WHERE TO GET ONE

There are plenty of hobby shops in Singapore where you can get your hands on a drone, such as Singapore Hobby Supplies and Radio Control Sports at Fook Hai Building. Or Google “rc drone Singapore forums” for ideas, said INFINYTE Media’s creative director Darick Yeo. Meanwhile, Rey Ong, manager of AerialPhotography.sg suggested that rookies try to go for RTF (ready-to-fly) models as those are easier to get started with.

CHECK CHECK CHECK 

Rookies should check the CAAS website for guidelines and information on where they are allowed to fly in Singapore. Rules dictate that drones cannot be flown within a radius of 5km of all airports and airbases as well as over or within other areas such as designated Restricted Areas, Protected Areas and Danger Areas. Other rules include needing a permit for aircraft heavier than 7kg, and not being allowed to suspend or attach items to the aircraft. Commercial activities or specialised services also require a permit.

WHAT TO DO

Read all the manuals that come with your equipment and do all the necessary calibrations (such as for your drone’s compass, inertial measurement unit and so forth), as well as firmware updates before your first flight, said INFINYTE Media’s Yeo. Also, be patient and wait for the GPS lock before every flight, as this will ensure the proper operations of Return-to-Home function, he said. Lastly, be gentle on your first flight, and go through basic training manoeuvres based on tutorials that can be found online. You can find one here.