ADU 01253: What are the pre-flight checks required for a drone thats not been flown for a long time?

Can pilots fly drones that have not been flown in a while? What pre-flight checks should they conduct to ensure safe operations? Today's question is from Adam, who would like to know what pre-flight checks are required for his drone that's been on the shelf for a while. Our show today is different from usual shows where we answer questions from pilots who possibly use their drone quite actively. However today, we focus on the drones that haven't been flown in a while and the critical things that pilot need to keep in mind when using them. We start off with a discussion about the most critical part of the drone that might have been impacted from long disuse and that's the batteries. We elaborate on battery checks that pilots must undertake to check worthiness. We then begin discussions on 2 aspects of a drone - the hardware and the software side of operations and pre-flight checks. We discuss firmware checks, how some of the older drones have unique differences in terms of their firmware and how the recent developments in the drone world can impact such firmware updates. We delve into critical components of the drone such as motors, props, and mechanical motions of the drone. From a software perspective, we discuss about software updates to apps, controller options and other third party applications that have had their fair share of developments. Lastly we summarize all the pre-flight checks that a drone pilot would need to conduct for drones that haven't been flown in a while and present workflows for pilots to follow. Whether you have a drone that has not been in use for a while or if you are planning to 'store' your drone or if you intend to understand how developments in the drone world can impact your drone and operations, this is one episode you don't want to miss. Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [03:15]Today's question from Adam on pre-flight checks for drones that haven't been flown for a while [04:57] Checking batteries of drones that haven't been used in a while [06:10]Other checks that's very relevant to your drone [06:33] What workflows to follow for firmware updates [08:12] Updating applications and performing compass calibrations [10:46] Spinning motors and checking motor movement and cleaning the drone [12:50] Summarising all pre-flight checklists before flight