Catching the Mavic Air from a boat

[Lake_Flyer]

If you say it has no use that means it can't interfere with you. So why bother turning it off. It really protects the device if it's trying to land on a slope etc. Hand catching had nothing to do with disabled sensors etc. It's literally landing in your hand vs the ground. Exact same principles apply.

While hand catching the motor should never Ramp up. That's kinda the point.

****, some people believe flipping it onto its side is the way to land..

1. Have you ever tried catching with LP off?

....if it's trying to land on a slope....
2. Why on earth would you let it land on a slope? You have a safe take off and landing spot normally don't you? And if not, you catch it by hand.

3. Have you ever flown from a boat? Because that's what this thread is all about.
On a boat you need to make sure the one who catches it should be as safe as possible. LP is hazardous on a boat.

 

[Lake_Flyer]

Why switch it off when holding the left stick down for a couple seconds does the same thing? Landing protection has it's benefits, there is no disadvantage to leaving it on IMO, and it doesn't change how you do a palm landing.

Palm landing on a rocking boat? Come on. Not safe. Grab it. With LP off.

 

[CanadaDrone]

Palm landing on a rocking boat? Come on. Not safe. Grab it. With LP off.

Well you don't literally land it on an outstretched palm - I don't think anyone does that even on dry land. You reach up and grasp the drone from the bottom - dead simple, and accurate even on a moving boat. If the boat is moving/rocking so much that you can't do that, there is no way it's also safe to land a drone in it or even be standing up so you wouldn't be flying the first place.

There is still no reason to have LP switched off as it will already be disabled automatically during the landing after a 3sec hold on the left stick. It comes down very slowly and you just grab it. I've flown from a boat several times this year already and there is no reason to disable LP IMO.

 

[Lake_Flyer]

Well you don't literally land it on an outstretched palm - I don't think anyone does that even on dry land. You reach up and grasp the drone from the bottom - dead simple, and accurate even on a moving boat. If the boat is moving/rocking so much that you can't do that, there is no way it's also safe to land a drone in it or even be standing up so you wouldn't be flying the first place.

There is still no reason to have LP switched off as it will already be disabled automatically during the landing after a 3sec hold on the left stick. It comes down very slowly and you just grab it. I've flown from a boat several times this year already and there is no reason to disable LP IMO.

Never mind, I'm done with this discussion.

 

[mad monkey]

Thank God..

 

[Lzet]

Recent experience: Do not stop be careful during palm landing. I landed staying on ground (I have no boat). So I did not move, but between the first attempt when the drone is spinning up (due to bottom sensors) , and the second one a little wind stroke moved the drone few centimetres (I guess one and half) forward and my fingers went in a nice contact with propellers. Drone felt down with two broken props and I have a nice blue mark on my thumbnail. Thanks to robust MA construction, after change of the broken props the drone works OK. My thumbnail will recover in few weeks as well.
Always learning
Enjoy flying

 

[cybersarg]

I took off from a sailboat, be sure you move forward right after takeoff or it will crash into the boat, I did get some amazing pictures after taking off and getting her stable, but Landing was bit of a challenge, I chose to catch it from the bottom, come at it from an angle away from the sensors so it does not move up and you will have to fly it with 1 hand while your doing this. Good luck not something i will do often.

 

[stapleflyer]

I don't post much but I just did some filming over water and from a boat this weekend and can provide some experienced feedback.

First tip is film from land if at all possible it is much easier.

The first vessel was all steel and could break ice - I didn't even try to launch from it but if I did I would have hand launched. Keep the compass in mind on metal boats.

The second boat was a fiberglass charter fishing boat with a large stern and outboard motors - so no metal. Launched right from the stern deck no problem. Good tip posted above me to fly away from the boat asap. The drone will stay still but if the boat is moving/rocking it could hit the drone. If you are on a sailboat watch the rigging,

While filming over water I stayed at about at 10-20 feet due to the action I was filming. I think below 10' is where the downward vision sensors start getting messed up. Keep the wind speed and direction in mind. I had to come back into a steady 15 mph wind. Also - if you are low like I was have a spotter (I had the boat captain) looking out for other boats - especially taller sailboats.

I was able to have the boat captain hand catch the MA on the first try. Since all the sensors were on I just brought her aft and slid in sideways and he grabber it and flipped it. If that didn't work we had a large fish net on standby - I'd rather that damage than it drops in the water.

I tried to send her out again on another battery but got an IMU calibration warning. For S&Gs I tried to calibrate it on board the boat but that does not work - it hung up. Probably wouldn't have flown it if it did, but maybe. I think the motion of the boat just messed it up. Once on land the calibration ran fine.

So - launching is not too hard. Getting it back on a boat can be tricky, and risky, but is doable.

Next time the only things I would do differently is turn off the down sensor (they don't work well over water anyway) just to see how it does and change the RTH so it doesn't go back to the launch point.

 

[jotto]

... and change the RTH so it doesn't go back to the launch point.

Do you need to update the home position manually, or can the controller update the home position dynamically as the boat moves?

 

[InvisibleName]

Do you need to update the home position manually, or can the controller update the home position dynamically as the boat moves?

Good luck with using 'Return to RC'! This has been discussed in depth elsewhere in this forum

 

[rdevoto]

I do a lot of hand launching from a boat on my MA. It is easy buy you must always be careful. When the bottom sensors are on yo net to force the drone into your hand with lift stick. Catch it from the middle section on both sides with your hand firmly and flip upside down immediately to turn off. Just be careful with the props. Do it on land first and then you can do that from your boat. Do it at your own risk. Hope this helps.

 

[mad monkey]

I do a lot of hand launching from a boat on my MA. It is easy buy you must always be careful. When the bottom sensors are on yo net to force the drone into your hand with lift stick. Catch it from the middle section on both sides with your hand firmly and flip upside down immediately to turn off. Just be careful with the props. Do it on land first and then you can do that from your boat. Do it at your own risk. Hope this helps.

Try not flipping it. Just hold left stick long enough and it will turn off on its own

 

[rico341]

All good suggestions. Thanks everyone.

 

[LAir]

Do NOT grab or flip your mavic air over when palm landing. Watch this video for the correct way, it's easy, safe, and better for your drone.

 

[stapleflyer]

Do NOT grab or flip your mavic air over when palm landing. Watch this video for the correct way, it's easy, safe, and better for your drone.

If you watch this, skip the first 8 long winded minutes - Spoiler - he just lands it in a flat palm using left stick down. That will work in your living room but will not work on a boat at sea.

This is not my video but based on my drone/boat experience is about what you can expect - depending on your piloting skills.

 

[JDawg]

If you watch this, skip the first 8 long winded minutes - Spoiler - he just lands it in a flat palm using left stick down. That will work in your living room but will not work on a boat at sea.

This is not my video but based on my drone/boat experience is about what you can expect - depending on your piloting skills.

I don't fly indoors. It works great outside in windy conditions and on Lake Lanier when it is rough also. I am not sure why people have so much trouble with this?

 

[LAir]

I don't fly indoors. It works great outside in windy conditions and on Lake Lanier when it is rough also. I am not sure why people have so much trouble with this?

Seriously, the Mavic Air is super stable in all conditions, including wind, landing it in your palm outdoors is extremely easy and the proper way to do it. Don't grab your drone or flip it over, you're more likely to **** things up doing that, let the computer handle the landing as it knows what its doing.

 

[mad monkey]

I am not sure why people have so much trouble with this?

Because it's the internet

 

[Sburke91]

I took the Mavic Air out on the boat for the first time today. We have a cuddy cabin, so have a nice launch/landing platform. Even with float attachments on the drone, it lanunched and landed on the bow with no trouble at all.

 

[Jameslavis]

Longer thread than this needs to be. I don’t palm land, I grab with three pincher fingers. I hand launch and land only. There are no issues with doing this on a boat unless you are moving around. RTH can send it to where you were. Keep VLoS and watch battery, easy peasey