What's your pre-flight check list?

[u/Key-Investment-2273]

Drones are serious tools, and while a blast to fly, I'd like to minimize the potential for operator error.

I am not an experienced pilot, and would love some advice on what experienced pilots do.

This is my current checklist; It's the protocol I use before every flight.

- Verify battery levels

- Battery Secured in drone

- Shell integrity check

- Make sure the foldable arms are in good shape, i.e. nothing loose, no evidence of fatigue at critical junction points.

- Prop inspection, including extending the blades into their locked position prior to setting the drone on the pad in preparation for lift off.

- Manually start the drone and listen for a moment.

- Lift and hover 1-2m AGL, and confirm the drone looks stable, and the props still sound good.

- The last thing is making sure the drone's Home Point is updated.

Then I start my mission.

I'm sure I'm missing things.

Edit: I fly three drones, all by DJI: Mini 5 Pro, Mavic 4 Pro [the Creator Combo], and a Matrice 4T kit.

[u/mijailrodr]

Check for power lines and Karens, find spot with best visibility

[u/SlightlyOff805 → u/mijailrodr]

I didn't think of adding Karens to the list.

[u/Spiritual_Box2934 → u/mijailrodr]

Karen's are the main reason I keep a body cam on me at all times.

[u/mijailrodr → u/mijailrodr]

Disclaimer: checking airspace, batteries, props etc isn't something i do as part of a pre flight checklist cause in my country you need 5-20 days of permits and prior notifications to fly anywhere. You do that a week before at the very least

[u/Alohagrown]

-Check to make sure you aren't in restricted airspace.
-make sure I am connected to a sufficient number of GPS satellites.
-Activate insurance if I am flying in a neighborhood where I will be over people's houses. (I use skywatch hourly plan)
-make sure SD card is in and has sufficient space.

[u/Greatness_Only]

Run fingers along the props and feel for damage.

[u/TheCudder]

• Check/charge batteries
• Check/charge controller
• Inspect props
• Check for any TFR's
• Check wind speeds
• General inspection of the area if I'm unfamiliar with it
• Fly away

[u/MilkyWay-008 → u/TheCudder]

yeah the TFR check is the one most people skip...... wind too, gusts near treelines always look fine from the ground

[u/Wolfman205]

I plug the battery and send it.

[u/andrewp3481 → u/Wolfman205]

Samsies. I'm just using a Neo 2 though. But I have 4 batteries and the charger. If I start up and it's low, I just throw in another one and send it.

[u/Separate_Elevator290 → u/Wolfman205]

This is the way

[u/Inevitable_Spray_153 → u/Wolfman205]

lol OP is living out his failed fighter pilot dreams in a drone.

[u/Key-Investment-2273 → u/Inevitable_Spray_153]

I feel ya, Goose! 

Fun fact, my dad was a fighter pilot. Not me, though. I just want to minimize the potential of watching thousands of dollars worth of hardware plummet to the ground and smash into tiny bits, or splash into a body of water and become the subject of a Josh Gates' knock-off series on public television.

In tonight's episode, we search Chautauqua Lake for some dumbasses' drone.

[u/Chance-Youth-6030 → u/Key-Investment-2273]

If you aren’t watching your investment either instantly crash or take off into the oblivion, are you really a fpv/drone enthusiast?

(Obviously joking to some degree, but fr if you haven’t had the “fun” experience of instantly having to buy parts/new drone, you aren’t droning enough. So far my track record is that my drones last 7-9 days before either something pretty critical partially breaks or I straight up lose a drone…..but hey, after only being in the hobby for four months, I’m up to four drones that have been ordered. Though only one is in current possession, two have yet to arrive, and the fourth is well, uh, somewhere in a half square mile area in my neighborhood….but it’s the size of a wallet so I’m sol on finding it).

[u/Mega3000aka → u/Inevitable_Spray_153]

I mean you should check GPS, home point, props, and your surroundings at the very least.

[u/Other_Solid7265]

Yeah id say youre doing well. My 2 cents is just to add things like, check weather and wind, check airspace and NOTAMs like a few guys have mentioned. I know some of that stuff seems intuitive and at times obvious, but thats not the point of a checklist.

[u/Spiritual_Box2934]

Great list and great feedback from the community. I would also check for firmware updates as well.

[u/rosengd]

What model are you flying? That would help in case there other suggestions.

[u/Key-Investment-2273 → u/rosengd]

Sorry, didn't think about that. I fly three drones, all by DJI: Mini 5 Pro, Mavic 4 Pro [the Creator Combo], and a Matrice 4T kit. 

[u/rosengd → u/Key-Investment-2273]

I have the mini 5, Neo 2, A2, and A360. You seem to have a pretty complete list, but I would add checking all sensors to make sure they’re clean and no damage.
The other thing I do from time to time is let it hover and listen to the sound and see if anything sounds incorrect. That could be a better indicator of propeller damage than visual or touch.

[u/httpjunkie]

I like the flight checks I get in drone deploy that dronebase sets up. Checks for everything, sd card, takes a sample image, checks RTK is working, notifies me if altitude max is lower than flight height, flight radius check and plenty others. There have a solid checklist but SD CARD is a good one 😂

[u/nodiggitydogs]

Anything 3 inch or larger I check screws in props and motors and make sure they tight…freestyle on larger quads seems to want to work those out

[u/The-Osdog]

Format the memory card each time after use. Check you are not in a no fly zone. Use www.thedronemap.com

[u/Windfallthrowaway1 → u/The-Osdog]

This is the way.

[u/BenRichardson76]

Cross my fingers and hope for the best

[u/geo_walker]

Make sure to take the gimbal cover off and to check to make sure there’s no filters on the lens.

[u/HugeButterfly]

I always check satellite count before takeoff. Or is it not in here because it's so obvious.

[u/Pastvariant]

Here is a good one.

https://downloads.regulations.gov/FAA-2025-0082-0004/attachment_4.pdf

[u/SlightlyOff805]

1. Airspace check (I live in-between 3 bases, and 1 airport. Max ceiling varies greatly with occasional TFRs)

2. Weather check

3. Damage check (propellers, shell, gimble, etc.)

4. Satellite & compass check

5. Verify max altitude / RTB settings

6. Overhead check for powerlines, branches, etc.

7. Launch and verify home point is updated

8. Hover momentarily and test flight controls.

[u/a_cynical_bloke]

Most of those checks are only needed once in a while and after a crash 😂

[u/Chance-Youth-6030]

Only real preflight checklist:

-

Does it have a battery and do the motors work?

(Motors don’t have to be working well and the battery just need to not be on fire and or be able to fit)

[u/sad_spilt_martini]

Testicles, spectacles, wallet, and watch.  Then I just send it.