okay so i bought a DJI Mini 3 like two weeks ago and ive been too scared to actually fly it lol. i watched some youtube videos but theyre all either way too basic or way too advanced and i cant find anything in between. my main question is like... where do i even start. do i fly indoors first or just go outside somewhere open? i live near a park but i dont know if thats legal. also do i have to register it or is that only for bigger drones. sorry if this is a dumb question, just dont want to break it on the first flight or get in trouble with the FAA or whatever

not a dumb question at all, everyone starts here. so the Mini 3 is actually under 250g which means you dont need to register it with the FAA as long as youre flying recreationally and not for commercial stuff. that said you still need to follow the rules, no flying near airports, stay under 400ft, keep it in visual line of sight, that kind of thing. the FAA has a free app called B4UFLY that tells you if the airspace where you want to fly is okay, i'd download that before you go anywhere.

as for where to start, honestly just find a big open field away from people and trees. parks can be tricky because some have local ordinances against drones even if the airspace is technically fine. your first few flights just get used to the controls, hover in place, practice slow movements, dont try anything fancy. the Mini 3 is pretty forgiving but you can still crash it if you panic and yank the sticks

yeah what he said. also turn on beginner mode in the DJI fly app before you go out, it limits the speed and the range so you cant really get it into too much trouble. i flew mine in beginner mode for probably the first month and it honestly helped a lot. indoor flying is not great to start imo, GPS doesnt work inside so it kind of drifts around and freaks you out