Beginner Manual Mode

[Deleted member 2124]

Alright, I feel pretty confident flying in the smart modes. Now I want to practice in wide open spaces the baby steps to flying manual. So, I certainly don't want the FULL manual mode. I just want the setting where I can take off in manual, not wait on gps, have it keep the altitude but I do everything else while in flight and land in manual.

So, how do I start this procedure? I am reading I need to program either A/B so I can always kick into manual. So, I go into settings, set that up.

Now I am in my wide open field. What next?
And, mainly I want to know how to land in manual mode. Tips, tricks, etc. Much appreciated.

 

[pyrate]

OK
You can do all this and still keep it safe
never take off without GPS lock. If your bird gets confused in the air it will not know where to return to. Then you will be posting about your solo FLY AWAY

Now go into your app and in settings enable advanced modes
Next go to the controller settings and change button A to Fly Manual (normally it is orbit or cable cam) cant remember
Now in a wide open field, wait for gps lock. (your safety net)
When solos says hold down fly to arm, get your motors started
Now throttle up and get your solo in the air.
Now push your A button that will put you in Fly Manual

Have fun
If you get in trouble just hit FLY or Home to regain GPS control

 

[Burkeam]

If you didn't know you can also play with with the performance settings to make Solo quicker or slower. I fly the solo hot when I'm not as worried about the video footage and just flying around.

 

[User Name]

The manual mode in Solo's settings is really what's generally known as stabilize - it returns the quad to level when you drop the controls, it maintains altitude automatically, maintains it's heading, and it won't let you do anything crazy (flips, rolls, etc.), so it's not really "full" manual. There is no truly "full" manual mode in quads... the flight controller always needs to make the quad flyable, otherwise they're pretty much 100% unstable. Rate and Acro modes are more manual, but still not 100%.

So for Manual mode, the major thing you'll notice is that the Solo will drift when you drop the controls - it won't come to a stop and hold position like it does in Fly mode (which is generally known as Loiter mode.). So if the wind is blowing, it'll drift with the wind and you'll need to correct. And if you get it going and drop the controls, it'll return to level but keep drifting in whatever direction it was going. It'll feel almost exactly like a car on ice - get it going, and it'll continue, but it'll be stable in the process.

Go to a nice open field, get it up 30-40 feet and switch it into Manual. At first, you'll be surprised how little difference there is. Just take it easy and go slowly at first, getting used to counteracting the drift. It's great to practice, and it's not nearly as scary as you initially expect it to be.

And I agree with Pyrate... still get a gps lock. If you have a lock, you can always press pause or fly and put it back into an assisted mode.

As for landing, just bring it down slow, stop a few feet off the ground and make sure it's not drifting any great amount, and then slowly reduce the throttle until it sets down. As soon as it's down, hold the throttle all the way down for a few seconds and the motors will automatically stop.

 

[Deleted member 2124]

Ok, so baby steps. I will program my buttons then I will wait for it to find the gps (in a wide open field). To "manually" take off, do I hit my manual button and then throttle up? Once up in the air, it will maintain the altitude but it will drift. I get that. To land, I just throttle down until a few feet off the ground, get it pretty balanced, and then throttle it all the way down?

I want to practice this because it if ever loses gps (as it seems like many users experience this) I want to know what to do when all hell breaks lose!

 

[Burkeam]

I want to practice this because it if ever loses gps (as it seems like many users experience this) I want to know what to do when all hell breaks lose!

What's your saying is you want to be a pilot. A pilot can handle the aircraft in any configuration under any circumstance. I like your attitude. Best wished and happy flying. Let us know how it goes.

 

[malo_solo]

What's your saying is you want to be a pilot. A pilot can handle the aircraft in any configuration under any circumstance. I like your attitude. Best wished and happy flying. Let us know how it goes.

Yeah, flying free ain´t easy at all, it seems to me that this solo is somehow a good expensive trainer.