Please share tips and tricks on not breaking your phantom.

[Baldrick]

Got my phantom just the other day - and have heard so many horror stories of crashes. So many resources say it will inevitably crash and cost hundreds of pounds.
Can anyone confirm/reassure me? Please share:
1. What happened
2. How long after you got it it happened
3. why it happened
4. what you would have done different
5. what were the consequences (price, fix, broken forever)

Thanks it would really help me out!
Baldrick

 

[Airborne]

can't answer your questions, but here is a list I built before flying and after my first couple flights.

1. Check your battery level and set a timer to warn you when you are running low (or get mini iosd/FPV)
2. Descend slowly
3. Understand the CSC and don't use it in flight.
4. Read the manual (twice)
5. Read this forum
6. Watch many youtube videos
7. Calibrate Compass before every flight.

 

[Marlin009]

can't answer your questions, but here is a list I built before flying and after my first couple flights.

1. Check your battery level and set a timer to warn you when you are running low (or get mini iosd/FPV)
2. Descend slowly
3. Understand the CSC and don't use it in flight.
4. Read the manual (twice)
5. Read this forum
6. Watch many youtube videos
7. Calibrate GPS before every flight.

I assume you mean compass not GPS. Don't agree with #7 but other than that it's a good list.

 

[Airborne]

I assume you mean compass not GPS. Don't agree with #7 but other than that it's a good list.

my bad, you are correct, I edited and changed my terminology...

 

[TeamYankee]

That's about right... but I'd avoid calibrating the compass every flight.. It's not required and there's more chance of you introducing a bad calibration if it's done over a metal object, such as re-bar in the ground or metal sewer pipes etc etc..

8. Never take off with Go-Pro wi-fi switched on.
9. Never take off from a metal surface, car roof, metal drain cover etc..
10. Learn how to reset the home point during flight.. to give additional RTH altitude where necessary.