Learn How to Fly a Quadcopter (Drone): Drones are here to stay and users are finding more and more useful applications for his gadget. Here we will take a look at all the necessities to be able to fly a quad-copter.
Also Read: Creative & Practical uses of drones
Various Names for Drones
Before we take a look at how to fly a Quadcopter, let us also quickly take a look at the various names that are used to refer to these gadgets. Most beginners get confused looking at the multitude of names used for drones, but they all exist for some reason.
- Drones: This is the most commonly used term when it comes to these flying objects. Unfortunately, for some, the name drone also brings up images of war and see these objects as unmanned aircrafts capable of dropping bombs.However, the drones that are used for most commercial use are also known by other names:
- Quadcopters: As you may have already guessed, the ‘quad’ means four. So Quadcopter means a drone with four (quad) rotors.You get copters with different number of rotors – helicopter (1 lift rotor), hexacopter (6 rotors), octocopter (8 rotors) and so on. With drones being used for more and more applications, more variations of these will surely be introduced over time.
One of the most popular manufacturers of drones have models that mostly use four rotors, and that is why you also see more and more flyers using the term ‘quadcopter’.
- UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle): Most governing bodies, such as the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), use this term so that they all are on the same page.
- UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems): Another version of the UAV (GPS, video-link FPV systems).
- RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft): Widely used term by authorities as an alternative to the word “drone”
Learning to Fly Drones
Assuming you’re a teen and your father is a professional photographer/videographer who owns a drone (say from DJI), do not try to fly it on your own, and definitely not in your father’s absence (unless you know how to fly it). If you’re impatient to get out and start flying a quadcopter in your local park, make sure you read this article.
If you have never flown one before, a better idea is to start with a quadcopter that is designed for beginners.
Also Read: Toy / Starter drones
Also Read: Recreational drones
You do get mini, cheap toy drone (with HD camera) that you can use for learning (and nobody would mind it if you crash it, but if you do that to a $1000-£2000 machine…).
Most entry-level quadcopters are fully manual (no GPS to help with your flying).
Once you get confident flying these, its a lot easier to fly the larger drones (like the ones from DJI) equipped with (Go Pro HD Hero 4 and 64GB memory card) – even over water.
Learn More About the Local Rules
These rules are not about how to fly the drone, but about the local laws (mind you these can be used for destructive activities as well – dropping bombs, spying, etc). So several countries (zones or local area) have laws concerning flying of drones.
In fact, in most countries its banned unless you’re covering some event indoors. In other countries, flying near any type of airfield, large or small is prohibited.
If you’re part of a crew going abroad to cover some event, make sure you read the local rules in case you’re planning to fly a drone outdoors, or get the requisite permission before-hand. It could land you in trouble and your gear could be confiscated.
The civil aviation authorities in several countries have listed down the rules for the casual, recreational flyer (with or without camera on board). So make sure you read those rules and adhere to them if you want to stay safe and out of trouble.
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Flying Drones Commercially
If you’re going to get paid for flying a drone (commercial use), certain countries may ask you to complete a short course (BNUC-s in UK) before they give you permission.
Well that’s what you need to fly a drone legally (in countries like UK). If you do it illegally, be prepared to face the consequences (if you’re caught).
Some countries may also insist on Insurance to fly commercially.
How to Fly – Various Modes/Features
The better quality drones have several features and various flying modes.
Once you get the hang of flying, and become more confident, you can fly the drone over water and to bigger heights (the bigger drones come with GPS so you have more information about the flight). Besides flying using GPS, or manually, you may also use the other safety features like return to home and home lock; these are specifically useful when testing the machine or if you get into trouble while flying.
GPS Mode
For most users, this is the best way to continue flying. And its also great for aerial photography / videography. Its because in GPS mode, when you leave the flight levers on your remote control, the UAV hold its position and stays in one place (its like a camera placed on a tripod).
This mode also allows you to set home lock position (home point or take off point) in case of a failure, so that the DJI Phantom returns back safely.
ATTI (Attitude) Mode
In this mode, GPS is deactivated, and the drone will move left or right, front or back, or up and down as you let go of the control levers (center them). Basically, the UAV will continue flying in one direction until further input from the pilot.
This is another mode that is great for aerial photography and aerial video work as the UAV will gently glide in one direction giving you smooth footage.
So practice and get used to this mode of flying.
ATTI mode is also great for checking wind speed and direction. Just raise the UAV to a suitable height, let it hover and switch to ATTI mode. It will give you a good idea of the wind speed and direction before switching to GPS mode for full control.
Manual Mode
This mode is for the more experienced flyer as you take all the control to yourself. So while you can do various things, you could also get into trouble in manual mode. So practice more, watch more YouTube videos and test your flying skills in a open field.
How to Fly – Guidelines
Ask anybody who has been flying drones for a few years, and they will happily recall how they crashed their drones a few times initially when they were learning the ropes. In fact, some will also say how they put all the parts together (after the crash) and surprisingly, for many, the drone did work (but not the camera) after the crash.
So here are some useful lessons that can save you lot of heartache.
When flying a bigger drone for the first time, start cautiously: Making the transition to a bigger drone? Make sure you start cautiously. Take it slowly upwards (to a few feet) and see if things look okay. Then proceed to take it further up and fly it at sensible heights.
Do this a few times till you get more confidence. Then you can fly the drone over water and to bigger heights (the bigger drones come with GPS so you have more information about the flight).
Most beginner flyers don’t realize the dangers of a Quadcopter free-falling on people at full speed. Damaging your gear is bad, but if it falls on people, it can get worse. So be safe and responsible pilots, and people around will be in awe of your skills.
Here are some guidelines (more of best practices) for all the flyers (recreational flyers and those who fly drones to capture photos/videos).
- Always test your drone/UAV thoroughly before flying
- Make a checklist of all the things to carry (rotors, battery, camera etc)
- Make sure batteries are fully charged
- Make sure all the damaged parts are replaced or disposed off.Here’s an example where a faulty battery caused a DJI Quadcopter to crash. One of the batteries (that we have been using for several months) got swollen from the sides. We got it checked by one of the DJI suppliers and they asked us to get rid of that battery. Although the assistants were instructed to throw away the battery, one of our assistants put a huge cross mark on that battery, which meant it was not to be used (but did not actually throw it away).
A few weeks later, we got two orders. And guess what, one of the teams took a DJI phantom, along with the faulty battery (the assistants on that team were different). When a crucial shot had to filmed, one of the videographers flew the drone. The drone went up, and in about 10 seconds, lost control and came crashing down. Both the DJI quadcopter and the GoPro Hero suffered extensive damage.
So if you have a faulty battery, get rid of it right away.
- Follow safety guidelines before using the drone
- Follow the do’s and don’ts: such as Flying a drone near airport is a strict no-no.
- Get maps of no-fly areas, and the list of fields to use by local RC (Remote Control) aircraft clubs.
- Follow all the local aviation guidelines
- Take the requisite permissions
- Take off from a position with no obstacles or interference to your remote control
- At all times, have the drone in sight
- When flying around or directly above people (adhere to height limits)Its also important to keep an eye on the crowd and what they are up-to. When shooting for an event in a resort (the theme was ‘Hawaii Carnival’), our crew were filming guests coming in from the entrance (It was an outdoor venue). Close to the entrance, there was a pool in which guests were playing with a ball.
When one of your videographers flew the DJI drone (he did not take it too high) to get an aerial view of the venue, guess what one of the guests in the swimming pool did? He threw the ball and the ball hit the drone and it came crashing down.
So keep an eye on the guests, especially when they are having fun; their mischief can cost dear.
- Be aware of your limitations and experience
- Keep an eye on the battery levels, height and distance at all times
- Learn about (and practice) your UAV’s failsafe and home lock modes for safety
- Land the drone safely on the ground
Remember to also check the local laws and guidelines for your own region.
Helpful/Fun Videos
Here are some interesting video footage that were captured from drones.
Angry Onlookers
Here is a good reason to always know the local laws, obtain necessary permissions and always be courteous and obliging with angry people – even if you KNOW you are right ; ).
Return to Home in Action
Testing out the failsafe/return to home. This is what happens when your UAV, drone or quadcopter reaches its preset minimum battery power (in this case, 10% as it was close to me).
Take it to another level as you travel the world filming spectacular scenery.
Here’s video shot by expert level flyers.
I hope you have all the information now on how to fly a Quadcopter (Drone) responsibly.
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