In-App Simulator

Nick · Jul 9, 2015

-I was reading about an in-app simulator.
-how do you access on the app ?

this is my first drone so i would like to practice more before flying it. I already almost crashed into a no parking sign.

Raybro · Jul 9, 2015

Good luck finding it as there is no such animal. I would go out in an open field....no signs around and practice. Go slow and by the book. Wide open field.

rrmccabe · Jul 9, 2015

Nick said:
-I was reading about an in-app simulator.
-how do you access on the app ?

this is my first drone so i would like to practice more before flying it. I already almost crashed into a no parking sign.

Nick, this is one of the things that 3DR has not delivered on yet. It is supposed to have it, but doesn't. Must be harder to do than we think as DJI hasn't delivered it either.

Bothfeetonthegrnd · Jul 10, 2015

Nick said:
-I was reading about an in-app simulator.
-how do you access on the app ?

this is my first drone so i would like to practice more before flying it. I already almost crashed into a no parking sign.

Still waiting on my solo from b&h. I've been training on a great little $50 drone I found on Amazon X5C. I'm actually on my 3rd

first one I let fly off the second I crashed and burned a motor. I am getting better! I figure I can afford these trainers much more than I can afford to replace a Solo. I don't think my wife will let me buy 3 to get it down

Also these don't have the GPS crutch so flying my solo should even be easier. My biggest advice for anyone training is stay away from trees. It does not matter how big the open space is, it seems a drone is drawn to that one tree like a magnet. The guy that designs the lightweight retractable 50 foot pole to retrieve stuck drones will be a rich man

Neio · Jul 10, 2015

3DR tech support informed me that the flight simulator will come next month as a separate app.

Matj2ix88 · Jul 10, 2015

Bothfeetonthegrnd said:
Still waiting on my solo from b&h. I've been training on a great little $50 drone I found on Amazon X5C. I'm actually on my 3rd first one I let fly off the second I crashed and burned a motor. I am getting better! I figure I can afford these trainers much more than I can afford to replace a Solo. I don't think my wife will let me buy 3 to get it down Also these don't have the GPS crutch so flying my solo should even be easier. My biggest advice for anyone training is stay away from trees. It does not matter how big the open space is, it seems a drone is drawn to that one tree like a magnet. The guy that designs the lightweight retractable 50 foot pole to retrieve stuck drones will be a rich man

I definitely can relate!!! I have a few of the nano drones and the quickness of them definitely trains you in a way so that when you go from one of those to a Solo, the transition is SO much easier, of course with the GPS lock.

Not that the Solo can't do anything those nanos can do, evidence here in acro mode:
[this is not me, just a vid I found on youtube, but I wish I had these skills

]

Jubalr · Jul 10, 2015

Bothfeetonthegrnd said:
Still waiting on my solo from b&h. I've been training on a great little $50 drone I found on Amazon X5C. I'm actually on my 3rd first one I let fly off the second I crashed and burned a motor. I am getting better! I figure I can afford these trainers much more than I can afford to replace a Solo. I don't think my wife will let me buy 3 to get it down Also these don't have the GPS crutch so flying my solo should even be easier. My biggest advice for anyone training is stay away from trees. It does not matter how big the open space is, it seems a drone is drawn to that one tree like a magnet. The guy that designs the lightweight retractable 50 foot pole to retrieve stuck drones will be a rich man

Welcome to the forum! When you get your Solo you will be ahead of the game for practicing with the little one first. The Solo will be much easier for you to fly in manual as needed.

Matj2ix88 · Jul 10, 2015

Nick said:
-I was reading about an in-app simulator.
-how do you access on the app ?

this is my first drone so i would like to practice more before flying it. I already almost crashed into a no parking sign.

Take it to a park to practice, wide open spaces, it helps!!! A friend of mine who's been flying for a long time now gave me some good advice, if you feel like you're gonna hit something [of course 99% of the times it's a tree

], throttle up to gain altitude and find some open space in the sky and then you have more space to figure out what you need to do up there.

Rothgarr · Jul 10, 2015

I don't think you are missing much. I've tried the simulator on the Phantom 3 -- it was fun for about a minute but it doesn't "feel right". As mentioned above, go to an open field and take things slowly.

(BTW, the funnest thing I did in the DJI simulator was taking it really high, doing a CSC to cut the motors, then restarting them and giving it full throttle to pull out of the freefall. It eventually stopped decending about 40 ft from the ground. I certainly would never try that in real life...)

Solo Joe · Jul 10, 2015

Rothgarr said:
I don't think you are missing much. I've tried the simulator on the Phantom 3 -- it was fun for about a minute but it doesn't "feel right". As mentioned above, go to an open field and take things slowly.

(BTW, the funnest thing I did in the DJI simulator was taking it really high, doing a CSC to cut the motors, then restarting them and giving it full throttle to pull out of the freefall. It eventually stopped decending about 40 ft from the ground. I certainly would never try that in real life...)

I agree, the DJI simulator for the phantom 3 and Inspire one is lame. However, the simulator I played with at best buy for solo seemed much better in terms of its not only in perspective of the pilot from the ground, you also have a view of what the camera is seeing and view following solo from behind so you can see how it acts. The key for me is that there are actual point of interest in their simulator like the statue of liberty, city skylines, islands in the water. It gives you the ability to practice capturing footage instead of just practicing flying.

Randy Baker · Jul 10, 2015

Again why is it that the simulator is available in every best buy but not to people who preorder the drone? Come on 3DR.

Jubalr · Jul 10, 2015

Randy Baker said:
Again why is it that the simulator is available in every best buy but not to people who preorder the drone? Come on 3DR.

If you have noticed, the BB displays with the sim usually have an error message on the App and they say they have to re-start it often. Not ready for prime time.

Lonewulph · Jul 10, 2015

There are a few good drone simulator apps in the app store, can't speak for Android. Get one of those and practice 'nose in' flying, (flying toward you) and manual mode. Everything else you can learn is an open field while in 'fly' mode.

Randy Baker · Jul 10, 2015

Thanks Bob - will try that - glad to see another Solo owner in Orlando

Dirby · Jul 10, 2015

havn't tried manual mode yet but all the flying i do is nose in.
just easier for me that way.

Flying Squirrel · Jul 10, 2015

I'm going out on a limb here and going to recommend a Blade quadcopter ...

http://www.horizonhobby.com/product...7--1/nano-qx-bnf-with-safe-technology-blh7680

They make a FPV version ... BNF and RTF. You can practice hovering and transitions is "SAFE Mode" and when ready go live without a net. I fly mine indoors and chase the dogs around. I have 10 batteries - they charge via USB port - and I have a blast nightly. These can also be flown outside and are capable of loops and some pretty aggressive turns.

I think this is the perfect "simulator"

PS: Be careful NOT to fly into your wife's head and get wrapped up in her hair

Dirby · Jul 10, 2015

theese will not fly like the solo will.
just fly the solo in a big open field in the granney mode until you learn how to fly it.
when you learned how to drive i bet it wasn't on a simulater.

Flying Squirrel · Jul 10, 2015

I agree ... I don't think they will fly like Solo but I believe they will teach basic skills. I am not certain of the case here but I have talked to a number of Phantom pilots that have never flown an kind of RC aircraft ... I think there is some value in hover and transition skill regardless of the craft. There are a few larger quads out there that run KK2 technology for under $200 ... not a camera platform but again they will help to teach hover, transitions and orientation.