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ViperEye

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OK. I finally decided on a drone quadcopter and my HolyStone 720G arrived today. Anticipating problems, I had gotten a couple of cheapos to practice with. First is the E88. I made three attempts to operate and it took off in different directions and crashed each time. Second is the DRC V14. How proud I was to get it to rise to one meter as it said in the directions. At that point I thought I would be allowed some learning time. Nope! The thing shot directly at me (FAST) and crashed into my right hand, drawing blood. The HS720G is more powerful and heavier, not to mention 9 times the cost, so I've got to hit the books concerning (trimming?) adjustments. After those crashes, luckily those two cheapos seem to be unharmed.
All the action was accomplished with the RC controllers. In neither case did the downloaded apps give me a response, even though they were showing as CONNECTED on my android phone. I would appreciate any advice concerning the lack of response while using apps. And, also, some tips (a book or DVD) on how to get airborne without decapitating myself.
Thanks
 
I would appreciate any advice concerning the lack of response while using apps. And, also, some tips (a book or DVD) on how to get airborne without decapitating myself.
Thanks
Viper,

It would seem that only the HolyStone 720G is GPS (I do not know about the others). With your Holystone, read, read, and re-read all the instructions; although I do not know if their instructions are any good…

I have a DJI Mini 2 and honestly, their in-box instructions stunk and if you wanted the real User Manual, you had to know that there is one and that it is on line and then you have to try to figure out where it is…

I am very active on MavicPilots (a very dedicated DJI web site…) and with every new droner that takes the time to "Check In," I give then a long welcome note with the download link to their drones User Manual…

So, I would also recommend you go on YouTube and search for videos on setting up your new drone. The manufacturer's instructions may be vague to say the least…

But you need to be sure you calibrate your drone's compass and GPS orientation first, ti does not know which direction is right or left, or up or down…

When a GPS drone is set up properly, when you lift off and let it hover, it should stay there at the location, at the height until its battery runs out.

One of the things I do to impress folks about my drone is that I will lift it off about 5-feet. I will then put the controller down and I will walk over to the drone, grab one of its landing legs and pull on it… You will immediately hear the motors crank up trying to keep that drone in place. I will drag it over about 5-feet or so, all the time the motors are screaming ("let me go, my Mommy would not like this… Stranger Danger…") and then I let it go and the drone flies right back to where it was to start…

Your HS has motors strong enough to resist winds of up to what (25-30MPH) and still stay in place. If the wind exceeds that you drone will not be able to remain in one place (any more than you could if you stand outside in the winds of a hurricane…)

What went wrong with your first two drone, I cannot say, but if there is no wind, a non-GPS Drone should lift off and hover is one place (oh it will drift a bit, but that's because it's cheap…)

But under no circumstance should a non-GPS drone go out hunting, looking to draw blood…

I have 4 other cheapie drones (non-GPS) and none ever went off on their own. I did have one that seemed to, but as it turned out. The way I had the phone installed and my hand position caused the drone to receive control input from both the controller and my hand/fingers touching the phone touch screen… You can fly most cheapie WiFi drones using the controller or the app in the phone…

So, I will end this, but immediately after this I will post the content of my Welcome Note that I give to Pilots who Check In (You did not… Your first posting was in the General Discussion area…)

Good Luck!
 
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So, I will end this, but immediately after this I will post the content of my Welcome Note that I give to Pilots who Check In (You did not… Your first posting was in the General Discussion area…)

Welcome from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, USA.

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

If you have not already done so, you will need to get your TRUST Certificate. You can get that at the Pilot Institute Web Site (FREE…) . If your Drone weighs less than 250-grams (0.55 pounds) and you are flying under The Exception for Recreational Flyers, you are not required to register your Drone.

When I first started flying I registered my Mini 2 because the TRUST Certificate and FAA Registration established me as a "certified" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Pilot.

Link to the TRUST Certificate at the Pilot Institute Web Site (FREE…)


Link to the FAADroneZone (Optional Registration for Drones under 250-Grams…)


If you are considering acquiring your Part 107 License, here is a link to get you going…


Since you live Wisconsin, there are specific laws and rules for you to follow, please check the link below for all the Rules and Laws that are in effect in your neck of the woods and it also links you to some of the Best Places to Fly in your area… Also, if you travel on vacation, visit friends, and relatives in other parts of the country, check back here so you do not run afoul of the law.


Even if you have flown Drones before, here is 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.

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."

Here is the Link to your Drones App and User manual, it appears that it makes a difference if it is An Android or iOS device…


Fly On and Fly Safe…
 
Viper,

It would seem that only the HolyStone 720G is GPS (I do not know about the others). With your Holystone, read, read, and re-read all the instructions; although I do not know if their instructions are any good…

I have a DJI Mini 2 and honestly, their in-box instructions stunk and if you wanted the real User Manual, you had to know that there is one and that it is on line and then you have to try to figure out where it is…

I am very active on MavicPilots (a very dedicated DJI web site…) and with every new droner that takes the time to "Check In," I give then a long welcome note with the download link to their drones User Manual…

So, I would also recommend you go on YouTube and search for videos on setting up your new drone. The manufacturer's instructions may be vague to say the least…

But you need to be sure you calibrate your drone's compass and GPS orientation first, ti does not know which direction is right or left, or up or down…

When a GPS drone is set up properly, when you lift off and let it hover, it should stay there at the location, at the height until its battery runs out.

One of the things I do to impress folks about my drone is that I will lift it off about 5-feet. I will then put the controller down and I will walk over to the drone, grab one of its landing legs and pull on it… You will immediately hear the motors crank up trying to keep that drone in place. I will drag it over about 5-feet or so, all the time the motors are screaming ("let me go, my Mommy would not like this… Stranger Danger…") and then I let it go and the drone flies right back to where it was to start…

Your HS has motors strong enough to resist winds of up to what (25-30MPH) and still stay in place. If the wind exceeds that you drone will not be able to remain in one place (any more than you could if you stand outside in the winds of a hurricane…)

What went wrong with your first two drone, I cannot say, but if there is no wind, a non-GPS Drone should lift off and hover is one place (oh it will drift a bit, but that's because it's cheap…)

But under no circumstance should a non-GPS drone go out hunting, looking to draw blood…

I have 4 other cheapie drones (non-GPS) and none ever went off on their own. I did have one that seemed to, but as it turned out. The way I had the phone installed and my hand position caused the drone to receive control input from both the controller and my hand/fingers touching the phone touch screen… You can fly most cheapie WiFi drones using the controller or the app in the phone…

So, I will end this, but immediately after this I will post the content of my Welcome Note that I give to Pilots who Check In (You did not… Your first posting was in the General Discussion area…)

Good Luck!
Loud,
You mentioned not seeing my first posting. I recall being told I had checked-in twice and one of those had been deleted. Back then I had some exchanges with GFields and clackey and some newbie guy from England. Looking back (Dec 1, 2022 join) I see nothing of those exchanges so something got cut from my profile page. Hmmm.
Anyway - you are so right about instruction manuals that are included with the drone. The $28 drone had that laughable Chinese attempts at English and the $40 one was a bit better. It actually told me about the rise to one meter bit and got me attacked. But I think my biggest holdup is the preflight readiness so I will play particular attention to that. The 720's booklet actually has my interest and looks promising. Also I've a few Drones for Dummies type books coming from the library.
Yes the HS720G has GPS. I should mention that my trials were indoors. That's because I was afraid of the darn thing running away from me. But I guess if I keep smashing into walls and my TV then that will be the same as losing the unit.
I can't wait to get to the confidence level where I can set aside my remote and make my copter cry "Stranger Danger".
I look forward to your Welcome Note and thank you for your correspondence and support. And when I get over my gun-shyness, I'm probably going to have lots of fun.
 
I look forward to your Welcome Note
The Welcome Note is that BIG one just above your last posting, it starts off with "Welcome from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, USA" It has lots of links...


As for all of your postings, in your last posting, "You mentioned not seeing my first posting. I recall being told I had checked-in twice and one of those had been deleted."

Place yur mouse curser over your avatar EyeBall... it will come up with a window with lots of information, includeing how many postings your made and how many reactions (Likes, etc...), as of this posting, it shows 9-messages. If you click on the number, it will bring up all of your postings. That is how I knew where your posting had been made...

It all comes with experience and if your fly in doors, remember, the cat, the dog, the kids, and the significant other may not care for the downdraft and that down draft can blow itme over evenif you do not kit it and if you fly it over a desk full of papers, it will clear the desk,,,

Ft Wisely...
 
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The Welcome Note is that BIG one just above your last posting, it starts off with "Welcome from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, USA" It has lots of links...


As for all of your postings, in your last posting, "You mentioned not seeing my first posting. I recall being told I had checked-in twice and one of those had been deleted."

Place yur mouse curser over your avatar EyeBall... it will come up with a window with lots of information, includeing how many postings your made and how many reactions (Likes, etc...), as of this posting, it shows 9-messages. If you click on the number, it will bring up all of your postings. That is how I knew where your posting had been made...

It all comes with experience and if your fly in doors, remember, the cat, the dog, the kids, and the significant other may not care for the downdraft and that down draft can blow itme over evenif you do not kit it and if you fly it over a desk full of papers, it will clear the desk,,,

Ft Wisely...
Got it. Thanks.
 
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