Why You’d Want to Learn to Fly a Drone
There are many reasons why people learn to fly drones. Some become drone pilots to become certified drone operators or to boost their careers going into exterior cleaning services. Nonetheless, others learn it for recreational purposes.
Before buying an unmanned aircraft and learning how to fly it, it is vital you know the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Drone Laws. It can help you understand what kind of beginner drone is best suited for you and is permitted in your state.
In this article, we will review the basics of drone flying so you can learn how to fly a drone.
How long does it take to learn to fly a drone?
Drones are becoming simpler to fly, and with advancements in automated flying technology, they are becoming even faster for newbies to fly like an expert.
Some beginners are ready to fly within minutes of flying drones for the first time, depending on their skills, experience, and the drone they have bought. Others need a lot of practice flight time with an expert instructor to get everything just right.
The amount of time it takes to learn to fly a new drone usually depends on the type of drone.
Small drones with cameras come with automated features for obstacle avoidance and stabilization. It makes them easiest to fly and can be learned in 5 hours with the help of tutorials. However, you may need a little longer to perfect using the drone’s camera to take high-quality pictures and videos.
The hardest drones to fly are the racing or FPV drones, as they rely on the first-person view and don’t have many automated functions. Flying an FPV drone can take up to 500+ hours of practice.
While some drones can take hours to master, Lucid Bots offers drones that are easy to fly, even for first-time flyers (in fact, it’s so easy to fly, even a grandma could do it).
With Lucid Bots, you can access training material for licensing and advance your skills on the way to becoming a licensed commercial drone pilot.
How to Fly a Drone in the Air: Standard Configuration
Before taking your first drone flight, you need to first understand the standard configuration of the UAS and how it functions.
Left Joystick
The left joystick enables the aircraft to rotate left or right while remaining level with the ground.
Throttle
The drone's throttle controls the amount of power sent to the drone's motors, allowing the pilot to increase or decrease flying speed.
- Pushing the left joystick of the drone controller up causes all of the motors and propellers to spin faster, causing the aircraft to rise and take off.
- Pushing the left stick of the controller down causes all of the motors to spin quicker in the opposite way, causing the aircraft to descend.
Yaw
Yaw defines the movement of the drone either clockwise or counterclockwise.
- Pushing the controller's left joystick to the left causes the front left and rear right motors to spin faster, causing the aircraft to rotate left.
- Pushing the controller's left stick to the right causes the front right and rear left motors to spin faster, causing the aircraft to rotate to the right.
Right Joystick
Pitch
Pitch refers to the forward or reverse inclination of your drone.
- Pushing the right joystick of the drone controller up makes the rear engines spin faster, causing the aircraft to move forward.
- Pressing down on the right stick makes the front motors spin faster, causing the aircraft to move backwards.
Roll
Roll refers to the movement of your drone to the left or right.
- Pushing the right stick to the left causes the motors on the right side of the drone to spin faster, causing the aircraft to travel to the left.
- Pushing the right joystick to the right causes the motors on the left side to spin faster, causing the aircraft to move to the right.
Gimbal
The gimbal is one of the most expensive drone components to repair, located most frequently in the upper left area.
This control enables you to pull up or down, and the speed is determined by the amount of pressure you apply.
It is important to ensure you put the gimbal cover on as soon as you power off your drone.
Return to Home Button
Return to Home (RTH) is a failsafe mechanism that enables your drone to safely return to a predefined home point. This mechanism can work if the drone loses connection with the remote controller, the drone’s battery runs out, or the operator decides to do so.
Here are some things to know about RTH:
- The aeroplane will be unable to initiate the RTH process if the GPS signal is weak. The drone will hover in this situation.
- The RTH can be cancelled by pulling the control stick completely in the opposing direction of where the drone is flying. This will also make it hover.
- You can regulate the drone's speed, altitude, and direction as it returns to the home spot as long as the remote controller signal is normal. You cannot, however, move left or right.
- If the wind is too strong, the aircraft may be unable to use the RTH function.
- GEO zones have an impact on the RTH function. Because of height restrictions, the aircraft will either descend to leave a GEO zone and continue flying to its destination, or it will hover in position.
Practice is Key
Before you become an expert drone pilot, you will need to learn a lot of things.
It is best to begin by learning about how drones function and what makes them fly. You can also experiment with various types of drones and quadcopters to find the one that best meets your requirements.
Once you cover all these areas, you will be ready to practice flying.
Always remember: Your first flight will never be perfect. Get plenty of flying practice with your drone in the open space in your line of sight. Practice in a safe space is important before using the drone in real-world scenarios where other people, animals, or property could be harmed or damaged if something goes wrong.
It is also ideal to practice around other drone operators. But in case you can’t step outside of your house, you can also use a simulator for drone flying practice. Using a simulator for practice is much like playing a video game where you can plug the remote control of your drone into your computer and practice virtually.
Expand Your Skillset with the Lucid Sherpa Drone
Whether you want to learn to fly a drone for commercial or recreational purposes, you need to first understand how a drone functions and then practice a lot. Also conduct sufficient research before buying a drone and check out the best drones for your needs.
Personal use mini drones are more automated and easier to learn. While commercial drones not only need a lot of practice, but you also need a license to become a commercial drone pilot. This solution is one that can help you or your organization to make money, however.
Lucid Sherpa Drone by Lucid Bots is an innovative new tool for exterior cleaning service businesses.
The Lucid Bots cleaning drone is ideal for the soft washing of roofs, commercial window cleaning and cleaning of tough, high, or hard-to-reach areas. Other perks? It comes with great battery life and advanced safety features.
It’s time to open your business to bigger opportunities, become more efficient, reduce injuries and accidents, and your equipment needs!
Invest in the future of exterior cleaning with us today by getting in touch!
