Tips on Flying a Drone

If you've turned on the news lately, surely you have heard all the commotion about drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles. Drones are now relatively inexpensive and just about anyone can afford them. So how can you use a drone? Well, the government is afraid you are going to use a drone for spying. How are people really using drones? A majority of people I know with drones are simply using them to fly around their neighborhood, take photos, create videos, freak out their pets, etc. If you are one of the many people that would like to have a drone, I have some flying tips for you.

The first thing you should know when getting a drone, is there is a tremendous range in prices. You can find a drone that is anywhere from $40 to thousands of dollars. If you are going to do some serious photography with your drone, you will probably want to invest in one that is at least $600. If you are new to operating a drone or any remote control vehicle, do yourself and everyone around you a favor... get one that costs under a hundred dollars. That way, you won't shed too many tears if you are a terrible flyer and a drone disaster occurs. You can graduate to a more expensive drone once you become a skilled flyer.

Depending on how much you've invested in your drone, you will find a drastic difference in quality. If you are recording videos and taking photos, the photo quality of a less expensive drone is going to be a bit grainy. Also, smaller, less expensive drones are typically not as stable when flying, so the video will be shakier than what you see with more expensive drones.

When you are flying a less expensive drone, I would recommend staying in your own yard for your first flights. Of course, if you live in an apartment or dorm, you may want to go to a public park on a day when there are not that many people there. When flying a drone, people seem to come out of the woodwork. Some of the more popular questions you will hear are going to be:

"Is that a drone?"

"What is that? It sounds like a bee."

"Are you spying on me?"

"How much did it cost?"

"Can I try?"

I would personally not recommend handing the controls over to just anybody. Your first flights are not going to be easy. It takes a little getting used to operating the controls and every drone is different. You need to get comfortable with your drone. Practice makes perfect, so try to fly in an open space if at all possible. Stay close to the ground, away from trees, and away from power lines. As you get used to it, you can venture further away. Eventually, you may get good enough to fly it indoors if the drone is small.

I realize if you are a photographer and planned in advance a particular day when you must fly your drone, not flying on a windy day may not be the most practical plan. You may have to try to fly your drone no matter what the weather is like. However, if you absolutely don't have to fly on a windy day, postpone your flight.

Not only is your drone more likely to go in an unintended direction when it is windy, the quality of the video is not going to be great. Depending on how high you fly the drone, the video could be really jumpy. If you must fly when it is windy, keep it as low to the ground as possible. The higher you fly, the harder the wind current.

I learned this one the hard way. Drones are dangerous! They might seem so small and harmless, but the propellers are moving very fast. If you try to catch one with your hands while the propellers are running, it is basically the same as shoving your hands in a running fan. Don't do it!

Also, if you have long hair, don't try to land the drone on your head. If your friend has long hair, it is not funny at all to fly the drone into her head. It is painful for all involved. Not only does one's hair get completely tangled in the drone, the propellers can often break in the process of untangling the victim. On a side note, when buying your drone, you may as well buy spare propellers right then. Even if you don't have a hair incident, they do tend to break or get lost if the drone happens to crash.

Before you decide to take your drone out for flying, it is best to learn the no-fly zones in your area. A simple Google search for "no fly drone map" will pull up many helpful websites that will help you keep your drone activity legal in your area. Of course, it is obvious to stay away from military bases and airports, but you may be surprised to learn there are other areas to avoid, too.

Some people are super-paranoid, so keep in mind not everyone is going to be happy to see your drone. In all honesty, there is a lot one can do with a drone that may not be so cool. With the more expensive models, there is no need for you to be close to the drone. You can easily operate the drone while watching where it is on a tablet or iPhone.

All of this means places that cameras could not access before are now easy to get to with a drone. Although this means a lot of great things, like checking the roof for damages without getting on a pesky ladder, it also means you can easily invade the privacy of others. Keep that in mind before flying into a neighbor's yard without permission. Just because you can physically fly your drone into an area does not mean you are not trespassing. I've heard stories of angry folks shooting at drones or knocking them down with long sticks, so please be careful.

If you keep all of these factors in mind, you should have no problem flying a drone. My main tip for anyone considering getting a drone is keep it simple at first. Buying a smaller drone to begin your flying experience is best. Make sure to practice in wide open spaces. Be careful not to upset anyone by flying in a no-fly zone or private property without permission. Keep it away from people and pets by at least a few feet. You may find that pets are not fans of drones; remember to keep your resentful pet away from the drone even if it is not in flight. A chewed up drone is a non-functioning drone!

Have fun and good luck!

Copyright ©2015 Jeannieinabottle