New to Drones in Essex also

Hi there, new to drones here. I have just got my flyer ID and Operator ID but I have not bought a drone yet.

I am trying to decide between mini2 and Air2.

On the one hand the sub 250 gives me flexibility of where to fly. On the other I like the Air2 ( especially obstacle avoidance ) but it concerns me where I can fly without hassle around here, I am near Epping.

I have read comments that drones are not allowed in the actual Epping Forest.

Any advice or good locations to fly would be appreciated before I hit “pay now” on the DJI website. Thanks

Hi @DaystateFox and welcome to Grey Arrows :wave:t2:

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 :+1:t2:

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 :blush:

Welcome once again!

@DaystateFox - welcome to GADC :+1: :+1: :+1:

Mini 2 is very popular with members here and has proven to be quite capable. There are rumours that DJI may be releasing a Mini 3 shortly which may be worth checking out. Autel have also recently “released” the Nano and Nano+ - both are sub 250g drones with obstacle avoidance. :+1: :+1: :+1:

Thanks for the answers, I’ve been watching many vlogs on where to fly and I think the mini2 gives me a bit more flexibility with less restrictions.

I can always get a bigger drone next year if I enjoy the hobby.

Check out my ad in the “For sale” list for a full kit with Mavic pro and everything you need.

UPDATE … I bought the Mini 2 fly more combo and loving it. Easy to get used to, the 4k video is excellent and it has been fun seeing my neighbourhood and a few countryside parks from above. Used Filmora to edit and add some music and my family like the results.

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