Top 10 Things To Know Before Buying A Drone

Buying a drone can sometimes be difficult...

You might be confused as to what you are getting yourself into. For example, you might ask, what do I need to know when buying a drone? What is the best drone for me? Where is the best place I can buy drones from?

In this Drone Safe Store blog, we will be explaining the most important things that you will need to know before you purchase a drone!

1. “The Law” - What are the laws with flying drones?

When purchasing a drone you need to know how you can fly safely and legally to protect yourself and others. It is also important as you can get into trouble while flying illegally. 

When you purchase a drone before you fly it you must have a Flyer ID and Operator ID to fly legally, depending on what drone you decide to fly. For example, the DJI Mini 2 only requires an Operator ID as it is under 250g, not a toy, and has a camera.

Any class-marked drone from C1-C4 requires that you have a Flyer ID and Operator ID and C0 (Not a toy with a camera) requires an Operator ID only. C0 which is a toy without a camera doesn’t require either an Operator or Flyer ID to fly.

For more information about what your drone requires (Operator ID/Flyer ID) Please view the CAA’s website by clicking here.

2. “The Right Drone” - What drone is the right one for me?

When looking to buy a drone you might be confused because there are so many drones for sale! If you are just starting and looking for something portable, easy to fly, and great at taking images we would recommend the DJI Mini 2. To find out why the DJI Mini 2 is the best start drone click here.

If you are already flying drones and want to change how you fly your drones the DJI FPV drone might be the one for you. You can fly with a completely different view as you have the goggles. For more information about the DJI FPV drone please click here.

3. “Drone Insurance” - Do I need drone insurance?

Before buying a drone you might ask yourself, Do I need drone insurance? If you are looking to operate as a hobby pilot you do not need insurance, however, if you are interested in becoming a commercial drone operator you need drone insurance to operate for business purposes.

When looking into drone insurance we would recommend our trusted training provider Coverdrone. All of their policies include public liability insurance but you can also choose to add equipment cover. 

You can find out more about their drone insurance and do a free insurance quote on their website by clicking here.

4. “Flight Time” - How many batteries do I need?

You’ve just bought your drone, you set it all up and go flying. You’re so excited you are like a kid at Christmas… However, you go flying and it turns out you can only have 31 minutes of fun! It can genuinely be the most annoying thing about buying a drone. 

If you want a good hour and a half flight time on a DJI Mini 2 you would need 3 batteries, which the Mini 2 Combo comes with. It is best to purchase the Combo and then go for buying the batteries separately when you find out you need them later on down the line. 

When having batteries it is so important that they are stored correctly. As they are LiPo batteries they can be ruined by storing them incorrectly. For more information about storing drone batteries please click here

When flying a drone it is always best to return home when the battery is on 30% as a safety precaution. 

For example, a man was flying and his battery went down to 30% so he proceeded to land on the beach. As he went to land a dog started barking at his drone from underneath meaning he could not land safely because it could injure the dog. It took 5 minutes for the owner to find the dog. By the time the owner came his battery was down to 5%, who knows what could have happened to the dog if the pilot landed with his battery on 10% for example? This just shows how it is so much better to be safe than sorry.

5. “Crashing Drones” - How easy is it to crash a drone?

Excitement is something that comes with risks. Crashing a drone is easier than you think and it happens to the best of us. Well, the more inexperienced pilots. Crashing a drone can be a headache and more expensive than you think. It takes a man to admit you have crashed your drone, however, there are ways of preventing this from happening. 

• Pay attention to the wind/rain

• Fly line of sight (Do not stare at your screen)

• Avoid flying at night if you can

• Fly to the CAA’s guidelines.

• Know your limits when flying

• Don’t fly under the influence of any drug/alcohol

6. “Buying From The Right Place” - Where do I buy a drone from?

Here at the Drone Safe Store, we have dealt with many different customers, ranging from people who have never flown a drone to recommending drones to professional drone pilots. We have helped people set up their first drones, teach them how to fly and educate them on the law.

We are an official UK DJI Retailer based in Chichester, West Sussex who will not be beaten on customer service. We help you with every step of the process when buying a drone with us. Our before, during and after-sales care is exceptional.

7. “Qualifications” - How do I get paid to fly a drone?

You might also be asking how you can get paid to fly a drone. This is something that takes time because if you are just starting you will not be able to become a commercial drone operator straight away. You will need to have your Operator & Flyer ID to start with. 

After you have obtained these you can move to an A2CofC. With an A2CofC you can fly C2 aircraft down to 30m of uninvolved people, or down to 5m if the aircraft has a low-speed mode. 

You can then do a GVC which is an Operational Authorisation from the CAA to fly drones up to 25kg in built-up areas while doing so safely and legally.

These courses can be done through our trusted training provider Osprey Drone Training.

To find out more about the A2CofC and the GVC please click here.

8. “Dealing With The Public” - What happens if Someone challenges me when flying my drone?

Some members of the public are still not educated enough on drone law and can assume how you are flying is illegal and that you are up to no good. You should try not to get distracted while flying if they come up to you. They might ask if you are flying legally and you can tell them you have your Flyer ID/Operator ID to show proof of completion of online training. You can even explain to them why you can fly in the place you are etc. 

Always remember to keep these encounters as positive as possible because you are reflecting the drone community by flying safely. By educating a member of the public it might help the confusion.

9. ‘Setting Up The Drone’ - How do I set up my DJI Drone?

When setting up your DJI drone it can be confusing if it is your first time. You will need to download the DJI Fly app on your phone. It will then ask you to create a ‘DJI Account’. After you have created this it will then ask you to activate your drone. Once your drone is activated you will get your 12-month warranty from that date.

10. “Safe Places To Fly” - Where can I legally fly?

When flying your drone you need to make sure where you are flying is safe and legal. You must always make sure your drone is in your visual line of sight. You must not fly over 120m high. Do not fly closer to people than 50m. (This depends on the weight of your drone and certificates held). Never fly over people who are crowded together. 

For more information about where you can legally fly you can see the CAA’s website here.

For any enquiries about drones please contact us.

Tel: 01243 882440

Email: [email protected]