Can You Fly A Drone With One Hand?

Can you fly a drone with one hand? Absolutely! It’s a bit harder to fly a drone with one hand so you can either get a gesture-control system that makes things easier or get lots of practice with the controller you have.

For the majority of us, flying a drone with just one hand would let us drink Coke with the other hand or check the feed- but for some folks who just have one hand, it could be great. You may think that flying a drone with one hand is very similar to driving your car, but there are many subtle differences.

Drone controllers that can be operated with just one hand can be a boon for people like Oleg S. Dudrin who have a passion for flying drones despite only being able to use a single hand. Massive shoutout to the guy, I’ve included a link to his channel down below, so check that out!

Can You Fly A Drone WIth One Hand?

When flying a drone, you need to have a few things in mind- pitch (forward/backward motion), roll (left/right motion), yaw (rotation), and speed of the drone. The difficulty in flying drones with one hand is not because the controllers don’t allow that, it’s actually because you cannot keep track of the controls at once.

Apart from these, some drones also tend to have additional controls if they were made for commercial purposes like planting seeds or spraying pesticides. These drones can get pretty hard to control with just one hand but there are still ways you can get around that.

The video shows Oleg S. Dudrin sharing how he flies a drone with just one hand. He’s got some serious drone flying skills!

It is doable but it does take some effort on your part- be prepared to have blisters on your fingers if you want to follow in his footsteps.

As you can see from the video, Oleg is using the harness to hold the controller on his neck while he controls the sticks with his index and pinky fingers. The remaining two fingers can then be used to trim the drone.

If you look around, you can also find joysticks that can be controlled with just one hand- the Fluidity FT Aviator is one of those controllers that you will love to have if you are interested in flying a drone with one hand. This controller was actually built by an astronaut so it certainly does more than you would expect from a chopper-like controller.

There are also gesture controllers you can find- Knuckle and Pulsit; these just work by taking input in the form of gestures and you can fly your drone accordingly.

Perks Of Flying Drones With One Hand

The easiest way to see the benefits of being able to fly drones with one hand is to first take a look at the drawbacks of the traditional system.

The first concern that I have, and it’s a personal one- is that you cannot sip juice while flying your controller. Both your hands are used up in the process, and if you are using the drone in a commercial setting or in races, you are even more limited.

The other issue is that people who cannot control both hands, like somebody with, say- coordination disorders or Multiple Sclerosis or amputees who can only use one hand – cannot easily fly drones without help from other persons. One-hand joystick controllers make it convenient to fly drones with just one hand.

How To Fly A Drone With One Hand

The first thing you need to get before learning to fly your drone with one hand is a one-hand joystick controller. Or, you can simply use your current one and opt to improvise a novel process for yourself.

These tips should help you master flying drones with just one hand:

Practice The Basic Motions

Depending on the controller you have, the controls may take some time to get used to. If you find that balancing the controller while fiddling with the controls is hard, you can use a strap and keep it around your neck to keep it balanced.

Learn the basic controls one at a time- while the drone is not powered on. Get the pitch control, roll and yaw mastered, and start slow. If you find yourself subconsciously using both hands when you get anxious, you can try tying your other hand so you are more focused.

If you get the basic motions under your belt, it’s only a matter of time before you can master advanced maneuvers on your drone.

It Takes Time And Practice

Like learning any instrument or the process of learning to ride, the process of learning to fly drones with just one hand takes a lot of time and practice. You get better with regular practice, and different people learn at different rates- so if you feel like you aren’t improving, just be patient and keep at it.

Follow FAA Guidelines Religiously

If there’s one thing that you need to keep in mind while learning to fly drones with one hand, it’s the fact that since you will be trying something crude, there is a slight chance that you might hurt somebody near the area.

If possible, you should try practicing in a secluded area, away from a settlement, and make that the drone won’t crash into something nearby- like a pole or a tree.

Being familiar with how geofencing affects drones is also something that helps know where you are allowed and what spaces are off-limits.

Closing Thoughts

Flying a drone with one hand is definitely possible, and if you practice a lot, you will get the hang of it pretty soon. Doing so also allows you to sip a drone or check your smartphone while you enjoy flying the drone.

Why I love controllers like the FT Aviator is because people who have a disability can enjoy flying drones too. You will get used to flying drones with just one hand pretty quickly- it just takes some effort on your part.

If you liked this short post, you may also like reading our post on drones without propellers. I had a great time writing this post, and I hope this was helpful to you- please consider bookmarking our site if you like reading about drones and photography – the shortcut’s Ctrl + D.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a drone lift a person?

It depends on how powerful the lift force of the drone in question is. Normally, larger drones can carry about 1/2 pounds of extra weight. But heavy-lift drones have no issues lifting up to 600 pounds. So yes, drones can lift a person but the drone would be pretty large. And even if you managed to get your hands on one, the FAA probably wouldn’t allow you to use your drone to lift your neighbor!

Can a Mavic Mini carry beer?

Despite how small the Mavic Mini is, it can certainly carry a can of beer. You do want to be careful though, you can be fined for dropping beer cans on people.

Paalan