ok so i bought a DJI mini 4 pro like two weeks ago and its been sitting in the box because honestly im kind of scared to fly it. ive watched maybe 20 hours of youtube videos and now i feel like i know less than when i started because everyone contradicts each other. some people say you have to register it right away some people say under 250g you dont need to, some say fly in beginner mode forever some say turn it off after one day. i dont even know what questions to ask at this point

i live in a suburb outside of columbus ohio if that matters. is there like a logical order to do things when you just got a drone? or do i just go outside and start pressing buttons

the registration thing depends on whether youre flying recreationally or commercially, and yeah the mini 4 pro is over 249g so you do need to register it with the FAA regardless. its like $5 and takes ten minutes on the DroneZone website, just do that first so its off your mind.

after that honestly just take it to a big open field away from people and fly in beginner mode for a day or two. the beginner mode speed and height limits feel annoying but they give you time to get used to the orientation thing, which is really what gets new pilots. when the drone is facing you, left and right on the stick are reversed relative to what you see, and that messes everyone up at first. just fly slow circles and get comfortable with that before you worry about anything else. the youtube rabbit hole is real, dont let it paralyze you, the drone isnt gonna fly itself from inside the box

yeah the contradicting advice online drove me crazy too when i started. half those channels are just making content to make content. for suburbs you also want to check the B4UFLY app before you go anywhere, it shows you if youre near any restricted airspace. columbus has port columbus nearby so some spots might need authorization through LAANC which sounds scary but its usually auto-approved in like 30 seconds if the area allows it at all