at but because i don't have an nd filter  on there that means there's too much light coming  

in so i would have to raise the shutter speed up  until i get the exposure to about where i want  

now the rule of thumb if you're going to use  the manual settings is you want to keep your iso  

as low as you possibly can you want to keep  your shutter speed at two times your frame rate  

and then you want to keep your white balance set  to whatever your white balance is supposed to be  

so on a sunny day it would be 5500 or 5600 on  a cloudy day it might be more in like the 64 to  

6600 range uh just depends on what you're shooting  this is where nd filters come in essential because  

you can't really do anything but adjust your  shutter speed when you're flying to get the  

proper exposure now even though a lot of drones  have obstacle avoidance i never recommend relying  

on obstacle avoidance 100 of the time because  it will fail it will miss things small branches  

things like that it can't see as well and it might  run into something and in addition to that not  

a lot of drones have 360 degree obstacle points  where they can see objects around them completely  

and so like this one does not have side obstacle  avoidance which means if i'm moving sideways it  

could run into something don't rely on obstacle  avoidance learn to fly it manually and you will  

be much better off and then obstacle avoidance  just becomes a nice added safety feature or added  

benefit something that's really neat about drones  today is most of them have smart features built in  

which means they have pre-programmed flight paths  that they will fly those are a lot of fun to use  

they will give you some really great footage of  yourself of your family of you doing whatever it  

is you do whether you're hiking out in the middle  of the wilderness or you're just on the beach  

having a good time so use those i did put together  a video about how to use those it's up here  

up there it'll pop up in one of these corners to  master anything it just takes time and it takes  

practice if you go out and fly three five six  seven eight batteries fly a couple batteries every  

day for a week you'll see massive improvements  and you'll get a lot better like i said i do have  

a full paid course that really goes into depth  on not only how to do the basics of flight but  

how to take care of your batteries take care of  your drone and also do more advanced flying more  

complicated maneuvers and how to use that in video  a little bit drones are an incredible tool they're  

a lot of fun but you do want to use them correctly  and use them safely so please take your time and  

learn to fly smart and learn to fly safely as  you go about exploring this new world of drones  

now if you want to learn how to film great videos  and take great photos with your drone i've put  

together a short playlist right here that will  take you through some great tips and some great  

ways to learn how to fly your drone as always you  can join my live stream wednesday nights at 4 pm  

alaska time 8 pm eastern if you have questions i  will see you again soon in the next video cheers