Where To From Here?

Mini 3
1

I bought my Mini 3 Pro 18 months ago and enjoyed 5 months of using it. However, about 12 months ago I managed to fly it sideways into the top of a tree. It was replaced under the DJI warranty, I registered it, took it up about a metre, brought it back down again and put it back in the box where it has stayed since then.

I’ve charged the batteries to keep them in good condition, renewed my licence during that time and it’s as far as I’ve got to flying it again. In fact, I think I’ve forgotten how to if I’m honest. I haven’t even installed any of the updates for it. I don’t think I’ve lost heart and that’s why I’ve come back to you for help, please.

Will someone take me through the steps to getting me back up in the air please so that I can video my beautiful countryside up in the Highlands of Scotland?

If I haven’t put this in the right section will a mod put it where it should be please?

2

While it’s not your first time flying, here’s advice I often share with new DJI owners. You should be in good shape to head out again if you follow the same advice.

  • Before attempting to fly, watch some videos on YouTube.com to learn more about your drone. Search for something like “Mini 2 Beginner’s Guide” (replace “Mini 2” with your drone model).

  • Read the DJI manual (available in the “Products” section of the DJI Download Center) from beginning to end (maybe a few times). You’re certainly not going to remember everything, but it’ll give you a good understanding of the available features and capabilities of your drone. And then you can go back to the manual or YouTube videos when you need to take a deeper dive into a specific topic.

  • Don’t power on your drone or take off when within about 10 feet of any magnetic metal objects (like your car or rebar in concrete sidewalks). See more on compass interference in this compass calibration guide. Before takeoff, always confirm that the aircraft shown on the map in DJI Fly (or the app you’re using) is oriented in the correct direction. Any discrepancy is usually a sign of magnetic interference in the surrounding environment.

  • Before taking off, always review the drone settings in DJI Fly (or the app you’re using) to ensure everything is set as expected. If you do plan on flying near any obstacles, ensure the RTH altitude is set properly in case your drone needs to automatically return back to the home point mid-flight.

  • Never take off before DJI Fly (or the app you’re using to fly) audibly mentions or shows the home point has been set. The drone will attempt to fly back to the home point location automatically if it loses connection with the remote controller, so it’s crucial to ensure that location has been set prior to takeoff.

  • DJI drones have a lot of awesome automated flight features. Use them with caution and never assume they are always going to function as expected (always be ready to take control if needed).

  • Sensors are great and they can help prevent your drone from crashing into obstacles. They are not foolproof though. Never rely on them 100% or assume they are going to work perfectly in all flight conditions – or react the same way when flying in similar conditions from past flights.

  • Find a flat, wide open place to practice (free of people, trees, and all other obstacles). It’s pretty hard to crash a DJI drone into the ground, so you’ll likely have the best success if that’s your only obstacle. Continue flying in this location (or similar locations) until you’re able to control your drone without thinking about it (like riding a bike).

  • Make sure you can easily see your drone at all times (required by law in most countries). After removing all nearby obstacles, nearly everyone who crashes/loses a drone is either not watching it with their eyes or cannot clearly see where it’s located.

  • The screen is chock-full of great information. Use it as a reference (sparingly) as you do when looking at your dashboard while driving a car. It’s also a great tool for framing the perfect photo or getting your drone in just the right spot before hitting record. If you’re mostly staring at the screen while flying, you’ll probably have no idea where your drone is located.

  • Don’t fly in sport mode until you’re comfortable controlling your drone. You don’t want to get into a situation where you need to maneuver quickly and aren’t quite sure which stick to move (another reason not to practice near obstacles).

  • DJI batteries require special care that is unlike other batteries you commonly use. To prevent any damage to your DJI batteries, follow the tips in this DJI battery maintenance & storage guide.

  • DJI drones record a lot of useful information in the TXT flights. The logs are helpful for things like troubleshooting issues you experienced during a flight, locating a lost drone, and many other things. The TXT files can be found on your phone/tablet or remote controller (if it has a screen). See these instructions for more details. And then you’ll need a tool like my free online DJI log viewer or Flight Reader (keeps your flight logs offline) to decrypt and access/view the data within.

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3

Excellent advice, thank you @msinger. I shall follow it to the letter.
I hope this isn’t a silly question, how do I get the updates that I’ve missed over the past year please?

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4

Which updates are you referring to?

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5

The ones that update the controller when new software is available.

6

If you’re using an Apple mobile device, you can download the latest version of DJI Fly from the app store on your Apple device.

If you’re using an Android mobile device, the current version of DJI Fly must be downloaded from the DJI Downloads.

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7

Many thanks

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8

Welcome from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, USA.

As a Returning New Drone Pilot, there are a couple of Legal Things you may need to do…

You wrote that you renewed your “license” so I do not know what license needs renewing within an 18-month period, perhaps you are not located in the USA. In the USA, a TRUST Certificate does not expire and a Pat 107 Certification is valid for 24-months and only has to be made “re-current” with a FREE short test…

If you have installed the Larger, Extended Range Battery, It increases the weight of the Mini 3 Pro over the 250-gram weight and it would then be required to be registered.

If you are not located in the United Sates, then you would have your counties’ rules and laws to uphold…

If you are in the USA, then this is a link to the TRUST Certificate at the Pilot Institute Web Site (FREE…)

And again, if you are in the USA, here is the link to the FAADroneZone (Optional Registration for Drones under 250-Grams…)

In the posting by @msinger, he has given you a great lead of advice and my posting (mostly a boilerplate…) repeats some of his advice and offers some more…

So, even though you have already been told some of this previously, it’s still some Good Old Fashion Advice…

You paid a lot of money for that Drone, put your phone number on it. If your drone gets lost or stuck in a tree and it finally comes down when you are not around, give the finders an opportunity to contact you so it can be returned.

Now, for the Fun Part, But do not let the excitement of the moment get the best of you. When you are going out to fly, do it slowly and deliberately. Get used to a set procedure and even practice it.

There are so many things I could write but these are the highlights that I feel need mentioning.

Plug in your phone/tablet into your controller; turn on the Controller and DJI Fly App (if it does not start on its own…). On the Drone, open the front legs, then open the back legs, then remove the Gimbal Cover.

The Gimbal is the most delicate item on the Drone and banging or bumping can damage it. I also fastened a short “Remove Before Flight” ribbon to the cover so it’s more noticeable and I do not forget to remove it…

Turn on the drone and watch it come to “life.” Watching the Gimbal go through its self-check is almost like watching a puppy or kitten opening its eyes for the first time…

Place the drone down (preferably on a Landing Pad) while it finishes its self-test (collecting satellites, etc…).

Check your battery status (Phone, Drone, and Controller), check the Signal Strength, by now the Controller should have reported it updated the Home Point.

Lift off, 6- feet (2-meters) or so, hover a bit, check the controls (move the drone a bit forward, back, left, right, yaw left and right). By now, your Controller will probably report again, Home point Updated.

Now, here is the most important advice, STOP and take a few deep breaths, let the nerves calm down, your drones not going anywhere, just look at it and enjoy it for a moment, once you start moving it, it gets all types of new excitement because the memory of your last one winding up in a tree will flash back and you need to relax…

You should establish a routine when you fly. If you go out in a rush and race thru your start up and take off before the drone has finished it prep, it may update its Home Point over that pond or that old tree you are flying over and in your excitement, you’ll fly the drone long past it Low Battery point and when it engages Return to Home and lands in the pond or in a tree; it will be all on you…

Now go have fun, learn to fly the drone by sight before you try to fly it out a distance depending on the video feed, FPV.

I would also advise you to use YouTube and watch a lot of the Videos on flying and setting up the Drone. When it is too dark, too cold, or too wet, you can “fly it vicariously” through YouTube. Also watch some of the Blooper Drone Videos and learn how not to fly your “New Baby.”

Below is the link to all of the downloads offered by DJI for the Mini 3 Pro, including the User Manual.

After you read the Manual, read it again, you will be surprised what you missed the first time and you will be better prepared for that first “scary moment…”

Fly On and Fly Safe…

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9

Thank you @LoudThunder . I’m in the UK. Some good advice there and very welcome indeed. Perhaps it might all come back to me but at present I’m feeling a bit rusty with the proceedings.

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10

Since you are in the UK, then you are probably referring the licenses and such that are listed on this web site…

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11

Yes, that’s the one I renewed so I must have had it in my head to take up drone flying again and hadn’t completely given up on myself.
Now that I’ve had advice from you and @msinger, I feel my confidence returning.
After my last post, I remembered the updates I need to check, which are the periodic updates on the firmware via the controller.

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