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Has anyone made a preflight checklist

No one has mentioned such a checklist in the app yet. Still waiting for my Inspire and was wondering the same thing. I am sure that the hardcore pilots in this forum can come up with a better checklist that DJI can even dream of. As can be confirmed by looking at the one in the manual...
 
There's one in progress on the the official DJI forum:


Make Sure Batteries Are Fully Charged in Both TX and A/C
Verify Mode P/A/F
Put phone and tablet in flight mode
Power On TX
Power On A/C
Load DJI App
Exit Storage Mode via the app
Power Off A/C
Attach Camera
Check memory card is inside the camera
Install Props & Prop locks when we get them.
If winter set outside for a few minutes to get Acculamated to Temp.
Power On A/C
Check For cleanest Channel?????
Calibrate Compass
Check IMU Calibration .99 - 1.01
Set Fail Safe Height
Set RTH For A/C or TX
Point Antennas Correctly on TX
Power up motors if in winter to allow motors to warm up for a minute or so.
Then enjoy your flight
 
My list is evolving, but here's what has served me well so far:

PRE-LOCATION
• Batteries / tablet charged
• Firmware current
• Calibrate RC
• Confirm desired RC mode
• Memory card cleared

ON LOCATION
• Disable wifi on tab and airplane mode phones
• Prop locks / tighten props
• Calibrate your compass
• Calibrate your IMU (if readings are off)
• Give GPS a moment to lock in
• Properly position antenna
• Confirm RTH settings
• Confirm fail safe height
• Liftoff to 2-3 ft and watch behavior (steady, or drifting)

MISC
• Camera settings
• Check weather
• Plan flight route
• Be aware of surroundings.
• Allow unit to acclimate, then motors to warmup (cold weather)
• Always be prepared GPS loss
• Stay within line of sight
 
"Another interesting and very welcome addition is the presence of a sort of pre-flight checklist that shows you the status of various components. We periodically serve as instructors for new users and this is going to be extremely helpful for new fliers who will see graphically when any feature is sub-optimal or not functioning."

http://visual-aerials.com/dji-inspire-1.html
 

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Here's my pre-flight with a custom case that allows me to keep props and camera installed:
  1. Airplane mode everything
  2. Calibrate compass
:D

My detailed pre-flight is as follows:
  1. WX
    1. Wind below 20mph?
    2. If below 40 F, use battery foam
  2. Physical inspection
    1. SD card
    2. Inspect bird and props
    3. Install camera
    4. Install props
    5. Install prop locks
  3. Prepare iPad
    1. Close all other apps
    2. Open DJI Pilot
    3. Cache maps for flight
    4. Airplane Mode on
  4. Verify TX switches
    1. Flight mode switch
    2. Landing gear down
  5. Power TX
  6. Power aircraft
    1. Monitor status check and warm up LED indicators
  7. Calibrate compass
  8. Check IMU MOD levels
    1. Gyro: 0
    2. Accel: .99-1.01
    3. Comp: 1400-1600
  9. When was last TX calibration?
  10. Lift off to 6 ft hover
    1. Verify stable hover
    2. Verify all controls are responsive
  11. Landing gear up
 
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Here is what I have come up with...it helps me focus on what I need to be doing. I had a crash indoors (props broken, everything else is ok), and I think this was because I did not have my tablet iPad Air in airplane mode.

Sometimes I think I have enough experience that I should not have to do this check-list stuff, but I'm just being stupid thinking this way.

What is the harm in taking a little extra time to force myself to focus, hopefully helping to ensure that I take good care of my craft and more importantly, that I will fly safely? This list is evolving and will be updated as I go forward...it is based on me flying in GPS mode...which is really what I feel comfortable with.

This list also assumes that I have done an IMU calibration already...before I leave to fly.


PRE FLIGHT CHECK LIST

1______CHOSE A GOOD TAKE-OFF LANDING PLACE

2______CHECK PROPS

3______CHECK CAMERA FILTER

4______TURN ON REMOTE CONTROL - APP TURNS ON

5______CHECK TABLET BATTERY LEVEL

6______TURN ON AIRPLANE MODE ON TABLET / CONFIRM

7______FLIGHT MODE SWITCH IN P POSITION ON REMOTE ( P - ATTI)

8______TURN ON INSPIRE

9______TURN ON PILOT APP – CONFIRM BASICS ON SCREEN

_______FLIGHT MODE (P-ATTI)

_______AIRCRAFT BATTERY CHARGED

_______RC BATTERY CHARGED

10______CALIBRATE COMPASS

11______CONFIRM GPS CONTROL

_______APP SCREEN - SATELLITE BARS FULL

_______APP SCREEN – SAFE TO FLY (GPS CONTROL)

_______INSPIRE REAR LIGHT BLINKING GREEN

12______CONFIRM GIMBAL MODE ON APP (FOLLOW, for me)

13______MAP CHECK – AIRPLANE ICON AT HOME BASE?

14______CHECK AND CONFIRM CAMERA SETTINGS

15______STAND BEHIND INSPIRE (this helps me)

16______TAKE OFF – HOVER – FINAL CHECK OF BATTERY LEVELS, GPS CONTROL

17______RAISE LANDING GEAR

18______FLY SAFELY, SHOOT. CONSTANT BATTERY CHECK – ALLOW TIME TO RETURN
 
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One add on that it's important to me is: turn OFF the camera before turning off the I1. If you don't, you'll have problems to watch the video.

Other interesting issue is that calibrating I1 with my Richard Mille watch makes the I1 almost impossible to calibrate. I take off the watch and calibrating can be made in take one.
 
One add on that it's important to me is: turn OFF the camera before turning off the I1. If you don't, you'll have problems to watch the video.

Other interesting issue is that calibrating I1 with my Richard Mille watch makes the I1 almost impossible to calibrate. I take off the watch and calibrating can be made in take one.

Great points...don't wear a watch. One of the great things about the Inspire is having camera control...I generally am pretty picky about the amount of footage I shoot...especially at 4k...so I tend to have the shots I need before I get in the landing mode...but I have run into this issue before...especially when I used the GoPro with the Phantom...you have to leave it on as you land..
 
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Yeah, not a bad idea to add removal of watches and cell phones during calibration. My inspire actually told me I had to much interference to calibrate. I ditched the g shock, cell phone and moved off the concrete slab I was on, remembering the manual stated not to calibrate GPS in parking structure. (aka slabs of concrete and metal) and all went smoothly after that.
 
One add on that it's important to me is: turn OFF the camera before turning off the I1. If you don't, you'll have problems to watch the video.

Other interesting issue is that calibrating I1 with my Richard Mille watch makes the I1 almost impossible to calibrate. I take off the watch and calibrating can be made in take one.
How do you turn it off?
 
How does your bitchin uber expensive watch interfere (and why would it) with the Inspire? Its not electronic!
One add on that it's important to me is: turn OFF the camera before turning off the I1. If you don't, you'll have problems to watch the video.

Other interesting issue is that calibrating I1 with my Richard Mille watch makes the I1 almost impossible to calibrate. I take off the watch and calibrating can be made in take one.[/QUOTE
 
DUH. Really? A $25k+ Richard Mille watch has more titanium then metal in it and I doubt that what is left is metal should not throw off the compass. Guess again genius
 
Oh here we go. First of all my question was directed at the OP not you so go and charge a battery or something and let him answer. Second of all, its DJI shills/fan boys like you that got no better response then to call people like me who have an issue with something or question something, a Troll. I'm fine with that, it Makes us an easy target. Now to the issue: If the SLIGHT amount of metal found in a watch can offset the HUGH magnetic pull found in the ground, then I say something is very wrong with the way these birds find their headings. I get the cell phone interference and even electronic watches or GShocks with perhaps solar and/or auto time keeping functions, but a metal watch? Please. Someone other then the boy genius know as Quad Pilot lease answer. Thank You
 
Quadpilot, I'll answer you "facing" Airwolf13.
I don't know what happen, just know that with the Milles (yes, in plural) the calibration won't work.
On the Rolexes, IWCs and other "bitchin uber expensive" watches, the calibration works flawessly.

Thank you all.

P.S. almost 44 years here, much of this age working the honest and happy way. Maybe, that's why I have some "bitchin uber expensive" things. I deserve it and honestly it's NOT a troll. In life, "trolls" like this we have to eat on the breakfast, otherwise, I'll spend up my time thinking the others cool things are just bitchin uber expensive things.
 

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