Thinking about buying a drone? Want to get into the hobby of drone photography? Before you go to the nearest store, make sure to read these five essential reminders about buying a drone.
Do not buy online
You may be tempted to go online and shop from online stores such as Amazon but the problem with them is that you won’t be able to try flying the drone on your own.
Unless you are already an expert and knows what you need to look for, we don’t advise buying drones from an online shop. You would want to have a feel of the drone. You can only do that in a brick-and-mortar store.
Learn the rules first
As a new drone pilot, you should learn a lot about the rules and regulations of flying a drone in your country. In the US, for example, you must register your drone with the FAA, stay at least five miles away from all airports, do not fly more than 400 feet off the ground, do not fly over people without permission, do not fly over government facilities, do not fly in national parks, do not fly over private property, do not fly over crime scenes, and be polite when approached by police.
Choose the right kind of drone
There are three different kinds of drone: RTF stands for Ready-to-Fly, BNF stands for Bind-and-Fly, and ARF stands for Almost-Ready-to-Fly. RTF doesn’t require any assembly or setup. All you have to do is install the batteries and the propellers and you’ll be good to go.
A BNF drone is completely assembled but it does not have a controller. With BNF models, you would have to either use the controller you already have (if it’s compatible) or find a controller that is sold separately.
An ARF is a kit that you have to partially assemble. They don’t usually come with a transmitter or a receiver and they might even leave out components like the motor, the ESCs, and the flight controller and battery.
Drones crash easily
Drones are easy to fly, but they are easy to crash, too. One of the things you have to look into is the sensors, especially the GPS receiver. Try not to fly in areas with a very low signal because any interference between the drone and the remote control could result in a crash.
Join a drone community
Anyone who owns a drone should join an online or real-life community where people share knowledge and tips about taking care of a drone and flying a drone. If you ever face a problem or an issue with your drone, you can turn to your community to ask any expert who might give you an advice.