Beginner Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Drone Flying

Howdy, fellow photographers and drone pilots! Welcome to the exciting world of drone flying. If you’re a beginner just starting your drone journey, you’re in the perfect spot! Before you send your drone high up into the sky, it’s essential to get a grip on the basics of flying it. In this beginner’s guide, we’re going to break down the four essential drone flight controls and discuss the importance of gimbal mechanics and common controller modes.

Starting out is no easy task and can often feel intimidating, especially when confronted with so many technicalities and nitty-gritty details. Flying a drone is for sure a very fascinating and rewarding experience, but it comes with a learning curve. That’s why the goal of this beginner-friendly guide is to lay out the information in plain and simple terms to help you get started on your drone journey.

So, grab your favourite beverage, whether it’s a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and let’s dive right in!

Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

Learning the technicalities and all the complicated jargon may not be the most thrilling part of your drone journey. But, it’s undoubtedly a crucial one. You might be tempted to bypass these foundational steps and dive straight into flying, and I completely understand-I’m a firm believer in “learning by doing” myself. However, sometimes this approach isn’t the most effective, particularly if you’re aiming to quickly achieve cinematic excellence. Imagine pulling off those smooth, scenic turns that are all the rage on social media, or capturing film-like reveals and scenes. Having a solid grasp of the basic drone controls can significantly accelerate your skill development, enabling you to attain the photography and videography results you desire much more swiftly.

1. Getting Your Drone Off the Ground: Throttle Basics

Throttle control in flying a drone is a foundational skill that directly influences the drone’s vertical movement. It allows your drone to ascend, descend, or hover in place. In simpler words, it’s like the drone’s vertical accelerator: pushing the throttle up sends your drone climbing into the air, while pulling it down brings it closer to the ground. A steady hand on the throttle keeps the drone hovering, giving you the perfect platform for capturing those breathtaking aerial shots.

Learning to use the throttle is definitely step one for any beginner drone pilot. It’s the starting point for learning how to move your drone precisely, whether you’re aiming for a panoramic view of a landscape or zooming in for detailed shots from above. As you progress, combining throttle with directional controls allows for dynamic flight patterns, adding a professional polish to your aerial footage. And as an aspiring aerial photographer that’s what you’re probably after!

So, folks, don’t skip on practicing! Throttle operation is pretty straightforward, but to make your drone footage look like something out of a movie requires a nuanced touch.

1.1 Beginner Drone Tip

Before you start your first drone flight, resist the temptation to try it indoors or on a balcony. The best place to start is outdoors in an open, safe area where the risk of accidental crashes is minimised. Think wide-open spaces without ceilings, walls, or obstacles.

Many mishaps, which now serve as fun not so fun anecdotes, could have been easily avoided by choosing a spacious area away from people, like a field or empty parking lot.

Crashing a drone into walls, fences, or other obstacles is a common beginner mistake, often due to two main factors:

• Familiarity with Controls
  
  As a newbie, understanding how your drone responds to various commands takes time, and the learning curve can lead to mishaps
  
• Drone’s Safety Features
  
  High-end drones, like the DJI Mavic 3, have sensors all around to avoid obstacles from every angle. But, other budget-friendly drones or earlier DJI Mini series models don’t have side sensors. So, if you’re flying a drone without this 360-degree coverage, you’ve got to be extra careful

Extra Tip:
For those curious about the finer details of DJI drones and their capabilities, DJI’s official website features an extensive comparison of their consumer drone lineup. It covers everything from detailed sensing capabilities to additional technical specifications

So, putting it all together, flying your drone in tight spots significantly ups the risk of running into trouble. For a safe and enjoyable experience, especially if you’re a beginner, it’s best to fly your drone in large, open areas free of obstacles. This will help you avoid any mishaps and make the most of your flying time!

2. Pitch Basics in Aerial Videography: Forward and Backward Precision

Understanding pitch control is crucial for flying your drone smoothly, especially if you’re into aerial videography. On most drone controllers, the stick assigned to control pitch movements is typically located on the right side of your remote controller. Push it forward, and your drone tilts and speeds ahead, powered by the rear propellers. Pull it towards you, and you’ll slow down or reverse as the front propellers take over.

Stability plays a huge role here, too. Non-FPV drones, for instance, are designed to automatically level off when you release the stick, helping to keep your flight smooth. The real skill lies in how gently you manage these movements. Smooth control is what separates jumpy footage from those cinematic, smooth aerial shots. For videographers, mastering pitch means you can fly over landscapes or subjects in a controlled manner, capturing stunning visuals from the best angles without sudden movements that can ruin the shot.

3. Side-to-Side: Learning to Roll with Your Drone

When we talk about “roll,” we’re referring to how your drone moves horizontally, either to the left or right. If you aspire to capture footage that stands out, you need to get this skill down pat.

Just like the pitch control, the right stick on the drone’s remote controller is responsible for roll movements as well. However, instead of pushing the stick up or down as you would for pitch adjustments, executing a roll requires you to gently push this right stick either to the left or right. This action adjusts the power between the propellers, causing the drone to slide in the desired direction. A precise roll can really add an impressive dimension to aerial shots, mimicking the smooth moves of an experienced pilot.

I might sound like a broken record, but believe me, the magic word in professional aerial videography is smoothly. Yes, you heard it right. It’s the smooth and skilful combination of various drone controls that truly elevates your footage and sets your work apart. And how do you achieve that? Practice, practice, and you guessed it, even more practice! Starting with those soft, gentle rolls might feel like trying to pat your head and rub your belly at the same time (brr, even thinking about it makes my head hurt 😵‍💫). Tricky, but not impossible. Especially for beginner drone pilots, the aim is to sidestep those awkward, sudden drifts that no viewer is fond of. But as you keep practicing and refining your skills, your videos will start gaining that professional, polished appearance that viewers adore!

4. Turning Around: Yaw Controls Made Simple

Having your drone up and ready for action introduces us to the concept of yaw. Yaw control allows you to rotate your drone without moving it from its current position. Managed by the left stick on the controller, pushing it to the left or right makes your drone rotate left or right, respectively. This doesn’t move the drone forward or back but turns it in place, allowing you to adjust the direction it faces.

Yaw control is incredibly useful for aerial videography because it lets you capture panoramic shots or track a moving subject with ease, offering smooth changes in direction. While other controls like pitch (controlled by pushing the right stick forward or backward) and roll (moving the right stick left or right) help move the drone through space, yaw is unique because it only changes the drone’s orientation. For subtle, cinematic effects, a gentle push on the left stick is all you need. For quicker scene transitions, a faster flick does the trick.

It might take a bit of practice, but as you become more skilled, you’ll be able to seamlessly combine these controls to achieve the desired camera angles and movements in your photography and videography. 

5. Steady Shots Every Time: Your Drone’s Gimbal

If you’ve ever noticed how stable and smooth your drone footage is, it’s largely thanks to a piece of technology called a gimbal. Without one, every little movement or gust of wind would make your footage shaky and hard to watch.

The gimbal does a lot more than just stabilise your video. It gives you the creative flexibility to tilt the camera up or down. This means you can get those creative, top-down shots that show off unique views and landscapes, making your footage more interesting and dynamic! This feature transforms your drone footage from simple flyovers to engaging, cinematic experiences. The gimbal is essentially the tool that keeps your footage looking professional by counteracting unwanted movements.

Gimbal settings can be customised for different shooting styles, with options like FPV Mode for a more immersive, first-person view, and Follow Mode, which keeps your subject in the frame smoothly as you move.

5.1 Follow Mode

This is the mode which you will probably start with and use the most. Within the Follow mode, the gimbal keeps a steady horizon, regardless of the drone’s manoeuvres like pitching, rolling, or yawing. This ensures the camera transitions directions gracefully. Even during swift drone actions, the camera movement is buttery smooth.

While the gimbal functions similarly in both normal and sport modes, the cinematic mode yields the most optimal results.

5.2 FPV Mode

In FPV, the gimbal aligns with the drone’s movements. As a result, the camera’s tilting and panning are synchronous with the drone’s orientation.

This offers a pilot’s perspective, making you feel like you’re seated in the drone’s cockpit. Though the gimbal ensures camera stability, it aligns its direction with the drone’s.

It’s ultimately up to you as a pilot and creator to decide which mode to choose. There is no right or wrong, and it really depends on your personal preferences, project goals and the kind of footage you want to achieve. While the final visuals produced are different, both modes are essentially there to boost your creativity and produce stunning imagery. There is definitely a learning curve, specially when shooting in FPV Mode, but it’s worth to give it a try, even for the sake of the immersive experience! 

Pro Tip
Switch your controller to Cinematic Mode when trying out the FPV. It will help you to achieve smoother banking turns and get that enticing cinematic touch 

Which brings us to our next topic:

6. The Controller Modes

The remote controller is your bridge to the drone. It serves as the communication channel, letting you view the world from the drone’s perspective. (The design of the buttons, clarity of the screen, and overall comfort play crucial roles in seamlessly translating your intentions into actions)

Generally, the remote controller offers three distinct modes. To switch between them, you’ll need to use the toggle usually located in the center of your controller. As a beginner drone pilot, grasping its modes is key to your success above the clouds. Every mode fine-tunes the drone’s response, matching your needs and the environment’s demands.

Let’s start with the first mode, shall we?

6.1 Normal Mode (or N-Mode in the DJI Fly App)

This mode is highly preferred not only by beginner but also advanced pilots because it engages all the drone’s sensors and ensures a robust GPS signal, making the drone maintain its position steadily in the air. Even if you let go of the controls momentarily, there’s minimal risk of drifting. As a result, crashes become less likely-unless you intentionally seek them out. In Normal mode, the drone leverages GNSS, vision, and infrared sensing systems for accurate location, stabilisation, and to execute Intelligent Flight functions. With a moderate flight speed and an array of smart features at your disposal, it’s the recommended mode for a smooth and controlled flight experience.

Interesting Fact:
GNSS, which stands for Global Navigation Satellite System, is like a GPS system for your drone. It uses satellites in space to help your drone know exactly where it is in the world. This way, you can fly your drone with confidence, knowing it won’t get lost.
For all the physics fans or anyone interested in learning more about GNSS, there is an interesting article published by Advanced Navigation

6.2 Cinematic Mode

In the DJI Fly app, you’ll find the “Cinematic mode” labeled as “C Mode.” Essentially an evolution of the Normal mode, Cinematic Mode specifically reduces flight and ascent/descent speeds to ensure maximum stability while filming. Reach for this mode when you’ve positioned the drone for the ideal shot or just as you’re about to start recording. 

Cinematic mode’s beauty is in the details-it subtly adjusts the drone’s braking and turning patterns, ensuring fluid, cinematic sweeps and flawless video recordings. 

Pro Tip
If you’re aiming for cinematic aerial shots, you’ll likely use this mode a lot. For beginner-friendly tips on achieving that enticing cinematic touch, feel free to check out ‘5 Essential Tips for Beginners to Capture Stunning Aerial Footage’

6.3 Sport Mode

In the DJI Fly app, you’ll come across ‘Sport mode’, designated as ‘S Mode’. Sport mode is all about adrenaline: the drone becomes incredibly responsive to control stick inputs, with even slight movements leading to pronounced directional changes. 

It’s the mode you’ll want to switch to when seeking the drone’s top speed, and depending on your DJI drone model, you might see a speed boost of up to 30%! Unlike normal mode, where GNSS plays a crucial role in maintaining stability, sport mode relies more on internal sensors for immediate control, resulting in a thrilling flying experience. However, this decreased reliance on satellite signals means the drone may be less precise in its positioning.

For beginner pilots, this change can make it easier to lose control, especially near obstacles. That’s why it’s recommended to start with less aggressive modes to get used to the controls and see how the drone responds. And if you want to try out the sport mode, remember that the obstacle sensing is deactivated in this mode! So always fly with caution and practice flying in open areas without obstacles until you’re comfortable with the drone’s agility!

Pro Tip
Sport mode might not be my usual pick, but it really comes in handy during tricky wind situations. It’s always best to avoid flying in strong winds, but consider this scenario:

You’re flying over rugged mountains or vast seafronts where the winds often have a mind of their own. While it might feel calm on the ground, the upper elevations can surprise you with sudden, forceful gusts, often described as strong high winds. In such moments, Sport Mode can be a real lifesaver. It gives your drone the extra push it needs to navigate these winds, helping you fly back and land safely

7. Key Takeaways from ‘Beginner Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Drone Flying’

Whew, that was a lot to take in, wasn’t it? If you’ve hung in there till the end, hats off to you! Give yourself a high-five and pour another glass of wine (maybe even a second)-you’ve certainly earned it!🥂

To wrap things up, you don’t need to become an expert in all the technical jargon overnight. The main goal is to feel confident with the tool in your hands (the controller) and to understand how it influences that impressive thing flying above (your drone). As you grow familiar, the terms will naturally make more sense.

7.1 Flight Controls Basics

• Throttle: Controls vertical movement, akin to a car’s gas pedal
• Pitch: Manages drone’s forward and backward motion
• Roll: Directs horizontal movement, either left or right
• Yaw: Deals with the drone’s rotation

7.2 Gimbal Basics

• Provides stability for smooth footage
• Offers flexible camera tilt for dynamic aerial shots
• Has two main settings: Follow Mode (for smooth horizon footage) and FPV Mode (offers a pilot’s perspective)

7.3 Controller Modes

• Normal Mode: Best for beginners, offering stability and safety features
• Cinematic Mode: Optimised for filming, emphasising on fluid movements
• Sport Mode: For speed and agility, but remember to exercise caution

7.4 Flying Tips

• Use Cinematic Mode for smooth aerial videos
• New to drones? Hold off on Sport Mode until you’re more experienced
• Sport Mode can help navigate tricky wind situations but always be cautious

8. The End

Remember, becoming a skilled drone pilot takes time and practice. Celebrate every flight, no matter how small, as it’s a step towards mastering your skills. Don’t be discouraged by challenges along the way; instead, view them as opportunities to learn and improve!

Safe and happy flying!

As always, please feel free to drop me a message here or on IG if you have any questions or insights from your own flying adventures. After all, when we share our knowledge, we’re helping fellow pilots soar even higher!

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