These Are 5 Habits of Professional Drone Pilots You Should Do!

[@IsomPhilips]

I would expect most pro drone pilots do a complete pre flight check before take off. Check the condition of the props, go over RTH settings, wait for a significant # of satellites etc

[@keepitshortnsweet]

And more. Novices need to ignore this guy.

[@jacksonsdrones]

I am honestly Scared of flying in public. I emailed you that story from a few weeks back and I've been being extra cautious with the rules and regulations. I am afraid of someone not understanding. This is why I love your channel! Thank You for taking the Time to read the rules and regulations to help us with our drones! I've watched almost all your videos on Rules!

[@FlyinRyanProductions406]

I been doing this for my job for just over a year and I still get anxiety flying in public. 😂

[@rogerhargreaves2272]

I have a small leaflet to give out. It has QR codes and an explanation of what I’m doing. I’m from the U.K. honestly I don’t get much interaction.

[@w3tua]

I try to fly from a location a bit isolated from the site I wish to photograph or video. In fact, I just came in from a session where I captured waterfalls and even kept it in visual range. Nobody at the falls noticed the drone.

[@PaulMcKillop]

I had a real 'know-it-all' yesterday when i was flying my sub-250g. I just let him rant a little, stopped everything, and left. Such a shame that he spoiled the first really nice day for filming we've had in ages. They're not all locked up!

[@markshirley01]

​@@rogerhargreaves2272 Im UK - never really got any interaction with other people - but I was always as considerate as possible

[@kevinraber3880]

For the professional pilots out there it is worth noting that if you hand launch the drone will be setting its AGL altitude at the height it started which can throw off mapping mission accuracy. While it doesn't matter for media production and it is a skill worth having for any mission requiring repeatable accuracy you aren't going to want to launch that way.

[@thebluehero2219]

I only do it for less abrasion on the landing gear and safety for gimbal. For those types of services i will use a mat or smooth surface

[@grumpyclark]

Thanks Russ - especially about being loud and proud! :)

[@thefishguy8194]

One thing with hand catching is wind, when the propellers slow down to land it might just fly into your face like it did mine if a gust of wind comes your way, hand catch into the wind!

[@h2oboi531]

Thank you for pointing out the custom stick controls, I had no idea about that

[@chrisalexander2478]

Hand launching is a must do for me on construction sites and rough areas. I hate the drone getting in the dust. Sometimes I launch from clean concrete or asphalt if it is available. On some occasions I use the drone case as a launch pad too. However, most of the time, esp in areas with tall grass I just use the hand launch and recovery. Battery management is another thing I pay a lot of attention to. Both my charging, storage and I turn on the voltage display because I want to see if it is having voltage sag if I have been flying it hard. I also turn off most of the safety settings even obstacle avoidance. Sometimes that will give you the jerky footage you mentioned. I prefer just to fly it. I suppose my experience flying FPV drones through small gaps has given me more confidence in things like that with the larger drones. The expo settings is also an important tool to being smooth.

[@jamesdickson3631]

Awesome with the expose setting

[@avianorobc8847]

Russ your tutorials are always great. I don't agree with hand launch or hand catch. When I train first responders to hand launch and hand catch, it done so as an emergency procedure only. I also train pilots to always launch and return with the drone facing away, because our natural tendencies are to push the stick forward if something is going wrong and if the drone is facing away it will fly away from you. Keep up the great work.

[@OscarTphotography]

I was taught this as well as surf club UAV pilot. But I still like to hand catch and launch my personal one, especially great if you’re on bad grounding.

[@quitefranklybb]

Hello! New to drones and new to your channel! Love all your videos and I'm currently binge watching your library. Keep up the great work!

[@CrescenDo445]

Great tutorial short to point and clearly spoken. Thanks

[@karlblessing839]

Glad to know the 2nd step is something I've been doing from the start ever since my Mini 1. And pretty much stay in normal mode in even my Air 2S, it becomes muscle memory after a while to get those smooth turns and gimbal control at the same time. And definitely learned staying visible from my land camera and photo journalism days. Being out in the open, confident, and approachable makes you far less suspicious.

[@glenturner3812]

Thank you I’ve learned a lot from you. I’m new at this.

[@miyahollands6136]

For catching the drone, I have always favoured facing the drone away from the operator. If you're a beginner facing the drone away from you means manoeuvring the drone is simpler, with left is left! Some beginner pilots could get themselves into a mess, having to remember to put the opposite stick input in to adjust positioning against some wind or something if the drone is face towards them

[@Loggerman101]

I have been flying a mini 2 for several months now and love your educational videos. I can definitely identify with making quick moves and no-cinematic videos.

[@3aprods]

Practice, practice, practice...that's a golden rule I love to hear from professional pilots and that comforts me about the time I'm spending out flying my drone 😊 Definitely learned a key point about the Expo settings and will apply this not later than today. Thanks for this great video!!

[@WRWhizard]

Just bought my first. A DJI mini 4K. I have been watching these types of videos a LOT. Met with an old friend for the first time in years. He was amazed at how well I handled the drone. I was grateful for that compliment but I know better. Part of it is how smart this drone is. I will admit, I am taking to this rather well since I've been an avid gamer for years and used to be pretty good at Descent. Thanks. I will have to practice hand launch and catch. Sort of like learning free mount on a unicycle. Only easier.

[@wscofield410]

Another new Mini 4 Pro trainee here. Just found this site today, while looking for video editing software tips. Great site. Hoping to pursue commercial flying in the future.

[@wildlifesnapper1]

As a professional wildlife photographer and videographer, drone flying is fairly new to me as its not something that is used daily in my field of work. I do however use a drone to establish animal tracks, Fox's, Badgers, etc, and getting up high using a drone allows me to locate preferred routes taken by these animals because the flattend grass is a give away. I do however, as a fairly new flyer agree that being bold, in the open and, in peoples faces does make all the difference. I wear a visivest with my operator ID clearly shown and I stand out like sore thumb. I have never been approached whilst adopting this stance. I do however need to fly more often and watching your informative video's is a great help to a newbie, so thanks.

[@sheylynnemiller7127]

Thank you for showing those expo settings. I’m pretty new and wasn’t really sure what those were affecting. That helps a ton to see examples.

[@51Drones]

Happy to help!

[@Better2BGood]

I agree with hand launching a Mavic drone, very easy and keeps the Mavic out of the grass and dirt!

[@vonheise]

Due to poor depth perception, I sometimes miss the landing pad. I can and have hand launched and caught my drones, however I prefer to launch from the pad so that it will be the home point if I need to use RTH. Due to not having the greatest memory anymore, I use the automated flight modes during the day because you can do so much more with the sticks while the the drone keeps itself focused on the subject. When you are trying to circle, elevate, and keep the gimbal on the subject, that is a lot to think about. I know that for most it can become second nature like driving a car, but not for all, especially when being older when starting the hobby. It isn't just drone flying, many KZbinrs don't know how to pan a camera, or edit out the unwatchable scenes.

[@kghwanadoo]

Been flying DJI for nearly 10 yrs. very happy to hand launch and catch my Phantoms but never done it with my Mavic, don’t know why just fingers too close to blades I think. Gonna give it a go now after watching this. Thanks Russ.

[@davidvincent6647]

I always hand launch and land with it facing away in case I make accidental stick movement then left forward movements etc go the right way so not having to think of making opposite movements in an emergency

[@thomasmaughan4798]

9:18 messing with the expo settings; that's me! Before I flew my new Mavic 3 Pro I adjusted the expo settings for very fine control at small joystick movements; the "exponent" means that the final portion of a joystick travel gets all the way to full control in case you need rapid response. But most of the time I need careful control so I make modest adjustments to yaw and braking in particular. I don't need or want abrupt movements when making a movie.

[@Name-js5uq]

Wow, thanks alot russ, new subscriber here. Love your nice digestible speech speed. Most content creators go so fast I can't understand them. But not you. 👍

[@ronaldmantila5599]

Very informative video. Thank you.

[@vikingshark2634]

Looking like I'm working works for me. I have a digital notepad (remarkable 2, I love it, check it out) that I sometimes take notes on during flights, a lanyard from my job as a city employee, and I bring printouts of my flight plan with me to show people and to help explain the purpose of my flight. It also helps is to pre-empt an encounter by introducing yourself when you can (it's easier when you're filming around businesses) and asking permission even if you don't really need it. That relieves some anxiety on both sides, they may feel less like you're up to no good and you don't have to worry that they may initiate a confrontation. I usually have some 'work-sounding' purpose for my flights so it helps to be able to explain to people nervous about privacy or property lines what you're doing. Some of my real-life examples are: - Introducing myself to the owner of a large Christmas tree farm in a rural area, and explaining that some of his neighbor's livestock is missing and might be around the creek near his farm. That one even turned into a couple of points of contact for some possible drone-related work. - Explaining to a homeowner on the other side of a storm drainage ditch that was I was doing was looking for blockages and debris in the drainage ditch. Nobody likes their streets and yards to flood during storms, so confrontation avoided. - Flying around some vacation home properties on a lake, I got approached by a lady wanting to know why I was on this property flying around this lake house. I explained this was my brother-in-law's house and they rent it out for events and vacations and I was getting footage for promotional purposes. Once she convinced that I was actually related to the owners she went on her way. The end, no real cool finale to that story. -First day with my Mini 2 about two years ago, practicing my terrible beginner skills in a abandoned theater parking lot a guy in a sketchy looking pickup truck pulls into the parking lot and asks me what I was doing. I had that initial 'this dude finna steal my drone' vibe, but it turns out his brother was a teacher at a high school and they had an extracurricular drone club and wanted to know if I wanted to link up with this club. If you always know the purpose of your flight, and you've thought about how to explain it just in case you have to, and you can anticipate what the objections might be, you're better prepared for any encounters. And if you don't seem sketchy or evasive or dodgy, people generally respond more with curiosity than suspicion. If you don't really have a purpose and you're just practicing some basics or having fun, I find that being conspicuous is a good policy. City parks are good. Empty is best but if not, then the busier the better. People are less likely to feel like you're watching them specifically in a busy place. I avoid places with a reputation for the kinds of activities people like to do without being seen, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout. I avoid places with single parents and children or (especially) unaccompanied children, I probably don't have to explain why. Fly with your drone where everybody can see it and within a few feet of yourself, it looks more like you're filming (only) yourself or your immediate surroundings. Don't fly from your car or behind a tree. it makes you look like a stalker. And my number one best practice is, if somebody asks me to stop flying or to leave, I just do it, even on public property. People will act as if what they wish were true is actually the law (pertaining to the expectation of privacy, right-of-way and easements, airspace 'ownership' and permission to appear in a recording ) and you won't be able to change their minds on the spot. I've only had this happen once, and I basically indicated I would land and stow right away, then explained what I was doing - after - I started RTH. Trying to justify your task and purpose when they might be in a heightened state is ill-advised. Give 'em what they want and come back later if you have to. A few seconds of footage (which is all you'll realistically use in most finished products) is not worth ruining anyone's day, especially yours.

[@diegomontalva6476]

I have the lanyard and I am 7 ft tall (1.83) still, my thumb doesn't get to the button easily. What I do is to extend my left arm horizontaly and place my remote on the middle of my arm, and then with my right index finger push the launch button easily. I think that you can also take off the drone with the joystick by pushing upwards. Haven't test it yet.

[@deanfordcreative]

Russ! Awesome video. Launch the drone away from you, down wind. No obstructions down wind! Much like the Expo settings, you need to tweak the Gimbal Control, speed and smoothness. You hit it on everything else! Nice

[@johnmaher5887]

Really excellent explanation and demo of the Expo settings - thanks

[@lynsmith1096]

Some more good tips Russ.

[@skycam509]

Hey Russ! Nice video, thanks for posting it. I started flying drones when you did - maybe to the day - and have been following you ever since. I'm usually in complete agreement with you on pretty much everything, but... when it comes to hand launching/catching, I only do it when absolutely necessary. As you recommend, I did it enough times initially to get comfortable with it, but whenever possible, I avoid it and use a landing pad. One time, I launched my (then) Mavic 2 Pro from the balcony of a hotel we were staying in. That part went fine, but on return, it was a little windy and there was an overhang that blocked the drone from satellite view as I flew back into the balcony. The drone was difficult to control and I aborted my first couple of landing attempts in the limited space on the balcony. I finally decided to hand-catch it, but right as I went to squeeze it, a gust if wind made it pitch, and one of the blades nicked one of my fingers. It barely touched it, but even so, it laid it open pretty well, and there was a lot of blood. I know there is a teachable moment here about flying off of balconies, and I haven't done so since. I have also made several hand-catches since, but it was kind of like getting back on that horse that bucked you off (I've been there, too). I am an equally ambitious musician as drone photographer, and I need to keep all my fingers intact! Thanks again for all the great content you produce.

[@annieo.4779]

Musician and photographer here, about to add drone to my mix, and I can totally relate to your comment about your fingers!

[@skycam509]

@@annieo.4779 Buy a landing pad!

[@KNIGHT-FLIGHT]

( mostly DJI ones ) That's right RUSS,,Represent what we love the Best FAMILY!!!!!

[@Christian0382]

Oh yea, I am a new drone pilot and I did notice a lot of what I currently do in my videos. Of course I have been practicing and my footage has been progressing as I fly more and more often practicing the right controller movements, but I did not know about how to tune the controls at all. This will really help me to get more of the cinematic shots I have always been wanting to have. Thanks again for making this video for the new drone pilots out there.

[@rickseyeview5345]

Thanks Russ. I so agree. As I go through KZbin, when I come across a bad sequence, I usually close it and move on. Smooth flying is the key.

[@frankcastle9561]

Very helpful and informative episode, Russ! I've been a recreational Mini guy until recently. I've added the Mavic 3 to my lineup and fell in love with it. I'm considering taking the part 107. Thanks to your videos, I realize drones can be much more than just a hobby.

[@FreshStartApostolic]

Intermediate pilot here. Excited about changes in the controller. Thank you!!!!

[@ajukrishnan]

Tweaking the Gain and Expo is the pro tip I liked most. It has worked wonders. Thank you. I think you missed the Gimbal pitch tuning tip.

[@timvoiss1568]

so thats how you do it and what i should change to get better thanks learned alot

[@olabergvall3154]

What's with the Dalahäst / Dala horse? Feels right at home 😊 Anyway, nice video Russ, thanks

[@jeffking1798]

Just ordered my 1st drone and I am so excited !

[@jackson._.goulding]

If you’re in a tight spot (yes not ideal for launching to begin with but assuming it’s the only option) you might want to disable OA (or anti-bonk as another KZbinr referred to it) as it can limit control of movement. One time I launched from a deck and it got scared of me and brushed the railing despite there being plenty of room in my direction. I always turn it off for launch now.

[@stephengonzalez99]

Out of all the people I have watched,I learn better w u,thank you

[@JohnTye]

Thanks for teaching me the expo settings. I'm going to adjust those the next time I fly!

[@oatisb.driftwood8513]

I learn every time I watch drone Videos. Working towards the 107.

[@alfredoverno9674]

expo setting info is much appreciated. thank you. Great Vids.

[@bartjes2509]

Thanks for sharing. Cruise control is a nice method to set course movement and adjust on the sticks. Or have cruise control handle the movement while only focussing on one stick or gimbal pitch. Modern DJI drones also have a switch to switch between cinematic, normal and sports and you can set expo & max speeds for each mode seperately. Play with the Cine speeds for smoothness and you can easily switch between modes anyway. caution though: smooth transitions means the drone can still cover a little distance when you want it to stop

[@Abecelee]

That is why I almost always wear a safety vest, and I always take time to stop what I'm doing to interact with anyone approaching to me with curiosity and questions (we are humans after all, don't we?) I have come to realize that is my composure what makes the difference.

[@JohnP58]

Example will always catch the attention. Thanks for showing them. (More obvious now)

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Tail-first hand catching is a bit more intuitive; left stick moves it left and right stick moves it right but only when the drone is tail-first (tail toward the operator).

[@kb9liq]

Had to sell my last drone because I needed the money and now with spring here makes me want another. Maybe next year

[@Garylhairston]

I really appreciate your help. Again I learned a lot. Thanks

[@rongibson6281]

some times I enjoy a jerky fast turning video more than a video with a bunch of chopped up short cuts put together. I I get your point. Thanks for the fine videos you do.

[@terrylstarks]

Thanks Russ!!!! Good info!!!

[@germanovsijenko]

In urban conditions, I have been wearing a green vest for the last six months. It works well. Thanks for the great video Russ.

[@cookevillewileyfam]

Great advice,thank you sharing.

[@keen1957]

Once again Russ, home run! Good vid!

[@flyDJIuk]

What a superb video! Thank you. Stay safe. Greetings from across the pond!

[@cre8tivity06]

I’m not really a fan of hand launch or hand catching although I have done it on a really windy day before I got my Part 107. When I went to mandatory flight school (I fly for a TV Station) we were forced to launch and land from the ground in windy conditions. One thing I see beginners doing is flying around trees or buildings or trying to fly as high as they want. I often tell them to go somewhere wide open with no trees until you get the hang of flying. They need to take baby steps. I’m one of those pilots that barely uses the intelligent flight modes. I literally just figured out how to set up and use Active Track! I couldn’t get it to work for the life of me but I got it now. On my last drone film i produced, for one of the shots, I did a 3/4 orbit around a tall skyscraper in my city while doing a hyper lapse and I did it all manual. It was a better feel and ended up being a better look doing it manually instead of setting up way points or using POI.

[@djplayerproductions]

Very Good Video. Definitely learned something.

[@digitalvictory8266]

Great video!! I love point #3! Great stuff, man!

[@willycintron4819]

Great tips on flying, thank you

[@robertmills676]

I lauch it with my hand open. So i can't let it go too early. Also how i land it. It will fly up from my hand and thats how ik i can land straight down on it 💯 works every time.. getting pretty good taking off amd landing in my hand from a car lmao. Never even have to get out.

[@stevekolstad4445]

quick jerk moves to quickly change your view are ok if you intend to edit them out

[@OregonPanoramas]

I am new to this and I take 360 aerial photos. I just learned how important it is to adjust the exposure down 1 or 1.5 so that the sun does not blow out the photo and create a huge aura of overexposure and chromatic aberations around the sun.

[@glennmellor93]

I've been watching tons of videos on how to use all the flight modes to get good video, now you tell me I have to do it all manually??? You are killin me brother!!

[@oregon1232]

😆

[@louietuna8091]

Thank you for this video! I am a completely brand new drone owner. I am waiting for some good weather to get started, and not crash. Thinking about safety (and not cinematography), this reminds me of the old saying there are old pilots and bold pilots. Slow and low is what I'll go.

[@MyrtleBeachbigwheel]

Great info bro…I tend to hide a little bit when I’m about to fly my drone under tree or by my car ..but sometimes I try look for a shadow like under a tree for a better view of the screen or tend to wear a big round sombrero to make showdown to the screen

[@goodbyegye8047]

I'm not flying yet but sure do appreciate all that you share. Hands down the best I've been watching

[@hooahextreme]

great video. We have a wooden chapel like that down here in Rapid City, SD

[@BIGGUY401]

I've only really started my drone hobby this spring with a cheaper model. I'm a bit shy yet of flying straight up to the maximum altitude of 100 meters with a drone. But little by little I'm starting to trust the drone, so I think that's it. Time is well spent when you first start looking for a place and what kind of images you can capture there. Then you fly for about 30 minutes and take video and pictures. Then at home you edit and put it on KZbin. It's a fun hobby.😊

[@Happy-Trails-To-You]

Your drone lessons are fantastic. I just purchased my 1st drone (I'm 72). I use to do photography with film cameras (usually of dinosaurs :-)) taking picture of my children growing up in the 80s. My photos now are snap shots from a cell phone (sadly). So I am just getting into this because it looks so cool and have been wanting to get back into photography. I have watched several of your videos and have learned so much (and have so much more to learn). My DJI Air 3 should arrive tomorrow. I don't want to just try flying it using trial and error. Thank you for helping me learn.

[@lubosschejbal9258]

With this geometry (dead cat frame type) hand catch facing drone to you, it looks like props are little more far away from your head. BUT, I find it’s a lot easier to manouver drone facing it’s back to me when I fly LOS mode to hand catch it. Nice tips you have. Thank you.

[@IcelandAdventures]

Awesome stuff and thanks for the teaching !!!

[@hueandsteve1989]

Very helpful, thank you. I subscribed.

[@lorageproductions]

We use leg extensions for the Air 2S. They work great and protects the gimbal and motors very well.

[@jamesss1953]

Hand launch - I only occasionally do; because I only use my drones in remote areas with no wi-fi so unsure of ‘return to home? Now I always manually calibrate before taking off hence from the ground since losing my first Mini 3 pro😢. Hand catch on return is now my normal since the ground I tend to be on isn’t suitable. Way points - yep, its a great add on within the setup. But for now I prefer to manually fly my route. Partly because of the terrain I generally fly in… trees etc with fine branches. Yep, there is always at least 1 “DING DONG” around… like bees to honey 🥷 …..Grateful for your advice / tips 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@esanford]

This was excellent

[@spokaneman7327]

Wow, as a novice I really appreciate your videos and your content. A quick and embarrassing story (that was also funny AF) - I was recently flying my Mini 3, with my brother and another friend present. I’d been launching and landing from my hand for a while, so I started feeling pretty confident about it. This is when I needed Hans Solo to yell into my ear, “Don’t get cocky kid!” I was landing it facing me, and when it made contact it suddenly zipped forward and clocked me square in the face. It actually cut my cheek a little bit. It was embarrassing and hilarious at the same time. My one regret, other than flying my drone into my face, was that no one was filming it. I wish I’d had the video on the drone running. Anyway, I’m still not exactly sure what I did other than I was landing with the stick, not landing mode. My hands were no where near the throttle, so I’m not sure why it suddenly propelled into my face. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Would this be prevented by using the landing mode?

[@BrianLuenser]

Just fantastic! You are always amazing!

[@johndhead1]

Great video. Changing my settings asap!

[@PatrickRosenbalm]

Very good info!! Thanks!!

[@disco.jellyfish]

About the auto/manual thing. Flying manually with smooth movements is much easier with newer DJI drones, because their input lag is MUCH better/shorter. It used to be very abstract and awkward to go smoothly, but with newer drones like the Air 3 the input lag is almost instant/non existant compared to something like a Mavic 2 Pro, which has incredibly bad input lag. With the Air 3, its as if you are tge drone. Its not as instant as you'd get from an analog FPV drone, but its still very quick and flyable.

[@petergrech2582]

Russ "BIG" Thank you for teaching us all this valuable stuff !! 👍

[@christopherrasmussen8718]

I live in a state that non US drones can’t ‘work’ for city, county or state work. I have DJI (and I catch and launch) by hand often. I had to get a Skydeo as it is on the ‘list’

[@TOURMANBOB]

Thanks for the Expo tips. I will use them on all my four drones....

[@TOURMANBOB]

Never realy understood Data Rates and Expo when flying my RC planes. However, the lights went on when you explained in here for use with drones.

[@georgekelly1948]

Thanks for the tips, Russ. Cheers from Wisconsin.

[@51Drones]

Gorgeous state!

[@thedronedownunder3919]

Excellent tips on the gain and exposure settings. I always enjoy your content - coming from Australia 😊

[@WheresMyKeysAt]

If I could tell myself something 5 years ago when I first started, it would be to save all of your photos and videos, raw or jpg, even the really bad looking ones. External hard drives aren't expensive, and as you progress in editing you can always go back and try to edit something you thought was awesome but didn't look good. And now there are so many programs out there that can fix bad pictures and videos (being too dark, too grainy, etc.) and that technology is only getting better.

[@rogerhargreaves2272]

Great share, thank you. Yea, I do most of the things that you do in this video, except, I’ve never hand caught or launched a big drone like the Mavic. 👍 Rog from Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@kirbyvacuummadman1814]

I have never had a negative experience with people who see me flying. Most will just ask questions about the technology. I'm always willing to take the time to answer questions.

[@Mikebfpv]

Good information as usual Russ. I would like to point out one thing. People are commenting about hand catching tail in because the controls are in the same orientation as the drone. Left is left, and right is right etc. Yes, you are only pulling down on the throttle, but if you accidentally bump a stick, and you are nose in, the drone is going to surprise you. Please don't tell newbs to land, fly, or hand catch nose in unless they understand the concept, and have practiced doing so. Always tail in, until you are proficient at nose in. Take care.

[@flowyscreations]

Good advice

[@51Drones]

That’s why you keep OA engaged and catch it above you head. But yes, best to do tail in.

[@SKYGUY1]

Mostly sound instruction. I have been shooting aerial photos and film / video since 1968. Good tips on footage. I've been a News Photographer since 1967, film for TV news since 1971, Video since 1982, Commercial Pilot , Flight Instructor, Instrument Instructor since 2002. Your filming techniques are quite good, and those techniques clearly set the better version ABOVE the jerky, shaky version. I am a recently licensed Part 107 Pilot (March 2023) and I appreciate the EXPO guidance. I fully intend to set mine at minimums and fly my own maneuvers. I have a DJI P2 w/ two new batteries, that has about 5 hours on it and hasn't been flown in 5 years. Now that I'm retired I plan to wear it out developing my "stick" skills. All good... EXCEPT... I think it rather careless that you would teach someone to bring spinning blades within arm's length of their face. Of course "PRO" pilots do hand launches and landings. But being able to do that is not what makes them a PRO, and that is the idea that you nurtured w/ that suggestion. It might have been wiser to have let newbie pilots learn that one on their own. Looking forward to your next YT release. Remember... a "good" pilot is always learning.

[@AerialArnie]

Great stuff! Thank you

[@Vizeldrone]

great ideas. good work. thanks and good flights.👋👌👍

[@mzimmerman12]

I have the Parrot Anafi with way points and GPS tracking. Any of my great videos are flown with Way points probably because I'm not that great at cinematic control. I would also buy the mini 3 pro if it had Way points. It's the only thing keeping me from buying it. Otherwise, it doesn't have much over my drone except for double the cost. Both very light/small and fairly quiet.

[@delzane]

Excellent presentation, as usual! Expo settings review w/live demonstration was outstanding. Probably will try hand launching at some point in time, but not convinced it's my recreational style. Thanks for sharing.

[@HappyPandaPropertyServicesTV]

Cool video, Im about to get up in the air and feeling nervous.

[@richardcrouch356]

I've been flying drones for about 6 years now and I combine manual and automated functions depending on what I want footage wise and where I am

[@TruckCamperExploring]

Awesome video. I’m a new pilot and this was very helpful. Thank you!