Series: Learn Drones From Zero → Pro
By SpeedyDrone Canada
🧭 1. The DJI Fly Map: Your Drone’s GPS Lifeline
Every DJI Mini, Air, or Mavic drone uses GPS + GLONASS + Galileo to stay locked in place.
The DJI Fly map is your real-time dashboard.
🧩 Key Features of the Map:
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Live drone location
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Direction your drone is facing
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Home point location
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Satellite count
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No-fly zones (NFZ) in red
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Green zone = okay to fly
📱Tap the bottom-left corner of the camera view to switch to the map.
You can also expand the map full-screen.
🏡 2. Understanding Home Point (And Why It Matters)
Home Point = where your drone returns if:
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Signal is lost
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You press the RTH button
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Battery is low and auto-RTH triggers
✅ Home Point is usually set when the drone takes off
✅ A voice will say “Home point updated” — always listen for it
✅ Make sure your GPS has at least 10+ satellites before takeoff
Common Mistakes:
| Mistake | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Taking off before GPS lock | RTH may return to the wrong location |
| Moving the controller far away after takeoff | Drone returns to original takeoff point, not you |
| Flying under trees or indoors | GPS fails, drone can’t RTH properly |
✈️ Pro tip: In the DJI Fly app, go to Settings → Safety → Update Home Point if you walk or move from where you launched.
🧭 3. Return-to-Home (RTH): Real Behavior Explained
When you trigger RTH (or the drone triggers it), here's what actually happens:
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Ascend to preset height
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Set in app (default is 30m)
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Avoid trees/buildings in the path
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Fly back in straight line to home point
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Descend and land
🛑 RTH Mistakes to Avoid:
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Setting RTH height too low → drone may hit trees/buildings
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Forgetting to update home point if you move
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Panicking and pressing RTH when you’re nearby (fly manually instead)
✅ Best Practices:
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Set RTH height higher than tallest object nearby
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Watch for obstacles during return
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Take control manually if needed
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Know that DJI Mini 5 Pro, Air 3, etc. have Smart RTH with obstacle avoidance (if enabled)
⛔ 4. No-Fly Zones: What You Need to Know
DJI automatically locks out no-fly zones (NFZs) on your drone.
🟥 Hard NFZ (Red zone)
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Drone won’t arm or take off
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Includes airports, military zones, and secure sites
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Can only be unlocked with DJI FlySafe request
🟧 Warning Zones (Orange/Yellow)
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You can take off but get a warning
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Stay aware and follow local laws
🟩 Green Zones
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Clear to fly, but still your responsibility to stay safe
🧠 Your DJI Fly app checks these zones every time you connect — keep it updated.
🇨🇦 5. Canadian Airspace Basics (Simplified RPAS Rules)
If you're flying in Canada — here’s the short version for sub-250g drones like DJI Mini 4/5 Pro:
🟢 If your drone is under 250g:
✅ No license required
✅ No registration required
✅ Still follow safety rules:
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Don’t fly over people
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Stay under 400ft (122m)
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Keep drone in visual line of sight
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Stay away from airports, heliports, highways, and emergency zones
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Use common sense: don’t endanger anyone
🟡 If your drone is over 250g (e.g. Air 3, Mavic 3):
You must:
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Get a Drone Pilot Certificate (Basic or Advanced)
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Register the drone
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Follow NAV CANADA rules for controlled airspace
We’ll do a full post on this later — for now, if you're flying Mini drones, you're in the green zone (with responsibility).
✅ Summary: Know Where You’re Flying
GPS = powerful tool
RTH = smart but not perfect
Airspace = your job to check
👉 Always fly with intention
👉 Use DJI Fly app map
👉 Know your home point
👉 Don’t blindly press RTH
👉 Respect Canadian skies
🔜 Next Time: Episode 10 — ND Filters & Motion Blur
We’ll explain:
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What is motion blur?
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How ND filters improve video
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ND16 vs ND32 vs ND64
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How to use the 180-degree shutter rule
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When ND filters aren’t necessary
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