This series of lessons uses the free FPV Freerider simulator to teach a complete beginner how to fly an FPV multirotor in acro (no autoleveling) mode. You can learn to fly a quadcopter at home in front of your computer for almost no money. You can learn to fly without any fear of crashing and breaking an expensive toy. And yes, the things you learn here WILL translate over to real life.
The "drop and catch" maneuver is an advanced lesson in altitude control. You cut the throttle to let the copter fall, and then raise the throttle to arrest the fall very close to the ground. At first, you will mis-judge your throttle, meaning you either crash into the ground or over-correct and gain altitude. When you get good at this maneuver, you will be able to swiftly drop underneath an obstacle such as a tree branch or a racing gate. It's also useful for dodging air liners and police helicopters when flying near your local airport. (THAT IS A JOKE. PLEASE DON'T FLY NEAR AIRPORTS.)
