Set Up for Flying - Start Here!

This article provides the essential steps and resources you need to set up your equipment and complete necessary pre-flight checks before using DroneDeploy.

Please review our Supported Drones and Supported Devices articles for information on compatibility with your aircraft and operating system.

1. Check mobile device OS and DroneDeploy and DJI apps are fully updated

• First, check your mobile device for iOS and Android updates.
• Next, check the App Store or the Google Play Store for updates to the DroneDeploy and DJI apps.
• You can find the DroneDeploy app on the App Store or Google Play.
• For the DJI RC Pro Enterprise and DJI RC Plus/Plus 2 app download, see the relevant documentation
   

2. At home, check drone firmware in the DJI app

To use DroneDeploy, you must upgrade to your aircraft's latest firmware and ensure your aircraft is fully calibrated. Uncalibrated hardware and out-of-date firmware are the two most common issues that prevent people from flying or cause unexpected behavior. Always check for updates before you leave home. Checking for updates in the field can result in waiting too long for a download or flying with out-of-date firmware.

How to check firmware:

1. Connect your controller and drone to your mobile device, and open the DJI app.
2. The first screen shown will load firmware updates as it searches for those updates.
3. Please enter your drone if there are no pending firmware updates, and ensure the aircraft status is "Normal - Ready (GPS)."
4. You can find additional information on updating firmware using the appropriate DJI app here.

3. In the field, confirm flight readiness

You have confirmed that your drone is updated and are now at your takeoff point. Before opening DroneDeploy, we highly recommend opening the DJI app first to ensure the compass and IMU do not need to be recalibrated. Travel can cause these instruments to become uncalibrated. Also, confirm you have ample satellite coverage before takeoff.

Manually fly to check the altitude of your highest obstacle

Obstacle avoidance is not 100% fail-safe and cannot be relied upon to avoid crashing into objects. Planning your mission with altitude at the top of your mind is essential. Before opening DroneDeploy, use the DJI app to fly to the highest obstacle in your mission area and make a note of its altitude. We recommend flying a minimum of 50 feet higher than the highest obstacle within your mission area. You are set to fly with DroneDeploy after the status in DJI shows "Ready to Go - GPS."

Important: Ensure you completely close the DJI app before opening DroneDeploy to avoid any potential issues.

4. In-flight safety precautions

You are always in control

When flying with DroneDeploy, you'll be prompted to switch to:

• P mode for Phantom 4 series
• P mode for Mavic Pro
• "Normal" for Mavic Air, Air 2/2S, M3E, M3T, Matrice 4E/T
• F mode for Inspire series

If at any point you are feeling uncomfortable, take manual control of the drone:

• Switch to S mode for the Phantom 4 series
• Switch to S mode for Mavic Pro
• Switch to P mode for the Inspire series
• Switch to "Sport" for Mavic Air 2/2S, M3E, M3T, Matrice 4E/T

You can also initiate a Return to Landing using the app's remote controller or home button.

5. Help promote a strong signal between drone and controller

Distance, physical barriers (e.g., a big building, a hill, a tree), and electromagnetic interference (e.g., power lines, reinforced concrete, or large metal objects) are the most common reasons your drone can disconnect from the controller's signal.

To help avoid this, we recommend:

• Taking off from the highest point of the map.
• Taking off as centered within the area as possible.
• Avoiding sources of interference, such as those listed above.
• Avoiding flight plans that take the drone out of the line of sight.
• Walking with the drone if the flight plan must take the drone out of your line of sight.
• Adjusting flight direction and flight shape, especially near the specific problem area.
• Staying within the drone's advertised range. 
   

Using the app

Where to from here?

After you've flown, your images can be uploaded for processing via an automatic Mobile Upload (if available) or added to the existing map or a fresh map by following the How to Process Datasets article for instructions on uploading images from your SD card to your DroneDeploy dashboard. Image processing is a feature only reserved for our paid users on our Lite, Individual, Advanced, Teams, or Enterprise subscriptions.

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