A Beginner's Guide to Learning How to Fly A Drone

Drones are the hottest topic going around the tech world these days and everyone is trying to get their hands on one of them. Whether you are a professional photographer who wants to take your business up a notch or you are a hobbyist looking for some, it's important that you learn how to fly a drone the right way. Although they are quite small in size it isn't easy to fly these aerial vehicles. This article focuses on the key things to know when flying your drone. 

Obstacles in Flying Drones 

There are several hindrances you may encounter when learning how to fly a drone. They include: 

· The drone does not stay stable in air. 

· The drone does not follow commands. 

· The drone's movements are jerky.

These are just a few of the problems that the new fliers experience when learning how to fly a drone. In order to get the hang of flying a UAV, you must make sure that you know everything about its working principle. 

Terminologies Involved in Flying Drones 

You may have read the user manual that comes with your drone but most of the time this isn't enough. You will need to learn and understand a few terminologies if you want to learn to fly your drone like an expert. There are a few general terms that you should be aware of when learning how to fly a drone. These include: 

· Line of site: This is the direct visualization of your drone while you are flying it. 

· FPV or first person view: You as a pilot can see your drone through the camera. 

Parts of Drones 

When learning how to fly a drone, there are key parts of the drone that you need to be familiar with such as: 

· Transmitter or remote control: This is the main controlling unit that lets you fly and control the drone. 

· Propellers: These are four in number and help the drone in taking off from the ground as well as maintaining a horizontal stable position. 

· Camera: This is not present in all the drones and is optional but helps in keeping the pilot informed about the surroundings of the drone. 

· The frame: The frame connects all the parts and keeps them in position. The frame comes in two arrangements such as X or + 

· The motors: There are four motors in a drone and that is why it is also known as quadcopter. Each propeller is powered by a single motor. The voltage of the motor will determine the speed or rotation of the propeller. 

· Electronic speed control: The wires that connect the battery with the motor are known as ECS. 

· Flight control board: This is the master control and regulates the accelerometer as well as the gyrometer directing the speed of the motor.

· Battery and charger: This is important as it provides life to the drone to take flights. Controls of the Drone When learning how to fly a drone, it is very important that you understand the following controls: 

· Roll: This is used to roll the drone right or left generally using the right stick on the remote control 

· Pitch: This is the tilting of drone and is carried out by pushing the right stick forward or backward. 

· Yaw: This is the rotation of drone in right or left direction by moving the left key towards left or right. This helps in changing the direction of your drone. 

· Throttle: If you want your drone to higher or lower than its present position the use the left key to engage and disengage it by pushing the key forward and backward respectively. 

· Trim: This is adjusting the above mentioned features in case you want to adjust the balance of the device and can be done with the help of the buttons on remote control.

· Rudder: Controlling yaw is the main function of rudder which is also the left stick 

· Aileron: Same as right stick 

· Elevator: Same as right stick moving forward and backward. 

Modes of Drone Flying 

When learning how to fly a drone, you should be familiar with the modes in which your drone can fly. These include: 

· Manual: you can adjust all the positions of the drone manually. You need to operate it in and out of balance. 

· Auto level or altitude: in this mode the leveling of the drone is done by itself when the stick is released to its neutral position.

 · GPS hold: in this mode the quadcopter will come back to its original position when the stick is released. 

Mastering the Controls

 When learning how to fly a drone you should master the controls of the drone before you take on responsibilities outside of flying for recreational purposes. Similar to driving, in the beginning it may appear to be a very difficult job but as you get used to it, you will not even think before making any move. The main thing to keep in mind is that you need to push the stick gently for smoother movements of the drone. You must start by moving the drone slightly in each direction. Knowing the controls and how they work is the key to flying this device smoothly and moreover it is the dexterity and quick response time that will help you fly your drone like an expert. Operating the Remote Control The remote control, which is also known as the transmitter, is the only thing that will let you control your drone and fly it in the way you want it to. The name transmitter is an apt one because it transmits signals to the drone as soon as you move the stick or press the buttons. You can very easily fly your drone using the stick and the button on the remote control. However, before you try to make a full fledged flight you must first trim and adjust the controls so that the drone remains in balance. When for the first time, you try to lift the drone using your remote control you will notice that the drone tilts in one direction and also moves in that direction. This is one of the reasons you find it very difficult to fly this device initially. This happens because the balance is not right and you need to adjust the pitch roll, yaw and throttle accordingly so that while lifting up the drone maintains a horizontal position parallel to the ground. In conclusion, learning how to fly a drone can be a lot of fun and can earn you some extra cash, but there are processes and maneuvers you must master before you risk crashing your drone, or worse, causing bodily harm. 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Victor_Holman/365379

Preflight Checklist

• Carefully unbox your new drone and follow vendor instructions for assembly. Download the vendor app.
• Before takeoff, update all software and firmware, and read the instructions thoroughly. Failure to do so can result in serious flight issues.
• See the FAA website for registration requirements and information about flying a drone safely. Additional state or local requirements may apply. Check your local jurisdiction.
• Consider the location of your planned flight and ensure that you are not in a restricted area. Also check the weather forecast and be sure to fly in safe conditions.
• Determine how long you expect your flight to be. The average drone battery life is 20 minutes, so consider whether you'll need to bring extra batteries or a charger.
• Learn more about flying your drone and making informed decisions
• Always keep your aircraft in eyesight.
• Remain well clear of and do not interfere with manned aircraft operations, and you must always see and avoid other aircraft and obstacles.
• Do not fly over unprotected persons or moving vehicles and remain well clear from individuals and vulnerable property.
• Do not fly under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Ensure the operating environment is safe and that the operator is competent and proficient in  the operation of the UAS.
• Do not fly near or over sensitive infrastructure or property such as power stations, water                treatment facilities, correctional facilities, heavily traveled roadways, government facilities, etc.
• Do not conduct surveillance or photograph persons in areas where there is an expectation of  privacy without the individual’s permission.

How to Film With a Drone in High Wind Over Water

 As a Hawaii based commercial drone pilot I am regularly asked to fly drones in relatively high wind. Here on Maui we typically get winds in the 20 knot range with gusts into the 30's and sometimes 40's. Whenever I am assigned an aerial media capture task in wind I have to make an assessment and determine if it is safe enough to fly without losing a drone, flying out of control, or hurting someone. Obviously a "no fly" call is not ideal and usually means an immediate financial loss in the fast paced world of commercial drone services. Many times this high wind flying occurs over water (shark infested salt water to be exact!) which increases the risk and complexity of the operation. Also, as you may know losing a drone into the big blue sea kind of negates your ability to get a replacement via insurance such as DJI Care Refresh unless you can retrieve the drone to send it back to DJI. The good news is you usually don't encounter obstacles over water and image transmission is rarely interrupted due to object interference. The challenge is that if you have a problem you need to first traverse a considerable distance over No Man's Land before you even have a chance of retrieving your drone. 

To prepare for a scheduled drone shoot of, say kitesurfing for instance, I do several things. First I check to see if the location I'm going to be flying at is a "green zone". This means it is not in an FAA no fly zone, not within 5 miles of an airport, and has a legal launch and land area within visual sight distance of the drone's area of operations. Next I take care of the insurance, permits, and any necessary FAA clearances required to do the job. Once the location is approved I check the local weather, do a pre-shoot site survey, and draw up a plan for shooting as well as a plan for emergencies based on prevailing wind direction and coastline topography. Finally I book my assistant for the shoot as a visual spotter is required by law and is highly recommended when pushing the limits of a drone's flying capabilities. 

What I'm looking for when I check the weather is if there is going to be sun (drone shots need sun) and how strong the wind will be. Also the gust factor of the wind is a biggie. A lot of variability in the wind really degrades the flying experience and can cause the drone to pitch and roll a lot more than steady wind. Depending on the wind speed I determine if my drone can handle the upper limits of the wind prediction. Direction is key as well. Offshore winds present a far greater risk than Onshore winds when flying over water for obvious reasons. And finally I consider the conditions when determining not only if I can fly but also how close, what is the subject doing, what are any other obstacles, what is my drone's range, and what is a safe altitude. With kitesurfing you have a fast moving kite at the end of 30 meter lines so any shots lower than 100 feet need to account for this action and associated risk. 

On shoot day you want to assess the actual wind and weather conditions (don't get caught by rain), and make the final determination to fly or not to fly. I like to do this prior to clients or other aspects of production showing up so I can make the decision without biased influence. If it is a "go" situation I fly my drone in normal GPS mode up to about 10 feet and see if it can stay in place. If it is really windy in your launch area don't launch from the ground or your drone can flip over before it takes off. If you're able to hover in place without losing ground try flying up to your maximum shoot altitude and test the wind speed there. If the wind starts to overtake your drone and it drifts away bring it back down to a lower altitude and try to recover it. If it is too windy to recover your drone in GPS mode you can try switching to "sport mode" (DJI Mavic Pro and Phantom 4 series) and fly it back to you. Make sure you are familiar with switching to and flying in sport mode prior to flight. While your drone is drifting away is not a good time to go through the set-up menu for the first time. If sport mode is not an option and there are obstacles around you can use these as windbreakers. If you are flying the drone back towards yourself at full speed and the wind is still overpowering the drone you can dip behind buildings, trees, barriers, and even mountains to get into a more stable environment. Although obstacles can increase wind variability I have found a combination of lowering your altitude and getting behind things that slow down the wind can get you out of most situations and at least allow you to get the drone down to the ground and not in the water. If the wind is blowing away from shore and out to sea you have few options for recovery and the wind may be just as strong 10 feet off the water as it is 100 feet up. Strong and (typically) gusty offshore winds present the highest risk of losing your drone over water and should be approached with an added level of consideration. 

In conclusion just remember to be safe, not sorry. Don't push your drone into an unrecoverable situation and have several backup plans in mind for possible emergencies. Know your equipment well before flying in wind or over water including time and distance limits as well as the effects of wind on relative speed vs surface speed. For instance if your drone flies 25 Mph top speed and it is gusting 15 to 20 Mph it may fly downwind at a surface speed of 45 Mph but may only be able to go upwind at 5 Mph. If your drone flew a mile downwind make sure you have enough battery to make it back upwind at 5 Mph, which by my calculations would take roughly 12 minutes. Also "sport mode" increases speed but decreases battery life. And finally try to avoid flying your drone on empty. Flying performance can be less than expected when the battery gets low and it definitely increases the stress level when you're down in the single digits and not yet back to shore.

Maui Drone provides aerial imagery and related services on the island of Maui and its founder Shanti Berg has been producing kiteboarding films and content in Hawaii for over a decade. Check out Maui Drone to access an instant download in the stock image gallery as well as samples of works and technical tips. You can purchase a photo/video aerial platform, download a photo or video, and get answers to your drone related questions. You can also check out https://mauivideoproduction.com to see what else we are up to out here in the islands. Happy and safe flying! 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Shanti_Berg/2495197

The Perfect Shot

 Using a drone for photography and film is becoming very popular. Many professionals use them for things like making movies, shooting sports events, or taking breathtaking photos. With a drone you are able to move almost anywhere and at a fast speed. This helps with sports events because they can use drones to catch up with the action and see more than normal. For movies, they are able to get those high shots or shots through obstacles that used to be difficult to do. Lastly, for photography, the possibilities are endless. 

You can get to mostly any spot you want with a great camera to take that amazing photo. Different cameras can be equipped depending on the photo you want. Some cameras do better in low light or high lights, some can zoom in further, and others have cool features such as night or heat vision. A lot of features and abilities you couldn't do with your phone. 

You can buy a generic or customized drone to fit to whatever activity you might be doing. Many news channels use them to capture things like traffic jams, aerial shots of events, and even to track weather. These are all creative ways they have implemented drones into their organizations and improved the quality content they deliver to the viewers. People go as far as even using drones for selling real estate. Taking images of the inside and outside with a phone won't cut it anymore. Drones can be used to take incredible shots of the house. They can even help with creating 3D walk through interiors. This can be the difference between selling a place or not because obviously how a place looks will impact most of a buyer's decision. You don't want a deal ruined because of a sloppy image from a phone. As you can see, these are all problems different people might face. A drone can help each of these people in their own area for what needs to be done. 

Most drones can hover with pretty good stability. This allows for their great shots up in the air and also because of their great cameras. When all of the great abilities and features that a drone has comes together, you end up with amazing results. Many businesses, or even individuals, should consider a drone and what it could possibly do for them. It is going to be a really fun journey to watch and see how people will use drones to capture footage/images. 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Eddy_Patterson/2545240

The Best Aerial Photography Can Change the Definition of Photography

Aerial photography is just like as its name is suggested. In this technique of taking pictures, the shoot is done by moving the drone around the place in the sky all the pictures are taken from the sky. By shooting from such a height can change your photography experience. Many professional aerial photographers have shown their creativity by clicking such a masterpiece. They have changed the views of peoples by their best aerial photography and set the new height to reach for the other photographers. Aerial photography is becoming famous and many businesses are demanding aerial photographers for clicking pictures which can be fruitful for their website or business. Many couples are hiring the best aerial photography agencies for shooting their wedding with the technology so that they can have existing and memorable wedding shoot. This photography is beneficial in discovering, mapping and many other things. Modern Applications of Aerial Photography There are many modern applications of aerial photography, and they are the most important ones: 

1. Archaeology 

Photos from high above the ground helps archaeologists to find the lost monuments and hidden sites, track the site's features that are not visible from ground level, find treasure buried under the earth, sand or water, to perform certain site features, which are visible only under certain conditions, the card site specific neighborhoods and often record remote, hidden, dangerous or impossible to reach areas in the world. 

2. Urban Studies and Real Estate 

This photography is a permanent partner of landscape studies, sociology, urban planning, geography and cartography property, they play aerial games have power over their competitors because they can simply and clearly demonstrate the value and beauty of a building or construction site with photos say for themselves. 

3. Climate Change 

Researchers used to study the effect of menopausal changes for certain ecosystems, dry lakes, the expansion of water as well as reducing the size of the rain forest and so on. Aerial photography helps researchers to conduct the environmental forensic examination, to monitor all the changes that we are experiencing, from documenting invasive species, thinning others, soil, water, and landscape changes. Shifting climate and strong environmental changes that affect everyone on this planet is now thoroughly documented with the help of photographs. 

4. Tourism 

This is easily explained by the fact that the photography allows people to see the wider area and larger context of meaning. While we all love the panoramic image of an exotic island blessing surreal sunset, we may be breathless at the sight of a blue lagoon in the endless green pastures, or the famous tourist landmark, taken at a right angle. 

5. Art 

Search gorgeous locations and capture it with a good angle at the right time of the day can turn into a work of art that does not have to match the advertising, commercial or scientific purposes. Artistic photographers knew experimenting and trying creative ways to perpetuate the beauty of our world, and aerial photography is one of the most interesting ways to achieve this goal.

See more @ http://www.singaporeaerialphotography.com/ 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Nicole_Rin/2332050