DJI Mini 5 Pro: A Beginner’s Guide To Not Crashing

Photo credit: Annonymous droner

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Hello fellow pilot! I bet you are happy and proud of your brand new Mini 5 Pro. Now, I’m going to guide you through the first, crucial steps of optimizing your purchase so you can squeeze every penny out of it… and hopefully not crash it on your first gig.

I don’t know if this is your first drone, your first Mini, your first DJI Mini 5 Pro or just another bird for your growing collection. But, for the sake of sanity, decency, and public safety, I will assume this is your very first drone. Welcome to the addiction!

The Stuff That Didn’t Come in the Box

The first thing you must do, even before tearing open that beautiful DJI box like a kid on Christmas morning, is get yourself a proper charger. Go online, go to a store (I hear they still exist), but get a good one, at least 65 Watts.

I use the one that came with my phone. Its perfect. Photo credit: Rafael Suarez

Now, pay attention here, because this is important. Check the real output. Sometimes you buy a charging brick that screams “65 WATTS!” on the box but then whispers in tiny font, “Output A – 15W, Output B – 20W, Output C – 30W.” That’s useless. You need one that delivers the full 65 Watts through a single USB-C port. Got it? Good. Now, grab another basic USB-C charger for your controller; any modern cell phone charger will do.

Unboxing and the Dreaded Updates

Okay, now you can unbox your new baby. Take everything out, take the time to smell that Mini 5 pro smell, admire it, maybe give it a name (mine was “Captain Rafa”). Put those batteries in the charging hub (or in the drone itself if you cheaped out and bought the single version) and plug in your shiny new 65W charger. If you got a good one, or the official DJI brick, you should be ready for action in under two hours. If not, well, go make some coffee. Maybe watch a movie.

While everything is charging, please make sure you have a good half-hour free and a stable Wi-Fi connection. Because as soon as you turn on that controller, connect it to Wi-Fi, and bind the drone to your DJI account (seriously, don’t skip the DJI account step – it logs your flights and lets you request permission to fly in restricted zones), the update party begins.

Here is the Golden Rule, engraved in stone: Make sure your drone and controller batteries are fully charged before starting any firmware updates. The absolute easiest way to turn your mini 5 pro into an expensive paperweight is to let it run out of power mid-update. Don’t do it. Just don’t.

Ready for (Almost) Takeoff

Once the drone is updated, your account is bound, and everything is juiced up, you are almost ready to fly. A really nice touch on the Mini 5 Pro is the internal storage – a decent chunk of space for those of us (ahem, me) who occasionally forget their SD cards at home. It’s enough for almost an hour of video at max settings.

Beware the Kp Index!

Now, let’s talk about something most beginners have never heard of, but which can absolutely ruin your day: the Kp Index. What in the world is that? Simply put, it measures geomagnetic activity caused by the sun (solar flares, etc.). It ranges from 0 to 9. Why should you care? Because high geomagnetic activity (Kp 5 or higher) can seriously mess with GPS signals.

And guess what your fancy new mini 5 pro relies on heavily to know where it is? Bingo. GPS. So, before every flight, do yourself a favor and check the current Kp Index. A good site is www.spaceweatherlive.com.

If the index is 5 or higher, just don’t fly. It’s not worth risking your investment. If it looks calm, like a lazy Sunday morning? You are (almost) cleared for takeoff!

Common Sense Required (Battery Not Included)

Now comes the part where we mix our amazing human vision with our hopefully-not-missing common sense. Find a good place for your first flight. My number one recommendation is: FIND A BIG, OPEN SPACE WITH NOTHING TO CRASH INTO.

Think: trees, buildings, power lines, that random pole sticking out of the ground, helicopters, boats, houses, your neighbor’s basketball hoop, that huge construction crane… you get the idea. An empty football field is ideal. The middle of a deserted parking lot works. Even your backyard, if you have highly developed common sense and aren’t trying to fly through a jungle gym.

If, after reading all this, you are now completely terrified, good! A little fear is healthy. If you bought the mini 5 pro fly more combo plus, you will have a RC2 controller, so fire up the simulator and practice there for a couple of hours. Then come back here.

Remember: this drone is NOT waterproof, snowproof, or lava-proof. If it looks like rain, snow, or a nearby volcano is about to blow, keep it on the ground.

First Flight Nerves

Okay, deep breath. Before you hit that takeoff button, do one last thing: look up. Seriously. No power lines directly overhead? No sneaky tree branches waiting to grab your drone? You’re not next to an airport, military base, prison, or anywhere near Washington D.C. or Manhattan? Excellent. You are cleared for takeoff.

For these first few flights, keep your eyes on the mini 5 pro, not just the screen. Feel how it reacts to your stick movements. Get a sense of its momentum. This little bird is incredibly stable and almost idiot-proof. Almost.

But we must remember the most important lesson: There is not yet invented a sensor that can override a complete lack of common sense. Fly as if the sensors don’t exist. Don’t activate Sport mode yet. Just hover. Practice gentle turns. Fly slowly. And enjoy it.

Note: Make sure to comply with all the drone regulations that apply to you, your drone, and your location. In the United States that means following the FAA drone rules for either commercial or recreational pilots, taking a TRUST exam, possibly registering your drone (if more then 250 grams or when flying commercially), and getting your Part 107 certificate if you’re planning to fly commercially. Also check if your drone complies with Remote ID regulations. The FAA’s UAS website is a good place to start, as are Aloft and UASidekick to check for possible airspace restrictions before taking off.

DroneXL’s Take

Making that first flight is a magical moment. You are doing something incredible, something that feels like it should be science fiction. Take your time, learn the basics, learn to love your mini 5 pro and fly safely. Don’t try to be Billy Kyle on day one.

Master the fundamentals, respect the rules (and the Kp Index!), and listen to that little voice in your head telling you, “Maybe flying through that gap in the trees isn’t such a great idea.” Do all that, and you are well on your way. Congratulations. You are now officially one of us. Welcome to the sky.

Photo credits: Rafael Suarez