If among the Christmas gifts you have opened a package with a new drone, you probably have many questions and doubts about how to fly a drone, where you can do it, how to improve your technique or what possibilities your new gift offers you, as well as maintenance issues or where to find spare parts. We have the complete guide to start in the drones.
If we assume that your new drone, more or less complete, you will use exclusively for your leisure, we would be talking about a recreational purpose that currently has only a series of recommendations but also a general legislation that we must comply with if we do not want to face to sanctions or fines by the authorities.
With the current legislation the use of recreational drones must comply with the legislation and follow some recommendations.
We will seethatthe United States is a country that has proposed to regulate the activity with dronesinafirmmanner,but has been concerned in turn to allow the users of itsairspacethegreatestpossiblefreedom,Nowonder, since it seems that this regulation is the result of two of themajorconcernsofAmericansociety, which often contradict each other: security and freedom. Surprisingly, of all the regulations analyzed, this is the one that we liked the most since it seems the one that best combines these concepts.
where i can fly my drone?
We will seethatthe United States is a country that has proposed to regulate the activity with dronesinafirmmanner,but has been concerned in turn to allow the users of itsairspacethegreatestpossiblefreedom.Nowonder, since it seems that this regulation is the result of two of themajorconcernsofAmericansociety, which often contradict each other: security and freedom. Surprisingly, of all the regulations analyzed, this is the one that we liked the most since it seems the one that best combines these concepts.
To begin we will give some basic notes on how the country is regulated.
The most essential thing we should know is that the responsible authority of aviation in the USA. It's the FAA: Federal Aviation Authority.
Although a distinction is made between professional and amateur use of drones, in all cases, before flying a drone in the US, it must have been registered with the FAA. Although the professionals are accustomed to all kinds of procedures, this registration required from amateur pilots is quite novel, and finds a very successful mid-point between the meticulous supervision that we have to operators worldwide and the laxity with which are usually regulated non-professional flights.
The rules of navigation with drones are quite similar to those we already know.
If you fly a drone in the US as a hobby, you can:
Fly in VLOS
Drones with a mass less than 55 pounds (5 kg)
Away from other aircraft
Do not fly a drone in emergency situations
You must notify the airport and the corresponding control tower before flying less than 5 miles (8km) from an airport.
These last two scripts are especially striking. They have ensured that it is illegal to fly in emergency situations so that, if the quick response of any aircraft is needed, there are no drones interfering with the work of emergency professionals.
On the other hand, it offers the possibility to fans of flying drones of more than 250 grams in environments that would be unthinkable for us.
To illustrate a bit this, we can enter YouTube and see how easily they are able to manage this process:
We see how basically you just have to contact the airport by phone and say where, when and how high you intend to fly. The response of the authorities is to notify when finished.
Regarding professional use, you should:
Fly in VLOS
Drones less than 25 Kg
In class G airspace
At a maximum of 400 feet in height (120 meters)
At daytime
At a maximum speed of 100 miles per hour (160 km / h)
Without flying over people
And the most important thing: you have to have a certificate issued by the FAA, similar in many ways to the pilot license that we obtain here, in which they demand: knowing the language, demonstrating the mental and physical conditions apt to operate a small drone, be at least 16 years old and pass an aeronautical knowledge test by an approved center.
However, these restrictions can be saved if there is a specific permit from the FAA involved.
Aside, and to make navigation information more accessible, the FAA has developed B4UFly, a mobile app that unfortunately counts on Google Play with a terrible rating (1.7 stars) with users who complain that it is so slow that it is unusable . Although the app seems to leave much to be desired, it is worth highlighting the gesture of its administration to make information more accessible to users.
But not everything is so bad, and even in this they are lucky. You will remember a few months ago that we wrote an entry about U-Space and the future of drones: a very ambitious initiative that plans to develop autonomous systems for the coordination and planning of flights of manned aircraft (aircraft, helicopters ...) and unmanned aircraft (drones) that allows it to be safe and easy to fly in areas that today would be absolutely illegal ... With the counterpart that it will not be available for a few decades, if everything goes as planned. Well, they are working with AirMap, an American company that allows today and through their app, to manage permissions to fly quite simply at the same point of flight, as we see in the following video (remember that subtitles and simultaneous translation of these can be performed):
It will interest you!
How to fly a drone: practical guide for beginners
THE MAIN CONSIDERATIONS WE MUST FOLLOW WHEN FLYING A DRONE ARE
- Have it always in sight (no more than 500 meters away) and not exceed 120 meters in height even if our model allows a flight of more height.
- Do not fly the drone when the weather conditions are unfavorable, such as windy weather that hinders its handling safely. It can never be done at night.
- It is forbidden to fly in areas near airports or places that have reserved airspace.
- For the flight you have to use suitable areas, preferably those reserved for aeromodelling tests. It is very convenient to inform yourself of the local or regional regulations about it or much better, to contact a nearby aeromodelling club that will have all the information for a safe flight.
- You can not fly the drone over crowds of people, including parks, beaches and other outdoor places. There should never be a risk to people. And we must bear in mind that the damage caused by the drone is the direct responsibility of the driver, so if you are going to make frequent flights, it is advisable to have civil liability insurance.
If our drone has a camera capable of taking photos or recording video, there is more legislation to comply with. If we want to use the capacity of our drone to record images, we must respect the Data Protection Law since it is likely that during our flight with a camera drone we will capture images of identified or identifiable individuals .
If there are those third parties directly or indirectly involved, we have an obligation to inform them (we can do this directly indoors or through informative signs) as well as the Data Protection Agency.
If our drone has a camera capable of taking photos or recording video, there is more legislation to comply with. If we want to use the capacity of our drone to record images, we must respect the Data Protection Law since it is likely that during our flight with a camera drone we will capture images of identified or identifiable individuals .
The novelties in terms of legislation introduced by Royal Decree 1036/2017 refer exclusively to the professional use of the drone, for which, among other requirements, a pilot license, civil liability insurance and medical certificate are needed, which would provide coverage for night flights (with prior approval of the ESA) or on populations.
PREPARATIONS BEFORE FLYING A DRONE
Once you are clear about what you must comply with at the security and legislation level to be able to start flying your new and brand new drone, it's time to turn it on and start flying it. Although your expertise and the technology associated with your model in particular will mark how agile and durable your first flights, there are a number of tips, recommendations and tricks that you can start putting into practice right out of the box.
It may seem truism but you should contain the emotion of the moment and stop for a while before flying your drone to read the manual of the device. Maybe not everything but the pages that talk about its possibilities, options, modes but especially the controls and physical buttons of the command. I assure you that you will not want to play trial-error with the options and possibilities of your drone in full flight.
The most immediate thing before flying your drone is that you learn and have clear what is and does each element of the command. The control can be similar to the control of your console, to that of your remote control car from childhood or be a touch screen ... But maybe it has nothing to do. In some models you can configure those controls or contain some specific that you have never seen. Learn them.
BEFORE EACH FLIGHT WE MUST VERIFY THAT EACH ELEMENT OF THE DRONE , ESPECIALLY THE BATTERY PROPELLERS IS IN PERFECT CONDITION AND WORK AND THEY SHOULD
Once you have a complete knowledge of the drone's options and its control, you must check that all the elements are in perfect condition. This step should not be given only the first time you fly a drone but before each flight. The blows, the intensive use or the one that there are pieces that one same one can interchange demand some routine checks.
The main ones have to do with no loose elements, no missing bolts or closures, that the protections (if we decide to put them) are well secured and do not interfere with the movement of the propellers, and that they turn in the direction they should. Done this check we can turn on the drone and confirm that all the engines are in perfect condition without lifting the flight yet.
If it were not so, we will proceed to change it before flying it. In fact, if we see that it does nothing, it is likely that it is precisely because of a broken engine or about to do so, and the control system does not allow the flight to start.
If your drone is operated with a smartphone, it is very likely to include some kind of initial calibration. The routine of calibrating the flight system of your drone when starting the flight is also convenient and will help the flight to be more faithful to what you are looking for.
The usual thing is that the applications associated with drones will tell you step by step what you should do before starting the flight. Do not miss this help that the manufacturer puts at your disposal.
Finally, you should not forget the batteries. Since flying a drone will not be something you do with assiduity and load times are usually large, more than once you can find that you want to make a flight but the batteries are discharged. A routine that you can incorporate after each flight is, in addition to cleaning the drone, start charging the batteries before saving your equipment again.
In any case, before leaving for a flight session, make sure that both the control battery and that of each drone element that uses one are correctly installed, at full capacity and without visible damage. You must pay special attention to external batteries, which you can exchange yourself or if you have included any of more capacity on your own. You can do it but you must make sure that they are not swollen or have openings that could cause a fire or damage during the flight.
HOW TO FLY A DRONE FOR THE FIRST TIME
Once you have the drone ready, if it is your first flight, you will need a kind of flight christening that should be as safe as possible for your drone, for you and for anyone who may be nearby if we have decided . The time required to take control, the so-called learning curve, varies according to the size of the drone, sensors and also our dexterity.
If your first flight is going to be outdoors, it is highly recommended that it be in a wide area, without obstacles on the ground or in the heights, and with nobody nearby. It is also better if you choose a day with good visibility and above all, without wind. There are drones that can be easily handled with wind but it is not recommended to start.
THE FIRST FLIGHT WITH YOUR NEW DRONE YOU SHOULD TRY TO DO IT ALONE AND IN A SAFE AND WIDE AREA , EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.
If, on the other hand, your drone is for indoor flight (usually the smallest in size), do not be tempted to perform an acrobatic flight and fast for any stay in the house because it is likely to end in an accident. Use a room as free as possible of obstacles, wide and where there is nobody either. A garage would be ideal, but if you do not have it, choose the living room if it is the widest room in your house.
The first steps with a drone should be to get used to the controls and calibrate them, as well as to know the sensitivity of them. The beginning of every flight is to make the drone take off, either manually or through a specific function. This places the drone at a sufficient height, about one meter high. If we left it at a lower altitude, we would suffer the so-called ground effect and it would become unstable, which is why it is important to always start the flight from a sufficient distance.
Before accelerating the drone to raise it, it is convenient to separate it from a prudential distance that avoids that in case of having the controls not calibrated or a mistake of control, we have a mishap. It is also important that we have direct vision of the drone.
If your drone has no automatic take-offmake sure when doing it manually that the height is enough to avoid the ground effect or it will become unstable
At a safe height we will be testing the different controls one by one. We will go up and down controlling the height, and it will be time to locate the front of the drone (usually it includes some kind of indication or light). Once properly oriented with respect to the drone, we can start the lateral maneuvers (slide), advances or setbacks (head) ... In this phase it is important to see if it is necessary to calibrate the controls and our command allows it. If this is the case, we must adjust the levers called TRIM to compensate movements that do not correspond faithfully with those we are making in the command.
Once we have calibrated control and we have internalized the controls, we can combine some simple movements and get down to work with the landing phase. Very careful at the beginning because a hard landing can end our newly released drone.
The first few times that we land we must go down the height little by little, even below that meter that we have indicated as security to avoid the ground effect. At a few centimeters, the first few times it is advisable to reduce the speed of the propellers little by little at this height to cause the plummet to fall on the ground. If we tried to land it "by hand" without the necessary ease, we could cause one part of the drone to touch ground before another and cause an accident. Do not hurry. When we have taken more ease we can look for a controlled landing until the end.
If your drone admits it, try also to start some flights with the so-called assisted mode. It is a good way to get hold of the controls in a controlled manner.
After a few test flights, we are ready to go a little further with the flight of our drone. But maybe before trying you want to check what your drone is capable of in autonomous mode. If the model you have purchased includes GPS and such functionality, it is interesting that you program some basic output to encourage you.
FLY A DRONE: TIPS , TRICKS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
If you have already done some initiation flight, you have calibrated and known in detail the controls of the command and you have the batteries charged again, we can try to make a flight of more level and with complex routes.
Something you must keep in mind is that you will not be able to perform complex movements from one day to the next. You must increase the difficulty of the movements progressively and also the height of flight.
To start, it is convenient to make flights using only two controls (accelerate / advance or accelerate / slide) and follow with them a simple outline or predefined pattern. When you feel comfortable and safe you can start testing with three controls and perform acrobatics, turns and circular flights gradually increasing the height of them.
First flights with two controls only and then three, increasing little by little the height of all of them is a good way to be taking ease with your new drone.
In these first flights more complex and as long as you already have control of the situation, it can be helpful to use the FPV mode of your drone if you have it. Either on the screen itself or on a smartphone, putting ourselves in the place of the camera drone will help us to assimilate the movements we make with physical controls or resorting to the sensors of smartphones where appropriate.
Once we get loose with the flight of the drone we can fall into the temptation of making a descent to land at the same speed that we have lifted it from the ground. It is a mistake that you must not commit to avoid an almost certain uncontrolled fall. Keep calm and ensure in your routine that the descents must be done at less speed than the climb.
Regarding the height of flight, very attentive to the figure given by the manufacturer and never get to overcome it. The usual thing is to even keep the maximum limit a few meters below since the weather conditions and different aspects can affect that reach.
Do not get obsessed with this topic because if you apply common sense you will understand that if it is difficult for you to see the drone properly, you are likely to leave the range zone. Remember that the case of many cheap drones, when leaving the drone of the reach these will stop working and will fall in plummet and without control.
In the case of those with more range, make sure you are very proficient because the higher the altitude, the more difficult to control due to the distance and the stronger winds. In those cases, if we lose communication, the usual thing is that the drone is static waiting to recover it or determines that it must make an emergency landing.
Knowing the maximum range, the place where we are going to want to land it or the emergency systems in case of losing control or communication is the key to a safe flight with the drone.
In those cases of flights at high altitude or in complex places where we can not advance to the rhythm of the drone, do not leave aside the options that force the drone to return to the place of departure (thanks to GPS) or a controlled and automatic landing that suits I have assured you to try and know thoroughly.
If you use the GPS or not to schedule automatic flights, it is recommended that before you start the flight you already have a clear idea of what you want to do, how and above all, where you plan to land the drone so that it is a safe place, wide and without anyone who can be damaged nearby.
Another important tip when we are flying a drone is that, if we can not avoid it and we see that our drone is going to fall or worse, hit a tree, for example, we will avoid greater evils if we remove the acceleration and make the propellers stop working. If they keep spinning when it hits, it is likely that external damage will affect more key elements of the drone.
Something you should never forget about a drone is the maximum flight time. The average in affordable drones is 5 to 8 minutes, but it is already possible to acquire models of less than 1,000 euros with more than 15 minutes of autonomy. This must be taken into account so as not to rush the flights too much and for some element to run out of autonomy.
You can use spare batteries to improve the autonomy of your drone but be very careful because you can end up fatiguing some elements like the engines that are not prepared for much more time of flight followed than the "official".
The usual thing is that you receive a low battery warning on the smartphone or that the drone itself, when detecting the low load, returns safely to the starting point or stops in a controlled manner.
A good idea to improve those 5-8 minutes of autonomy is to have spare batteries. They are affordable, it is usually easy to remove and put over and over in most commercial drones, and you can even use some compatible with more capacity than the official ones. In this aspect we must be very careful because in cheaper drones if we chain several flights with spare batteries some components can end up failing due to stress due to a higher use than what was planned. This is the case of engines.
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF THE DRONE
The task with a drone does not end when the battery runs out or we have decided to stop flying it. If we want to extend its useful life it is convenient that we carry out maintenance and cleaning tasks in a conscientious and habitual way. It will depend on each drone and manufacturer, but there are some tips and tricks that we can use.
Cleaning is essential and inevitable after a flight in some situations such as when we fly on dusty terrain or places like beaches. In those cases we can resort to pressure air cleaners, which cost no more than about 10 euros, and that will leave us dust areas difficult to access with other cleaning elements. We can also spray on the engines some oil that also protects against corrosion.
If necessary and only for certain models and with a high level of mechanical knowledge, we can perform a more thorough cleaning of each engine.
In addition to compressed air, for plastic parts we can use different cleaning products to remove dirt as with any other product of that material. And do not forget to carry out every so often a cleaning and maintenance more thoroughly, for example of the engines, although for this already requires a certain expertise and knowledge of mechanics.
In addition to cleaning, something you'll have to do often with your drone, especially when you're starting to test it, is to replace or fix broken parts or damage. A simple propeller with some damage can ruin a flight with ease.
The main parts of a drone that will require actions on your part are the propellers, protections or even motors. They are not complicated to replace or review by oneself and in fact they are quite affordable and easy to get parts if our model is well known. An example that will sound to many: Syma X5C, one of the best known affordable drones, and for which it is very easy to buy almost any type of spare part, whether propellers, motherboard, motors, camera or housings.
In this type of drones a set of four propellers is around 5 euros and the engines do not cost more than 10. Mainly from the first it is convenient that we always carry spare parts with us so as not to ruin a field trip to fly it for a small incident with those parts of the drone.
In different online stores or aeromodelling there is no problem to buy parts of models known as the CX-20, the JJRC models, the Hubsan ... even if you dare there are accessories to add interesting features to some drones. If you are dealing with well-known brands such as Parrot, there are even compatible tool kits.
Having said all this, you just have to get down to work and start enjoying with your new drone.
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