The first 30 minutes
Before your first flight, do these in order. It takes about half an hour and it's the difference between a clean first flight and a frustrating one.
- Charge everything. Top up each flight battery and the controller fully. A new battery often ships at storage charge (around 50%), which is correct for shelf life but not enough to fly.
- Install the app and update firmware. Pair the drone to the controller (they ship pre-bound, but check), then run any firmware update it offers. Don't skip this — the current build fixes the bugs the early ones had.
- Insert a microSD card. Up to 256 GB, formatted in the app. The drone records to the card, not to your phone.
- Do the FAA TRUST test. It's free, takes about 20 minutes online, and U.S. recreational flyers should have it done before flying. The link is on the quick-start card.
- Find an open space. First flight should be a calm day, in a wide-open field away from people, trees, water, and airports.
Your pre-flight routine
Every flight, every time — this becomes muscle memory fast:
- Unfold and inspect. Open all four arms until they click. Look at each propeller for nicks or cracks; a chipped prop causes vibration in your footage and stresses the motor.
- Power on and let it find GPS. Set the drone on flat ground, power it up, and wait for a solid GPS lock (the app shows satellite count). A good lock is what makes position-hold and return-to-home work.
- Set your home point and check RTH height. Confirm the takeoff point is recorded and the return-to-home altitude is set above any nearby trees or buildings.
- Check battery and signal. Don't take off below ~30% if you want margin to get home. Watch the signal bars as you fly out.
Battery care (the part that matters most)
Lithium flight batteries are the component people kill first. Treat them well and they'll outlast the rest of the drone.
- Store at storage charge. If you won't fly for more than a week or two, leave batteries around 50–60%, not full and not empty. Many chargers and the app can discharge to storage level automatically.
- Don't store fully drained. A battery left flat for weeks can drop below recoverable voltage and die.
- Mind the temperature. Don't charge or fly a battery that's hot from a previous flight or cold from a winter car. Let it return to room temperature first. Cold air also cuts flight time noticeably.
- Charge on a hard, non-flammable surface and don't leave charging batteries unattended overnight.
- Retire swollen batteries. Any battery that puffs or swells is done — stop using it and dispose of it at a battery-recycling point. This is normal end-of-life, not a defect.
After every flight
- Let the drone and batteries cool before packing or recharging.
- Wipe the gimbal and lens with a dry microfiber cloth — never a wet wipe on the lens.
- Fold the arms only after the props have stopped, and seat the gimbal guard for transport.
- Pull the microSD or offload footage so you don't run out of card mid-shoot next time.
Troubleshooting common issues
It won't lift off / wobbles on takeoff
Usually a propeller installed in the wrong position or a chipped prop. Check that each prop is on its matching motor and spins freely, then recalibrate the IMU in the app on a flat surface.
Footage looks shaky or has a "jello" effect
Almost always a damaged propeller causing vibration. Swap the suspect prop. If it persists, recalibrate the gimbal in the app.
It drifts instead of holding position
Weak GPS lock or a compass that needs calibrating. Move away from metal structures and power lines, wait for more satellites, and run the compass calibration the app walks you through.
Short flight time
Cold weather, high wind, and aggressive flying all cut flight time well below the bench figure. An older battery also holds less. None of these are defects.
What not to do
Don't fly in rain or over open water at low altitude — the MD is not waterproof. Don't fly in high wind beyond its level-5 rating. Don't fly out past where you can see it, near airports, over crowds, or in restricted airspace. Don't use third-party or swollen batteries. Don't try to fly with a cracked propeller. None of these are covered by the warranty, and most are how good drones get lost.
What's normal vs. a warranty issue — the "do nothing" list
These are normal and do not mean anything is wrong:
- Flight time shorter than the spec on a cold or windy day, or after many charge cycles.
- The motors being warm to the touch after a long flight.
- A faint gimbal motor noise on startup as it self-levels.
- Real range falling short of the maximum figure in trees, cities, or areas with radio interference.
- Small cosmetic scuffs on the landing gear from normal takeoffs and landings.
These are worth a warranty email to warranty@marketdrones.com:
- A gimbal that won't level or holds a permanent tilt out of the box.
- A motor that grinds, stutters, or won't spin up.
- A battery that fails to charge or holds almost nothing when new.
- A hinge, arm, or shell that arrived cracked.
Crashed it yourself? That's the crash-replacement program, not the warranty — and we've got you for the first one.
Questions
If anything here doesn't match what you're seeing, email support@marketdrones.com or reach the right desk on the Contact page. We assemble and bench-test every unit ourselves, so when you ask a question, it goes to someone who has actually held your drone's twin.