Hi all I’m Del. I’m new to drones and have a Mavic air 2, though on reflection I think I should have got the mini or 2s. I initially got the drone to compliment my photography.
I’ve registered the drone and passed my theory test with CAA, though I’m still apprehensive about flying the drone. Due to my location I will normally drive out somewhere quiet to practice flying. My focus is to become more skilled flying the drone before I look at video and photography so happy to receive any tips or hints.
Have you seen our members map? (Click the burger-menu in the top right) You may find some pilots living near you. Feel free to add yourself to the members map too
We’re a well established club with many knowledgeable members so it’s very likely that any issues you come across will have been discussed here before. Our discussion forum has very powerful search features which should help you find what you need but if you get stuck you can post a new question in the #questions-and-answers category.
Looking for recommendations of places to fly? Check out our interactive map on Drone Scene - be sure to log in to gain access to the full suite of features and map layers:
And please feel free to add locations of your own too.
Please also take a moment to look at the Membership Levels section on our FAQ as we’re quite different to other clubs and you’ll be eligible for some rather exclusive club discounts as your membership level increases
Hi Del and welcome, I also fly the Mavic Air2 and find it a fantastic drone. I don’t do much low light photography or any other that would warrant the upgrade to a 1" sensor, so for now this suits me.
Hi Del, good idea to find a quiet spot and practice flying. Don’t ignore the video entirely though - stick in a card, press the red button to start the video and take off. Concentrate on flying, let the video take care of itself. The results may not be spectacular but you will have a record of what you have been up to and possible B roll material for later.
Welcome from north Warwickshire. Although I work in Birmingham and am in Wolverhampton a lot as well. As mentioned look at the dronescene map for some places to practise and use the good to go section to ensure you’re ‘good to go’ with your drone in that location.
@Del …Hi Del …I also bought an Air 2 just over a year ago I thought the camera quality would have been better quality than the mini, but after seeing the images other members are submitting I was wrong the mini is a good bit of kit and less restrictive, however with my failing eyesight I can keep an eye on the larger drone , …my advice take your time …take a few still images and perhaps video while hovering just so you can get used to the various settings, wait till you are more confident before trying inflight video…enjoy Alan
Hi Del, don’t beat yourself up on drone choice, whilst the Mini 2 is an amazing drone and will allow you to fly with less red tape than other heavier drones, it does not have the collision avoidance sensing that the Air 2 has which is likely to be important to you in the early stages. I’m not sure what strobe lighting is built into the Air 2 but the Mini is not great at a distance due to it’s size as others have said. However, you can get for the Mini 2, Air 2, Mavic, etc plastic clips which fit over the legs and hold ‘Cree’ strobes which are very, very bright and can be seen from a good distance. I am certain that your drone will start you off in ‘beginner mode’ so restricting both height and distance it will fly away from you until you feel more natural with the controls.
Take your time, view plenty of videos - ‘Ian in London’ on Utube is very informative and worth having a look…and enjoy the ride!
Thanks Lee that’s really useful, I watched quite a few of the Ian from London videos yesterday and joined the BMFA. I’ve also signed up for the A2 CofC Course and being getting my head around the Drone Code.
I’m looking forward to just going out and having some fun with the drone .
Sure, you’re welcome Del. The A2 CofC will definitely be worth doing - you’ll learn so much more than the standard UAV registration training. That in itself will make you a safer flyer / aware of hazards which are not always obvious until you do such training.
I shall keep a lookout for your videos / photos once you’re ready to post your footage on Grey Arrows.
Hi and welcome from another newbie here. I understand your aprehension, a Mavic Air 2 is an expensive thing to be throwing around the sky!
However, remember, these bits of kit are clever so in the words od Douglas Adams, “DONT PANIC!”
Best bit of advise I got when I started was this - Before takeoff, make sure your ‘return to home’ altitude is set above anything thats around you - houses/trees/wires/etc. and that RTH is the selected option in the settings menu in the event of a dissconect
Then if you’re unsure what to do, hit the Return To Home button and your drone will take care of itself, even if you loose connection, your investment will (touch wood) safely return to you all on its own.
Thanks for the advice, I have been out twice to fly and need some more practice. I find the return home function really useful and I’ve even practiced take of and land using my hand. I’m looking forward to getting out more and exploring, weather permitting.
Hi…also done the drone test although dont think it was needed with a sub 250grm drone but hey ho…Got my mini 2 and looking 4ward to flying or crashing it …Enjoy what your doing m8…
…Enjoy what your doing m8…