New to Drone Pilots

Rickoff

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Dixmont, Maine
Hello there. I just joined the forum. I am a man living in Dixmont, Maine, and have no previous drone flying experience, but purchased a Holy Stone HS720 for use in observing my 22 acre property from the air with photos and video. I haven't used the drone yet, as I'm currently in the process of setting up the drone and registering it with FAA.
 
I haven't used the drone yet, as I'm currently in the process of setting up the drone and registering it with FAA.

Welcome from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, USA.

Well, let's see if we can hope in all aspects…

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…). Your Drone weighs more than 250-grams (0.55 pounds), and even while you are flying under The Exception for Recreational Flyers, you are required to register your Drone.

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


FAA TRUST Online Portal for Recreational Drone Operators - Pilot Institute
Get your FAA TRUST Certificate of Completion to legally fly drones for recreational reasons in the United States.
trust.pilotinstitute.com trust.pilotinstitute.com

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 in Maine, 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."

I fly a DJI Mini 2 and I do not have any knowledge about Holy Stone, but here is the link to all of the Holy Stone User Manuals and all their Apps…


Fly On and Fly Safe…
 
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I did register with FAA, and also obtained the TRUST certificate. Also downloaded and installed the Ophelia Go app on my LG L322DL Android cellphone. I followed the handbook instructions to detect the drone's WiFi network, but it doesn't show up on my phone. The "HolyStoneFPV" network DOES show up in my computer's WiFi Network settings, so I don't know what the problem could be. According to the handbook, the HS720 should work with Android 5.0 O.S. and above, and my LG L322DL Android cellphone uses Android 10 O.S. Any ideas as to what the problem could be?
 
My motorola Moto G phone will not find my vehicles signals without gointo into setup and clicking SEARCH. Perhaps you phone also needs some special action to force a search... Just make sure your Wi-Fi is turned on and maybe your Bluetooth... Google how to search for wi-Fi an BLuetooth for your phone on YouTube...



 
I tried all these things, but none worked. I finally reached technical support at HolyStone and thy explained that the problem is that my cellphone is not compatible because it is a 4G cellphone and the drone network is 5G. So, it looks as though I'll have to upgrade to a 5G phone. My computer has no problem recognizing the drone because it is already connected to a 5G service network. I'm going to opt for a Samsung Galaxy A-15, which has 5G.

UPDATE: No problem connecting with the Galaxy A-15. I gave the drone a liftoff/hover/land test indoors today, and all went well. With the temperature here down close to zero I didn't feel like heading outside to give it a flight test, though.
I do have a question regarding flight mode. I see that mode 2 ((high speed) is the default setting that appears whenever I turn the remote on. While familiarizing myself with the remote's different controls, I tried to switch from mode 2 to mode 1, by pressing the RTH button for 3 seconds, which is what the manual says to do, but the mode didn't change. Does the drone have to be in actual flight in order for the mode to be changed?
 
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Sounds like a lot of malockie… Wi-Fi and 4G are not the same… The Wi-Fi devices include TVs, speakers, fridges, laptop computers, phones, tablets, and even the drone… But 4G and 5G devices are mostly mobile devices, such as smartphones.

For a device to connect to 4G and 5G wireless internet, it needs to be part of a mobile phone account.

I would take the Drone back and get your money back…
 
Sounds like a lot of malockie… Wi-Fi and 4G are not the same… The Wi-Fi devices include TVs, speakers, fridges, laptop computers, phones, tablets, and even the drone… But 4G and 5G devices are mostly mobile devices, such as smartphones.

For a device to connect to 4G and 5G wireless internet, it needs to be part of a mobile phone account.

I would take the Drone back and get your money back…
Not much point in doing that. As I said earlier, in my last posting above, all is fine now. My new 5G phone recognizes and connects with the drone's 5G network. My 4G phone couldn't do that.
 
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Sounds like a lot of malockie… Wi-Fi and 4G are not the same… The Wi-Fi devices include TVs, speakers, fridges, laptop computers, phones, tablets, and even the drone… But 4G and 5G devices are mostly mobile devices, such as smartphones.

For a device to connect to 4G and 5G wireless internet, it needs to be part of a mobile phone account.

I would take the Drone back and get your money back…
Is it possible the confusion has to do with 2.4G vs. 5G network frequency? that would make more sense, I think, but I can't fathom why the drone would be limited to the 5G network.
 
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Oh, absolutely... I downloaded your manual and it did not say which frequency it received on… Frankly, I think that the fact that your drone will not work with 2.4G is ridiculous… But my DJI Mini 2 will only work with a device that has a 64-bit processor is another example of specifics requirements, but at least DJI publish this fact…

I am glad that you are now flying and that you have a phone that works for you… Keep that old phone and when the service agreement runs out, it will still work like a mini tablet on your home Wi-Fi network. I give my old phones to the grandkids who are too young for a cell-phone, but they can use the old phone to play games…
 
Greetings from Birmingham Alabama USA, welcome to the forum! We look forward to hearing from you!
 
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… Keep that old phone and when the service agreement runs out, it will still work like a mini tablet on your home Wi-Fi network. I give my old phones to the grandkids who are too young for a cell-phone, but they can use the old phone to play games…
I agree! There are many uses for old phones. TV remote and dedicated music player are 2 that come to mind quickly.
 
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Good morning everyone.
Received a drone for Xmas. An HS110D. Learning to fly it ok but having issues with taking pics/video with the controller. Using the app it takes videos fine but not with the controller. HS has sent me a new controller but the problem persists. Problem is using the controller it won't take videos. Has anyone else had an issue like this.
 
Received a drone for Xmas. An HS110D.
I am sorry to hear that you are having these problems, but here are two issues. One, you've posted in another member's posting and your intro is most likely get lost. You should post your own Pilot Check In… Second, a Pilot Check In is not the best place to post an issue. The folks most knowledgeable may not be monitoring this forum. You will have better chances or getting an informed answer in the General Discussions or the Holy Stone Sub-Forums…



However, I fly a DJI Mini 2 and I do not have any knowledge about Holy Stone, but here is the link to all of the Holy Stone User Manuals and all their Apps…


Good Luck!
 

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