DJI – INSPIRE 1 CHECKLIST

Pre-Flight Checklist:

1. Confirm Weather:

- Verify weather minimums are within VFR conditions.

- Confirm wind is less than 20kts.

2. Find a Good Take-off / Landing Area:

- Flat, free of obstructions, people, and possible radio interference. (really 

important when people/ traffic are around)

3. Check Props:

- Make sure they are nice and snug - by hand. (use prop-locks if provided)

4. Check Camera Filter:

- ND or regular, depending on sunlight. (use ND Filter on bright clear days)

5. Turn on Remote Control:

- iPad also turns on at this time. Confirm your remote is charged...4 white 

lights on lower face of remote.

6. Confirm your Tablet Battery is Charged.

7. Turn on Airplane Mode:

- On your tablet/monitor Settings, Turn on airplane mode or confirm you 

are in Airplane mode.

8. Make sure Flight Mode Switch is in the P Position – Flight Mode – P-Atti:

- GPS Control. (3 position silver switch on the left rear of the remote - put it 

on P)

9. Turn on the Inspire 1.

10. Turn on the Pilot App:

- Select the Camera Icon...Confirm that the BASICS ARE CORRECT on 

the Aircraft State Screen. Flight Mode, (P-Atti) – RC Mode (Mode 2) –

Aircraft Battery (fully charged?). RC Battery (good charge?).

Pre-Take-Off Checklist:

11. Perform a COMPASS CALIBRATION:

- Do this every time before you fly and when you move to a new location.

- Do this in an area that is free of metal objects...sidewalks are not good 

because they have iron rebar underneath.

- Calibration - Press the compass calibration “button” on your APP. A 

Yellow Light should come on at the rear of the craft. Hold the Inspire 

horizontally in front of you and make a slow 360 circle....wait for a solid 

green light... then turn the Inspire vertically in your hands in front of you 

and make another 360 circle.

- At this point, you can set the Inspire back in the take-off area you have 

designated.
12. Confirm on-screen that you have GPS Control:

- You should have white solid bars next to the satellite icon on the top of 

the screen on the APP. (# of satellites are not visible anymore on the 

APP). The light on the rear of the craft should be Blinking Green. There 

should be a message at the top of the screen that says Safe To Fly-GPS 

Control. (The video DJI just put out on :”How to Fly” says you should look 

for a blinking purple light to confirm GPS control – this is not correct)

13. Confirm the Gimbal Mode you want to be in on the APP:

- Left hand side of screen...Preferably the Follow Mode.

14. Do a quick Map Check on your APP monitor:

- Make sure the Inspire Icon matches the home base you have just 

established with calibration...go back camera mode after you do this.

15. Check and Confirm Camera settings:

- Auto iris, white balance, shooting resolution, frame rate, (mostly in auto 

mode for iris and white balance)

Take-Off Checklist:

16. Stand Behind the Inspire for take-off:

- Do a final check to make sure people are clear...if people are standing 

too close, ask them to stand back. (more comfortable standing behind the 

Inspire...not totally necessary, but this helps)

17. Take Off and Hover 8-10 feet or so, initially. (Preferably taking-off manually)

Let the craft hover for 30 seconds or so close to you: 

- Do a quick status check on your monitor to make sure everything is in 

order...GPS control, battery levels. Check the blinking light status on the 

rear of the craft...Blinking Green. (This is a double check)

18. Raise the Landing Gear.

19. Go fly. Get Your Shots. Be safe and have fun.

- Don’t fly with the aircraft out of visual line sight (VLOS). Don’t fly above 

200 feet. Use common sense.

- Don’t fly low over crowds of people or traffic.

20. CONSTANTLY CHECK INSPIRE BATTERY LEVELS AS YOU FLY:

- Make sure you have enough battery to return in plenty of time. (30% 

warning level set on your APP)

Landing Checklist:

21. When you Land, Turn the Inspire Off First:

- Then turn off the remote control unit.
INSPIRE 1 - Checklist Card:

1. CHOSE A GOOD TAKE-OFF LANDING PLACE

2. CHECK PROPS

3. CHECK CAMERA FILTER

4. TURN ON REMOTE CONTROL

5. CHECK TABLET BATTERY LEVEL

6. TURN ON AIRPLANE MODE ON TABLET

7. FLIGHT MODE SWITCH IN P POSITION ( P - ATTI)

8. TURN ON INSPIRE

9. TURN ON PILOT APP – CONFIRM BASICS ON SCREEN

FLIGHT MODE (P-ATTI)

AIRCRAFT BATTERY CHARGED

RC BATTERY CHARGED

10. CALIBRATE COMPASS

11. CONFIRM GPS CONTROL

APP SCREEN - SATELLITE BARS FULL

APP SCREEN – SAFE TO FLY (GPS CONTROL)

INSPIRE REAR LIGHT BLINKING GREEN

12. CONFIRM GIMBAL MODE ON APP (FOLLOW, for me)

13. MAP CHECK – AIRPLANE ICON AT HOME BASE?

14. CHECK AND CONFIRM CAMERA SETTINGS

15. STAND BEHIND INSPIRE

16. TAKE OFF – HOVER – FINAL CHECK OF BATTERY LEVELS, GPS CONTROL

17. RAISE LANDING GEAR

18. FLY SAFELY, SHOOT. CONSTANT BATTERY CHECK – ALLOW TIME TO RETURN