6 Safety Tips for Flying Your Drone Indoors

Most drones are designed with outdoor flying in mind. Yet a new breed of smaller drones is becoming increasingly popular. These small, toy drones are specifically designed with indoor flying in mind.

In addition, many outdoor drones can be flown indoors with a little know-how. Even the absolute best drones on the market, like the DJI Mavic Pro, can be easily flown indoors with the right settings adjustments and correct flying techniques.

So, without further ado, here’s what you need to know to safely fly your drone indoors.

Select the Right Drone

Certain drones are much better suited for indoor flying than others. As mentioned above, those designed specifically for indoor flying are usually small, toy drones. The biggest reason toy drones excel at indoor flying is their small size. They’re small enough to safely fly in even the smallest homes and apartments.

Because of their size, most toy drones also have relatively small motors. This greatly limits their speed. Slower drones are much easier to control in a confined space.

Finally, toy drones often have very fine-tuned handling. The smallest touch of the controls causes the drone to move. This type of handling is much appreciated for indoor flying.

The options for toy drones are nearly endless. Our list of the best indoors drones is a great place to start your search for the perfect drone.

In particular, we recommend Hubsan X4 and Cheerson CX-10 as two stellar indoor drones. Our Hubsan X4 review and Cheerson CX-10 review show you just what’s so special about these two toy drones.

For even more information on the best drones for indoor flying, we recommend taking a look at our discussion of the 6 best mini quadcopters with cameras.

Know Your Done

All drones handle differently. It’s essential to understand the ins and outs of your drone before attempting to fly it indoors. If you have a brand-new drone, start by reading the user’s manual. The manual will tell you everything you need to know about the drone’s controls and flight modes.

Unless you’re using a very small mini quadcopter, it’s a smart idea to fly your drone in a more open space before attempting to use it indoors. If possible, do your first few flights outdoors to get a better feel for the controls. Performing initial flights in a garage is another option.

For those drones that have both indoor and outdoor flight capabilities, it’s essential to adjust the controls accordingly. Indoor flying requires reduced control sensitivity to safely maneuver around furniture, etc. You should also reset your indoor/outdoor drone’s settings before attempting to fly it indoors if applicable.

Our essential info for new pilot’s guide discusses the basics you should know about using your drone for the first time.

Use the Right Parts

Most toy drones and mini/micro quadcopters are already designed with indoor flight safety in mind. They already come equipped with protective parts that shield the drone from bumps and bruises.

If protective parts aren’t built into your drone, it’s a smart idea to install some, if possible, before attempting indoors flight. An indoor hull is most important. It’s a strong piece of plastic that protects the body and propellers of your drone if you happen to bump into a wall, ceiling, piece of furniture, etc.

Protective parts, like an indoor hull, serve the additional purpose of protecting against injuries. In an indoor setting, it’s all too easy to bump a person or a pet with the drone. An indoor hull will minimize the risk that a person or pet is injured.

Secure the Flight Area

Don’t fly your drone indoors until you secure the flight area. Taking a few minutes to prep the room you’ll be flying in will prevent injuries and damages.

The top four things to do to secure your indoor drone flight area are:

• Move Furniture – The more space you have, the more fun flying your drone will be. So move furniture out of or to the sides of the room.

• Protect Breakables – Remove or secure breakable items in the room you’ll be flying your drone in.

• Remove Pets – All pets should be secured out of the room you’ll be flying your drone in before starting. You don’t want a pet to unexpectedly enter the room and cause a crash or collision.

• Use Safety Gear – Not many people even think about it, but drones can cause serious injuries. According to TechTimes, a UK toddler was left partially blind after a drone hit him in the eye in 2015. Young children, in particular, should wear eye protection when in the same room as a drone in action.

Avoid Walls, Ceilings, and Floors

Sure, it might seem obvious, but it’s very important to actively avoid walls, ceilings, and floors while flying your drone indoors. Not only does crashing your drone into the walls and ceilings cause damage to your drone, it can also damage the walls and ceilings themselves.

Another thing to keep in mind is to keep some distance between your drone and the room’s walls, ceilings, and floors. Even getting too close to these objects can cause your drone to crash.

According to DroneGuru, the physics of keeping a drone in the air relies on air movement. Get too close to a surface and the air can’t move like normal. This causes the drone to become unstable and increases the likelihood of a crash.

Stock Up on Spare Parts

The very nature of indoor flying means that crashes are likely to happen. It’s important to be prepared for when they all but inevitably do. Stock up on spare parts and invest in a drone toolkit. Propellers are among the most commonly damaged parts on indoor drones. Having spare parts and a toolkit on hand allows you to easily repair your drone and keep the fun rolling!

Final Thoughts

Flying a drone indoors is a lot of fun. Yet doing safely requires doing things a bit differently than flying a drone outdoors. The 6 safety tips above show you how to do just that.