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Posts tagged “getting-started”
2026-07-11
Best altitude for landscape drone photography: how height changes the shot
There is no single best altitude — height is a compositional choice between scale, layering and pattern, made inside the 120-metre ceiling and VLOS. Here is the logic behind each height band and a practical method for finding it mid-flight.
- photography
- video
- equipment
2026-07-11
Drone critical battery warning and forced auto-landing: what it means and how to avoid it
The critical-battery threshold is not a fixed percentage — the controller estimates it from distance home, altitude and wind. We explain how the threshold works, why it catches pilots out, and how to plan a reserve so a forced landing is never a surprise.
- safety
- troubleshooting
- getting-started
2026-07-11
Drone home point not updating: how to set it and why it matters
The home point is not where you are standing — it is where the drone recorded it. If it stays stale or never gets confirmed, RTH will send the aircraft to the wrong place exactly when you need it most. Here is when the home point gets captured, why it goes wrong, and how to confirm it on every takeoff.
- safety
- troubleshooting
- getting-started
2026-07-11
How Much Do Drone Pilots Earn? What Actually Drives the Pay
There is no single figure — certification level, niche, region, and employed-vs-freelance all shift the pay. What actually drives a drone pilot's income, and how a certificate turns into paid work.
- commercial
- licence
- latvia
2026-07-11
Drone RTH not working: how return-to-home works and why it fails to trigger
RTH did not kick in exactly when it was needed — and that is almost always traceable, not random: a home point that was never recorded, no GPS lock at takeoff, a failsafe set to hover or land instead of return, or the function switched off outright. Here is how RTH actually works and how to check it before it matters.
- safety
- troubleshooting
- getting-started
2026-07-11
Drone Signal Problems in the City: Video Dropouts, Disconnects and Fixes
The video feed stutters, a weak-signal warning appears, then the link drops entirely — this happens far more often in the city than in open countryside. The cause is rarely a broken drone; it is the urban radio environment: crowded frequency bands, reflections and shadowing from buildings. Here is how to match the symptom to the cause and what to do about it.
- safety
- troubleshooting
- getting-started
2026-07-11
Weak or lost GPS signal on a drone: causes, ATTI mode and the fix
A drone shows too few satellites, drifts on its own, or suddenly drops into attitude (ATTI) mode — in most cases the receiver is not broken, the launch site and conditions are the problem. Here is what ATTI mode means for control, why the GPS signal weakens, and how to fix it before your next flight.
- safety
- troubleshooting
- getting-started
2026-07-11
FPV drone rules under EASA: the Open category still applies
FPV is not a legal loophole — the EASA regulation covers it exactly like any other drone. Registration, the A1/A3 exam, and the observer rule for goggles are mandatory, not optional.
- fpv
- getting-started
- open-category
2026-07-11
FPV vs DJI: which one to fly, and how the rules and skills differ
A GPS camera drone flies itself — FPV flies exactly as you fly it. We compare the learning curve, cost and repairs, and explain what stays the same either way: registration, the A1/A3 exam and, for FPV, an observer.
- fpv
- getting-started
- open-category
2026-07-11
Jobs that use drones: industries and roles where drone skills pay
Drones are already a standard tool in surveying, construction, agriculture and inspection, alongside the media use everyone knows. A survey of the roles, the certificate and category each needs, and how to position yourself.
- commercial
- career
- open-category
2026-07-11
How to Learn to Fly FPV: From Simulator to Acro, the Legal Way
FPV learning starts in a simulator, not in the air — and the legal requirements (observer, registration, A1/A3) apply from the first outdoor flight, not later. Here is the ladder from angle mode to freestyle, and what to sort out before flying solo.
- fpv
- getting-started
- open-category
2026-07-11
Making money with drone photography: from hobby flights to paid work
A drone and a good camera are not a business. Where drone photo and video work actually has recurring demand — real estate, events, tourism, inspection, stock — and what has to be in place before the first invoice.
- commercial
- photography
- portfolio
2026-07-10
Cinematic drone shots: the core moves and the mistakes that ruin them
Cinematic drone footage comes from a small repertoire of moves — the reveal, the push-in, the orbit, the tracking shot — flown slowly and planned before takeoff. Here is what each move communicates, where beginners ruin it, and where the Open category draws the line.
- photo-video
- filming
- getting-started
2026-07-10
DJI Mini vs Air vs Mavic: which line fits your flying — and your certificate
Three DJI lines mean three weight bands, three C-classes and three certificate paths. The Mini 5 Pro (249.9 g, C0) flies in A1 with no exam, the Air 3S (724 g, C1) needs A1/A3, and the Mavic 4 Pro (C2) needs A2 on top for work near people.
- drones
- open-category
- licence
2026-07-10
Drone batteries in cold weather: why winter flights are shorter
Cold slows a lithium battery's chemistry, raises internal resistance and makes voltage sag under load — which is why a drone throws critical-battery warnings in winter even at a high indicated charge. Here is what happens in the cells and how to fly safely.
- batteries
- li-po
- safety
2026-07-10
Drone camera settings: RAW, the 180-degree shutter rule and base ISO
A drone's small sensor forgives few mistakes, so settings matter more than on the ground: RAW for photos, a flat profile for video, shutter by the 180-degree rule, ISO at base and manual white balance. Here is the sequence that works on any drone.
- photography
- video
- equipment
2026-07-10
Drone flew away: what to do in the first minutes and after
Most "flyaways" are not mysteries — they follow a few recognisable causes: a wrong home point, compass interference, wind or signal loss. Here is what to do in the first minutes, how to search using the last telemetry coordinates, and when the event must be reported to the CAA.
- safety
- troubleshooting
- getting-started
2026-07-10
Drone photo and video editing: the post-processing basics that lift your footage
A drone shot straight out of the camera almost always looks flat — haze, a wide lens, a small sensor. Here are the post-processing basics that fix it: RAW workflow, dehaze, horizon and color discipline for photos; correct-then-grade, stabilization and pacing for video.
- photography
- video
- camera
2026-07-10
The first mistakes that destroy beginner drones — and how to avoid them
Most first drones die to predictable pilot mistakes, not hardware: RTH set too low, a drained battery, an ATTI-mode drift. Nine mistakes — flying and legal — each with a concrete fix.
- getting-started
- safety
- latvia
2026-07-10
How to become a commercial drone pilot in the EU and Latvia
The EU has no separate "commercial drone licence" — the same A1/A3 and A2 certificates cover paid work. The realistic path: A1/A3, A2, operator registration, insurance, then skills and a portfolio.
- commercial
- licence
- latvia
2026-07-10
How to learn to fly a drone: from simulator to a confident first flight
You don't learn to fly a drone from cinematic videos — you learn it from a sequence of drills: simulator, empty field, a steady hover, the box pattern, nose-in flight. Here is a practical path from zero to a confident first flight.
- getting-started
- safety
- latvia
2026-07-10
How to start a drone business in Latvia: the legal floor, the niche, the real costs
Drone businesses fail on paperwork and demand far more often than on flying skill. The sequence that works: certificates, operator registration, insurance, a registered activity — and only then equipment and clients.
- business
- commercial
- latvia
2026-07-10
What is FPV? Goggles, disciplines, and the rules that still apply
FPV means flying through goggles with the drone's own view — racing, freestyle, cinewhoop or long-range. But EASA rules apply to FPV exactly like to any other drone: observer, registration, exam. Here is what to know before the first flight.
- fpv
- getting-started
- open-category
2026-07-10
What to bring to a drone flight: the kit and bag that don't end the session
Most aborted flights are lost at the car, not in the air — a dead spare battery, a forgotten cable, papers left at home. Here is a practical kit and bag to pack once and reuse every time, legal minimum for Latvia included.
- getting-started
- safety
- latvia
2026-07-07
A1/A3 or A2: which drone certificate do you need in Latvia?
The certificate you need is decided by your drone's class mark and how close to people or built-up areas you fly — not by ambition. Here's how to choose between the free A1/A3 and the in-person A2.
- licence
- a2
- open-category
2026-07-07
How to become a drone pilot in Latvia: from box to first flight
The legal path in Latvia has a fixed order — operator registration, the free A1/A3 exam, the airspace rules — and beginners keep doing it backwards. Here is the whole route, and how to tell if you even need it.
- getting-started
- licence
- latvia
2026-07-07
How to prepare for the A1/A3 drone exam and pass first try
The A1/A3 exam is 40 questions in 40 minutes at 75% — not hard, but people fail by skimming the basics. A three-evening plan, the topics that actually cost points, and how to use practice.
- exam
- a1-a3
- latvia
2026-06-20
How to add a drone in BGKIS before your first flight request
Before a flight request, the drone must be in BGKIS so it can be picked from the list. How to add it, what to do if the model is missing, and C-class drones.
- bgkis
- uas
- getting-started
2026-06-20
Foreign UAS operator in Latvia — how to start with BGKIS
Registered as a UAS operator in another EEA state or Switzerland? How to create a BGKIS profile, declare your registration, and file requests in UAS zones in Latvia.
- bgkis
- uas
- latvia
2026-06-20
How to submit a UAS flight request in BGKIS — step by step
A practical walkthrough of filing a flight request in a UAS geographical zone through BGKIS — from valid registration and adding a drone to submitting and tracking status.
- bgkis
- uas
- getting-started
2026-05-14
How to get the A1/A3 drone licence in Latvia in 2026
A factual guide to who actually needs A1/A3 in Latvia, what the official format is, and how it differs from simple operator registration.
- licence
- latvia
- getting-started
2026-05-14
Drone registration in Latvia — step-by-step for 2026
How operator registration works in Latvia, how it differs from remote-pilot registration, what it costs, and what number actually goes on the drone.
- registration
- latvia
- getting-started
2026-05-14
The EU Open category — A1, A2, and A3 explained
A factual comparison of A1, A2, and A3 — what changes in distance rules, aircraft choice, and qualification inside the Open category.
- open-category
- regulations
- easa