Starting your first flight with an RC drone is super exciting! But before you take off, it’s important to learn some basics for a safe and fun experience. In this guide, let’s dive into what every beginner needs to know before they fly their RC drone for the first time.
Understand Basic RC Drone Knowledge
When it comes to RC drones, the remote controller typically includes switch keys, remote antennas, and other basic devices. However, specific buttons may vary depending on the RC drone’s application and functionality. Regardless, the basic structure remains consistent: turn on the remote controller, push the sliding switch upward. It’s important to note that each RC drone’s sliding switch is unique, and its position varies. You can refer to the manual for a rough idea.
Understand basic RC drone knowledge
Thoroughly Read the Manual
Before your first RC drone flight, it’s essential to read the manual thoroughly. Pay close attention to the usage manual of your purchased RC drone, especially the section on remote controller usage instructions. For example, understanding the “headless mode” is crucial. In headless mode, the drone’s orientation is based on its head position during takeoff. This means that regardless of the drone’s movement during flight, pressing forward on the remote controller will make the drone move in the direction its head was facing during takeoff.
The user manual for SJRC drones
Tip: If you want to know how to choose an RC drone as a beginner, check out our choosing guide.
Choose the Right Flying Environment
After gaining basic RC drone knowledge, it’s time to find a suitable environment for your first flight. The right environment significantly reduces the risk of accidents. What makes a suitable environment for your first RC drone flight?
Open and Unobstructed:
An open and unobstructed environment allows for easy observation of the drone and provides space for correcting stick operations. Additionally, aerial photography RC drones rely on GPS for hovering at high altitudes. Flying in areas with tall buildings or obstacles can interfere with GPS signals, making it challenging to control the drone, especially for beginners.
Communication between the drone and the controller occurs via wireless signals, such as 2.4 GHz. These signals struggle to penetrate obstacles. If there are walls or trees between the controller and the drone, it greatly increases the likelihood of signal loss, resulting in loss of control.
Exercise caution when flying RC drones in this situation!
No Magnetic Field Interference:
Inside aerial RC drones, there is a compass that plays a crucial role in hover and navigation. If the compass is subjected to interference, the drone may lose its sense of direction. Therefore, to avoid interference with the drone’s compass, it’s advised to stay away from environments with strong magnetic fields such as steel structures, substations, or high-voltage power lines.
Stay far away from the signal tower.
Good Weather Conditions:
Although aerial RC drones are unmanned, they are not designed for all-weather operation like military UAVs. Being electronic devices, most drones are susceptible to water damage. Hence, flying in rainy or snowy weather should be avoided. Additionally, flying in strong winds, fog, haze, or dust storms is not recommended.
Try to avoid flying in this environment if possible.
Keep Away from Crowds, Birds, Kites, etc.:
For safety reasons, it’s advisable to avoid flying in environments where serious consequences could arise. For example, in densely populated areas, the impact force of a plane crash and its propellers could cause serious consequences. Therefore, it’s recommended to keep a safe distance from oneself and others during flight.
It’s also important to be cautious around flocks of birds, as some species may perceive the drone as a threat to their territory and attack it. Before takeoff, it’s essential to survey the surroundings for potential hazards, such as kite flying or wires, which can pose invisible threats to the drone.
Never fly your RC drones in this environment!
Useful Techniques During Operation:
Flat Ground:
Takeoff and landing should be done on flat ground to prevent the drone from tipping over. Start by turning on the controller, then power up the drone on a flat surface. Wait until the drone indicates it has acquired enough satellites and is in GPS mode before taking off.
The GPS mode is crucial.
Tail Takeoff:
During takeoff, position the drone so that its tail faces towards you. This orientation helps prevent confusion in controlling the drone’s direction as the movements of the control sticks correspond directly to the drone’s orientation, so that you can control the drone in the most intuitive way possible.
Position the drone with its tail facing you.
Gentle Stick Operation:
Many beginners tend to push the control sticks to their extreme positions, which may not be suitable for them. The amount of stick input correlates with the drone’s speed; smaller stick movements result in slower flight, while larger movements result in faster flight. For first-time flyers, it’s recommended to practice with smaller stick inputs to gain proficiency.
For the first flight, it’s advisable to practice with small sticks to become proficient.
Release the Joystick to Hover:
During GPS-mode flight, if a novice pilot becomes disoriented or unsure how to proceed with control inputs, simply releasing the control sticks will cause the drone to hover in place.
Hovering is very stable.
Fly within Line of Sight:
During initial flights, it’s advisable to keep the drone within visual range and avoid flying it beyond line of sight. Be mindful not to fly the drone behind obstacles.
Do not let the drone out of your sight.
Landing:
When landing, position the drone above the designated landing spot and gradually reduce throttle to descend. Maintain a safe distance of several meters between yourself and the landing area and only retrieve the drone after the propellers have completely stopped spinning. Turn off the drone first, then the remote controller.
Wait until the propellers have completely stopped before retrieving the drone.
Conclusion:
Learning to fly an RC drone is all about practice and knowing the basics. By following these simple tips, beginners can feel confident as they take to the skies. So, get ready, take flight, and enjoy the adventure of flying your RC drone!
