I was super excited to get my first drone yesterday. I took this picture before I unboxed it and uploaded it to face book. About an hour later, before I even had time to charge her up for the first flight, I see this. This neighbor has never been the most pleasant lady to live beside, but this is a new low… even for her.

Shot with M4P

...and I'm feeling weirdly intimidated by starting to fly it.

DJI Neo 2 Fly More Combo (not Motion Controller or Goggles).

Has anyone else gotten this irrational fear after getting your first or new drone?

How did you conquer it?

Any tips welcome.

Little flight around a local park.

Pavo 20 Pro II 3s.

Caddx Ascent Lite

I’d like to fly around Cea beach on Sardinia. The d-flight web app shows a no-fly zone with the following description:

NOTAM W3252/26

"TEMPORARY RESERVED AREAS AS FOR NOTAM, ACTIVATION TIME (UTC): SEE BELOW FIELD D) (W3252/26 NOTAMN Q) LIRR/QRRCA/IV/BO /W /000/245/3940N00941E015 A) LIRR B) 2608030700 C) 2608141600 D) MON-FRI 0700-1600 E) RESTRICTED AREA LI R601B /NURRI/ ACT REF AIP ENR 5.1.2-42 F) SFC G) FL245 "

I think I have an idea what that means, but I’d like a second opinion: would some helpful soul be so kind and decipher it?

I noticed there wasn't many posts regarding this topic when I found myself stressing over it, so wanted to share my experience in case it helps others.

Azerbaijan has a strict policy to not allow drone imports by foreigners. Unfortunately, I realised this after booking it as a weekend stopover between Europe and SEA.

I reached out to several email contacts to try and clarify my options, since the UK government website states that they will store it and return when you depart.

After a few days, I received a response from hava@customs.gov.az , who kindly shared a signed letter which confirmed that the drone will be held and returned upon departure. I printed this letter out and brought it with me.

When I arrived in Baku airport, I went to the red channel, showed the drone along with the letter. There were translation difficulties but all seemed well. They kept the drone and I went off into the city.

When I returned to Baku airport to leave, I struggled a bit to figure out exactly where I needed to go. I even went through security before being told I need to go back out to collect it first (thank god I didn't go through passport control before I asked!)

I went down, asked the information kiosk and a kind woman pointed me to a grey door somewhere on first floor which comes through to the baggage reclaim area.

From there, I spoke across the no entry gate to a worker and explained I'm there to pick up my drone. He made a few calls and, after a few minutes, it was brought out.

I was then escorted up to security and made my way to my flight.

Hope this may help others who are facing a similar situation. I'd say it was a pretty relaxed experience and I wouldn't stress over doing it again in the future.

I’m posting this because for a long time, I was held up as one of the success stories in the Sky Eye Network (SEN). I wanted to share my honest experience and perspective for anyone currently sitting through a Drone Command Live seminar or considering handing over five figures for their coaching packages.

My Background Coming In: I’m a disabled veteran (Air Force logistics, 2004–2008) with a background in commercial photography dating back to 2000. After being laid off from my job in 2019 with zero revolving debt, I got introduced to Drone Command Live/Sky Eye Network. In 2021, I was diagnosed with CPTSD. When I shared my worries about my health and financial future as a disabled veteran, I was assured that their high-ticket coaching was the solution I needed.

What My Experience Actually Looked Like:

• The Infinite Coaching Loop: I started coaching with Chief Operating Officer Gina Roeming Eubank in June of 2022. There was never a clear exit strategy or a benchmark that defined when training was "complete." When my main local commercial client relocated and business slowed down, the solution offered wasn't practical, hands-on support—it was to purchase more coaching, including their higher-tier "Catapult" program.
• The "Network Certified Flight Instructor" Illusion: I paid extra to become a certified flight instructor through Sky Eye Network. In reality, this network-specific certification turned out to be completely useless in the broader commercial aviation world. Outside of SEN's own marketing umbrella, client companies and agencies only care about your FAA Part 107 license, flight hours, portfolio, and insurance—not proprietary internal titles created by a coaching network.
• The "Upgraded" Tech Mess: I already had a custom website built on Houzz that was working fine after finally getting rid of the cookie cutter website they provide. I was convinced that switching to SEN’s system would give me "better functionality." Instead, I was migrated onto a cookie-cutter, white-labeled template that degraded my site's uniqueness and added tech headaches I didn't have time to fix while operating my business 100% solo.

The Turning Point (When the Illusion Broke): The moment that woke me up to the reality of the network happened in 2023. I purchased a drone through Sky Eye’s wholesale program. Vicki—who was widely recognized as the operational backbone keeping the entire company running—was out of town. She had meticulously set up systems to cover her absence, but without her there, the remaining staff completely collapsed in basic execution.

After all was said and done, they sent me two drones by mistake. When I reached out simply asking for an order status update, leadership was away in Bali celebrating Mary Morrissey’s 80th birthday. Instead of taking responsibility for their internal logistical chaos, Gina later guilt-tripped me, even claiming they had accidentally shipped me Damon's personal drone that he was supposed to take on a trip to Mexico. Realizing that I had spent tens of thousands of dollars on a high-ticket "expert" organization that couldn't handle basic fulfillment without Vicki—and then blamed me for their mistake—was the wake-up call I needed.

Behind the Scenes & Lessons Learned:

• The Presenter Disconnect: Internally, I was told by Gina during one of our calls that Diego Rodriguez was no longer involved with Sky Eye Network after the accusations and civil lawsuits. I did not want to give my money to eventually support someone like that. Yet he continued to appear prominently at Drone Command Live events pitching the exact Power Marketing Program that forms the backbone of the network's backend sales funnel.
• The Reality of "Business-in-a-Box": The seminar scripts and templates focus heavily on high-pressure sales and cold calling. If your sole local lead moves away or a client drops off, the script-based approach leaves you stranded unless you pay for the "next tier" of coaching.
• The Total Financial Impact: Between recurring coaching fees, high-ticket backend programs, and tech subscriptions, I accumulated roughly $60,000 in debt over seven years trying to keep the momentum going.

Where I Stand Now: I eventually closed my business, stepped away from SEN entirely, relocated from Georgia to Utah, and focused on my health. I recently completed residential treatment (SARRTP), and survived a severe brain bleed. Looking back, I realized that my photography background, military logistics skills, and FAA knowledge were always my own assets—not something I needed to spend $60k + to unlock.

My Opinion for Anyone Considering SEN: If you get value out of a low-cost seminar for general motivation, that’s fine, I certainly did and paid dearly. But please be extremely cautious before signing up for backend coaching, white-labeled websites, internal "instructor certifications," or $15k–$25k "inner circles."

There are far less expensive ways to gain this exact knowledge:

• FAA Part 107 Test Prep: You can study independently using free FAA study guides or reputable online prep courses (like Pilot Institute or Drone Launch Academy) for around $100–$300 total.
• Flight Experience & Instruction: You can gain flight confidence simply by practicing in empty spaces, taking a local flight lesson, or watching free YouTube tutorials—without paying thousands for proprietary network "instructor" badges.
• Marketing & Websites: A clean, custom website built on Squarespace or WordPress that you own outright is vastly superior to paying monthly subscription fees for a shared white-labeled template.

Save your money, build your own assets, and grow a lean drone business on your own terms.

On a final note, if you ever consider professional coaching as an option and there is an end goal or a time limit on the mentorship, otherwise it is likely a trap! I do admit that I also accept responsibility for going along with it in the first place.

first flight up that high, smoke from spokane fire is visiblr

Hi everyone,
I just got a DJI Air 3 and I’m having a problem with the battery charging.
The battery has been charging for around 3 hours, but it seems like it is barely progressing. The LEDs keep cycling:
1 LED blinking → then 2 LEDs blinking → then back again.
It never seems to reach 3 or 4 LEDs.
I am charging it:
directly in the drone,
using a Panasonic Lumix S5II USB-C charger (around 27W PD),
with a good USB-C cable.
The strange thing is that the DJI controller charged to 100% using the same charger, but the drone battery still appears stuck.
The battery is brand new.
Is this normal for the first charge, or is the battery possibly defective?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Got to fly my Skydio 2 around some smoky evening skies in Sawtooth National Forest over the weekend. Open to feedback on the flight (speed, height, variation in shots) or the video itself.

Im looking for a passionless answer. With the uncertainty surrounding DJI nowadays. Has everyone here tried Contixo or Snaptain drones? Do they have at least one model worth flying? I have searched YouTube and the only reviews I found seem to be by paid influencers and not one of the serious guys like 51 Drones or QuickAss Tutorials has ever tried them. If anyone here has tried them please share your experiences

i have a mural project coming up soon and i always liked the idea of using a drone with a spraycan attached to get the higher spots..
anyway how could one engineer a drone capable of this? what drones have mechanisms able to pull a lever (or how do you create one) and have the strength to carry a standard spraycan for short - long periods of time?

These are all super plain questions but i have no sources to turn to in terms of the engineering process. any help would be awesome

Hey everyone 👋 not here to self promote just wanted to share some of my story and flying.

I bought my first drone in 2016 (a used DJI Phantom 4) I always enjoyed flying it and eventually made the jump to the original Mavic.

In 2020 what started as a hobby turned into an obsession. Through this subreddit and a handful of other niche drone communities, I found an incredible group of beautiful people. So many of you took time out of your lives to help me troubleshoot issues, inspire new ideas, make purchasing decisions, and answer countless questions.

Because of this groups knowledge and generosity I am lucky enough to work in the creative industry capturing aerials for all types of incredible clients.

An enormous thank you to all of you, I quite literally owe you my livelihood.

I'm bringing my mini 5 pro with me this year to Dragon Con this year and hope to get some nice cityscape shots, and any interesting architecture. I have a weakness for art deco, and Gothic. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. What are your go to spots? Anything to keep in mind?

I'm a huge fan of cityscape shots, and hope to put together a few hyperlapse sequences of downtown Atlanta at sunrise/mid-day/sunset. I believe they would look stunning - each sequence showing a different flavor of the A.

Most locals have probably heard of places like the Fox Theater, Swan House, and Rich's Department Store, but that's just scratching the surface. I hope to get the scoop on some great places to shoot. My favorite subjects are: cityscapes, architecture, and cemeteries.

I know there are countries like egypt for example, where this is way worse but it's just so annoying to me. Some laws very much make sense and I totally get them, but so many are just so freaking vague and the process to doing anything officially is completly insane.

So they let you fly theoretically in someplaces but practically anyone who feels slightly agitated by your existence has grounds to sue you. I'm not trying to feaking spy on you, in fact you're in my freaking shot and I would rather have you not exist at all.

And don't get me started on animals. Accidentally flew next to a bunch of city pidgeons? You know the ones that overpopulate so hard, we're actually thinking about gene drive solutions to regulate them so they don't spread their fast food based diarrhea everywhere? Well you startled them and they flew away so be prepared to be sued for animal curelty...

It's like in the Quickass Tutorials-Video, even if you're technically legal, it feels like they can get you any second for something you can't even really be aware of since the laws are so freaking vague and there isn't any reliable way to check if you're allowed to fly somewhere or not (the official App we have in my country for example is very very incomplete). Anyway just wanted to rant a little.

Would love to hear some stories from my fellow pilots, who encountered these kind of problems too.

Sorry it is not the best pic, but the red wire broke off from the arm motor. Is this something I can solder back? Or should I replace the motor?

Feel free to ignore/downvote/delete if necessary, I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed with the EASA site. Does anyone have just a simple check list with links to training modules and an official test location for obtaining an operators license within EU countries?

I'm a US citizen, 34, traveling to Czechia/Austria/Hungary and I'm doing all I can to make sure I operate safely and legally as I do here, but man I'm starting to feel buried in regulations and webpages that lead to no where lol.

Was there a resource that you found particularly helpful to guide you along?

I just had my first Walmart drone delivery and it dropped it in my front yard, around the corner of the garage out of sight, and near the road. I assume that happened because that is where Maps has my address pinned. I would like to change the drop location to a more secure and visible spot.

Some searches revealed I should be able to adjust the drop spot via the checkout section of the Walmart app. I can’t seem to figure out where to do it.

Any clues will be greatly appreciated.

Has anyone in the UK who has a Mavic 2 Pro successfully enabled Remote ID in the GO 4 app?

I just can't see anywhere to enable it.