Top Tips for Flying Your Drone in Canada
If you have just invested in a drone, then you are probably eager to get out there and put it through its paces. Now that you have purchased a state-of-the-art aircraft such as a DJI professional drone you will want to get up to speed with the features it offers. Before rushing to start flying your drone, however, it is vital that you familiarize yourself with the drone regulation which was introduced in Canada in June 2019. As well as the legal requirements created by Transport Canada, the right drone flying tips will help you to get the most out of an advanced drone such as a DJI Phantom 4 drone.
The key aim of all of these tips is to keep you and anyone else who might be around you safe, as well as making sure that you take full advantage of the wealth of features which a modern drone is equipped with. By taking a few moments to study a drone flying guide before taking to the air, you will be making sure that you have many years of safe, exciting, and rewarding drone flying ahead of you.
Check Your Drone
Even if it is the first time you have ever flown a drone you should take the time to run through a checklist to make sure that every aspect of the drone is in place as it should be. Make sure of the following:
• The batteries are in place and fully charged
• All of the parts are in place and are free from damage
• Are all the screws fully tightened – particularly any screws connecting the propellers
• The micro SD card has been inserted to save the footage you might record
Master the Control System
A DJI drone comes complete with an app which includes a flight simulator. This is far and away the best and easiest way to a good understanding of the controls of your drone. If you have a drone which does not have its own app or simulator then take the time to understand the controls one aspect at a time. For example, experiment with the throttle first, finding out how you can control the basic speed of the drone, before learning how to move up and down, steer and roll.
Put the hours in
Just like any other skill, flying a drone effectively takes time to master. Find a large open space clear of obstacles in which you can practice. Concentrate on becoming fully able to deal with the basic aspects of drone flying, experimenting with each of the controls in isolation before slowly learning to use them in combination. The more time you spend practicing the basics, the better equipped you will be to cope in the future if the conditions in which you are flying your drone become more challenging.
Hover
When you first take off, keep your drone hovering for approximately 30 seconds in order to ascertain that it is flying in a completely stable manner. Once you have confirmed this fact you can move onward. If the drone appears to be unstable – because of a fault with the drone itself or perhaps the weather conditions – then it will be quick and easy to land from a simple hovering position.
Dealing with Crashes
No matter how careful you are and how many hours of practice you put in it is inevitable that, from time to time, your drone will crash, at least until you are a seasoned drone flyer. When it does you need to turn the throttle off the instant it hits the ground. If you leave the rotors spinning, then there is much more chance of them becoming damaged and of any bystanders being harmed.
Visual Contact
No matter how far your drone can fly you should always keep it within sight. By maintaining visual contact with the drone, you will be perfectly placed to spot any obstacles or hazards. In addition, if your drone is out of sight and comes to meet some kind of trouble, you’ll be in the position of not being certain where to start looking for it. Flying within the line of sight in this manner is also one of the legal regulations attached to operating a drone in Canada.
Obey the Laws
Flying within the line of sight is not the only legal obligation drone pilots have to meet. Some of the most important drone related laws are as follows:
Fly below a height of 122 metres
Fly away from airports and heliports – 5.6 kilometres from airports and 1.9 kilometres from heliports
Only fly at night if your drone is equipped with position lights, and those lights are switched on
Make sure your drone is flying away from bystanders – for basic operations, the horizontal distance should be at least 30 metres
Check the Weather
Few things can have as much of a negative impact on drone flying than windy conditions. Check the weather forecast before heading out to fly your drone and if strong winds are predicted, ask yourself if you are an experienced enough flyer to cope with them. Do not fly your drone in difficult weather conditions such as rain, fog, snow, or lightning.
Plan your Filming
If you are going to be filming with your drone, then it makes sense to plan the sequence of shots before you take off. Decide on the route you are going to fly and then walk the route, planning the shots you will be taking as you do. By having a detailed plan drawn up before take-off you will be able to make the most of every second that your drone is in the air.
Study for Obstacles
Many advanced drones have their own obstacle avoidance systems, but you should not rely on these entirely. Some obstacles, such as thin wires or transparent constructions might be harder for the systems to spot, so you should study the route you are planning on taking carefully, making sure that you know exactly where any potentially damaging obstacles are located.
Carry Spares
As stated earlier, the occasional crash is all but inevitable, but it does not have to mark the end of a day’s flying as long as you carry plenty of spares with you. The most useful items to have will be easily damaged parts such as rotors, and it also pays to carry a spare Micro SD card and battery, expanding the amount of time you’ll be able to spend up in the air, and the footage you can gather and save.
This drone flying guide may seem like a lot to take in but learning to fly your drone properly will prolong its lifespan and is also likely to be lots of fun. Your drone might have a beginner mode which, if enabled, will limit the altitude it can reach and the distance it can travel. Think of this as like learning to ride a bike with training wheels and look forward to the day when you are skilled enough at flying to take the training wheels off and explore the skies.
The key aim of all of these tips is to keep you and anyone else who might be around you safe, as well as making sure that you take full advantage of the wealth of features which a modern drone is equipped with. By taking a few moments to study a drone flying guide before taking to the air, you will be making sure that you have many years of safe, exciting, and rewarding drone flying ahead of you.
Check Your Drone
Even if it is the first time you have ever flown a drone you should take the time to run through a checklist to make sure that every aspect of the drone is in place as it should be. Make sure of the following:
• The batteries are in place and fully charged
• All of the parts are in place and are free from damage
• Are all the screws fully tightened – particularly any screws connecting the propellers
• The micro SD card has been inserted to save the footage you might record
Master the Control System
A DJI drone comes complete with an app which includes a flight simulator. This is far and away the best and easiest way to a good understanding of the controls of your drone. If you have a drone which does not have its own app or simulator then take the time to understand the controls one aspect at a time. For example, experiment with the throttle first, finding out how you can control the basic speed of the drone, before learning how to move up and down, steer and roll.
Put the hours in
Just like any other skill, flying a drone effectively takes time to master. Find a large open space clear of obstacles in which you can practice. Concentrate on becoming fully able to deal with the basic aspects of drone flying, experimenting with each of the controls in isolation before slowly learning to use them in combination. The more time you spend practicing the basics, the better equipped you will be to cope in the future if the conditions in which you are flying your drone become more challenging.
Hover
When you first take off, keep your drone hovering for approximately 30 seconds in order to ascertain that it is flying in a completely stable manner. Once you have confirmed this fact you can move onward. If the drone appears to be unstable – because of a fault with the drone itself or perhaps the weather conditions – then it will be quick and easy to land from a simple hovering position.
Dealing with Crashes
No matter how careful you are and how many hours of practice you put in it is inevitable that, from time to time, your drone will crash, at least until you are a seasoned drone flyer. When it does you need to turn the throttle off the instant it hits the ground. If you leave the rotors spinning, then there is much more chance of them becoming damaged and of any bystanders being harmed.
Visual Contact
No matter how far your drone can fly you should always keep it within sight. By maintaining visual contact with the drone, you will be perfectly placed to spot any obstacles or hazards. In addition, if your drone is out of sight and comes to meet some kind of trouble, you’ll be in the position of not being certain where to start looking for it. Flying within the line of sight in this manner is also one of the legal regulations attached to operating a drone in Canada.
Obey the Laws
Flying within the line of sight is not the only legal obligation drone pilots have to meet. Some of the most important drone related laws are as follows:
Fly below a height of 122 metres
Fly away from airports and heliports – 5.6 kilometres from airports and 1.9 kilometres from heliports
Only fly at night if your drone is equipped with position lights, and those lights are switched on
Make sure your drone is flying away from bystanders – for basic operations, the horizontal distance should be at least 30 metres
Check the Weather
Few things can have as much of a negative impact on drone flying than windy conditions. Check the weather forecast before heading out to fly your drone and if strong winds are predicted, ask yourself if you are an experienced enough flyer to cope with them. Do not fly your drone in difficult weather conditions such as rain, fog, snow, or lightning.
Plan your Filming
If you are going to be filming with your drone, then it makes sense to plan the sequence of shots before you take off. Decide on the route you are going to fly and then walk the route, planning the shots you will be taking as you do. By having a detailed plan drawn up before take-off you will be able to make the most of every second that your drone is in the air.
Study for Obstacles
Many advanced drones have their own obstacle avoidance systems, but you should not rely on these entirely. Some obstacles, such as thin wires or transparent constructions might be harder for the systems to spot, so you should study the route you are planning on taking carefully, making sure that you know exactly where any potentially damaging obstacles are located.
Carry Spares
As stated earlier, the occasional crash is all but inevitable, but it does not have to mark the end of a day’s flying as long as you carry plenty of spares with you. The most useful items to have will be easily damaged parts such as rotors, and it also pays to carry a spare Micro SD card and battery, expanding the amount of time you’ll be able to spend up in the air, and the footage you can gather and save.
This drone flying guide may seem like a lot to take in but learning to fly your drone properly will prolong its lifespan and is also likely to be lots of fun. Your drone might have a beginner mode which, if enabled, will limit the altitude it can reach and the distance it can travel. Think of this as like learning to ride a bike with training wheels and look forward to the day when you are skilled enough at flying to take the training wheels off and explore the skies.