Old Timmer needs help

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I’m not sure if I am in the right place or not; but maybe someone can help or give me advice on where to go. Very shortly I will be purchasing a Phantom 4. To that end I’ve been trying to gather as much info as I can. There are no other pilots around to go too for help.

Basically my problem is pretty simple. I tried reading the user manual that I down loaded but I can’t because the print is so small. Here on the computer it’s easy enough. Even with the file as PDF, I just magnify the screen. Printing the manual is another matter. What I need is a manual as a doc or docx file format. Is there any way to get such a thing? Any help is most welcomed, as it is I’m missing great flying weather here in Northeast PA and I really would like to get some time in before the snow fly’s!

Regards,

Bill
 
I’m not sure if I am in the right place or not; but maybe someone can help or give me advice on where to go. Very shortly I will be purchasing a Phantom 4. To that end I’ve been trying to gather as much info as I can. There are no other pilots around to go too for help.

Basically my problem is pretty simple. I tried reading the user manual that I down loaded but I can’t because the print is so small. Here on the computer it’s easy enough. Even with the file as PDF, I just magnify the screen. Printing the manual is another matter. What I need is a manual as a doc or docx file format. Is there any way to get such a thing? Any help is most welcomed, as it is I’m missing great flying weather here in Northeast PA and I really would like to get some time in before the snow fly’s!

Regards,

Bill

PM sent


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
db - I just private messaged you a link to the file converted to a word doc as you asked for.
Let me know if that works for you.
MB
 
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There’s no harm done where ever that message went??? There is also no rule that says a person cannot say “Thank You” more than once. You certainly deserve it and then some! That was some fine piece of work! Perfect, just perfect! I can see all of the notations and referrals in the drawings as well as all labels and indicators that they give. So now to work and study. There is a lot more to handling these birds than I originally thought. Although some of the names of the controls and what they do are similar to a real helicopter, others are a bit different and of course, we did fly a bit longer than twenty eight minutes!<G>

As I see it so far the only thing I can see that might mess me up might be the return home trip, when the drone is coming toward you. In actuality the controls are reversed at this point, if I understood correctly.


Best wishes MB and thank you again for all of your time, it was a big help,


Bill


QUOTE="MasterBlaster, post: 882339, member: 55108"]db - I just private messaged you a link to the file converted to a word doc as you asked for.
Let me know if that works for you.
MB[/QUOTE]
 
No worries Bill. Glad I could help.
And yes, the controls, based on the drones orientation, is and was one of the hardest things to get used to for me. It is for most.
I bought a small quad copter that I could fly in the house to help me get used to it before my Phantom arrived. It helped. I also spent a lot of time on the included flight simulator (comes included in the Go app).
I just kept telling myself "imagine I'm in the cockpit" :)
If there is anything else I can do to help let me know.



Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
No worries Bill. Glad I could help.
And yes, the controls, based on the drones orientation, is and was one of the hardest things to get used to for me. It is for most.
I bought a small quad copter that I could fly in the house to help me get used to it before my Phantom arrived. It helped. I also spent a lot of time on the included flight simulator (comes included in the Go app).
I just kept telling myself "imagine I'm in the cockpit" :)
If there is anything else I can do to help let me know.



Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

You wouldn’t think that your sight would be so important but it kind of sneaks up on you when you’re not looking. One day it’s there and the next, your running for ye olde magnifying glass, it’s that quick; least it seems so to me.

We have a little to go yet before I can get a bird. We have just remodeled our kitchen, it was a gut job and total overhaul that, even though we saved for it; that bottom line was a bit of a jolt if you know what I mean. So we have to give the bank account a bit of time to recover. Thanks also for the tip about the simulator. I don't remember hearing anything about that before. After all, I don't want to use that RTH button all the time. The simulator seems like a very nice tool to have, just for rainy days! <g>

I do have one additional question or your hookup. When you use the simulator, are you using that from the GO app on your cell phone/Laptop/desktop or non of the above, you’re using your IPad for all of it?



Again many thanks MB, you have a new friend in PA!


Bill
 
I am a newcomer to drones as well and I purchased my phantom 4 a few weeks ago. These things have so many fail safe attributes that I do not believe for a second that they are inappropriate for somebody new to the hobby. Just make sure that you understand the various functions and that you take advantage of them. Maybe most important is setting the return to home elevation. When you use that function, and you will regularly, the drone stops in its tracks and climbs to the height you set. It is important to remember that it climbs to the preset altitude measured from where you took off, not from the surface you are flying over at the time. There is a recent thread here about someone flying his new drone into the side of a mountain because he did not realize this. So set the return to home height quite high-much higher than anything you might encounter. I usually use 150 m which will clear any obstacle I might find. When you use the return to home function, the drone will first climb to your pre-set altitude, and will then fly directly over your take off point, at which point it will come straight down to land. As far as learning to fly it, go to an open area and climb to a lower altitude, and just practice. Stay far away from any trees. in the beginning, stay in P mode. I did not worry about using beginner mode--I think it was a waste of time.
 
Last edited:
You wouldn’t think that your sight would be so important but it kind of sneaks up on you when you’re not looking. One day it’s there and the next, your running for ye olde magnifying glass, it’s that quick; least it seems so to me.

We have a little to go yet before I can get a bird. We have just remodeled our kitchen, it was a gut job and total overhaul that, even though we saved for it; that bottom line was a bit of a jolt if you know what I mean. So we have to give the bank account a bit of time to recover. Thanks also for the tip about the simulator. I don't remember hearing anything about that before. After all, I don't want to use that RTH button all the time. The simulator seems like a very nice tool to have, just for rainy days! <g>

I do have one additional question or your hookup. When you use the simulator, are you using that from the GO app on your cell phone/Laptop/desktop or non of the above, you’re using your IPad for all of it?



Again many thanks MB, you have a new friend in PA!


Bill

You run it on whatever device is connected to the RC. You connect just as if you were going to fly, but then in the app you choose the simulated. So, you are using the device you have and the RC to control it. Just like if you were out flying.
I'll take another friend from PA. I grew up n Pittsburgh. I get to KOP often, as work requires (right outside Philly).
Anytime DB. Many here will help. I just got to your post ahead of them :)





Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
You run it on whatever device is connected to the RC. You connect just as if you were going to fly, but then in the app you choose the simulated. So, you are using the device you have and the RC to control it. Just like if you were out flying.
I'll take another friend from PA. I grew up n Pittsburgh. I get to KOP often, as work requires (right outside Philly).
Anytime DB. Many here will help. I just got to your post ahead of them :)

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

I’m not an expert myself but I do remember from my Ham Radio days that all radio waves, although able to bend or curve slightly, will usually travel in a straight line unless weather conditions dictate otherwise. From my actual flying time, things were different then. Of course the real helicopter or even these drones are and do, pull full vertical take-offs, in actual flight situations, helicopters would always taxi along the tarmac to the run ways and then take off much like a fixed wing aircraft. The difference being in attitude. Real helicopters will slightly have a nose down appearance in order to grab a larger bite of air without using their collective sticks to hard. Then with the cyclic stick, level the aircraft out after their assigned altitude is established.

Looking at some of the videos on YouTube for the past few months I am inclined to believe that drone pilots almost always fly at a 90o attitude. Meaning that they seem to pull full vertical take offs and once their altitude is reached they then begin their forward flight path. So I understand the need to fix that pre altitude inside the program or have a real mess on your hands rather quickly and maybe one that you may not even see coming be prepared to deal with until it’s too late.

Also I would take this as the biggest reason why even flying the simulator, it is still different that actual handling of the drone. Why? Because you are still different in attitude toward the aircraft. On one part you are on the inside looking out (simulator wise) and on the other (physically standing outside with the drone coming toward you) you are on the outside looking in but you already knew all that. Did not mean to get personal, but when I mentioned the simulator I was also trying to ask you exactly what it is your using for control screen; IPad, IPhone, I guess I did not say exactly what I was thinking. <g>

Bill
 
The simulator allows you to watch the drone from a fixed position, just like you were standing outside watching it fly.
That's why I mentioned it in regards to orientation


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
The simulator allows you to watch the drone from a fixed position, just like you were standing outside watching it fly.
That's why I mentioned it in regards to orientation


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app


Guess I got a little confused from your message: “I also spent a lot of time on the included flight simulator (comes included in the Go app). I just kept telling myself "imagine I'm in the cockpit"

Different from real simulator I suppose, as I remember back then. you are actually sitting inside a device that, as far as you can see or feel, is the real thing just never leaves the ground! <g>

Bill
 
Hi,
One thing I found useful when I got my Phantom 2 was a Phantom pilot training guide. I'll post the link here from the DJI website. It has a list of maneuvers that help orientate and familiarize you with the Phantom and a quad's characteristics. I used it again when I bought my Phantom 4. I also review it and use it as a review after a long layoff.

DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ – Specs, FAQ, Tutorials and Downloads
 
THANKS RADIO Mike I'll put link in my favorites.

I need all the help I can get!
Regards,

Bill
 
Well old timer I have a question to ask.
What is a manual?
Seriously I learnt far far more on here than from reading the book!
Good luck with this awesome hobby!!!
 

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