With drones becoming more and more popular today, a wide variety of people are taking up flying them as a hobby. Depending on what your resources are, as well as your purpose, you can operate them either outdoors or indoors. The latter comes with its own specific set of risks and challenges that need to be surpassed or avoided altogether.
Indoor Drone Flying Safety Tips
With the right approach, flying your drone indoors can be a safe and enjoyable experience. Here are ten useful tips that will help you maneuver the aircraft accordingly so that impact with walls, furniture, pets, or other people is prevented entirely.
Choose the Right Indoor Drone
This should go without saying, but the first thing you absolutely need to do is choose a device that has been designed specifically for interior use. Select the best indoor quadcopter for beginners that suits your needs and budget, such as the Air Hogs Helix X4 Stunt, the Hubsan X4 H107L, or the Blade Nano QX. These are all perfectly safe and suitable alternatives.
Start with a Smaller Size
When it comes to learning how to fly a drone indoors, it’s always best to start small. Nano drones, microdrones, or toy models are perfect to practice before moving on to mid-sized devices. Never operate competition drones that are large in size such as the Phantom or FPV, unless you have the necessary experience for it.
Avoid Proximity to walls
Once you start maneuvering the drone around the room, avoid getting too close to walls. This can affect your lift, as such barriers impede proper airflow. It also increases crash risk, which means that steering clear from them is a good idea through and through. The same is true for the ceiling and floor of the area you are operating in.
Maintain Minimum Speed
It’s essential to maintain speed at a minimum during inside drone flying procedures, as dialing down the controls makes the device a lot more maneuverable. You will also have a lot more time to react properly and avoid any potential damages or accidents. This is also applicable in the case of altitude settings, which should also be kept on low.
Use an Indoor Hull
If possible, choose a drone system that has an integrated indoor hull, and use it properly during routine flights. This type of mechanism consists of a propeller shield that protects the aircraft from impact with walls, furniture, people, or animals. It is an additional safety precaution worth investing in if you operate the device regularly inside your house or another closed space.
Remove Furniture from the Area
When flying a drone indoors, it is highly recommended to clear the designated room from any pieces of furniture it might contain. If this is not entirely possible, you should at least try to clear a path for the device so that you keep crash risk at a minimum. Remove as many items as you can to declutter the space and promote a safe experience.
Secure Your Pets
If you own pets, then you already know how attracted our little furry friends are to anything that moves and makes a sound. To avoid harming them when your device is airborne, move them to another room. Also, ask another family member, a friend, or a significant other to watch them during this time, as the commotion might cause them distress even when isolated.
Inform the Other Occupants
Speaking of family members, friends, or significant others, will any of them be in the house while you are operating the drone? If the answer is yes, make sure to inform them of your intentions to fly the device during a certain time of day so that everyone is prepared. When they aren’t aware of your activity, accidents become a lot more likely.
Reset the Drone
Another thing to keep in mind is that your drone is an advanced modern device that has a state of the art computer integrated. This means that it tends to memorize certain flight patterns, as well as other factors. To start on a clean slate, reset it before using it indoors. This will give you a chance to teach it how to behave in this type of environment.
Consult the Manual
Finally, always consult the manual of the drone inside out before attempting a new experience. Knowing your miniature aircraft well means that you will have better control over it under any circumstances that might arise. What is more, every device is different, which is why being accustomed to yours is all the more important.
The Bottom Line
Flying a drone indoors can be an enjoyable activity, provided you abide by a simple set of rules. With the right device and method, as well as some prior planning, you will be able to engage safely in the experience and ensure the comfort of everyone around you.
