First-person view (FPV) drone flying is an exhilarating hobby that has become more accessible than ever thanks to advancements in technology and the availability of ready-to-fly drones.
However, beginners often make a few common mistakes that can hinder their progress. In this blog post, I’ll outline seven of these mistakes and provide advice on how to avoid them.
Table Of Contents
1. Lack of Proper Research
FPV is a very serious hobby that requires serious dedication, a lot of time, and commitment if you want to progress and get better.
Generally speaking, the most important thing you can do to get into this hobby is to prepare ahead of time.
When you open up a website, you’re bombarded with all sorts of different offerings for different remotes, goggles, and drones, whether it’s pre-built or just parts for them.
There are so many parts available and so many options. The key here is to prepare yourself and do your research in order to buy the right thing.
Many people make the first mistake of buying the most expensive stuff on the website, thinking that it’s the best.
In fact, drones are just tools, and it really comes down to your personal needs for FPV. You need to figure out what type of drone you want to buy, what type of goggles you need, and what type of remote would be great for you.
That makes it fun, but it could be quite intimidating at first. It could be overwhelming for some people who have absolutely zero ideas about what’s going on.
I grew up as a newbie as well, and I can understand you very well. That’s why I created RChobby Lab to help people, where you can find tons of gear-specific reviews and tutorials on FPV drones, learn about their pros and cons, and figure out what’s best for you.
Honestly, it’s not exciting or even a little boring to do, but you need to do this kind of research before buying something you’re considering. Maybe you’ll buy something else later. If you want to avoid spending money for no reason, it’s best to do your research first.
2. Overconfidence
The second mistake I see a lot of people make when they start with FPV is being overly confident. They think that just because they’ve flown a DJI Mavic or any other drone, they would be good to go. It’s not a big deal, it’s fine!
But that’s really not the case.
If you’ve never flown FPV before and a friend gives you his or her FPV drone to try out, you’re going to fall hard on your first flight.
I’ve literally seen this happen too many times. Trust me, you do need to put in some time. You can start with an FPV drone simulator so you can save yourself a lot of money and hassle before you break your drone on your first flight.
At this point, some may ask how long you need to practice on the simulator before you can fly.
In my experience, it really depends on how well you master the controllers in the simulator, your reflexes, and how comfortable you are with this new way of controlling your drone.
Some people might spend over 100 hours on the simulator, and they still can’t fly well in the FPV real world. But some people are really good in the simulator, and they only need 5-10 hours to get the hang of it and start flying straight away in the real world.
A good way to get the hang of it quickly is to use the racing maps that come with the FPV simulator.
On this map, you need to go through every gate or level. Until you can point the drone where you want it to go, and it will go there. Congratulations! You’re ready to go fly drones in the real world.
So, just make sure you spend a lot of time on the simulator until you get the hang of it and you feel confident.
FURTHER READING:
3. Incorrect propellers installation
When you start with the real thing, it’s important to do your preparation before you get the drone in the air.
Putting on your propellers the wrong way will result in the drone doing a random flip. This can be especially bad when you increase horsepower or need to lift height.
Please check the orientation of the motors without any propellers to make sure they are spinning the right way, then fit the propellers.
4. Unnecessary Firmware Updates
The fourth mistake I see a lot of people make is updating the firmware too often.
With FPV, it’s not like Apple’s App Store.
For example, if the TikTok App releases an update, you rush to update it because you know you’re going to get new features and fix some bugs.
But in many cases, you could ruin the flight characteristics of this drone because the new version isn’t always better.
Especially when there are so many different components that need to communicate and be compatible with each other.
There’s an old saying in FPV forums that if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
When your drone is flying well, you should not touch it at all, don’t tweak it, don’t try to PID tune it, don’t try to change anything on it.
So, this is my advice: if you’re happy with how your drone is flying, don’t touch it, and don’t listen to other people telling you, “Hey, this new Betaflight feature is amazing. Let’s flash this new firmware.”
No, just leave it like this and enjoy the drone while you can.
5. Not Discharging Unused Batteries
The fifth mistake that many people make is charging all of their batteries and not using them.
Let’s say you have five batteries or even ten. This is what you have to prepare for your first flight. Or maybe you are going to fly somewhere epic with your friends.
But then an accident happens, and you end up using only seven or six of your ten batteries, leaving you with four fully charged batteries.
You come home with fully charged batteries, only to throw them back in the drawer. This is extremely bad for these lithium polymer batteries, and I don’t recommend it.
That’s a big no-no in the FPV world.
The best way to fix this mistake is to go somewhere sometime, even if it’s just an open field, and use these batteries. That way, you can drain them down to a safe voltage, which is 3.7 volts per battery.
Otherwise, the batteries will keep charging at the highest voltage, which is not only harmful to the batteries but also very dangerous, as it can start a fire or other accident, and you don’t want to burn down your house or apartment.
6. Not Checking Your Drone Before Each Flight
The next mistake you can make is not properly checking your drone before you start flying.
This is because sometimes small bumps can damage the drone, which can prevent it from turning on the next time you fly.
Not being able to start the drone is the worst if you don’t check it ahead of time when your next flight is about commercial work.
I suggest you take a few minutes to check the FPV drone. Check for loose screws, ensure all cables are connected correctly, and make sure nothing is broken.
7. Flying Alone
The last mistake, or should I say the last piece of advice for you, is to find some friends to fly with.
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to fly with a friend in the world of FPV. When you fly alone with your goggles on, it can be very boring and even a little nerve-wracking.
On top of that, you can also get disoriented while flying.
That’s why it’s a good idea to talk to someone or a friend during the flight, to talk about the flight, how to use the spotter, and to share this whole thing, this whole experience with your friend.
Best friendships happen by sharing the same passion, and I think FPV is one of those things that many people are enjoying right now.
In fact, it’s easy to find people who are doing the same thing as you. You can find new places to fly with them and share experiences, which will greatly enrich your FPV journey.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, by avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to mastering FPV flying. Always remember to do your research, stay humble, prepare properly, and enjoy the journey with friends.
If you have any questions or need further advice, feel free to leave a comment below.
