Always forgetting to remove the **** gimbal lock

[Mavic_Ward]

I don't know what it is about me, but I seem to forget to remove the **** gimbal lock more times than not. Does anyone have any tips to help me remember? A "remove before flight" flag or perhaps just actually going over my preflight checklist? What do you use to help you remember?

 

[Robbyg]

Rob

 

[dragoon218]

Drilled a small hole in the gimbal lock for the rope and some velcro to keep it on top

Sent from my SM-G930V using MavicPilots mobile app

 

[Rflush]

I've been reading a few threads about people forgetting to remove the gimbal clamp and I'm just trying to figure out how. Isn't it just part of your regular set up routine? Would you forget to unfold the legs or forget to out the battery in?

Am i missing something here or are people really just not that careful?

 

[Fly_Me_To_The_Moon]

I've been reading a few threads about people forgetting to remove the gimbal clamp and I'm just trying to figure out how. Isn't it just part of your regular set up routine? Would you forget to unfold the legs or forget to out the battery in?

Am i missing something here or are people really just not that careful?

I've been thinking the same thing. I dont want to be walking anywhere near these people. If you're taking off the full cover, how can you possible forget the other part right next to it.

 

[Raider Chris]

Unless you are traveling very far where the drone is getting a bumpy ride it's not neeeded


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[SkyRider]

Play it safe... use both a red streamer and a checklist.

 

[CC Rider]

Exuberance is an intoxicant that affects people differently, just like booze. It is somewhat of an exuberant-inducing thing to take a drone to the air. People handle exuberance differently. Folks simply react, under-react or overreact to situations based upon their nature.That's why some folks CAN be fighter pilots while others would crap their flight pants.

I think the folks forgetting the gimbal clamp, etc., are just letting their over-exuberance override their thinking at the moment: just human nature for some people we share Earth with. That's why some folks can barely remember Mardi Gras and regret it while others are sharp as knives about how their trip went.

People are just different. And the more people you meet, the more you want a dog.

 

[Rflush]

Play it safe... use both a red streamer and a checklist.

Might as well add warning stickers tapped onto the body, have it written on your phone's unlock screen, and also on your remote! Haha jk

 

[GreatScott]

Unless I am travelling a long way, I do not reinstall the gimbal lock. Just the cover. Any thoughts from the group on if this is such a bad practice? My thoughts were the risk of that burning up the board is greater to me than the risk of damaging it by not being on. If there is enough force applied to have it damaged, then I have bigger issues handling the Mavic than the gimbal lock.

Good luck!

 

[Chris J]

I've been reading a few threads about people forgetting to remove the gimbal clamp and I'm just trying to figure out how. Isn't it just part of your regular set up routine? Would you forget to unfold the legs or forget to out the battery in?

Am i missing something here or are people really just not that careful?

Wow. Do you have kids? Ever get interrupted while doing an important task at work and lost your place or train of thought? Ever pull out of your driveway and then realize your parking brake is still on?

We all do stupid things from time to time, its part of what makes us human. While you may have never forgotten anything or made any mistakes, not everyone is as perfect as you.

If people need or want to put a streamer on their gimbal lock so they dont forget, how about you stop trying to make them feel bad about it?

 

[Robbyg]

IMO it's a pretty easy thing to forget when your indoors just powering it up. When going for an actual flight then yes you should be using a check list.

 

[Chris J]

Agreed. The two times I nearly forgot were when i was sitting on my couch trying to update the firmware.

 

[Rflush]

Wow. Do you have kids? Ever get interrupted while doing an important task at work and lost your place or train of thought? Ever pull out of your driveway and then realize your parking brake is still on?

We all do stupid things from time to time, its part of what makes us human. While you may have never forgotten anything or made any mistakes, not everyone is as perfect as you.

If people need or want to put a streamer on their gimbal lock so they dont forget, how about you stop trying to make them feel bad about it?

I have a very active 3 year old, but I still remember things and be careful. It's like a routine for me, similar to remembering to put clothes on before I go to work. But you are right, I wouldn't want to see my colleagues naked as well!

 

[MavicMo]

It happens. While I'm an advocate of using a pre-flight checklist, someone in another thread said to me what about the case where someone has no intention of flying but is doing something like just checking settings or as stated here doing a firmware upgrade? True.

For me checking "gimbal clamps" on any and all of my drones has become "muscle memory" if you will. Early on, I did forget the clamp on my Phantom 3 several times even with a checklist because I was not planning on flying, just using the simulator or checking settings that required the drone be on. So, that was my learning experience...

In the case where I'm going to fly and get interrupted during my pre-flight checklist like when I'm flying in a public place and someone interested in drones comes up to talk to me about drones. I'll stop, listen and talk, then start my checklist over from the top.

Personally, I re-install the clamp and cover when I'm done flying and transport my drones to another location or home even if its only a couple miles. I figure the few seconds to put it on could save me a headache later...

But as others have said, do what you need to do to remember to remove the clamp...

 

[JohnMFord]

In the excitement or the rush to get airborne, things can be forgotten. If you ever get the chance to visit a military base, check out the combat aircraft sitting on the runway. All kinds of warnings and streamers on doors and lock pins that need to be checked or removed before flight. Twenty years in the Air Force taught me that you do whatever it takes to get things right.

johnf

 

[CC Rider]

Most excellent point .And what is true on a large scale applies to things on a smaller scale, too. I believe I've seen such reminders even in NASA footage and shots from the International Space Station, going back to the earliest days of space exploration to the present. Heck, even Will Smith's character in the mega-hit movie "Independence Day" had to put a post-it note on the alien scout ship's controls so he'd fly it right! I'm sure Orville and Wilbur had occasions to use reminders of some sorts, probably scrawled in pencil on scraps of paper.

As long as people are involved there are ALWAYS going to be the possibilities of human errors occurring, in any venture. A prudent person responsible for a sensitive, expensive piece of high-tech flying machinery would be wise to implement EVERYTHING required by him/her to ensure the safety, efficiency and good status of the aircraft they are in control of.

Just makes common sense, which isn't as common as it used to be.

 

[JLane]

In the excitement or the rush to get airborne, things can be forgotten. If you ever get the chance to visit a military base, check out the combat aircraft sitting on the runway. All kinds of warnings and streamers on doors and lock pins that need to be checked or removed before flight. Twenty years in the Air Force taught me that you do whatever it takes to get things right.

johnf

I was about to say the same thing... This whole idea of making our own "Remove before flight" tags comes from the world of full-sized, manned aircraft, which are operated by people who've gone extensive training. If even they feel the need to put these reminders and warnings on things, then I think drone owners can be reasonably forgiven for occasionally forgetting to remove a small, almost hidden piece of plastic.

 

[Fly_Me_To_The_Moon]

I understand you could forget a step, but removing the lens and gimble clamp is same step done at the exact same time in the same location. Not sure if my Mavic is the only drone that does this, but the Mavic camera does the precheck scrolling when powered on, and if the clamp is there, I get an error message on my phone.

 

[J-Dub]

and if the clamp is there, I get an error message on my phone

...error and possible gimbal motor overheating, leads to failed gimbal if done too many times.