Hello Stephen and welcome to 3dr pilots forum. Here's my cut and paste from another intro thread...
Solo is a great platform. If you are new to piloting drones this is an excellent machine to learn on. Some advice. Upgrade the GPS to mRo for improved stability and accuracy. Do not fly under things like trees, buildings, etc. Loss of GPS signal or bouncing signals can cause erratic response as the Solo tries to follow bogus GPS data or goes into manual flight mode. Number One Thing to Learn: Fly manual mode. Mostly you will fly with GPS Loiter mode, but you should be comfortable with manual mode (altitude hold) in the event you need to take control. Ardupilot.org is an excellent learning resource. You can study the different flight modes and there's a section on 3dr Solo.
As to safety avoid crowds and keep bystanders at a distance. Altitude is your friend. Close-in flying is just asking for trouble unless you are a proficient fpv race pilot. Just think of the Solo as a flying food processor and imagine the potential for injuries.