New Solo Pilot (Miami, FL)

CBrito · Aug 1, 2017

Hello all. As you may have figured from the title, I am a new Solo Pilot. I first became intersted in drones a few years ago when I was researching drone related laws for a presentation. I became hooked on the technology and I purchased a Syma X5C-1 last year to get my feet wet. I like the Syma but Im ready for something more advanced.

I purchased a new Solo package that comes with a gimbal, a GoPro Hero 4 Black and the Solo backpack. It arrives tomorrow and I'm pretty excited about it. I am familiar with the history behind the Solo and 3DR. I see the Solo as a truly unique product with a great story and Im stoked to own one.

I'm really excited about joining this group as well. I'm sure I am going to want to upgrade and get creative with my new Solo and it looks like you all are a well-informed group. Really looking forward to connecting with you and sharing our experiences.

Cheers!

andrew.baker.142 · Aug 1, 2017

Welcome!

Maxheadspace · Aug 1, 2017

Welcome and have fun! Miami has some beautiful scenery.

CBrito · Aug 1, 2017

andrew.baker.142 said:
Welcome!

Thanks!

CBrito · Aug 1, 2017

Maxheadspace said:
Welcome and have fun! Miami has some beautiful scenery.

Thank you! I'm excited to get started.

David Boulanger · Aug 1, 2017

Welcome from the other side in Naples.

LuvMyTJ · Aug 1, 2017

Hello,
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the 3DRPilots forum.
I hope that you will be able to use the forum to further your safety knowledge and for the exchange of innovative ideas and as a resource for current developments in 3DR quadcopter’s.
Enjoy!
*MANUAL: https://3dr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/v8_01_05_16.pdf

CBrito · Aug 1, 2017

David Boulanger said:
Welcome from the other side in Naples.

Thanks! Hopefully you're staying dry. We've been having some crazy weather.

CBrito · Aug 1, 2017

LuvMyTJ said:
Hello,
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the 3DRPilots forum.
I hope that you will be able to use the forum to further your safety knowledge and for the exchange of innovative ideas and as a resource for current developments in 3DR quadcopter’s.
Enjoy!
*MANUAL: https://3dr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/v8_01_05_16.pdf

Thank you!

David Boulanger · Aug 1, 2017

CBrito said:
Thanks! Hopefully you're staying dry. We've been having some crazy weather.

Been bad over here. I fly tomorrow hopefully.

CBrito · Aug 5, 2017

Hi everyone. Took my Solo on its first flight today. I'd say it was a success. It is a clear sunny day out here. Slightly windy with 12 to 15 mph gusts. I'm right on the bay so we get a good breeze here most of the day. Had no trouble locking on to GPS (I did not notice how many satellites I locked on to but it only took a few seconds to get signal). I calibrated the drone and everything was smooth from then on.

My goals with this first flight were to test all systems and get comfortable with the controls. I did not let it out of my sights or fly it too far on this test flight but I did get it up to 150 feet before it automatically returned home. Not sure if that is a normal distance to expect with stock equipment but either way I'm starting to see the appeal of getting stronger antennas.

GoPro and gimbal functionality were great. The drone responded well and handled itself well when dealing with stronger wind gusts, even at higher altitudes. I think I'm hooked lol.

Based on this experience, I've decided I need a sun shield for my controller (I'm using a newer gen iPod Mini and the glare was pretty bad), more batteries (obviously), and an antenna. I saw a couple threads on here discussing antennas the other day that I'll refer to when I make that purchase. Of course, any suggestions or tips you all may want to share are always welcome.

Can't wait for my next flight later today! Cheers.