STOP CALLING THEM DRONES!

Hey all, Few years ago my wife had a very major heart attack While I was home helping her rehab, I got into Flite test to keep me busy while I was home with her. I built a Y6 copter which I bought from Y'all. I have yet to manage to get it off the ground and flyable....Appreciate this video and hoping it will help me get through this. Love you guys . God bless

There is only a few people who cannot thank FliteTest for everything in this hobby. They have given us so much!

The one thing I had to get over when learning, coming from fixed wing, was exactly STOPPING the throttle chop reaction, which was built in as a defensive measure I got in fixed wing. It is OK to chop over grass or soft landing areas, but I was learning in a garage because it was too often windy outside. Chopping throttle meant smacking hard into the concrete. I quickly learned to hover because of that. I really had to overcome my reaction to always cut throttle when I got pressured. The other thing I did BEFORE even rising off ground was set up a couple of mini-cones on the concrete and learn to skid the quad around the cones in a figure 8, never getting fully airborne. This really sped up my learning rate. I got the feel of the quad much quicker this way, just providing enough throttle to move the drone around. The sensation of skidding was new to me as a fixed wing pilot til then. After skidding around on the ground, I did get to hovering, etc. and doing figure 8's about 5 feet off the ground around 2 lolly columns in my garage. I think all this sped me into a place where I started enjoying flying, sooner. Just my 2c, maybe a few others will find this helpful.

I just built & configured one of your Gremlins this weekend. I can already fly it line of sight at this point as I used to fly a single rotor helicopter (back when I had more time to repair it, EVERY time I was the slightest disorientated). This little gremlin feels connected to my fingers, the same way the single rotor did. The difference being that now you can even have auto-level on a momentary switch ready to help out. Love the video and look forward to hearing your tips as I learn to fly through the goggles.

I just bought a quad on clearance. And this by far is the most professional and informative video I've come across. As a beginner, small gold nuggets like painting the front of your quad to know where the nose is during flight, walking the dog and figure eights is great to know. Thank you guys for putting this together. I am even more encouraged to become a better pilot.

The best thing I like about these guys is their confidence, and of course, their knowledge and ability to fly all model aircraft. You guys are truly REAL pilots.

My friend is new to this hobby and bought his quad. I recommended this video to him and in less than a month he can fly like a pro. Thank you guys. Its s big help.

great video guys and just what i needed. I started with the Mavic Pro and you are correct, it is so easy it borders on boring. This video let me know it is normal for me to have a hard time hovering my little FrSky brushed quad! Cant wait to practice hovering and then moving on to walk the dog. Thanks and keep the instructional videos coming!

That throwaway comment 'prop up the table' is a bit of a eureka moment for me, makes it really obvious which way to push the sticks when nose in.....thanks guys.

Hi there! I'm 44 years old now and and I want to thank you so very much for such a spot on video that is helping me as a total beginner in this new hobby. Greetings from Portugal.

Love that you guys update this, the original video was extremely instrumental in building my confidence when I started. Not sure if I said it then but thank you guys for all the fun and informative videos.

Thanks for this video guys, I'm 60 years old and going through the "teach and old dog new tricks" issues and this is a big help. Thanks again!

Very nice learning experience for beginners. Can say enough for you guys and what you are constantly doing for our hobby.

taught myself to fly after building one of David Windestål mini tricopters using your first learn-to-fly series. Recommended that series to so many people since then. This is a good update. Thanks guys :)

I still love flying my ft tricopter! So floaty - I love it! That is what got me started in the hobby! Love the wooden booms!

Good solid easy to follow tips that take you from the basic hover,to flying patterns that help you build a skill set that inspires confidence ....Thanks guys !

Best drones flying training video I have watched so far. Thank you 🙏

Excellent. I look forward to the upcoming video series. Great job & keep up the great material!

This is getting saved to favourites. It'll stay there while I gather the tools and start assembling the parts, but this video will definitely be helpful when I begin. Thanks guys.

Thanks for taking us over all the basics again.. I applaud and love the effort :)

I actually really like this video. Everyone else says to immediately start in Acro mode AND in FPV mode, but that doesn't really teach you flying as well. It teaches you how to always respond to a camera feed. I like your baby steps, and I understand the muscle memory progression involved in your 3 steps. I'm still on step 1, and honestly, with the Walkera Rodeo 110, it's SO hard. The throttle is super touchy and those micro adjustments are hard to program into my left thumb, but I'm getting there. Thanks for the video!

Josh, You touched on one subject that I feel may be confusing to new pilots. That being nose in flight. I feel that people get the idea that when they fly nose in. That something has changed electronicly, which it has not. If a new pilot does a nose in, and turns their back to the quad/heli/ plane. Looking over their shoulder at their bird. The controls are the same. If they turn to the right in a nose in flight. The bird is actually turning to it's right. The new pilot needs to orientate their mind to be seated in the bird, looking forward. Nose in, nose out, right or left, seated, facing forward. Not trying to confuse anyone. But, I have never heard anyone explain it fully.

Great vid, exactly what I needed as a new Droner ! Waiting for new drone delivery today! Hope to Hover before sundown. Thanks

The best beginning video I have watched. Great job you guys! 👍🏻 I’m nervous to take my quad out today for the first time but I have much better expectations now of how much time I need to commit to becoming a good pilot and master one skill at a time. Thank you so much!!

You guys ALWAYS do it better! Thank you for this video. I have been 'tiny whoopin' for about 7 months now and got discouraged after crashing my wizard 3 or 4 times. I will try these tips and hopefully get it down this time using airmode

You guys at Flite Test are awesome. I really enjoy watching your videos. Quads or airplanes. Great work!!

Just ran across this video, even though I have been flying quads for a while I enjoyed watching your teaching methods. I will be sure to share this link with some of the guys just starting out flying Quadcopter's. 👍

I really like this big arrow trick. That is very helpful.

Thanks guys for making the process easy to understand.Learning how to hover,Then working the basics like following it around,& keeping facing away may seem elementary,but it makes that eye to hand coordination much easier,& less intimidating than trying to manage it all at the same time...Appreciate all the tips,& your sense of humor helps keep the "learning curve" less painful...

I love all your quad videos! More Gremlins!!! Edit- I just ordered a gremlin!!!!!!

Outstanding primer for the introduction to quad flying! Well produced and information packed. Beginners start here!

2 years ago made and it still helped me dip my toes into the world of Quads 👍🏻

Very glad to see this and always enjoy your videos. I have a Tiny Trainer, and Bushwacker sitting here yet to be built. +100 vote on continuing the series. I've been flying fixed wing (a lot of aerobatics)for over 40 years, and now have a Babyhawk, Lizard 95 and Nighthawk 280, and am DEFINITELY struggling a lot, just LOS, so will try your techniques. I could have missed it, but a very critical detail I didn't hear mentioned is not just "chop the throttle", but DISARM so the silly thing doesn't self destruct - a trait of quads I still can't get used to! It's hard enough to get used to flying electric foam planes bought at a store rather than built from kit or plans. Even including learning to fly, I've never even seriously damaged an aircraft, so the idea of constantly breaking things is also totally foreign, and requires a much different mindset, as I'm always trying to fly so I don't even put a scratch on it, much less thump it into the ground.

Great vid guys! Couldn't agree more with your tips. I suggest making a video on how to set up the quads with a transmitter? Like i would love to buy a gremlin but the main thing stopping me is i have no idea how to set the quad up with any of my transmitters or if they will even work with mine.

I'm watching this after having build (and crashed) my first drone with literally 0 experience on the sticks. I wrote all the code for the TX, I'm using an XBOX controller for controls, the wrong sized motors for my frame (8" props on 1400kV motors dont fit on a 250 frame) So I 3d printed some extensions that were able to bolt on and extend the reach of the frame, finally got it in the air after working with more software issues. Bank limits. Who would have guessed? It started to drift into the street so I did slight right stick to get it back in the grass (but the way the software is written, the full motion of the xbox controller is the 0-100% pwm range of the TX) so it basically flipped 90* sideways and fell out of the air. So I'm writing in sensitivity modes I can switch between so the first mode is a 5% either side limit (for pitch and roll, yaw I'll leave alone for now) swichable up to 10%/20%/50% and 100%, because who knows when FULL RIGHT STICK will be useful. Live and learn I guess. Only casualty was one of the 3d-printed extenders.

Good job on the video, as a semi experienced pilot I found some of the tips useful!! Looking at it as a new pilot I really believe this and the following videos I'm sure is a great way to get familiar with flying quads or any rotor driven r/c!! Always love watching flight test videos, keep up the great work please!!😁👍

Hey Alex, man I hope you're not too scared of all those 'giant miniquads', they are really terrifying... ;P Anyway thanks for another great vid, 'been watching Flite Test for quite some years now. Keep it up guys.

Just purchased my 1st drone about 3wks ago & got a Orbit Pocket Drone. I've searched all over for a tutorial of how to use the stick control & haven't found one on mine. Your illustration of how the controls work were phenomenal, especially when you showed which way the drone went,with your body, when the right & left one was used to control the Drone. That really clicked for me & now will stick w/me & give me the confidence to control it better. Also by 1st starting out hovering & then walking the dog. If you could do a video on my pocket drone i would appreciate it & from what I've seen from other videos it's the easiest to start out with for beginners like me & the control can be a challenge for someone who's never flown anything before. Thanks again!! :)

Thank you! Helpful! Watched it and really improved my learning. Thanks again!

THANK YOU! I just built my first quad (450mm) and this video was very useful!

Hi Flitetest Love your videos thank you very much for this video for helping us and giving us tips on starting on drone thanks :)

This made my day. Thank you!

Great video guys, I think this is very helpful for beginners who haven't had experience with quads yet. Definitely gonna try it out with my Hubsan x4. Keep it up!!

Great video guys, appreciate the tips, can't wait for spring to start my training!

Very well presented and very informative...Best i`ve seen for a student pilot...and it`s spot on. Thank you.

THANK YOU ALEX!... i've already crashed more than 40 times, and when i look at experienced pilots, i used to think i'm slow or i just don't have what it takes to fly a quadcopter, but it DOES take at least a year to get the hang of basics, race quads are nothing like a DJI or the "indoor, self-leveling" rtf mini quads running on brushed motors and a 1s battery with basic plastic radio toy ps: i'm not hating on mini quads or dji, if it flys, i love it

Excellent video. I finally realized why I couldn't fly my little drone, and is because I don't have training !!, now I know what to do. Thank you guys.

Fabulous... This is the best starter lesson I have found on the net. Invaluable. Thanks.

11:02 also it really helps imagining to balance a stick on a finger , this is especially good on mode 2

Love the big arrow, brilliant :)

This video is excellent! I'm more of a ground vehicle guy myself, but I do own some quads, smaller indoor ones and a bigger outdoor one. I haven't really been into flying drones since I don't feel like I'm the best at controlling them like I can with a ground vehicle, but I'm definitely going to give them more chances by following these tips and tricks. Thank you for all of this helpful information and who knows, I might become a drone guy too. :D

Thanks for the wonderful information. The bass music had me going to thinking the neighbors were partying again. A good thing.

Thanks flute test for everything you do, just ordered the simple cub to do bomb drops on

This is an awesome tutorial for flying quads manually.

Thank guys for a great how to fly a drone video, wish I had seen it before I did my first flight. I bought a JJRC X12 and only flew it for about 2 min., before I got into a bit of trouble, I was only about 10ft off the ground when I started to lose control so I just cut the throttle and down it came and did not hurt the drone at all. However after watching your video I feel a lot more comfortable now and will fallow the steps that you point out in your video. Thanks for the advise, I will put it to good use.

11:34 "If you lean right you get light" XD

Excellent tips, thank you!

Very good video for beginners, I learned a lot! Thanks to both of you guys for taking the time to help us beginners.

Can you d a video on tuning and cleanflight basics?

I"ve have learned a lot from you GUYS THANKS

Very well explained, thank you!

Question regarding LOS flying of a 250mm quad: How on earth would you fly at a distance in acro mode? I can barely keep yaw orientation in check, let alone all of my tilts as well.

one of ur best educational video!!! nice one always keep on my favs!!! thanks guys

Great advice guy. It reminds me when I started flying Planes.

Excellent video. I learned something important today. Thank you guys.

Thanks for the easy & helpful lesson!

Thanks Guys ... really excellent teaching, my quad is coming this week, and the next one is a Gremlin

Great video. Many thanks guys. I just bought my first drone and it really helped

Good video and tips! Like the arrow (paint it orange and put "training" in big letters on it :) One comment on the store though is that I find it to be confusing to me as a non-drone potential customer. There seems to be partial kits or complete units but there is something always missing (radio, power pack, etc.). As a buyer it would be nice to see a complete package (eg. gremlin or tiny whoop) with EVERYTHING you need to start flying, to minimize errors in buying the wrong thing. Note: maybe I missed something? on the store like that, I did not find it... Keep up the vids tho, they are great. Cheers, - Eddy

Yawing without affecting throttle is a challenge. I haven't touched an R/C Tx in decades so I have to refresh that muscle memory. On a SIM, I'm like a yoyo for the first few minutes.

RL's recommendation: Do whatever ALEX says... Josh and TJ are fairly good pilots (emphasis on FAIR), but it takes REAL skill to chase their herky-jerky plane flights, and MASTER skills to get both planes in the same shot from the chase copter! :)) Just kidding, Josh and TJ...! You're all EXCELLENT in my book!! Thanks for posting!

What a brilliant video. Really helped me out

Awesome Thanks this is the video I have been able to find that shows a newbie how to fly a quad copter

I've always flown LOS (planes, wings and helicopters) and when I made the switch to FPV, I pretty much had to relearn to fly 👊

Dirty mode 2 users!! I grew up on Arcade and Mario Brothers, you steer with the left thumb :) But all levity aside the arrow is fantastic teaching aid for new people. Good video.

love love love how you organized and presented this video, top notch gentlemen (and ladies if there were any behind the camera)

"not flying directly at myself" no just directly at the picnic ahaha

Awesome video! Love your products!

I'm going to watch these vids like a hawk. I built a ZMR250 clone a while back, but never got the hang of it sticking with my QX350 and Yuneec Q500 drones instead. I still have the ZMR, and I also just picked up a Eachine QX90 to play with indoors. Hopefully I can now progress a little and at least hover for a full pack without crashing. :)

Will this be a series? If so that's awesome

Thanks for the tips! :)

That was very helpful for me I think I'm gonna get a quad now

What an awesome video!

"oh crashing my drone was fine" "oh my drone is un-crashable :("

First one was the DJI 550 Hex kit. Built, programmed from scratch, and used both Phoenix and Real Flite for training six years ago.

Thanks for the video. Still learning.

The arrow is a cool idea, please show how you attached it.

Sure, you post this after I start getting good at LoS... thanks.... 🤣😂 Love you guys more.....

Amazing video guys

"When in doubt, throttle out" came from us motorcycle guys.. It means PIN IT!!!

Practice circles. I like to imagine that looking from above, if you want clockwise, it's always right yaw. Also practice orbits, with camera always facing the pilot. They are easy, clockwise orbit, right yaw plus altitude hold.

Another Great Video Thanks.

awesome video, very helpful.

Not what I expected but it's nice to see a newer, up to date video that's aimed at the clueless beginners 👍

Thank you you guys are always so helpful

I can't seem to find those arrows in Flight Test's store.... When will they be back in stock???

Awesome video! Great for newbies like me!

Hay guys .. this video the most easy best ever one I watched. Thanks a lot

Super vid, Many thanks :)