The most common mistakes when piloting a drone

The most common mistakes when piloting a drone

What are the most common mistakes made by drone pilots and how to avoid them?

When they get their first drone, most people make mistakes they could have avoided. This is mainly due to the impatience of novice pilots to start using their newly acquired device, thus underestimating the possibility that they may break the law, crash or injure themselves or someone else. To prepare for your first trouble-free experiences with your drone, we have prepared a list of the mistakes that are most often made when piloting and what to do to avoid them.

9 common mistakes by novice drone pilots and how not to make them

Each country has its specific laws and regulations regarding drones. Some of the mistakes that can be made are determined by what the regulations are in the country in which you are.

1. Pilot the drone without following the regulations and registering the drone

To avoid this, check if you need to register your drone and what are the regulations in the country you are in.

In Bulgaria, the responsible institution for the registration of drones is the General Directorate "Civil Aviation Administration" (DG CAA). It is responsible for civil aviation oversight and control, including unmanned aerial systems (UAVs). For piloting a drone, permission from the CAA DG is required and providing information on the GPS coordinates of the place where the flight will take place, but under certain conditions. See more in the article Law and regulation for drone management in Bulgaria. Are there any? and on the website of the Directorate-General for Civil Aviation Administration https://www.caa.bg/bg in the part "Activities and services" - Drones.

2. Piloting a drone for commercial purposes without a certificate

Solution: instead of making this mistake, go through the remote pilot training.

If you want to make money using drones, you must be a certified pilot. You must also comply with the safety and regulatory rules in the country in which you are located. As a professional drone operator, you must comply with privacy and personal data protection rights.

In the event of an accident, the person responsible for the unmanned drone is obliged to reimburse for the financial damage. For this reason, European aviation legislation requires insurance.

3. An accident with a drone that you spent a lot of money on

To prevent the loss of a drone in which you have invested a lot, it is good to start with a cheaper drone and practice on a simulator.

A drone accident by a novice operator is something that will happen sooner or later. Therefore, it is good to get a more accessible drone and gradually get used to controlling it.

The other way you can practice drone control is by using a simulator. This way you can get used to the sensitivity of the controller until you decide that you are ready to fly in a real environment. The flight simulator provides a virtual environment in which you can practice worry-free by connecting the controller to your computer.

4. Skip checking the pilot conditions

Always check the airspace conditions. There are free applications and online sources which can help you do that.

Checking that the airspace is appropriate will help you prevent the error of flying in a restricted traffic area or one that requires a special permit to fly. Remember that you need to pilot the drone away from airports.

5. Flying indoors

It may be logical, but there are a lot of pilots who start using their drones indoors. This is extremely dangerous for both the drone and the pilot, the surroundings, and property.

To avoid unwanted accidents, always use your drone outdoors where there are no obstacles, avoiding the presence of other people or animals closeby.

6. No flight and footage planning

One of the main mistakes of novice pilots is that they start their flights without planning their route or shotlist. We have seen a variety of videos in which a drone collides with another object. This can be prevented if you determine where you will fly before the flight. Planning includes an analysis of various factors such as height, distance, wind gusts, and others, and you must not lose visual connection to the device at all times.

If you bring the drone very close to the object you want to capture, it does not mean that the video or photo will be better. Analyze the object and try to plan the movements you will take to create a flight plan. You can take advantage of the different modes that your drone offers to improve framing.

7. Improper battery care

Always follow the correct battery care practices.

If you do not store and use the battery properly, it may have a negative impact on your flight experience. Also, improper battery care can shorten batteries’ lives. This can lead to accidents or loss of connection to the device at a critical time.

Most drones are loaded with lithium-polymer (LiPo) batteries. Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to caring for the LiPo battery:

• After charging the battery to 100%, you must remove it from the charger. If you overcharge it, it may catch fire.
• To protect against accidents, do not use a hot battery, whether the cause is charging or recent use.
• Never store the batteries inside the charger and keep them in a fireproof container, always separated from each other.
• Store the batteries in a dry and cool place without direct sunlight.

8. No understanding of the "Return to home" (RTH) feature

Learn how to activate, properly setup and use the "Return to home" (RTH) feature of your drone.

Failure to understand the "Return to home" (RTH) feature is one of the most common reasons for new drone pilots to crash or lose the device. This mode can help you regain control of your drone if setup properly.

9. Lack of awareness of the environment of the area

The solution is to monitor the environment and make a preflight checklist before the flight.

If you have not previously studied the environment in which you‘ve decided to fly the drone, you must take a few steps in that direction. Make sure the takeoff, landing, and potential emergency landing areas are appropriate and safe. Decide if there is a possibility of magnetic interference. See if there are towers, wires, buildings, tall trees, and other obstacles in the area that you need to consider. See if there are animals or people in the area and take a safe route.

You can find many more useful tips on how to pilot and store a drone in our drone blog. See our suggestions for beginners and advanced drone pilots on our online platform.