What are some of the things you do to fly safe?

[elsapo2001]

i like to do a few things. Check all settings before each flight, check the props make sure they are not loose, check battery make sure its in well.

I report each flight via air Airmap.

Plan my flights to minimise risk of injury to others or property damage.

I would fly on in the direction of median away from the streets. Look to make sure cars passed before crossing a roadway.

When watching traffic etc.. i would park over waterway etc.. worst case scenario if the drone is ditched it falls in water not on other people or property. I could care less about recovery I prefer no one is hurt, I would just pull out my spare and go back to flying.

Anyhow any other ideas or tips?

 

[N017RW]

Always fly with the expectation of a failure at the worst time (sounds like you do).

Don't fly BVLOS, over people, or anything I can't afford to fix or replace!
I had to replace a section of my neighbors pool patio screen 12 years ago with my CP-heli ($40 w/labor).

Many more but others will likely cover 'em.

 

[John Locke]

Never catch a moving drone! I see so many that grab a moving drone and think that's safe.

Let it hover at 7' AGL. Take your fingers off the sticks, let it hover 5 seconds. Once stable, walk over and grab with right hand. Hold it still at 7' and push left sick down with left hand to turn off motors.

 

[Neon Euc]

Never replace your electric shaver with a drone

 

[elsapo2001]

Those blades are sharp i would at least wear gloves if your catching it.

 

[gingerbloke]

I always fly with the assumption that GPS is still in beta....

 

[tcope]

Anyhow any other ideas or tips?

Look up and around. I do this every time to also make sure my RTH setting is correct.

 

[John Locke]

This is small tidbit, but after 3yrs of flying and experiencing a few close calls with wires in unexpected places, before I fly I will do a survey of my launch area and surrounding POI's I intend to fly. Usually my flight locations are pre-planned with an agenda for POI's, but sometimes not. But regardless how much planning I've done via Google 3D maps, I will look around to see what might interfere with flight, as well as seek out
things I'd might want to capture. I will use a small monocular sometimes, looking for targets, and obstructions. I find spending 5 minutes patiently looking around before launch is helpful to optimize my flight agenda as well as avoid mishaps.

One memorable close call was in Maui. I was eager to fly a popular snorkeling area, Honolua bay. I'm flying over the water having a great time getting some beautiful shots. I assumed there is nothing over this bay to worry about, but I was wrong. During a pullback shot I flew right by a wire strung across the bay, missed it by about 5'. I was blown away that a wire was so remote in this area. I was lucky to miss it. Below is the Goggle 3D map image. I've illustrated in red where the wire stretched across the bay. From where I launched it was barely visible. Had I taken more time to look around I may have seen this prior to launch. As a result I started caring one of these.

 

[WV. Rootman]

This is small tidbit, but after 3yrs of flying and experiencing a few close calls with wires in unexpected places, before I fly I will do a survey of my launch area and surrounding POI's I intend to fly. Usually my flight locations are pre-planned with an agenda for POI's, but sometimes not. But regardless how much planning I've done via Google 3D maps, I will look around to see what might interfere with flight, as well as seek out
things I'd might want to capture. I will use a small set of binoculars sometimes, looking for targets, and obstructions. I find spending 5 minutes patiently looking around before launch is helpful to optimize my flight agenda as well as avoid mishaps.

One memorable close call was in Maui. I was eager to fly a popular snorkeling area, Honolua bay. I'm flying over the water having a great time getting some beautiful shots. I assumed there is nothing over this bay to worry about, but I was wrong. During a pullback shot I flew right by a wire strung across the bay, missed it by about 5'. I was blown away that a wire was so remote in this area. I was lucky to miss it. Below is the Goggle 3D map image. I've illustrated in red where the wire stretched across the bay. From where I launched it was barely visible. Had I taken more time to look around I may have seen this prior to launch.

View attachment 94959

I wasn’t flying, but I never noticed that wire. I took lots of pictures there. I will have to check them out. Lol You are totally right. I freaked out, having the same thing happen to me in other places.

 

[svjobeth]

i like to do a few things. Check all settings before each flight, check the props make sure they are not loose, check battery make sure its in well.

I report each flight via air Airmap.

Plan my flights to minimise risk of injury to others or property damage.

I would fly on in the direction of median away from the streets. Look to make sure cars passed before crossing a roadway.

When watching traffic etc.. i would park over waterway etc.. worst case scenario if the drone is ditched it falls in water not on other people or property. I could care less about recovery I prefer no one is hurt, I would just pull out my spare and go back to flying.

Anyhow any other ideas or tips?

I do a pre-departure check, a pre-flight check, and post flight check. Follow the rules, of course, and fly conservatively. I also do a site survey when checking out new locations.

I'm failry new to this and have the AirMap and UAV Forecast apps. I'm curious as to how to log/report flights via AirMap? Also, is there a flight log available for Android (phone) or Mac (laptop) that's designed for UAS flights? Perhaps AirMap, if someone could share how it works? Or something else? Thanks!

 

[With The Birds]

I find out all I can about likely manned AC movements in any new area I fly. I often cringe when I see an operator where i live out over the water at 400 feet. Manned AC come through there between 200 and 500 feet and not infrequently.

 

[John Locke]

Make a conscious effort to LISTEN to your air space while flying. You will hear planes and helicopters entering your airspace. Usually you hear them before you see them because sound is omni-directional and eye-sight is more directional. Listening can give you extra time to descend if needed for added safety clearance until the craft exits your air space. Try not to be talk to others while flying, a distraction to listening. Avoid listening to music with ear buds while flying!