Manual Mode + FPV - How did you learn?

[RcHawks]

Did you by use a simulator to learn the skills needed to fly in manual mode. Or did you learn by just doing it and if a simulator was used to learn your skills which did you choose and why?

 

[JustDavid]

I didn't. Just jumped in with both feet after I got the Goggles N3 and the Motion Controller 3.

 

[RcHawks]

The only sim I've used was Realflight back in the day. I would think with flying in Manual mode that it would almost require a pinch grip on the sticks as to flying thumbs only (which is how I've flown my entire life).

 

[NZBob]

I had never flown FPV before. Tried a sim, crashed, a lot. Realised I needed to practice MUCH more using a sim before I crashed the real drone! Tried Lift-off, then found Drone League Racing, which was much better for a complete beginner. Slowly getting better. One day I will be confident to fly and it will have been cheap learning

 

[Kilrah]

Tryp FPV is good these days with good physics and large maps to roam around in and details to play with, last I checked Liftoff and most others were still focusing on tight race courses.

There were no FPV simulators around when I started, let alone multicopters... started with planes and helicopters, just going for it with a buddy box initially.

 

[NZBob]

Tryp FPV is good these days with good physics and large maps to roam around in and details to play with, last I checked Liftoff and most others were still focusing on tight race courses.

This sounds good and more what I would be interested in. Does it support the DJI RC3 controller?
Thanks!

 

[Kilrah]

If you mean the FPV RC 3, yes

 

[NZBob]

Brilliant! Thanks.

 

[NeoNeo]

Been flying quads for over a decade. But just in angle mode. Think no stabilization in S mode. You need to understand and develop a feel for throttle modulation, backwash, wind sensitivity. DJI stabilization make flying almost too easy. But nice in terms of crash, repair, trash the quad. Manual mode was still a significant jump. Rate mode is significantly different stick skill to angle mode.

So simulator time. LiftOff is wonky on my Intel based Mac Airbook. CurryKitten works fine. Free at GitHub or IIRC paid $1.99 at Steam. Using a RadioMaster Pocket($64 for ELRS model). Saving the gimbals of the FPV RC3 for real flying.

JMHO, Neo makes for a nice "trainer" quad. You can start with some mellow rates and keep the ATTI engaged to prevent over rotation crashing. Pause/brake switch or hitting the mode rocker selection switch usually allows you to bail out of M mode. I cheat on my landings. Switch from M mode to N/S mode. Otherwise I miss the landing pad. Dust and debris are not good for the propellers and motors.

 

[RcHawks]

Been flying quads for over a decade. But just in angle mode. Think no stabilization in S mode. You need to understand and develop a feel for throttle modulation, backwash, wind sensitivity. DJI stabilization make flying almost too easy. But nice in terms of crash, repair, trash the quad. Manual mode was still a significant jump. Rate mode is significantly different stick skill to angle mode.

So simulator time. LiftOff is wonky on my Intel based Mac Airbook. CurryKitten works fine. Free at GitHub or IIRC paid $1.99 at Steam. Using a RadioMaster Pocket($64 for ELRS model). Saving the gimbals of the FPV RC3 for real flying.

JMHO, Neo makes for a nice "trainer" quad. You can start with some mellow rates and keep the ATTI engaged to prevent over rotation crashing. Pause/brake switch or hitting the mode rocker selection switch usually allows you to bail out of M mode. I cheat on my landings. Switch from M mode to N/S mode. Otherwise I miss the landing pad. Dust and debris are not good for the propellers and motors.

Man that's good to know! I have both the RC3 as well as the FPV MC3. I'll have to give it a try and not worry too much now that I have 3 of them.

 

[Christian]

I started with PFV Freerider on Android using DroneMask and a Emax E8 controller. Later I bought a Jumper T20 and a SkyZone Cobra SD goggles. This goggles has mini HDMI input, so I dowloaded the Liftoff + Skydive to my laptops and started practising. I recently replaced the Jumper with the DJI fpv controller 3.

 

[NeoNeo]

CurryKitten simulator, then off to a sport field and onto the near shore ice that formed on L. Superior this past winter. No trees to hit.

 

[jaja6009]

I used Liftoff. I got up to 10 hours before flying FPV Manual/Acro mode.
Once you get the hang of it, it is addictive and downright exhilarating.

A thing to note though, is find anO3/O4 drone as a dedicated woop will have so much more performance than a Neo or even an Avata 2 and you most likely can fix these after a crash.

I am really good now in Liftoff in races, but still a little too scared to rip like I do in it in real life.

 

[NZBob]

I also found Drone Racing League Simulation better than 'Liftoff'. I started with Liftoff and found it didn't help much as a complete beginner, so took a recommendation from this forum to try DRL and it was much better as it has a really good tutorial to get you going!

 

[Droning on and on...]

Simulator.

However, I've recently bought a second Neo so I can use my first more agressively and improve my skills... I'd like to do more true acrobatic flying than I currently can. I'm quite skilled at just flying around, doing basic acro like flips, rolls, emmelmans, etc., but not the split-second 3D stuff that some of you kids out there can do.

 

[RcHawks]

I still haven’t flown in manual mode and I’m not sure if I will or not considering how hard it would be to replace now. I’ve gotten use to flying with the headset and it feels natural and so much easier to make movements and not feel queasy. So easy to fly around a tree at distance that I would never feel comfortable doing with a screen type controller. Zipping around at extreme speeds looks to be fun but for me I think it would wear thin after a while. I always enjoy different flying modes and styles. I’ve been flying drones for about 4 years before adding FPV to the options. I really like using the MC3 and was looking for something more than just flying in the traditional sense until I tried flying FPV. I miss flying planes and this type of flying seems to reminds me of that type of flying. Doing flips and that kind of thing doesn’t appeal to me too much. I’ve done it a few times with my toy drones.

 

[Christian]

I still haven’t flown in manual mode and I’m not sure if I will or not considering how hard it would be to replace now. I’ve gotten use to flying with the headset and it feels natural and so much easier to make movements and not feel queasy. So easy to fly around a tree at distance that I would never feel comfortable doing with a screen type controller. Zipping around at extreme speeds looks to be fun but for me I think it would wear thin after a while. I always enjoy different flying modes and styles. I’ve been flying drones for about 4 years before adding FPV to the options. I really like using the MC3 and was looking for something more than just flying in the traditional sense until I tried flying FPV. I miss flying planes and this type of flying seems to reminds me of that type of flying. Doing flips and that kind of thing doesn’t appeal to me too much. I’ve done it a few times with my toy drones.

Yes, risky business. Even if you practise can happen things. Yesterday I almost crashed the Neo. I flew on a field. Suddenly it dropped all satelites and didn´t react any stick input. The live feed was on, I saw it flies high speed sideways to a line of trees. When I switched back to normal mode, it just slowed down a little. I could lift it up above the trees and when pushed the stop, it stopped. I don´t record flights, no idea what happened... Today I refreshed the FW, calibrated the compass and IMU. Almost got heart attack yesterday. Never happened it before....

 

[RcHawks]

I’ve had one RTH incident a few years back and at the time I thought it was flying away, this was the first flight after an update on my Mavic Air 2. Scared the **** out of me. Amazing what goes thru you head when something like that happens that isn’t normal.