Are you a "thumber" or a "pincher"?

[vindibona1]

I was watching one of Ken Heron's videos and he talked about how he "pinches" the sticks when he flys. I never had a game console so when I started flying I naturally used my thumbs. Based on Ken's thoughts I'm begining to rethink that. And as I've tried the pinching technique it just feels foreign and seems to take a lot more effort. I'm looking to be more precise in my drone movements and want to know what everyone else thinks and does.

So, are you a thumber or a pincher? Why, and how did you come to that technique?

 

[THE CYBORG]

I have no control at all using the pinch technique and I really did try, I blame the my game console days, thumbs all the way for me.

 

[Tony McDrone]

I am a thumb flyer. It started as a kid playing the Coleco Electronic Quarterback, a handheld video game that required quick hand eye coordination and dexterous thumbs. It was quite a natural transfer once I started flying drones, albeit 30 years later. It all came back...just like riding a bike and having sex.

 

[hiflyer201]

Thumbs!

 

[old man mavic]

have always used thumbs ,never got on with the pinch method
if i want to yaw very slowly, i find that i can rest my thumb on the RC and keep it steady as i yaw
using the side of my thumb to push the stick either left or right depending on the direction i require also altering the setting of the sticks can make a huge difference to how smooth you can fly ,keep doing small changes till you find your sweet spot and then note them down so you can reset them as after an update they can reset to original

 

[rstcso]

Interesting. I never thought about it, but I'm a pincher. I've tried "thumbing", but I felt like they might slip off the controls.

I'm also afraid of heights, although I've never just fallen down while walking or standing.

 

[dirkclod]

Thumbs but also a slider. Meaning I put my thumbs down on the controller face and use the side or end of my finger. Seems I don't
jerk as much and am smooth.

 

[vindibona1]

have always used thumbs ,never got on with the pinch method
if i want to yaw very slowly, i find that i can rest my thumb on the RC and keep it steady as i yaw
using the side of my thumb to push the stick either left or right depending on the direction i require also altering the setting of the sticks can make a huge difference to how smooth you can fly ,keep doing small changes till you find your sweet spot and then note them down so you can reset them as after an update they can reset to original

I think that's an interesting observation. I saw a drone video some time ago where the guy said to fly more smoothly just remove the sticks. Your method seems to have a similar purpose, but with sticks still in the controller. I think this would be good for L/R yaw but perhaps a bit more difficult with forward/backward movement. I'll have to try your method and removing sticks. Still, I think the Mini 2 moves fast even in C mode and requires more fine stick control. My Mavic 2 in the tripod mode seems to crawl, even with sticks all the way forward. I never thought of modifying stick technique as I could be very smooth with thumbs on sticks. I'll have to go measure the Mini 2 max speed in C Mode full throttle and compare.

@rstcso I think I'm afraid of heights too. I get a sharp tingle in my man parts even when watching TV and see one of those looking-over-the-cliff shots. I wish I had jumped out of perfectly good airplanes when I was younger and had no sense of mortality so I wouldn't have any issues.

 

[old man mavic]

Thumbs but also a slider. Meaning I put my thumbs down on the controller face and use the side or end of my finger. Seems I don't
jerk as much and am smooth.

hi DC seems we have so much in common when it comes to drones see my post #5
we seem to sing off the same hymn sheet

 

[dirkclod]

hi DC seems we have so much in common when it comes to drones see my post #5
we seem to sing off the same hymn sheet

I’ve even tryed taking the sticks off and just using the ball but
that really has its limits
Yeah I didn’t read all your post OMM. Is easier when you have a little age on you to do that to keep consistent pressure in the same place. We didn’t grow up like many with game controllers in hands. ?

 

[old man mavic]

I think that's an interesting observation. I saw a drone video some time ago where the guy said to fly more smoothly just remove the sticks. Your method seems to have a similar purpose, but with sticks still in the controller. I think this would be good for L/R yaw but perhaps a bit more difficult with forward/backward movement. I'll have to try your method and removing sticks. Still, I think the Mini 2 moves fast even in C mode and requires more fine stick control. My Mavic 2 in the tripod mode seems to crawl, even with sticks all the way forward. I never thought of modifying stick technique as I could be very smooth with thumbs on sticks. I'll have to go measure the Mini 2 max speed in C Mode full throttle and compare.

@rstcso I think I'm afraid of heights too. I get a sharp tingle in my man parts even when watching TV and see one of those looking-over-the-cliff shots. I wish I had jumped out of perfectly good airplanes when I was younger and had no sense of mortality so I wouldn't have any issues.

its really only for yawing that i use the side of my thumb ,its more to do with keeping a constant slow speed during a 360 yaw whether inwards or outwards facing i find it give a more pleasing view when playing back the video for flying forwards or backwards while yawing and banking then i just use the tops of the sticks as normal

 

[Camino Ken]

I use both methods but that wasn’t one of the survey choices. Thumbs most of the time and pinch when I need more precision. Also, the pitch method is useful to stabilize my hands when my old person hand tremors flare up.

 

[OldGuy]

I was always a thumbs flier but as I have got older and have a slight tremor in my hands I find myself using the pinch method more and more.

 

[Bill Kennedy]

I am a thumb flyer. It started as a kid playing the Coleco Electronic Quarterback, a handheld video game that required quick hand eye coordination and dexterous thumbs. It was quite a natural transfer once I started flying drones, albeit 30 years later. It all came back...just like riding a bike and having sex.

At the same time - quite a trick ?

 

[Kyle76]

I generally use my thumbs, but if I’m looking for extra control, I position my thumbs at the base of the sticks and roll into them, keeping in contact with the controller base and the sticks. This avoids any twitching that might occur from trying to keep constant even pressure with just my thumbs.

 

[G Randy Brown]

I'd like to see a "both" option...in a tight situation where I need to be precise (ie flying thru or under something) I pinch, when I'm away from obstacles I'll relax and just use thumbs.

 

[vindibona1]

its really only for yawing that i use the side of my thumb ,its more to do with keeping a constant slow speed during a 360 yaw whether inwards or outwards facing i find it give a more pleasing view when playing back the video for flying forwards or backwards while yawing and banking then i just use the tops of the sticks as normal

I tried that technique indoors last night and I found it awkward, but it gave me a thought to try removing the sticks. that was a bigger no-go. What I discovered was that the response that I was looking for was backwards from what I would like. The greatest change in motion happened in the first 10%-20% of the ball movement, then tapered off. What I'd really like is the opposite- small movement in the first 20% gradually increasing as the sticks move toward maximum position. Though I haven't tried it yet, I think my Mavic 2 has the ability to change the response curves. Beyond yaw response, does the Mini2 have any curve adjustments for response?

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

I've tried both but I always default to thumbs.

 

[G Randy Brown]

I think it's only during those butt-clenching moments that I put as many fingers and thumbs on them as possible ?
I should also mention I feel I have more control since buying stick extensions similar to these

 

[Corsair415]

If you were meant to use more than your thumb, they’d’ve made the sticks the size of an arcade game joystick.