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Five cardinal mistakes you want to avoid with DJI Drones

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If you own a DJI drone like the DJI Mavic Pro or the Mavic Air there are some things you want to avoid. Some will screw your drone, while others may kill your mission. Here is our top five list of cardinal mistakes with a DJI Drone and how to avoid them.

1. Leaving the plastic dome on when flying

The Mavic comes with a little plastic dome that is used to protect the drone while in transport or storage. It was never intended to be used while the drone is in the air. For a weird reason, DJI includes a silicon protection piece that protects the dome from scratches. This might make you think that scratch-free mean good for flight, but it’s not. definitely not! if you use this dome while the drone is flying, it blocks the air intake which is needed to cool the camera and gimbal. Take it off.

2. Leaving the plastic gimbal catcher on when flying

If you went through the first step and removed the plastic dome, you are not quite done yet. There is another plastic piece that needs to be removed. The gimbal is protected by a small plastic “catcher” which locks the gimbal in place when it’s not used. If you fly off with this little piece of plastic attached, the gimbal can not move.

The good: the remote will sigmal that you probably forgot the plastinc thing on. The bad: Why is DJI even allowing the drone to take off with this little pieace atatched.

3. Not Checking for Firmware updates

Have you ever wanted to fly and said: “let’s just do that quick firmware update”? probably not, because firmware updates are not quick, they make take up to 30-40 minutes and drain the battery from both the remote and the drone. Make sure you have updated firmware before you fly.

4. Not planning for NFZs

NFZ = No Fly Zone, and it means just that. If you are in an NFZ, the drone will not take off. Plan ahead and make sure you are not planning to take off or fly into an NFZ. These apps can help out: AirMap for Drones, No Fly Zone, where2fly. If you have the relevant commercial license you can use the DJI GO app to request flying permission a few days in advance. If you are just having fun, forget it, just find a different area.

5. Not turning phone calls and notifications off

Don’t forget, this is a phone. Unless you say otherwise, incoming calls will take priority over anything else, including your DJI GO app. Make sure to either use a dedicated device for the remote or turn all interruptions off by going into airplane mode.

[Five cardinal mistakes you want to avoid with the DJI Mavic Pro]

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About Udi Tirosh

Udi Tirosh is the Founder and Editor in Chief of DIYPhotography, he is also a photographer, a relentless entrepreneur, a prolific inventor and a dad, not necessarily in that order

  • Frank Hedges

    The gimbal cover dome IS designed to be used in flight. DJI even has pictures of it being used in flight. Yes the rubber cover is designed to protect it from scratches so the video won’t show scratches. You get a lot of glare when using it, but it’s handy if taking off/landing in dirty/sandy areas.

    • Lee Pierce

      Of course you can fly with the cover and it was designed to do so. I believe the author is trying to convey that you will get more from your 4k camera and quality images without the dome. …but to your point in some conditions it can be helpful.

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