Great vid! And you're spot on with the 'beginner = Phantom 3' and 'Travel = Mavic'. That's why I made a video comparing them side by side. The Phantom 3 is a third of the price but still a really fantastic drone! Cheers guys. Ian in London.
Just passed my 107 (92%) and I want to start my own business. Is the Phantom 3 Pro still a viable drone to start with? I'm considering getting that first as a starter drone with 4k so I don't blow my whole start-up budget. The reason is that I also want to get the Mavic Pro for indoor videos or videos needed for tight places. What do you think of my strategy?
The Mavic will be better at indoor flights due to its downward position sensors; the Phantom 4 series would be your best bet; better camera with larger sensor and all round collision avoidance sensors, as opposed to the Mavic which only has forward facing sensors. The P3Prop has a better camera than the Mavic (again, larger sensor) but it's s lot of money for an older generation drone. As mentioned, I did a direct comparison video between the Mavic and the P3 Standard; that shows some of the features of the Mavic and may help you. It's on my channel. Cheers, Ian in London
Tony! Man I cannot tell you how much I truly appreciate this simple video. I just passed my part 107 with a 97 and was feeling really good about myself... did the research and got a MM as a practice drone. My nerves have controlled my situation and I thought it was just me. I’m so busy worrying about people, property and I haven’t yet developed confidence in this technical piece of equipment. So I’m constantly worrying about the drone just up and flying away or abruptly crashing into a home or car. I will take your advice and practice these maneuvers. I struggle with control when my drone is not facing away from me. Whenever it’s facing me or perpendicular to me I panic. I’ve thought about labeling the sticks. LOL. Perhaps practice will be all I need. Thanks again.
Tony, I bought your book probably six years ago, when I first picked up a DSLR. I remember how easy you made it for me to learn to shoot in manual. I was SO thrilled to see that you make learning to use a drone just as easy. Thank you from taking me from being SCARED to fly to having a plan to improve and practice!
Being new with drones and fiddling with it for several minutes, I am certainly glad I watched this video. It provides good old common sense lessons to learning how to fly a drone. BTW, I'm a license private pilot. Thank you, Tony & Chelsea for an excellent overview.
Great video and very easy to follow each stage. One thing that helped me when I was trying to get smooth turns, (banked turns) like Tony is doing, was to learn the timing of the roll, (right stick) and Yaw, (left stick). If your quad is facing away and you want to do a right banked turn first apply right roll with forward pitch than very gently add right yaw, (left stick) once it starts banking or rolling to the right. The timing of the roll/forward pitch then yaw as it starts to bank or roll right, made all the difference when I was learning these turns. Naturally when quad is facing you, this is reversed for left and right turns respectively. This technique helped me to no end when doing wide smooth loopy turns as apposed to more aggressive on the controls - tight turns. My apologies for any wrong terminology & I hope this helps someone!
I don't know why I never came across any of your videos before but, the old adage "You're never too late!" is perfect for this one. I am so thankful that someone like you is doing do diligence in explaining to a" newbie" how to get control of a drone and fly it correctly. This does more good for the drone community than you can imagine. Newbies are probably the ones that are more responsible for more negative public acceptance of drones than any other single item. I think it's because to injuries they inflict on others with their inability to control a drone.. These things can really do damage if a prop hits your flesh, I know first hand. Knowing how to fly a drone basics is a real treat if one struggles without any explanation or help. I really have and I have lost several drones because of it. I also am a firm believer that in doing videor like you and others do, I wish you would dispel the myths that are going around about drones spying on your neighbors taking photos through bedroom windows and skylights, etc. Also the protection of drones by the FAA Thank you so much for your videos
I'm just in the early beginner phase of learning how to fly my drone and your video is the first one i've watched in which i actually feel like i've learned something practical. The inset of the control motions on the screen are the most helpful. I have subscribed and look forward to watching and learning from your other videos. Thanks for the help!!
I first watched this channel because my friend gave me his old DSLR and I wanted to learn how it worked. Now I just watch everything on this channel, I love the sense of humour, I love the love/hate relationship with the comment section, I love the nerdiness. Thanks for everything
This was fabulous. I suspected the controls worked as you showed them but didn't have any idea how to get started. I think you provided a great practice routine and great advice. I'd have started with the phone engaged and can see now that you're right; it would be an unnecessary distraction. Thank you.
Probably one of the best videos I've seen for new drone owners. I come from R/C helicopters, where learning this kind of stuff was mandatory. I think if more people learned to control their drones without the fancy electronics, they'd be better pilots overall. I've spent a lot of time flying figure 8s until I could do them without thought.
Great tips.. Ive been flying mutticoptors even before they stared calling them drones... 2 pieces of advise, its much better to go thru the learning stage of flying with a much smaller drone, one you can fly indoors so all the flying controls are second nature... Replace your props about every 10-15 flights even if there not broken and learn how to balance them properly ... Really like how your advocating learning how to fly most people buying these are under the assumption that you don't need to be a skilled pilot but thats also the fault of the drone manufactures marketing... GREAT VID....
Fantastic! I bought a $30 "selfie drone". Crashed it several times in the house. Then went to my college (we bought a mall) on a Sunday got a bit better until I flew it into the glass wall of the library (nothing broken, just a loud noise). I left before campus police could get there. Tried it outside but it was just too windy (and I didn't realize one of the propellors was damaged. Then last year for Christmas my son gave me a Sharper Image Dro 400. It took me a year before I took it out of the box (no time). Tried flying 2 feet off the ground in the living room. Was just getting the hang of it (after destroying a poinsettia) when it got caught under a couch. That's when I got the brilliant idea to build a drone practice cage. I made a 6' x 3' box out of PVC and laid it on its side. Being cheap I covered with bird netting. Since the DRO 400 has blade guards it worked at first. Then it went up and got caught in the net. Then I crashed into the side and it flipped up and got caught in the net. I hit the "land" button but one blade (back left) kept spinning. Now it won't spin at all. My plan is to repair the drones and cover my practice box with clear shower curtain material until I get comfortable enough to fly them outside. I also may buy $40 or less mini with ducted (like a Redpawz or Holy Stone )or completely shielded blades (like a DWI Crash proof or Kelliwow all available on Amazon). I will DEFINITELY follow these practice steps.
TheEpicLazyMan HEY!!!! What's up, man? I STAY learning more about cinematography/photography and I'm really interested in drones and I'm also looking into gimbals, like the pilotfly h2. Enjoy your rest week and I hope that you have a BLAST with your drone.
I picked up a Syma x5sw drone last year to test stuff out and get a feel for flying before jumping into a Phantom-sized machine. The first time flying it, at night I got it stuck in a tree about 30-40ft up. I got it down, eventually, but realized that that small, light drone is too underpowered to fly in anything other than still air. I will get it out and power it up again but look forward to having a Phantom with the weight and motors to counter a slight breeze. I had the Syma's sticks all the way over and that would barely hold it in place. These are some good tips and will definitely employ them in my practice/training regimen before flying the expensive stuff for client work.
This is a great video! I've recently gotten into flying multi-rotors and have been doing very similar exercises trying to train myself to perform basic skills without having to think about it. This is a very well thought out and methodical system to help newbies and experienced guys alike build their basic skill sets. Practicing fundamentals in NEVER a bad thing.
Very well done. I love the fact that you were considerate enough to show the remote and the movements of the joystick. I was waiting for a video like this. The numbered progressions were very helpful also. Thanks for the time it took to publish this.
That's the best beginner's guide on TH-cam. I've had 4 flights and I thought I was getting pretty good at it. Yesterday it was windy and I got too confident and my drone got blown out to sea. I wasn't wearing sunglasses and the wind suddenly changed direction coupled with low battery. I lost sight of it in the sun and by the time I saw it again it was on it's way to Norway. Game over .
Also a figure M is a great way to get comfortable looking at the left and right sides, make sure there is space beside you and no on lookers. I also learnt on rc helis, very similar to multicopters.
Thank you so much this is by far the best tutorial on how to fly a drone, the tutorial covers the general fundamentals and safety on how to be confident to operate a drone in safety.
Hi tony i have mavic air which i just bought for wedding coverage mostly indoors in marquees and there are situations when only a spot light is on and all other lights are off , i flew the drone in my home with lights off and onstacles sensors off but i was unable to control it and it crashed , i need tips on how to do this
been flying model Helicopters since 1985. I have a DJI inspire Pro at the moment. I would not say it is fun flying multirotors but the video results are amazing!
Thank you big time Tony!!! My DJI Phantom 3 standard is arriving tomorrow and didn't know what I needed to do to prepare and operate it for the first time. I was concerned if I needed to attach a tablet right away in order to fly but now I know to practice, until it becomes second nature, without attaching a tablet or phone. Should I disconnect the camera and gimbal until I feel confident I know how to fly?
What a great video! I loved the way you teach and explain things! Thank you!! I am a pure beginner and it is so hard to find videos that instruct, usually they show the drone flying with little explanation. I hope you continue to make educational videos. Thank you so much!!
Don't know if Tony will see this comment, but if you do, I've gotta say that was the best instructional video I've seen, and I sit her day in and day out watching drone videos. lol I've been flying rc hellicopters and quads on and off for the last 15 years or so, but I'm still not as comfortable flying as you are in this video. Nobody watching me would be able to tell, but I know.
The best thing to do is get a decent toy grade drone first and practice flying completely manually before you fork over the extreme big bucks for a Phantom.
I bought a cheap $40 drone on Walmart.com I ended up flying it into a 100 ft tree couldn't get it down so now I have another one and refuse to fly it high.
Christian Blade I'd recommend the Hubsan h502e to train on. It flies almost exactly like the phantom, except it's only $90. It has GPS, which is why I got it to train on. It's a pretty good drone, but it doesn't have a very good camera or gimbal, which is why I got the Phantom. However, since it has GPS, it flies mostly like the Phantom. The Hubsan H502e is a really cheap drone to train on before you get your phantom.
Good vid. I just got a cx20 and am learning all manual first. Might have more crashes and may not be the best way to go, but if I get comfortable always being manual then I won't have anything at all to worry about when using the bells and whistles
today for Christmas I got a Video photo AP new york protocol mini drone and I noticed that it was easier to start off slow and only go up down forward and back, then after a few take offs start to turn.
Great tips! Personally I would recommend anyone who wants to get into multirotors/drones to buy a micro/mini drone first, like the hubsan X4/blade nano qx or something like that. Then you don't run the risk of damaging property or hurting someone, the Phantom is a big drone. But great tips on learning how to fly!
Thank you for good advice. In Karma drone there is no quick switch to restore the gps. I am a beginner, I might practice flying cheaper drone to get the hang of it. I will follow your advice to take more flight time and familiarize the control. Cheers
This is the first how to fly a drone tutorial I came across. Great video. I feel like I don't even have to look at other tutorials (I'm sure I will though). Thanks for making this!
Tony, Thank you for an excellent video. Your 'listen to I told you so's' really hit home. I've been married for 35 years and I still hear about things that happened many many years ago. For Christmas my daughter bought me a Drocon Cyclone X708W and so far all I've done is install the blade guards and charge some batteries. Now it's time to watch some videos before I even install the battery. Your video was an excellent beginning into what looks to be a fun hobby. Do you know of any videos that explain the terminology? For example; my manual talks about 'Trimmer Functions'...what does 'Trimmer' mean. Another one is 'Headless Mode' and 'One Key Return', I need to learn what these mean to fully understand what I'm doing. One last item I must add is, assuming Chelsea did the filming, she did an excellent job with the camera. Very professional. Thanks again :)
oh my o mysitting here waiting for my Phantom to arrive is just like the xmas feeling as when a kidbeing a former military and civilian pilot with more than 20000 hrs in the logbook I must say that I'venever thought of going back to flightschool BUT this is the very best instruction on drone flying I have ever seenThank U very much
I did something like these drills when I learned to fly my drone several years ago. But I was making it up as I went along. Having a set like you've created here would have been a valuable reference. Don't forget to look up the new FAA requirements for "Unmanned Aerial Systems", as Big Brother as they may be. New drone fliers don't want to end up with an insanely unreasonable fine for flying around their backyards. By the way, your opening... outstanding!
Very good instructions, couple days ahead I going to get My first Drone... I have fly RC planes almost 10 years and Drone seems to be totally different to control...
cool, saw some people using one in the park a few weeks ago......i`m curious what happens when you fly it out of range? what is the average range on these things?
Great video by the way... My drone recommendations: 1st: cheap under $125, preferably under$100, buy 2 extra batteries that should cost less than $25 each 2nd: stay cheap see #1 3rd: see #2 I have seen here on YT where the experienced flyers recommend by-passing low-end drones. Not sure why. All the moves you see here, can be done with a cheap drone. All the manual stuff that is. You will have a harder time controlling the cheaper drone and that is a GOOD thing. Same problem as an expensive drone, just exaggerated because of weight and lack of power of the cheaper drone. You will still have to master it. Train hard so the real thing is easier is an old motto that applies to drones. Fly the harder to control model so flying the Cadillac drone with GPS and homing capabilities is that much easier. From what I have seen on this and other videos, the cost and capability of the drones have no bearing on how much trouble and how much you will have to learn, period. Save your money and buy extra batteries to keep flying, spare parts to keep the drone in shape, and bank the rest so when you destroy or lose the cheap drone, you can replace it with the same cheap drone model. You WILL damage one of these expensive drones, guaranteed! You can learn all the nuances of stick control, wind affects, getting disoriented, etc. I have been flying one of the U818A PLUS for a whole 2 hours now and I have learned quit a bit, but no where near what I need to to lower the risk on losing or destroying a $1,000+ drone. Right when I feel I got this, I lose this! Stay cheap until you can fly it with your eyes closed. You can buy 3-4 of these (U818A PLUS) and stay under their first recommendations and buy extra batteries and spare parts. HIGHLY recommend an inexpensive drone to learn until you are very good to expert before wasting money on a fly-away/crashed drone! If you have money to burn, go for it! The number one drone killer: wind, and flying near structures where vortexes and winds are exaggerated (my tip of the day, LOL)
New to flying, I have a cheap syma to learn, what I struggle with is trying to figure out the orientation when it's travelled a little. What's your best advice in that situation, this is where the panick kicks in as you can't figure out its orientation and fear it flying away from you.
+h4ksxx I don't know that drone, but most drones have different color lights or props or something to distinguish front from back. As you get farther away, it definitely gets harder.
Hey Tony, Love your Videos!! Quick question, I have a GoPro 4 Silver, can I take a video with it and then insert the Micro SD card into the Phantom 4 Pro + and use the Editor in the controller to edit my footage ? thanks
Tony & Chelsea I doubt that you'll probably ever see this comment but just in case... I was wondering if you would suggest for someone new to flying drones that they should buy a real cheap one first to practice with or just get the one they intend to use and be very careful in the beginning. If you would recommend a cheap trainer drone is there such a thing under $100 and which one(s)? Thank you!
I just bought a Sharper Image DX-2 toy drone for $35. Glad I did. I need a lot of practice before I even think about getting a higher end one. I already broke one of the propellers (and that was with the guard on). This video, along with a couple of others I've watched, should be helpful. Thanks.
This guy is having fun with his drone real good. I got a new one and am new and I can’t do even a little of what he is doing. I tried two days and I keep crashing it and panicking.
Absolutely one of my favorite videos by you guys since I'm getting ready to add drone shots to my filmmaking (and I have never flown a drone)... the other funny but informative one being you smoking the cigar in the dark explaining the difference between f stops and t stops reviewing the Mitakon lens... Lol. Funny but seriously informative for those of us who just simply didn't know!
What model. F40? Mine is 5 yrs. old has 1234 flight's on it. Just now the solder point's on the power lesd's are bad. Motor's and ESC's are still good. I fly commercial 55 lbs. class drone's now. Start small and then go BIG!
BTW Tony, would be really nice if you included the the type of optical gear and settings you're using with ever video (text on the corner). Camera, lense, ISO, Shutter speed, and aperture. Maybe also a little description of why you choose that setup. Could be any silly reason, but nice/fun to know.
Thank you for video. I have a small drone for some time now. This one the Potensic T-35 is larger and faster with more controls. So I found your drone and enjoyed it. So, again thanks, I have subscribed.
Thanks for the vid! I agree with learning to fly a toy first but dont expect them to last very long even if you dont crash them. I also practiced in my den and it helped me to be more precise in learning the controls. Eachine E58 is a tiny clone of the Mavic which is a good stair-step up from the toy. Problem is it does not do well in the wind - too light. There are tons of good drones in the $150-250 range. Check out the vids (like Best drones of 2019 under $400, etc)
1st attempt was on a basketball court .. I brought it down within 15 seconds. 2nd attempt was in a gigantic opened grassy field .. it went straight up and I panicked .. it went higher and higher then the wind caught it .. I didn't know what was front or back and it flew quickly toward trees in the far distance and crashed into the trees (thankfully). I tried unsuccessfully to bring it back home. Good thing that I was not flying near the ocean. The tutorial here today was very helpful with your controls in full view of us all to demonstrate the function of the right and left sticks.
There is a list on my drone because one of the propellors isnt working perfectly it will work but not as usfully as the others would you recommend removing the propelleor and replacing it
Thank you for this video. You put it together very well. I'm wanting to purchase a drone of my own soon, so I'm researching drones and how they fly. So far on flying your video was the best! Thank you.
By any chance, are you in Fiji? At the Double Tree Resort, to be precise? I think I saw you at the beach yesterday, with your drone of course.... unless am mistaking you with someone else...
How do you take pictures above it? Like, fireworks? How do you know what it is capturing? Settings? I thought there would be a way to see what it is capturing.
I love two things about this: First, it's about time that you've renamed the channel to include Chelsea, she has been pulling her weight for quite a while. :-) And second, this is the tutorial people need when starting out with a drone, not the "look what cool and advanturous things I can do with this drone". I have a drone, and I hate that there are so many idiots out there that don't fly safely and ruin it for all of us with a bunch of new laws and restrictions...
awesome video! DJI needs to throw in a piece of paper with the link to this video into every package that says, "watch this before flying!" excellent guide!
I guess I must be a one off as I got my head around my drone pretty much from the box. I guess some previous RC model flying helped but good spacial perception and hand eye co-ordination certainly help.
I just got a drone and my first flight I ended up on a ladder with a long pole to get it out of a tree. Luckily it wasn't damaged. I am slowly getting the hang now. This video gave me some moves to practice so thanks maybe I can stay out of those trees now. Thanks
good common sense tips. will flying my little rc chopper help? I'm off to dig it out. can use it indoors and practice all day before my drone arrives in a month
ok... I went and bought a blade nano qx today... it's brilliant. great help from wonderland models but... they could stock more batteries. I've had to order more on line. been practising a bit and yes I require a lot more flying time. I used to be fine flying the wee chopper towards me. not so now haha. crash crash crash. also bought a blade apache for some outdoor fun. I hope I don't crash that. it will be a nightmare to repair.
ive just started with an syma x5c to learn now moving up to a 510g to try a bit of fpv flying ,the orientation of the drone was hard to get use to, hotprops or other drone simulators are a good way to learn if you have a xbox controller to link to your pc ,acts likes a drone controller
I'm new to drone flying and have crashed mine about 50 times (part of the reason being that the instructions make zero sense) Anyway, now it struggles to take off. Could I have done long term damage?
I guess I must be a one off as I got my head around mine pretty much start from the box. I guess some previous RC model flying helped but good special perception and and eye co-ordination.
I have a U818A HD and I flew it indoors for about an hour before taking it out. wind always bullys it but more practice I found keeping headless mode off easyer. So much fun. last time I flew it got up to 70 feet. By the time I got it back down it had drifted quarter of a mile. Got muddy that day as it landed in a ploughed field. lol
Our drone recommendations: 🚁🚀📡
Beginner ($400): DJI Phantom 3 on Amazon help.tc/p3
Travel ($1,000): DJI Mavic Pro on Amazon help.tc/mavic
Better Image Quality ($1,500): DJI Phantom 4 Pro on Amazon help.tc/p4p
Great vid! And you're spot on with the 'beginner = Phantom 3' and 'Travel = Mavic'. That's why I made a video comparing them side by side. The Phantom 3 is a third of the price but still a really fantastic drone! Cheers guys. Ian in London.
Just passed my 107 (92%) and I want to start my own business. Is the Phantom 3 Pro still a viable drone to start with? I'm considering getting that first as a starter drone with 4k so I don't blow my whole start-up budget. The reason is that I also want to get the Mavic Pro for indoor videos or videos needed for tight places. What do you think of my strategy?
The Mavic will be better at indoor flights due to its downward position sensors; the Phantom 4 series would be your best bet; better camera with larger sensor and all round collision avoidance sensors, as opposed to the Mavic which only has forward facing sensors. The P3Prop has a better camera than the Mavic (again, larger sensor) but it's s lot of money for an older generation drone. As mentioned, I did a direct comparison video between the Mavic and the P3 Standard; that shows some of the features of the Mavic and may help you. It's on my channel. Cheers, Ian in London
Your recommendation for the dji 3 on amazon is actually $499 per your link
And as of Sun Mar-4-2018 it's listed on Amazon (quadcopter only) for $584.99! What the hell?
Tony! Man I cannot tell you how much I truly appreciate this simple video. I just passed my part 107 with a 97 and was feeling really good about myself... did the research and got a MM as a practice drone. My nerves have controlled my situation and I thought it was just me. I’m so busy worrying about people, property and I haven’t yet developed confidence in this technical piece of equipment. So I’m constantly worrying about the drone just up and flying away or abruptly crashing into a home or car. I will take your advice and practice these maneuvers. I struggle with control when my drone is not facing away from me. Whenever it’s facing me or perpendicular to me I panic. I’ve thought about labeling the sticks. LOL. Perhaps practice will be all I need. Thanks again.
Tony, I bought your book probably six years ago, when I first picked up a DSLR. I remember how easy you made it for me to learn to shoot in manual. I was SO thrilled to see that you make learning to use a drone just as easy. Thank you from taking me from being SCARED to fly to having a plan to improve and practice!
I got one of these for my birthday (Jan 2nd) and it is still in the box. I like the self training approach of this video. Thanks Tony.
Being new with drones and fiddling with it for several minutes, I am certainly glad I watched this video. It provides good old common sense lessons to learning how to fly a drone. BTW, I'm a license private pilot. Thank you, Tony & Chelsea for an excellent overview.
Great video and very easy to follow each stage. One thing that helped me when I was trying to get smooth turns, (banked turns) like Tony is doing, was to learn the timing of the roll, (right stick) and Yaw, (left stick). If your quad is facing away and you want to do a right banked turn first apply right roll with forward pitch than very gently add right yaw, (left stick) once it starts banking or rolling to the right. The timing of the roll/forward pitch then yaw as it starts to bank or roll right, made all the difference when I was learning these turns. Naturally when quad is facing you, this is reversed for left and right turns respectively. This technique helped me to no end when doing wide smooth loopy turns as apposed to more aggressive on the controls - tight turns.
My apologies for any wrong terminology & I hope this helps someone!
I don't know why I never came across any of your videos before but, the old adage "You're never too late!" is perfect for this one. I am so thankful that someone like you is doing do diligence in explaining to a" newbie" how to get control of a drone and fly it correctly. This does more good for the drone community than you can imagine. Newbies are probably the ones that are more responsible for more negative public acceptance of drones than any other single item. I think it's because to injuries they inflict on others with their inability to control a drone.. These things can really do damage if a prop hits your flesh, I know first hand. Knowing how to fly a drone basics is a real treat if one struggles without any explanation or help. I really have and I have lost several drones because of it. I also am a firm believer that in doing videor like you and others do, I wish you would dispel the myths that are going around about drones spying on your neighbors taking photos through bedroom windows and skylights, etc. Also the protection of drones by the FAA
Thank you so much for your videos
I'm just in the early beginner phase of learning how to fly my drone and your video is the first one i've watched in which i actually feel like i've learned something practical. The inset of the control motions on the screen are the most helpful. I have subscribed and look forward to watching and learning from your other videos. Thanks for the help!!
I first watched this channel because my friend gave me his old DSLR and I wanted to learn how it worked. Now I just watch everything on this channel, I love the sense of humour, I love the love/hate relationship with the comment section, I love the nerdiness. Thanks for everything
Great video, Tony.
I think you invented the phrase for 2016: If you get nervous, remember to go to your safe place with the butt towards you. :)
This was fabulous. I suspected the controls worked as you showed them but didn't have any idea how to get started. I think you provided a great practice routine and great advice. I'd have started with the phone engaged and can see now that you're right; it would be an unnecessary distraction. Thank you.
This is the most useful "how to..." video I have managed to find
Cheers
Yes this was the best one by far!!! Good job making one feel comfortable to get them nerves up!!!!
Probably one of the best videos I've seen for new drone owners. I come from R/C helicopters, where learning this kind of stuff was mandatory. I think if more people learned to control their drones without the fancy electronics, they'd be better pilots overall.
I've spent a lot of time flying figure 8s until I could do them without thought.
For me this is the best tutorial so far. Did all of these and now i'm very comfortable flying my drone. No more nerves. Thank you!
Glad to help!
Great tips.. Ive been flying mutticoptors even before they stared calling them drones... 2 pieces of advise, its much better to go thru the learning stage of flying with a much smaller drone, one you can fly indoors so all the flying controls are second nature... Replace your props about every 10-15 flights even if there not broken and learn how to balance them properly ... Really like how your advocating learning how to fly most people buying these are under the assumption that you don't need to be a skilled pilot but thats also the fault of the drone manufactures marketing... GREAT VID....
I clicked "like" 30 seconds in, cause Tony's superb acting and effects needed to be acknowledged. Oscars, please?
Nominated for best actor of the year (Death of a drone: Honey I told you so!) 2016
Fantastic! I bought a $30 "selfie drone". Crashed it several times in the house. Then went to my college (we bought a mall) on a Sunday got a bit better until I flew it into the glass wall of the library (nothing broken, just a loud noise). I left before campus police could get there. Tried it outside but it was just too windy (and I didn't realize one of the propellors was damaged. Then last year for Christmas my son gave me a Sharper Image Dro 400. It took me a year before I took it out of the box (no time). Tried flying 2 feet off the ground in the living room. Was just getting the hang of it (after destroying a poinsettia) when it got caught under a couch. That's when I got the brilliant idea to build a drone practice cage. I made a 6' x 3' box out of PVC and laid it on its side. Being cheap I covered with bird netting. Since the DRO 400 has blade guards it worked at first. Then it went up and got caught in the net. Then I crashed into the side and it flipped up and got caught in the net. I hit the "land" button but one blade (back left) kept spinning. Now it won't spin at all. My plan is to repair the drones and cover my practice box with clear shower curtain material until I get comfortable enough to fly them outside. I also may buy $40 or less mini with ducted (like a Redpawz or Holy Stone )or completely shielded blades (like a DWI Crash proof or Kelliwow all available on Amazon). I will DEFINITELY follow these practice steps.
My heart actually stopped a bit when I saw the drone explode lol - all the feels - even though it was fake lol
XD just bought a drone. Fancy meeting you here! I'm on rest week about to catch up on your workouts next week! Bought a shirt to! BOOM FIST BUMP!!!
TheEpicLazyMan HEY!!!! What's up, man? I STAY learning more about cinematography/photography and I'm really interested in drones and I'm also looking into gimbals, like the pilotfly h2. Enjoy your rest week and I hope that you have a BLAST with your drone.
OMG SAME XD
Millionaire Hoy same here
Millionaire Hoy
I picked up a Syma x5sw drone last year to test stuff out and get a feel for flying before jumping into a Phantom-sized machine. The first time flying it, at night I got it stuck in a tree about 30-40ft up. I got it down, eventually, but realized that that small, light drone is too underpowered to fly in anything other than still air. I will get it out and power it up again but look forward to having a Phantom with the weight and motors to counter a slight breeze. I had the Syma's sticks all the way over and that would barely hold it in place.
These are some good tips and will definitely employ them in my practice/training regimen before flying the expensive stuff for client work.
This is a great video!
I've recently gotten into flying multi-rotors and have been doing very similar exercises trying to train myself to perform basic skills without having to think about it. This is a very well thought out and methodical system to help newbies and experienced guys alike build their basic skill sets. Practicing fundamentals in NEVER a bad thing.
Very well done. I love the fact that you were considerate enough to show the remote and the movements of the joystick. I was waiting for a video like this. The numbered progressions were very helpful also. Thanks for the time it took to publish this.
That's the best beginner's guide on TH-cam. I've had 4 flights and I thought I was getting pretty good at it. Yesterday it was windy and I got too confident and my drone got blown out to sea. I wasn't wearing sunglasses and the wind suddenly changed direction coupled with low battery. I lost sight of it in the sun and by the time I saw it again it was on it's way to Norway. Game over .
Sorry for your loss, but glad I could help!
New drone owner here. Been flying my Spark for about 3 weeks now. Going to start at step 1 here :)
Thanks!
Excellent video for beginners. Follow the recommendations, practice, practice and you will soon gain confidence and be able to fly safely.
Also a figure M is a great way to get comfortable looking at the left and right sides, make sure there is space beside you and no on lookers. I also learnt on rc helis, very similar to multicopters.
Thank you so much this is by far the best tutorial on how to fly a drone, the tutorial covers the general fundamentals and safety on how to be confident to operate a drone in safety.
Hi tony i have mavic air which i just bought for wedding coverage mostly indoors in marquees and there are situations when only a spot light is on and all other lights are off , i flew the drone in my home with lights off and onstacles sensors off but i was unable to control it and it crashed , i need tips on how to do this
Smart advice. Wish all new operators would follow your steps. There would be a lot less issues, on many levels if they did. Keep up the great content.
I smell an Oscar or "Best performance by a Photo Geek"!
been flying model Helicopters since 1985. I have a DJI inspire Pro at the moment. I would not say it is fun flying multirotors but the video results are amazing!
Thank you big time Tony!!! My DJI Phantom 3 standard is arriving tomorrow and didn't know what I needed to do to prepare and operate it for the first time. I was concerned if I needed to attach a tablet right away in order to fly but now I know to practice, until it becomes second nature, without attaching a tablet or phone. Should I disconnect the camera and gimbal until I feel confident I know how to fly?
I wouldn't go through the trouble to remove the camera. Even if you crash, it's pretty well protected.
What a great video! I loved the way you teach and explain things! Thank you!! I am a pure beginner and it is so hard to find videos that instruct, usually they show the drone flying with little explanation. I hope you continue to make educational videos. Thank you so much!!
Tony's got great drone flying and teaching skills...acting..not so much. But, impressive flying lesson
Don't know if Tony will see this comment, but if you do, I've gotta say that was the best instructional video I've seen, and I sit her day in and day out watching drone videos. lol I've been flying rc hellicopters and quads on and off for the last 15 years or so, but I'm still not as comfortable flying as you are in this video. Nobody watching me would be able to tell, but I know.
Thanks!
YEAH HE IS SUPER GOOD
The best thing to do is get a decent toy grade drone first and practice flying completely manually before you fork over the extreme big bucks for a Phantom.
Exactly what I just did. Just a Syma X5SW. Already had to make a 40 foot long pole to get it out of a tree. Great practice. hahaha.
I bought a cheap $40 drone on Walmart.com I ended up flying it into a 100 ft tree couldn't get it down so now I have another one and refuse to fly it high.
Christian Blade I'd recommend the Hubsan h502e to train on. It flies almost exactly like the phantom, except it's only $90. It has GPS, which is why I got it to train on. It's a pretty good drone, but it doesn't have a very good camera or gimbal, which is why I got the Phantom. However, since it has GPS, it flies mostly like the Phantom. The Hubsan H502e is a really cheap drone to train on before you get your phantom.
Thats how i did it before buying the P4P.
My first drone was $50 and it flew away in 10 minutes. Lol. It took awhile for me to get another one. I hate to see money fly away.
Good vid. I just got a cx20 and am learning all manual first. Might have more crashes and may not be the best way to go, but if I get comfortable always being manual then I won't have anything at all to worry about when using the bells and whistles
today for Christmas I got a Video photo AP new york protocol mini drone and I noticed that it was easier to start off slow and only go up down forward and back, then after a few take offs start to turn.
Thank you 🙏🏽
Cause my got stuck in a tree 🌳 for over three hours 🤦🏽♂️
Now i know how to practice
Great tips! Personally I would recommend anyone who wants to get into multirotors/drones to buy a micro/mini drone first, like the hubsan X4/blade nano qx or something like that. Then you don't run the risk of damaging property or hurting someone, the Phantom is a big drone. But great tips on learning how to fly!
This video got my back on track after I crashed for the first (and hopefully last) time. Thank you!
Thank you for good advice. In Karma drone there is no quick switch to restore the gps. I am a beginner, I might practice flying cheaper drone to get the hang of it. I will follow your advice to take more flight time and familiarize the control. Cheers
This is the first how to fly a drone tutorial I came across. Great video. I feel like I don't even have to look at other tutorials (I'm sure I will though). Thanks for making this!
Tony, Thank you for an excellent video. Your 'listen to I told you so's' really hit home. I've been married for 35 years and I still hear about things that happened many many years ago. For Christmas my daughter bought me a Drocon Cyclone X708W and so far all I've done is install the blade guards and charge some batteries. Now it's time to watch some videos before I even install the battery. Your video was an excellent beginning into what looks to be a fun hobby. Do you know of any videos that explain the terminology? For example; my manual talks about 'Trimmer Functions'...what does 'Trimmer' mean. Another one is 'Headless Mode' and 'One Key Return', I need to learn what these mean to fully understand what I'm doing. One last item I must add is, assuming Chelsea did the filming, she did an excellent job with the camera. Very professional. Thanks again :)
oh my o mysitting here waiting for my Phantom to arrive is just like the xmas feeling as when a kidbeing a former military and civilian pilot with more than 20000 hrs in the logbook I must say that I'venever thought of going back to flightschool BUT this is the very best instruction on drone flying I have ever seenThank U very much
I did something like these drills when I learned to fly my drone several years ago. But I was making it up as I went along. Having a set like you've created here would have been a valuable reference. Don't forget to look up the new FAA requirements for "Unmanned Aerial Systems", as Big Brother as they may be. New drone fliers don't want to end up with an insanely unreasonable fine for flying around their backyards. By the way, your opening... outstanding!
Very good instructions, couple days ahead I going to get My first Drone... I have fly RC planes almost 10 years and Drone seems to be totally different to control...
Now I am certain Tony Northrup has always been honest, because he can't act completely!
Looks harder than flying a real plane! Very well done. Looking forward to the rest.
cool, saw some people using one in the park a few weeks ago......i`m curious what happens when you fly it out of range? what is the average range on these things?
Thank you for the time you've taken to help others enjoy this hobby. Much appreciated.
Great video by the way...
My drone recommendations:
1st: cheap under $125, preferably under$100, buy 2 extra batteries that should cost less than $25 each
2nd: stay cheap see #1
3rd: see #2
I have seen here on YT where the experienced flyers recommend by-passing low-end drones. Not sure why. All the moves you see here, can be done with a cheap drone. All the manual stuff that is. You will have a harder time controlling the cheaper drone and that is a GOOD thing. Same problem as an expensive drone, just exaggerated because of weight and lack of power of the cheaper drone. You will still have to master it. Train hard so the real thing is easier is an old motto that applies to drones. Fly the harder to control model so flying the Cadillac drone with GPS and homing capabilities is that much easier.
From what I have seen on this and other videos, the cost and capability of the drones have no bearing on how much trouble and how much you will have to learn, period. Save your money and buy extra batteries to keep flying, spare parts to keep the drone in shape, and bank the rest so when you destroy or lose the cheap drone, you can replace it with the same cheap drone model.
You WILL damage one of these expensive drones, guaranteed! You can learn all the nuances of stick control, wind affects, getting disoriented, etc.
I have been flying one of the U818A PLUS for a whole 2 hours now and I have learned quit a bit, but no where near what I need to to lower the risk on losing or destroying a $1,000+ drone. Right when I feel I got this, I lose this!
Stay cheap until you can fly it with your eyes closed. You can buy 3-4 of these (U818A PLUS) and stay under their first recommendations and buy extra batteries and spare parts.
HIGHLY recommend an inexpensive drone to learn until you are very good to expert before wasting money on a fly-away/crashed drone! If you have money to burn, go for it!
The number one drone killer: wind, and flying near structures where vortexes and winds are exaggerated (my tip of the day, LOL)
Your advice was clear and simple. You are such a great teacher Tony. Thank you.
i have never seen a best teacher like you thankx tony
This list of super simple maneuvers to practice actually helped me a lot.
New to flying, I have a cheap syma to learn, what I struggle with is trying to figure out the orientation when it's travelled a little. What's your best advice in that situation, this is where the panick kicks in as you can't figure out its orientation and fear it flying away from you.
+h4ksxx I don't know that drone, but most drones have different color lights or props or something to distinguish front from back. As you get farther away, it definitely gets harder.
Hey Tony, Love your Videos!! Quick question, I have a GoPro 4 Silver, can I take a video with it and then insert the Micro SD card into the Phantom 4 Pro + and use the Editor in the controller to edit my footage ? thanks
Tony & Chelsea
I doubt that you'll probably ever see this comment but just in case... I was wondering if you would suggest for someone new to flying drones that they should buy a real cheap one first to practice with or just get the one they intend to use and be very careful in the beginning.
If you would recommend a cheap trainer drone is there such a thing under $100 and which one(s)?
Thank you!
I just bought a Sharper Image DX-2 toy drone for $35. Glad I did. I need a lot of practice before I even think about getting a higher end one. I already broke one of the propellers (and that was with the guard on). This video, along with a couple of others I've watched, should be helpful. Thanks.
I don't know how you guys find the time too makes these videos, much thanks ... cheers
This guy is having fun with his drone real good. I got a new one and am new and I can’t do even a little of what he is doing. I tried two days and I keep crashing it and panicking.
The most common sense and useful tutorial I've seen by far!
I just got my brand new drone and I found you, and, I am your FAN from now! :)
Absolutely one of my favorite videos by you guys since I'm getting ready to add drone shots to my filmmaking (and I have never flown a drone)... the other funny but informative one being you smoking the cigar in the dark explaining the difference between f stops and t stops reviewing the Mitakon lens... Lol. Funny but seriously informative for those of us who just simply didn't know!
Thanks I lost my first Phantom 3 before tumbling over your video. Thanks a thousand times bro.
You've really upped the special FX budget on this one.
AMAZING video! Quite top professional production.
One of the best ever I saw here on TH-cam.
Thank you and greetings from Portugal.
Great intro to flying Tony. Unfortunately, I still can't get my POS drone to hover in place, every movement with it is huge in the air.
GR8 Instructional Video! & sense of humor! : ) Learned so much from this! Thank- you
What model. F40? Mine is 5 yrs. old has 1234 flight's on it. Just now the solder point's on the power lesd's are bad. Motor's and ESC's are still good. I fly commercial 55 lbs. class drone's now. Start small and then go BIG!
I've had a phantom for over a year and I still thought this was useful. Good stuff
BTW Tony, would be really nice if you included the the type of optical gear and settings you're using with ever video (text on the corner). Camera, lense, ISO, Shutter speed, and aperture. Maybe also a little description of why you choose that setup. Could be any silly reason, but nice/fun to know.
Thank you for video. I have a small drone for some time now. This one the Potensic T-35 is larger and faster with more controls. So I found your drone and enjoyed it. So, again thanks, I have subscribed.
Really nice video, Tony. You're best in "teacher" mode, for sure!
Thanks for the vid! I agree with learning to fly a toy first but dont expect them to last very long even if you dont crash them. I also practiced in my den and it helped me to be more precise in learning the controls. Eachine E58 is a tiny clone of the Mavic which is a good stair-step up from the toy. Problem is it does not do well in the wind - too light.
There are tons of good drones in the $150-250 range. Check out the vids (like Best drones of 2019 under $400, etc)
1st attempt was on a basketball court .. I brought it down within 15 seconds. 2nd attempt was in a gigantic opened grassy field .. it went straight up and I panicked .. it went higher and higher then the wind caught it .. I didn't know what was front or back and it flew quickly toward trees in the far distance and crashed into the trees (thankfully). I tried unsuccessfully to bring it back home. Good thing that I was not flying near the ocean. The tutorial here today was very helpful with your controls in full view of us all to demonstrate the function of the right and left sticks.
Nice video. Easy, basic knowledge. Valuable. Like anything, Practice, Practice, Practice. I Emailed it to my son. Thanks!
Step 3 - "fly it about eye level" *Shoots it off to space
that was the best thing I've herd all day
How do I keep it from shooting into space even the lightest touch it's gone
bahahahhhaha the drone memes
Garrett Daly Came for this. On mine 1mm on the left stick seems to equal around Mach 9 as far as I can tell.
Garrett Daly did you just buy a race drone as a first drone
There is a list on my drone because one of the propellors isnt working perfectly it will work but not as usfully as the others would you recommend removing the propelleor and replacing it
Best video I've found on flying a drone.
Thank you for this video. You put it together very well. I'm wanting to purchase a drone of my own soon, so I'm researching drones and how they fly. So far on flying your video was the best! Thank you.
By any chance, are you in Fiji? At the Double Tree Resort, to be precise? I think I saw you at the beach yesterday, with your drone of course.... unless am mistaking you with someone else...
How do you take pictures above it? Like, fireworks? How do you know what it is capturing? Settings? I thought there would be a way to see what it is capturing.
I love two things about this: First, it's about time that you've renamed the channel to include Chelsea, she has been pulling her weight for quite a while. :-) And second, this is the tutorial people need when starting out with a drone, not the "look what cool and advanturous things I can do with this drone". I have a drone, and I hate that there are so many idiots out there that don't fly safely and ruin it for all of us with a bunch of new laws and restrictions...
awesome video! DJI needs to throw in a piece of paper with the link to this video into every package that says, "watch this before flying!" excellent guide!
I guess I must be a one off as I got my head around my drone pretty much from the box. I guess some previous RC model flying helped but good spacial perception and hand eye co-ordination certainly help.
You are so great at acting! Keep up the good work!
Hollywood performance intro right there! 5 stars
Great video. Went through the first minute earlier tonight hence watching this video now.
I just got a drone and my first flight I ended up on a ladder with a long pole to get it out of a tree. Luckily it wasn't damaged. I am slowly getting the hang now. This video gave me some moves to practice so thanks maybe I can stay out of those trees now. Thanks
Best tutorial I've seen yet, thanks
good common sense tips.
will flying my little rc chopper help? I'm off to dig it out. can use it indoors and practice all day before my drone arrives in a month
Yeah, practicing with a small drone definitely helps.
ok... I went and bought a blade nano qx today... it's brilliant. great help from wonderland models but... they could stock more batteries. I've had to order more on line.
been practising a bit and yes I require a lot more flying time. I used to be fine flying the wee chopper towards me. not so now haha. crash crash crash.
also bought a blade apache for some outdoor fun. I hope I don't crash that. it will be a nightmare to repair.
ive just started with an syma x5c to learn now moving up to a 510g to try a bit of fpv flying ,the orientation of the drone was hard to get use to, hotprops or other drone simulators are a good way to learn if you have a xbox controller to link to your pc ,acts likes a drone controller
damon barnes SYMA are good and affordable drone I got one for 55$ it's a syma x5sw cheap I suggest if ur new to
Flying u should get this one
I'm new to drone flying and have crashed mine about 50 times (part of the reason being that the instructions make zero sense)
Anyway, now it struggles to take off. Could I have done long term damage?
What's the best drone for pro use such as taking arial views of a wedding?
This guy is great. Simple and direct instructions. ***** stars!
Excellent video, you explain everything clearly and concisely. Thank you.
PS. Your acting could do with a bit more improvement though.
Phantom is a Good One
@PVTw
Your my new hero I just got a drone with Attitude hold and it was my first one I been always watch your video sense
I guess I must be a one off as I got my head around mine pretty much start from the box. I guess some previous RC model flying helped but good special perception and and eye co-ordination.
Great video, Tony! I’ve need watching all your drone videos...
I have a U818A HD and I flew it indoors for about an hour before taking it out.
wind always bullys it but more practice I found keeping headless mode off easyer.
So much fun.
last time I flew it got up to 70 feet.
By the time I got it back down it had drifted quarter of a mile.
Got muddy that day as it landed in a ploughed field. lol