P3Pro - First Drone. Advice? Accessories?

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Just ordered a Phantom 3 Professional as my first drone. I plan on watching lots of YouTube videos and reading lots of feedback to make sure I can know the important factors when flying.

Do you have any advice, tips, or tricks that I should be aware of? I've seen things about fly always but it sounds like that happens to people who didn't read before flying. I want to travel with my quad, what do you recommend as far as traveling cases? Also, should I get a tracking device, parachute, or floating device if I want to do over water flying?
 
http://www.phantompilots.com/threads/tips-for-newbies.40556/

Do you have any advice, tips, or tricks that I should be aware of?
... should I get a tracking device, parachute, or floating device if I want to do over water flying?
Weight is critical. Don't overload your Phantom.
Some flyers like a tracking device.
The weight penalty to carry a parachute every flight is significant and it will only work if you are high enough, which isn't most flights.
The Phantom comes with 4 things that keep it out of water ... one in each corner.
5233-9-L.jpg
 
Last edited:
http://www.phantompilots.com/threads/tips-for-newbies.40556/


Weight is critical. Don't overload your Phantom.
Some flyers like a tracking device.
The weight penalty to carry a parachute every flight is significant and it will only work if you are high enough, which isn't most flights.
The Phantom comes with 4 things that keep it out of water ... one in each corner.
5233-9-L.jpg
Haha thanks. I'm confident that my P3P will stay up in the air but I'm most concerned about the fly-aways people talk about. Also, do you recommend prop guards?
 
There have been a lot less flyaway reports for the P3 series than there were for the P2s
It seems that DJI have done a very good job bringing this model to the market.

re propguards, some members like them.
Personally I don't.
Lot's of discussion on the forum that you can find by searching.
I'll let you decide for yourself.
 
image.jpg
I've owned all the Phantom Visions. The P3P is much improved. Fewer issues for new operators. New App is a major improvement with real maps and satellite images.

Put your phone number on it with a marker or label maker. Remote too!

My advice go very slowly for your first 3 or 4 flights. I hovered my P3P T 2-3 feet high for almost 20 minutes to break-in motors and battery. If a new unit has a motor failure the fix will be easy unless it falls from 20 to 200 feet high! Feel your motors to see if any are overly hot to the touch. Bad bearings or tight bearings could cause a crash. You probably won't have any problems but why risk your $1,300 toy until you break in the motors and battery. High flights or over water flights should be done only after you've proven everything works.

Only one motor has to fail to cause a crash.

Hand catch for the first five flights. Especially over grass where a slight wind drift on touchdown can cost you prop damage.

Many pros will hand catch 100% of the time. They can fly perfect so hand catching tells you something about the cost of a bad landing.

Don't risk your P3P flying under things like bridges or piers. Let the pros who are getting paid to produce a shot risk a $1,300 crash into the water.

Consider some way to protect your camera and gimbal. A couple of strands of dental floss between the struts directly under the gimbal may save you $700. Even if strands show in straight down shots, unless you really need a clear shot, protecting the camera can save a lot of money.

During landings and hand catches most beginners fly the copter with the camera pointing away to avoid the left right reversal problem in tight landing spaces.

You will need to practice with the camera pointed at you until you figure out when left and right are reversed, and toward you and away are also reversed. Don't piss off your neighbors hovering over their kids in their pool! Open areas until you get it back to you at least 10 times.

Batteries are expensive, learn about the issues of storing them fully charged in your hot car or trunk. When a battery cell fails, your drone may do an auto landing before you have time to figure out how to land it in the street or front yard. It is no fun knocking on a strangers door and asking to retrieve your camera drone that landed in their back yard or tree. Any battery that swells is an early warning sign. Murphy's law says the battery will fail over the water to teach you a lesson. Batteries rarely fail while being used a lot. They fail while in storage with a full charge. They cause a problem on the next flight.

Good luck and have fun. Fly safe. Take a lot of still photos, not movies. It is 20 times easier to impress your friends and family with a drone photo than all the skill it takes to make an impressive video!
 
Last edited:
View attachment 20044 I've owned all the Phantom Visions. The P3P is much improved. Fewer issues for new operators. New App is a major improvement with real maps and satellite images.

...

I just bought my P3 and this was very helpful. I was very scared when I took mine over the first cliff and over water for the first time this weekend.
 
View attachment 20044 I've owned all the Phantom Visions. The P3P is much improved. Fewer issues for new operators. New App is a major improvement with real maps and satellite images.

Put your phone number on it with a marker or label maker. Remote too!

My advice go very slowly for your first 3 or 4 flights. I hovered my P3P T 2-3 feet high for almost 20 minutes to break-in motors and battery. If a new unit has a motor failure the fix will be easy unless it falls from 20 to 200 feet high! Feel your motors to see if any are overly hot to the touch. Bad bearings or tight bearings could cause a crash. You probably won't have any problems but why risk your $1,300 toy until you break in the motors and battery. High flights or over water flights should be done only after you've proven everything works.

Only one motor has to fail to cause a crash.

Hand catch for the first five flights. Especially over grass where a slight wind drift on touchdown can cost you prop damage.

Many pros will hand catch 100% of the time. They can fly perfect so hand catching tells you something about the cost of a bad landing.

Don't risk your P3P flying under things like bridges or piers. Let the pros who are getting paid to produce a shot risk a $1,300 crash into the water.

Consider some way to protect your camera and gimbal. A couple of strands of dental floss between the struts directly under the gimbal may save you $700. Even if strands show in straight down shots, unless you really need a clear shot, protecting the camera can save a lot of money.

During landings and hand catches most beginners fly the copter with the camera pointing away to avoid the left right reversal problem in tight landing spaces.

You will need to practice with the camera pointed at you until you figure out when left and right are reversed, and toward you and away are also reversed. Don't piss off your neighbors hovering over their kids in their pool! Open areas until you get it back to you at least 10 times.

Batteries are expensive, learn about the issues of storing them fully charged in your hot car or trunk. When a battery cell fails, your drone may do an auto landing before you have time to figure out how to land it in the street or front yard. It is no fun knocking on a strangers door and asking to retrieve your camera drone that landed in their back yard or tree. Any battery that swells is an early warning sign. Murphy's law says the battery will fail over the water to teach you a lesson. Batteries rarely fail while being used a lot. They fail while in storage with a full charge. They cause a problem on the next flight.

Good luck and have fun. Fly safe. Take a lot of still photos, not movies. It is 20 times easier to impress your friends and family with a drone photo than all the skill it takes to make an impressive video!
Thank you very much! I'll keep all of this in mind.
 
There have been a lot less flyaway reports for the P3 series than there were for the P2s
It seems that DJI have done a very good job bringing this model to the market.

re propguards, some members like them.
Personally I don't.
Lot's of discussion on the forum that you can find by searching.
I'll let you decide for yourself.
The P3's have only been out for a little while compared to the P2's though . I think with time we will see more .Hope not but just saying .
Just from what I've seen so far from you guy's with em I think they are better and got to have one !!
4 things that keep it out of water ... one in each corner.
Good one :D
 
Just ordered a Phantom 3 Professional as my first drone. I plan on watching lots of YouTube videos and reading lots of feedback to make sure I can know the important factors when flying.

Do you have any advice, tips, or tricks that I should be aware of? I've seen things about fly always but it sounds like that happens to people who didn't read before flying. I want to travel with my quad, what do you recommend as far as traveling cases? Also, should I get a tracking device, parachute, or floating device if I want to do over water flying?


Hey Josh, welcome to the party.

This is a great way to find things here. Enter your text in the middle of the page, not at the top.
https://cse.google.com/cse/publicurl?cx=014775389315664725445:ejku2ysgyhi
 
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I am really happy with my P3A but didnt like the supplied gimbal lock (I found it fiddly to use) and also needed a lens cap - so I now have one of these (there are loads to choos from online and this was a bit more expensive, but its made in flexible rubber so preferred it to the solid pastic alternatives).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161715349212?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

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I am really happy with my P3A but didnt like the supplied gimbal lock (I found it fiddly to use) and also needed a lens cap - so I now have one of these (there are loads to choos from online and this was a bit more expensive, but its made in flexible rubber so preferred it to the solid pastic alternatives).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161715349212?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
So I'm guessing gimbal clamps are used to protect it when in transport?
 
So I'm guessing gimbal clamps are used to protect it when in transport?

Yes - the P3 comes with a clear plastic gimbal lock that you should use whenever storing/transporting the aircraft. The one I bought replaces this and is also a lens cover too. I find it much easier to fit/remove than the supplied one, and also because it is a bright colour it stands out more so - so far - I havent forgotten to remove it before switching the P3 on.
 

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