Little help for a first time newbie?

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So I am a proud owner of a new phantom. I also purchased the prop guards as an option. I have carefully setup the phantom and the prop guards. I charged the battery and went thru the calibration dance until the lights went out as instructed. I then tried to launch my first flight by moving both spring loaded levers to the down-and-in position. So far so good. Props start turning.

I then let go of the right joystick and slowly move the left joystick inward and then upward. The Phantom immediately leans over on its side and mangles the tips of the props on the ground! Sigh. So now i am about to purchase some replacement props. Is there some tips or tricks to testing out the phantom without risking more damage? What position should the flip levers on the top of the transmitter be in for newbies?

How do I know what caused my problem? Unbalanced props? Should I be ordering a balancer? Could something else have caused this? What is the safest and most conservative way of first-flight practice to minimize the chance of damage to the phantom? Any advice would be appreciated? Remember how excited you probably were? Well I am bummed out here!
 
windrockwater said:
I then let go of the right joystick and slowly move the left joystick inward and then upward.
Don't push the left stick inward and up,just up.
Pushing the left stick inward or to the right,will make the Phantom rotate on it's axis to the right.Push to the left and it rotates left.
When you want to take off push the left stick strait up/forward.When the stick moves beyond 50% throttle the Phantom will begin to lift.
 
And honestly, until you get the feel for it, the most foolproof takeoff method with the new spring-centered throttle and so-called "auto-takeoff" is simply to push the left stick straight up to 100% and hold it there. As soon as you lift off, back off and settle into a hover. Be careful -- you will hit 20 feet in no time, so be ready to back down as soon as it lifts off.

Anything less than full throttle and you risk some forward tipping, especially if you mount a camera, etc.
 
Yep, as stated, left stick fully up to get a clean lift, otherwise it will dither, and tend to fall over, especially if the ground isn't flat, or if the winds blowing.

...On F.W 4.0 there's no other way for me, its all or nothing to get that initial 'jump'.
 
Thanks all. Really good logical comments.

Turned out, it was as simple as a flipped prop! I thought i was being very careful when i installed them but i guess i wasnt. The tips of 3 of the rotors got a little mangled (about 1/8"-1/4" bends on the tips). So i took you advice and left those props on and tried again. I tried adding throttle a little bit (being nervous) but quickly realized that you need to give it full throttle at first. Voila!It worked fine!

And my many many years of playing video games really helped out with using the transmitter (think Battlefield maps with the helicopters). I have not put the camera on but that is next up when i get home from work! I have not been this excited since i got my first PC about 20 years ago. Haha.

Thanks alot.
Sean
 

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