Disable M3 Downward Sensors

[Tim3459575]

Hi,

Considering purchase of M3 to use from a sailboat, and am wondering if the downward sensors can be disabled. I intend on attaching a vertical catch handle which would otherwise affect those sensors.

Does anyone know if those sensors can be disabled based upon the current firmware ?

Thank you
Tim

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Before you go any further I would ask/check if anyone has tried to get a home point lock at boot from an M3 with a moving home point.
As things stand, people have to wait a long time to get a home point lock when flying from a stationary home point, the limitations placed on a GPS-lock-less flight might mean your VERY expensive drone could end up stuck over water. That's not good even if only temporary.

 

[Meta4]

Hi,

Does anyone know if those sensors can be disabled based upon the current firmware ?

Unfortunately DJI has seen fit to stick Mavic 3 users with the same lack of options that they give buyers of their cheapest entry-level drones.
The ability to turn off the downward facing sensors is just one of the options they've taken away.

the limitations placed on a GPS-lock-less flight might mean your VERY expensive drone could end up stuck over water. That's not good even if only temporary.

If one was to launch without gps, that doesn't mean that the drone gets "stuck".
It would still be perfectly controllable in atti mode, but would have an altitude limit of 30 metres until GPS is working.
Not having a homepoint, would be the least of his worries when the homepoint is irrelevant on a moving vessel.

 

[Suren]

Unfortunately DJI has seen fit to stick Mavic 3 users with the same lack of options that they give buyers of their cheapest entry-level drones.
The ability to turn off the downward facing sensors is just one of the options they've taken away.


If one was to launch without gps, that doesn't mean that the drone gets "stuck".
It would still be perfectly controllable in atti mode, but would have an altitude limit of 30 metres until GPS is working.
Not having a homepoint, would be the least of his worries when the homepoint is irrelevant on a moving vessel.

Just to add to that, Once the drone does lock home point, it can be set again to your point in the app, you do have this option.

 

[Tim3459575]

Would putting tape over the downward sensors be an adequate work around ?

Does anyone have experience with flying an M3 from a boat and whether there were any problems ?

 

[MaxHam]

I don't have boat experience but I figured the hand catch problem with the downward sensor:
First of all I switch to sport mode which deactivates the sensors but unfortunately not the downward sensors.
Then I turn the M3 so the camera is facing me. Now it's easy to catch coming in with the hand from below the front.
It appears to me that the downward sensor in the back is the one that looks for obstacles underneath, the one in the front doesn't bother ;-)

 

[Tim3459575]

I find sports mode too jumpy - I need as much fine control as possible when catching from the boat

 

[JustName]

Would putting tape over the downward sensors be an adequate work around ?

Does anyone have experience with flying an M3 from a boat and whether there were any problems ?

Sure, i did a lot of starts from a bot with my Mavic 3 and also successful landings and had absolutely no issues.
For the attached shots i did started from the yellow boat.

 

[Tim3459575]

Thanks for the feedback, I’ll have to give it a try. Excellent shots !

 

[vtcats]

This is somewhat off topic, but given it has been mentioned about potential issue with home lock from a moving point, does Dji Fly offer an option I would always use from Go4 when flying from a boat, which was to set “hover” in case of lost signal or return to home?

 

[outermagnolian]

I spent some time recently landing a Mavic 3 on a sailboat. With all the rigging, the vertical column I needed to land in was maybe 2 square meters. I discovered that the tilted deck seemed to upset the Mavic and it would resist landing, and then I found a clever hack. At the moment I got the thing hovering about 2 meters above, I switched into Sport Mode. The sensors stopped fighting me instantly, and I could force a quick drop into my hand or onto the deck.

 

[vtcats]

I spent some time recently landing a Mavic 3 on a sailboat. With all the rigging, the vertical column I needed to land in was maybe 2 square meters. I discovered that the tilted deck seemed to upset the Mavic and it would resist landing, and then I found a clever hack. At the moment I got the thing hovering about 2 meters above, I switched into Sport Mode. The sensors stopped fighting me instantly, and I could force a quick drop into my hand or onto the deck.

Wow, that’s interesting thanks. I had previously read that switching to sport ,ode did not disable the downward sensors. And who knows, maybe it doesn’t, but it does allow to land regardless without the issues in or normal mode.