These Are 5 Habits of Professional Drone Pilots You Should Do! 

For the professional pilots out there it is worth noting that if you hand launch the drone will be setting its AGL altitude at the height it started which can throw off mapping mission accuracy. While it doesn't matter for media production and it is a skill worth having for any mission requiring repeatable accuracy you aren't going to want to launch that way.

I am honestly Scared of flying in public. I emailed you that story from a few weeks back and I've been being extra cautious with the rules and regulations. I am afraid of someone not understanding. This is why I love your channel! Thank You for taking the Time to read the rules and regulations to help us with our drones! I've watched almost all your videos on Rules!

Russ your tutorials are always great. I don't agree with hand launch or hand catch. When I train first responders to hand launch and hand catch, it done so as an emergency procedure only. I also train pilots to always launch and return with the drone facing away, because our natural tendencies are to push the stick forward if something is going wrong and if the drone is facing away it will fly away from you. Keep up the great work.

As a professional wildlife photographer and videographer, drone flying is fairly new to me as its not something that is used daily in my field of work. I do however use a drone to establish animal tracks, Fox's, Badgers, etc, and getting up high using a drone allows me to locate preferred routes taken by these animals because the flattend grass is a give away. I do however, as a fairly new flyer agree that being bold, in the open and, in peoples faces does make all the difference. I wear a visivest with my operator ID clearly shown and I stand out like sore thumb. I have never been approached whilst adopting this stance. I do however need to fly more often and watching your informative video's is a great help to a newbie, so thanks.

Hand launching is a must do for me on construction sites and rough areas. I hate the drone getting in the dust. Sometimes I launch from clean concrete or asphalt if it is available. On some occasions I use the drone case as a launch pad too. However, most of the time, esp in areas with tall grass I just use the hand launch and recovery. Battery management is another thing I pay a lot of attention to. Both my charging, storage and I turn on the voltage display because I want to see if it is having voltage sag if I have been flying it hard. I also turn off most of the safety settings even obstacle avoidance. Sometimes that will give you the jerky footage you mentioned. I prefer just to fly it. I suppose my experience flying FPV drones through small gaps has given me more confidence in things like that with the larger drones. The expo settings is also an important tool to being smooth.

I have been flying a mini 2 for several months now and love your educational videos. I can definitely identify with making quick moves and no-cinematic videos.

I would expect most pro drone pilots do a complete pre flight check before take off. Check the condition of the props, go over RTH settings, wait for a significant # of satellites etc

Thanks Russ - especially about being loud and proud! :)

Practice, practice, practice...that's a golden rule I love to hear from professional pilots and that comforts me about the time I'm spending out flying my drone 😊 Definitely learned a key point about the Expo settings and will apply this not later than today. Thanks for this great video!!

Glad to know the 2nd step is something I've been doing from the start ever since my Mini 1. And pretty much stay in normal mode in even my Air 2S, it becomes muscle memory after a while to get those smooth turns and gimbal control at the same time. And definitely learned staying visible from my land camera and photo journalism days. Being out in the open, confident, and approachable makes you far less suspicious.

Very informative video. Thank you.

Very helpful and informative episode, Russ! I've been a recreational Mini guy until recently. I've added the Mavic 3 to my lineup and fell in love with it. I'm considering taking the part 107. Thanks to your videos, I realize drones can be much more than just a hobby.

Thanks Russ!!!! Good info!!!

Mavic 3 Pro being hand caught 😲

Awesome stuff and thanks for the teaching !!!

great ideas. good work. thanks and good flights.👋👌👍

Great video!! I love point #3! Great stuff, man!

Great tips... Wish this video was out 9 months ago... Had to figure these settings and movements out on my own! Learned by experience. Thanks for sharing!

Great advice,thank you sharing.

Been flying DJI for nearly 10 yrs. very happy to hand launch and catch my Phantoms but never done it with my Mavic, don’t know why just fingers too close to blades I think. Gonna give it a go now after watching this. Thanks Russ.

For catching the drone, I have always favoured facing the drone away from the operator. If you're a beginner facing the drone away from you means manoeuvring the drone is simpler, with left is left! Some beginner pilots could get themselves into a mess, having to remember to put the opposite stick input in to adjust positioning against some wind or something if the drone is face towards them

Just fantastic! You are always amazing!

Thanks Russ. I so agree. As I go through RU-vid, when I come across a bad sequence, I usually close it and move on. Smooth flying is the key.

Thank you very much. Very clear and informative

Great stuff! Thank you

Very good info!! Thanks!!

very useful Video, thank you for sharing.

That is why I almost always wear a safety vest, and I always take time to stop what I'm doing to interact with anyone approaching to me with curiosity and questions (we are humans after all, don't we?) I have come to realize that is my composure what makes the difference.

This was excellent

Awesome video. I’m a new pilot and this was very helpful. Thank you!

Excellent work, thank you.

Excellent video, Russ! The things you touched on were exactly what I had in mind, as I have been flying commercially since around the same time you have as well. One thing you could touch on is the importance of setting up your home point, and having a clear return to launch site route (especially the vertical descent portion). This has saved me more than once when I had a phone die, lost signal in a big city, coupled with sudden loss of VLOS. Being able to trust the device to bring itself home, (and actually land itself if need be), is critical for mission safety. However, the biggest reason for this is when you are unable to return to the launch site when you need to land, (assuming you cannot land in your current location). I have also had the unfortunate experience of this in a big city at night. But, I knew that I had taken off in a perfectly clear area where no cars would be driving, no wires, no trees, no people - so I was able to trust the drone to come home and land. Sure enough when I got back 15 minutes later after a whirlwind of wrong turns and heavy traffic, the drone was perfectly safe.

expo setting info is much appreciated. thank you. Great Vids.

Thank you for showing those expo settings. I’m pretty new and wasn’t really sure what those were affecting. That helps a ton to see examples.

Great tips on flying, thank you

Excellent video, thanks

Thanks ! Great video! I agree with you...practice is most important. When I was flying for the first time I thought ... Ooh this is not for me, but every minute, every hour spent in flight makes you love flying a drone. Thanks to people like you, we learn. Thanks!

Thank you Russ, good information to know.

Due to poor depth perception, I sometimes miss the landing pad. I can and have hand launched and caught my drones, however I prefer to launch from the pad so that it will be the home point if I need to use RTH. Due to not having the greatest memory anymore, I use the automated flight modes during the day because you can do so much more with the sticks while the the drone keeps itself focused on the subject. When you are trying to circle, elevate, and keep the gimbal on the subject, that is a lot to think about. I know that for most it can become second nature like driving a car, but not for all, especially when being older when starting the hobby. It isn't just drone flying, many RU-vidrs don't know how to pan a camera, or edit out the unwatchable scenes.

( mostly DJI ones ) That's right RUSS,,Represent what we love the Best FAMILY!!!!!

Great video. Changing my settings asap!

I really appreciate your help. Again I learned a lot. Thanks

I've only really started my drone hobby this spring with a cheaper model. I'm a bit shy yet of flying straight up to the maximum altitude of 100 meters with a drone. But little by little I'm starting to trust the drone, so I think that's it. Time is well spent when you first start looking for a place and what kind of images you can capture there. Then you fly for about 30 minutes and take video and pictures. Then at home you edit and put it on RU-vid. It's a fun hobby.😊

Great Expo explanation and demo!

Thank you so much for informative video ❤❤❤

Very helpful, thank you. I subscribed.

Thanks bro!

Thank you for this video! I am a completely brand new drone owner. I am waiting for some good weather to get started, and not crash. Thinking about safety (and not cinematography), this reminds me of the old saying there are old pilots and bold pilots. Slow and low is what I'll go.

Been practicing the hand launching and landing from my hand while sitting in my lounge chair out on the deck. That’s the bomb…. Love doing that and it’s fun. Makes me look like an expert 😂

Hey Rus, thanks for these tips especially the EXPO settings that most YTbers stay away from! You should also take about the gimbal settings and the best values for each mode, especially for cinematic. As for hand launch and catching, I’ve largely stayed away from catching it unless the ground below is crowded or uneven. For hand launch, it’s no problem and I do the same! However, for hand catching, I allow the drone to descend to slightly above head height and say 4ft/1.5m away from me, then raise my hand under its belly and catch with 3 fingers. And I really love waypoints and autonomous flying especially hyperlapses.

Very Good Video. Definitely learned something.

Thanks Russ

I always hand launch and land with it facing away in case I make accidental stick movement then left forward movements etc go the right way so not having to think of making opposite movements in an emergency

Hello! New to drones and new to your channel! Love all your videos and I'm currently binge watching your library. Keep up the great work!

Some more good tips Russ.

Russ! Awesome video. Launch the drone away from you, down wind. No obstructions down wind! Much like the Expo settings, you need to tweak the Gimbal Control, speed and smoothness. You hit it on everything else! Nice

Great tutorial short to point and clearly spoken. Thanks

Great instructional and refresher video for beginners and long time Pilots like myself 👍🏽👍🏽

Great video!

Thanks for teaching me the expo settings. I'm going to adjust those the next time I fly!

Definitely a big help man! I’m new to the drone thing so I’m learning and yea at times i definitely get nervous about where to fly it and other people but I’m getting better (thanks to your videos) and this video helped tremendously lol 👍🏽👍🏽

Great video! I just started flying last week. This video is very helpful. Hand catching is my favorite way to land by far. All the snow lingering around has really helped force me into the habit. 😅

Intermediate pilot here. Excited about changes in the controller. Thank you!!!!

Russ "BIG" Thank you for teaching us all this valuable stuff !! 👍

Excellent presentation, as usual! Expo settings review w/live demonstration was outstanding. Probably will try hand launching at some point in time, but not convinced it's my recreational style. Thanks for sharing.

I'm not flying yet but sure do appreciate all that you share. Hands down the best I've been watching

Thanks for the Expo tips. I will use them on all my four drones....

I found that really helpful as a drone pilot. It’s something that I will certainly work on. Thank you very much for those tips. They were very helpful.

Great share, thank you. Yea, I do most of the things that you do in this video, except, I’ve never hand caught or launched a big drone like the Mavic. 👍 Rog from Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

We use leg extensions for the Air 2S. They work great and protects the gimbal and motors very well.

Good tips, as always, Russ . I love getting that great shot, I am looking for, pumping my arm , and saying " yes thats it".!

Thank you for pointing out the custom stick controls, I had no idea about that

Love your videos. I am practicing a lot, but have not tried to hand launch/land yet. Seems a bit scary. Right now I am working hard on making more cinematic footage. You are right that it takes practice practice practice. I will be looking at my settings that you demonstrated… thanks for the tips.

I learn every time I watch drone Videos. Working towards the 107.

Hey Russ! Nice video, thanks for posting it. I started flying drones when you did - maybe to the day - and have been following you ever since. I'm usually in complete agreement with you on pretty much everything, but... when it comes to hand launching/catching, I only do it when absolutely necessary. As you recommend, I did it enough times initially to get comfortable with it, but whenever possible, I avoid it and use a landing pad. One time, I launched my (then) Mavic 2 Pro from the balcony of a hotel we were staying in. That part went fine, but on return, it was a little windy and there was an overhang that blocked the drone from satellite view as I flew back into the balcony. The drone was difficult to control and I aborted my first couple of landing attempts in the limited space on the balcony. I finally decided to hand-catch it, but right as I went to squeeze it, a gust if wind made it pitch, and one of the blades nicked one of my fingers. It barely touched it, but even so, it laid it open pretty well, and there was a lot of blood. I know there is a teachable moment here about flying off of balconies, and I haven't done so since. I have also made several hand-catches since, but it was kind of like getting back on that horse that bucked you off (I've been there, too). I am an equally ambitious musician as drone photographer, and I need to keep all my fingers intact! Thanks again for all the great content you produce.

Just ordered my 1st drone and I am so excited !

Excellent tips on the gain and exposure settings. I always enjoy your content - coming from Australia 😊

I agree with hand launching a Mavic drone, very easy and keeps the Mavic out of the grass and dirt!

Cool.

I find it very interesting when it comes to educational drone flying, or camera movements? We can never stop learning when it comes to drones? Even professional pilots would be interested in the next best thing when it comes to flying. I really appreciate your time, and videos you put out Russ. They really make a lot of sense at the end of the day. I always try something new when I'm out flying just to remind me the fun of flying really is. Thanks for sharing. See you in the next video. 👍👍👍

Very good device.

Once again Russ, home run! Good vid!

In urban conditions, I have been wearing a green vest for the last six months. It works well. Thanks for the great video Russ.

Had to watch this because always interested in what others think professional muscle memory is all about. To be fair, I do care less about what I look like while flying commercial jobs, and I have zero interest in hand launching. Those props are just too close to your head when doing that. Lanyard is a solid suggestion. Love the rest of the guidance! Being comfortable when flying commercially is key. Great stuff 51Drones!

KEEP ON FLYING

Example will always catch the attention. Thanks for showing them. (More obvious now)

Good video.

Looking like I'm working works for me. I have a digital notepad (remarkable 2, I love it, check it out) that I sometimes take notes on during flights, a lanyard from my job as a city employee, and I bring printouts of my flight plan with me to show people and to help explain the purpose of my flight. It also helps is to pre-empt an encounter by introducing yourself when you can (it's easier when you're filming around businesses) and asking permission even if you don't really need it. That relieves some anxiety on both sides, they may feel less like you're up to no good and you don't have to worry that they may initiate a confrontation. I usually have some 'work-sounding' purpose for my flights so it helps to be able to explain to people nervous about privacy or property lines what you're doing. Some of my real-life examples are: - Introducing myself to the owner of a large Christmas tree farm in a rural area, and explaining that some of his neighbor's livestock is missing and might be around the creek near his farm. That one even turned into a couple of points of contact for some possible drone-related work. - Explaining to a homeowner on the other side of a storm drainage ditch that was I was doing was looking for blockages and debris in the drainage ditch. Nobody likes their streets and yards to flood during storms, so confrontation avoided. - Flying around some vacation home properties on a lake, I got approached by a lady wanting to know why I was on this property flying around this lake house. I explained this was my brother-in-law's house and they rent it out for events and vacations and I was getting footage for promotional purposes. Once she convinced that I was actually related to the owners she went on her way. The end, no real cool finale to that story. -First day with my Mini 2 about two years ago, practicing my terrible beginner skills in a abandoned theater parking lot a guy in a sketchy looking pickup truck pulls into the parking lot and asks me what I was doing. I had that initial 'this dude finna steal my drone' vibe, but it turns out his brother was a teacher at a high school and they had an extracurricular drone club and wanted to know if I wanted to link up with this club. If you always know the purpose of your flight, and you've thought about how to explain it just in case you have to, and you can anticipate what the objections might be, you're better prepared for any encounters. And if you don't seem sketchy or evasive or dodgy, people generally respond more with curiosity than suspicion. If you don't really have a purpose and you're just practicing some basics or having fun, I find that being conspicuous is a good policy. City parks are good. Empty is best but if not, then the busier the better. People are less likely to feel like you're watching them specifically in a busy place. I avoid places with a reputation for the kinds of activities people like to do without being seen, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout. I avoid places with single parents and children or (especially) unaccompanied children, I probably don't have to explain why. Fly with your drone where everybody can see it and within a few feet of yourself, it looks more like you're filming (only) yourself or your immediate surroundings. Don't fly from your car or behind a tree. it makes you look like a stalker. And my number one best practice is, if somebody asks me to stop flying or to leave, I just do it, even on public property. People will act as if what they wish were true is actually the law (pertaining to the expectation of privacy, right-of-way and easements, airspace 'ownership' and permission to appear in a recording ) and you won't be able to change their minds on the spot. I've only had this happen once, and I basically indicated I would land and stow right away, then explained what I was doing - after - I started RTH. Trying to justify your task and purpose when they might be in a heightened state is ill-advised. Give 'em what they want and come back later if you have to. A few seconds of footage (which is all you'll realistically use in most finished products) is not worth ruining anyone's day, especially yours.

great video. We have a wooden chapel like that down here in Rapid City, SD

Check out the Cotton Carrier Flytdeck. It holds the controller in front of your belly. I got one for my birthday and I love it.

Thanks for the tips, Russ. Cheers from Wisconsin.

Your drone lessons are fantastic. I just purchased my 1st drone (I'm 72). I use to do photography with film cameras (usually of dinosaurs :-)) taking picture of my children growing up in the 80s. My photos now are snap shots from a cell phone (sadly). So I am just getting into this because it looks so cool and have been wanting to get back into photography. I have watched several of your videos and have learned so much (and have so much more to learn). My DJI Air 3 should arrive tomorrow. I don't want to just try flying it using trial and error. Thank you for helping me learn.

I like this video. Only yesterday I flew in front of people and was really confident as you suggested for the first time. British seaside town, safe area great place to launch from but there was a couple near by. I even told them what I was doing and if they’d mind if I launched in their vicinity (again far enough away so it’s safe and compliant). What surprised me is loads of people where saying look a drone etc. everyone was fine, I got to explain its really a form of photography or videography.

some times I enjoy a jerky fast turning video more than a video with a bunch of chopped up short cuts put together. I I get your point. Thanks for the fine videos you do.

8:43 I’m dying 😂😭 Ordering a vest now.

Beyond happy I just found this video and channel. New sub

Great info bro…I tend to hide a little bit when I’m about to fly my drone under tree or by my car ..but sometimes I try look for a shadow like under a tree for a better view of the screen or tend to wear a big round sombrero to make showdown to the screen

9:18 messing with the expo settings; that's me! Before I flew my new Mavic 3 Pro I adjusted the expo settings for very fine control at small joystick movements; the "exponent" means that the final portion of a joystick travel gets all the way to full control in case you need rapid response. But most of the time I need careful control so I make modest adjustments to yaw and braking in particular. I don't need or want abrupt movements when making a movie.

I've been watching tons of videos on how to use all the flight modes to get good video, now you tell me I have to do it all manually??? You are killin me brother!!

With this geometry (dead cat frame type) hand catch facing drone to you, it looks like props are little more far away from your head. BUT, I find it’s a lot easier to manouver drone facing it’s back to me when I fly LOS mode to hand catch it. Nice tips you have. Thank you.