Can't seem to find a natural grip for controller that allows good gimbal control!

[volition]

Been flying for a short while over 3 weeks. Making sure I fly at least 1 battery every day but been doing on average a couple with the MA2. Doing 99% VLOS flying and my flying is becoming more and more natural everyday. Been practicing backwards flight, sideways flight, forwards, vertical & horizontal obstacles a bit of everything. My problem is with my grip when I start wanting to combine gimbal pitch.

When I started I just used my thumbs it felt most natural. I watched some youtube videos stating the pinch method was more accurate and saw a wicked FPV flyer holding the sticks that way. So decided to force myself to do that. At first, it felt alright and I could see that fine control especially holding finer inputs.was very accurate. But today I wanted to start practicing adding in gimbal pitch control whilst flying around. And for the life of me, I can't find a natural grip to do it. When I use the pinch method it's my ring finger that goes on the gimbal wheel and it feels really uncoordinated and lacks any feel ( I have damaged the tip of that finger, crushed bones in the tip and wonky nail, so it does feel slightly different to a healthy one) the ring finger is not an ideal finger to do that function.

Hardware-wise I am using the PGYTech Tablet holder with the MA2 control.

I am wondering how people hold their controls and has anyone got any ideas, advice. I ended up going back to thumbs only as I stubbornly believe that I can still manage fine controls that way anyway. I saw some people using lanyards to support the control but even then it's a real stretch to do the pinch method and get the index finger down to the wheel.

Thoughts, Feedback?

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

Been flying for a short while over 3 weeks. Making sure I fly at least 1 battery every day but been doing on average a couple with the MA2. Doing 99% VLOS flying and my flying is becoming more and more natural everyday. Been practicing backwards flight, sideways flight, forwards, vertical & horizontal obstacles a bit of everything. My problem is with my grip when I start wanting to combine gimbal pitch.

When I started I just used my thumbs it felt most natural. I watched some youtube videos stating the pinch method was more accurate and saw a wicked FPV flyer holding the sticks that way. So decided to force myself to do that. At first, it felt alright and I could see that fine control especially holding finer inputs.was very accurate. But today I wanted to start practicing adding in gimbal pitch control whilst flying around. And for the life of me, I can't find a natural grip to do it. When I use the pinch method it's my ring finger that goes on the gimbal wheel and it feels really uncoordinated and lacks any feel ( I have damaged the tip of that finger, crushed bones in the tip and wonky nail, so it does feel slightly different to a healthy one) the ring finger is not an ideal finger to do that function.

Hardware-wise I am using the PGYTech Tablet holder with the MA2 control.

I am wondering how people hold their controls and has anyone got any ideas, advice. I ended up going back to thumbs only as I stubbornly believe that I can still manage fine controls that way anyway. I saw some people using lanyards to support the control but even then it's a real stretch to do the pinch method and get the index finger down to the wheel.

Thoughts, Feedback?

I've been flying for two years and I know exactly what you are experiencing. And I have an additional problem with precision due to my hands shaking (old people!).

Here's my solution. I have made several modifications to my RC allowing me to rest my hands on the RC thus stabilizing them. First, I use a lanyard in combination with a belly brace so that I don't have to hold the weight of the RC. Second, I added a control lever to the gimbal wheel to give better "feel". All of this allows me to use the pinch system. Here are some pics. If you are so inclined, I can supply more details.

 

[THE CYBORG]

Whatever feels best for you is the way to go, I simply can't use the pinch method at all even though I was determined to master it, I can’t get a fluid movement using pinch.

 

[volition]

I've been flying for two years and I know exactly what you are experiencing. And I have an additional problem with precision due to my hands shaking (old people!).

Here's my solution. I have made several modifications to my RC allowing me to rest my hands on the RC thus stabilizing them. First, I use a lanyard in combination with a belly brace so that I don't have to hold the weight of the RC. Second, I added a control lever to the gimbal wheel to give better "feel". All of this allows me to use the pinch system. Here are some pics. If you are so inclined, I can supply more details.

View attachment 111413View attachment 111414View attachment 111415View attachment 111416

I love your work! Can I ask how you added the lever for the gimbal wheel. Is it tapped in? I really like that idea.

 

[volition]

Whatever feels best for you is the way to go, I simply can't use the pinch method at all even though I was determined to master it, I can’t get a fluid movement using pinch.

Yes I think I am I the same boat, I do think I can learn the finer control. Well hopefully, I’ll persist with just thumbs and see what transpires.

using the pinch I basically can’t use the gimbal with any accuracy.I do like the idea of taking the weight of the radio out of the hands as @RadioFlyerMan has done and I saw some mounts have a lanyard clip. @THE CYBORG have you tried the pinch method in your trials with the weight supported?

 

[THE CYBORG]

@THE CYBORG have you tried the pinch method in your trials with the weight supported?

Yes I used a mount & lanyard that balanced things out nicely.
I now have a smart Controller but still can’t do the pinch method, it makes me do erratic movements, I have better control using thumbs.
Whatever works for you is the way to go but it’s thumbs for me.

 

[volition]

Yes I used a mount & lanyard that balanced things out nicely.
I now have a smart Controller but still can’t do the pinch method, it makes me do erratic movements, I have better control using thumbs.
Whatever works for you is the way to go but it’s thumbs for me.

cheers mate. I was curious to see if the lanyard improved it. Seems not. I'll keep experimenting. Thumbs only for me in the meantime.

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

I love your work! Can I ask how you added the lever for the gimbal wheel. Is it tapped in? I really like that idea.

Thanks! For the gimbal wheel, first I found an appropriate lever. It really could be anything and you have to use your imagination. I found an winding knob from an old alarm clock. The stem was very small so all I had to do was drill a small hole about 3/32" deep (carefully!). Then I used cyanoacrylate glue to attach it. So far it has held. As you can see, I used a drill press for precision.

Also, if you're interested, here are some pics of how I attached my Canon camera lanyard. And the dimensions of my "belly brace" which is attached to the iPad mount.

 

[Tentoes]

I've been flying for two years and I know exactly what you are experiencing. And I have an additional problem with precision due to my hands shaking (old people!).

Here's my solution. I have made several modifications to my RC allowing me to rest my hands on the RC thus stabilizing them. First, I use a lanyard in combination with a belly brace so that I don't have to hold the weight of the RC. Second, I added a control lever to the gimbal wheel to give better "feel". All of this allows me to use the pinch system. Here are some pics. If you are so inclined, I can supply more details.

View attachment 111413View attachment 111414View attachment 111415View attachment 111416

That's how I do it.

 

[Wozza]

I guess I'll get used to it, but rotating the gimbal wheel right and left to make the gimbal go up and down doesn't feel very natural. Beats me why they couldn't have rotated it thru 90 degrees so we could roll it up to rotate up and roll down to rotate down.

 

[Tentoes]

I guess I'll get used to it, but rotating the gimbal wheel right and left to make the gimbal go up and down doesn't feel very natural. Beats me why they couldn't have rotated it thru 90 degrees so we could roll it up to rotate up and roll down to rotate down.

Yes. I mess up more shots turning the wheel the wrong way.