Drone guide: what to do before you fly

Flying a drone is one of the best feelings and is often an exciting thing to do, especially for the first time. As a result of this excitement, you might overlook a few pre-flight steps that will ensure you, your drone, and those around you are safe.

Below is a list of the things that you should always check before any drone flight:

• Check for new firmware
• Check propellers
• Charge and check batteries
• Check MicroSD card
• Check rules and flight area

Check for new firmware

Something that most of us have faced over the years is a new firmware version being available right before take-off, resulting in delayed flying in the field. Checking for new firmware before flying at home or at your office is a must. Not only does it save you time when it comes to flying, it means you don't have to wait around for the drone to update and prevents you from having to pay data fees for possibly going over your cap.

Check propellers

Propellers are often forgotten about when flying a drone. Since the propellers keep the drone in the air it is important to check them for any defects or cracks. Doing so before a flight will save you time overall and prevent you from losing your drone.

Charge and check batteries

Hours before or even a day before you plan on flying charge your batteries. Having batteries that aren't fully charged or empty is not fun and will ruin your experience.

It is also important to check your batteries for any bulging or errors in the app. Both often mean there is an issue with the battery and it's better to not use it.

Check MicroSD card

Before you leave for a flight check and make sure the MicroSD or SD card is inserted in your drone. There is no fun in not being able to capture photos or videos on location. Some drones do have built-in storage, but it is often minimal and fills up fast.

Check rules and flight area

 Make sure you are flying in a legal area! As drones have become more popular over the last few years, countries around the world have implemented rules to keep your drone and crewed aircraft safe. Before flying ensure you check up on the drone rules in your country and use a drone safety app that tells you if its safe and legal to fly your drone.

Check out Australia's drone safety apps here.

Check out the United States' drone safety app here.

Image: DJI

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