Flight Safety with the Drone#

Before flying the VEX AIR Drone, ensure you have a safe environment and that everyone nearby is prepared.

Inspect the drone#

Check the propellers and landing feet for cracks, bends, or chips. Replace any damaged propellers or landing feet before flying.

Close-up of the propellers, with multiple red circles highlighting chips, cracks, and wear along the propeller blades

Close-up of the propellers with a red circle highlighting a cracked or broken section of the propeller guard.

Prepare the flight area#

Make sure there is 5 feet of clear space around the drone.

Illustration showing a person holding a controller standing five feet away from a hovering drone, with arrows indicating a 5 ft safety distance.

Make sure there is at least 3 feet of open space above the drone.

Front view of a hovering drone with an arrow pointing upward to a ceiling, labeled 3 ft, indicating minimum vertical clearance.

Remove any loose or lightweight objects from the flight zone.

Illustration of a drone hovering above the ground, with stylized airflow lines and debris flying away from the blowing air.

Tie back hair#

Long hair must be securely tied back before any flight to prevent it from potentially getting caught in the propellers.

Illustration of a drone getting caught in a person's hair.

Do not touch the drone during flight#

Never touch the drone while it is flying. Contacting the spinning propellers is dangerous and can disrupt the drone’s stability.

Illustration of a person holding their arms out to touch a drone while it is flying.

Know the Emergency Stop#

All pilots must know how to activate the drone’s emergency stop. Pressing the Propeller Lock and Takeoff & Land buttons at the same time will immediately shut down the motors and cause the drone to fall to the ground.

Understand the Propeller Lock#

Pilots should understand how the Propeller Lock works. When the Propeller Lock is enabled, the drone’s propellers will not spin, preventing accidental motor starts. For more details, see the Using the VEX AIR Drone Propeller Lock tutorial.

Graphic showing a drone with locked propellers next to a controller interface, labeled ‘Using the Propeller Lock.’
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