DIY cheap, quick, portable landing pad

mrcoptermr · Feb 27, 2017

Robert Mitchell said:
View attachment 3669 Take one of these, available in packs from Lowes or Walmart

View attachment 3672 Cut it into quarters, down the middle.

View attachment 3673 Flip the edges in and lock.View attachment 3674

View attachment 3675 Flip it over and spray paint as desired. I just used masking tape and a can lid.

View attachment 3676 When dry, unlock, stack and wrap with a couple of velcro straps. Makes a 1 foot square.

Easy to transport, light, and easy to snap together to fly.

Great idea !! I'll try this out. Thanks.

HumanShield · Feb 27, 2017

I don't really understand the reason for a landing pad. I guess I could see it if you were taking off from sand but otherwise I don't see the need.

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chrism · Feb 27, 2017

HumanShield said:
I don't really understand the reason for a landing pad. I guess I could see it if you were taking off from sand but otherwise I don't see the need.

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The RTH feature takes a picture of where it takes off from, so landing pads are ideal when taking off from areas such as open grass, beach etc. where there are no distinguishing features.

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Strafe1 · Feb 27, 2017

HumanShield said:
I don't really understand the reason for a landing pad. I guess I could see it if you were taking off from sand but otherwise I don't see the need.

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The back props are so low to the ground that even short grass is an interference to the props and can mar the props over time. Not to mention the elimination of debris from the prop wash into the air intakes.

Drone Police · Feb 27, 2017

chrism said:
The RTH feature takes a picture of where it takes off from, so landing pads are ideal when taking off from areas such as open grass, beach etc. where there are no distinguishing features.

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My mavic rth to the exact spot in open grass areas with no distiguishable contrast without landing pads.
I got no problem with people buying and using them. Just don't understand spending $30 on wire and fabric.
Tbh I wouldn't spend $1 on those goofy looking things.
If DJI released an official one and marked up the already marked price, they'd sell a boat load.

Blucenturion · Feb 28, 2017

Drone Police said:
My mavic rth to the exact spot in open grass areas with no distiguishable contrast without landing pads.
I got no problem with people buying and using them. Just don't understand spending $30 on wire and fabric.
Tbh I wouldn't spend $1 on those goofy looking things.
If DJI released an official one and marked up the already marked price, they'd sell a boat load.

That's only one example of the useless things people are buying for the Mavic. Amurika.

H8Monday · Feb 28, 2017

Taking off from snow, sand or even a parking lot or sidewalk will cause debris to become airborne and get ingested into the main body or individual motors. Covering any of those surfaces with anything, foam, sheet rock, my current favorite is a $5 multicolor doormat, will only prolong the life of your equipment.

Drone Police · Feb 28, 2017

Blucenturion said:
That's only one example of the useless things people are buying for the Mavic. Amurika.

You're not kidding! That or a design flaw from DJI engineers, hmm.
A lot of junk other out there but people gotta "accessorize". What can you do?

Strafe1 · Feb 28, 2017

Drone Police said:
My mavic rth to the exact spot in open grass areas with no distiguishable contrast without landing pads.
I got no problem with people buying and using them. Just don't understand spending $30 on wire and fabric.
Tbh I wouldn't spend $1 on those goofy looking things.
If DJI released an official one and marked up the already marked price, they'd sell a boat load.

You know what you know.

Strafe1 · Feb 28, 2017

Blucenturion said:
That's only one example of the useless things people are buying for the Mavic. Amurika.

Apparently unaware of the multiple uses, and environments pilots take off and land from.
Again, you know what you know.

AlanTheBeast · Feb 28, 2017

grizsteve said:
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Main objection to these is that on uneven ground (grass) the surface is uneven. Why I prefer a sheet of plywood. That was some scrap in the garage. Cut a handle into it, made a template for the helo markings and a bit of left over spray paint to finish.

But, the original poster to this thread wins it for ingenuity, light weight and portability.

AlanTheBeast · Feb 28, 2017

BmrUpInTheSky said:
Cool. I have some of these stored in my closet.

That said, why do I need a landing pad?

Main reason is to keep dust out of the air intake at the front of the drone.

AlanTheBeast · Feb 28, 2017

Drone Police said:
My mavic rth to the exact spot in open grass areas with no distiguishable contrast without landing pads.
I got no problem with people buying and using them. Just don't understand spending $30 on wire and fabric.
Tbh I wouldn't spend $1 on those goofy looking things.
If DJI released an official one and marked up the already marked price, they'd sell a boat load.

I doubt RTH to an exact spot will work in an even grass area. There's either something it locked onto (brown patch) or luck.

Aliasing alone would prevent it.

The main purpose of these pads is keeping dust out of the front air intake.

greginfinity · Feb 28, 2017

OP, great idea! I am looking for something slightly more rigid for uneven surfaces. Something like this but flat (and maybe more rigid). Any ideas?

Amazon.com : Generic Foldable Folding Outdoor Camping Mat Seat Foam XPE Cushion Portable Waterproof Chair Picnic Mat Pad 5 Colors send in random (2pcs) : Sports & Outdoors

BerndM · Feb 28, 2017

Whatever you decide to use as a landing pad MAKE SURE that it is either heavy enough to stay put under the not insignificant downwash from the Drone or solidly staked to the ground
A few yeas ago a buddy of mine seriously damaged his DJI F550 when the pad he'd made launched off the ground and shot into his hexa as he was still 5 feet off the ground.
Very surprising and Very disappointing.

Soundtekk · Feb 28, 2017

What about a 500mm square of AstroTurf? Shop sound the corner sells it...

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Drone Police · Feb 28, 2017

AlanTheBeast said:
I doubt RTH to an exact spot will work in an even grass area. There's either something it locked onto (brown patch) or luck.

Aliasing alone would prevent it.

The main purpose of these pads is keeping dust out of the front air intake.

Don't doubt, it's called gps position. And by 'exact spot', I mean about half a foot margin of error. Hardly unbelievable in this day and age. And I get it every time.

AlanTheBeast · Feb 28, 2017

Drone Police said:
Don't doubt, it's called gps position. And by 'exact spot', I mean about half a foot margin of error. Hardly unbelievable in this day and age. And I get it every time.

GPS is nowhere near 1 foot position. On a good day 2 metres if you happen to have SBAS reception (WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS) where you are landing.

If you're getting that on grass, then it's very well lit and patchy enough for there to be a distinct pattern for the belly cameras to pickup and resolve.

MavicFrank · Feb 28, 2017

AlanTheBeast said:
Main objection to these is that on uneven ground (grass) the surface is uneven. Why I prefer a sheet of plywood. That was some scrap in the garage. Cut a handle into it, made a template for the helo markings and a bit of left over spray paint to finish.

But, the original poster to this thread wins it for ingenuity, light weight and portability.

I am thinking of something like this, but maybe hinged across the middle for easier transport on trips. If it were only a couple feet across it could be strapped to a backpack and taken anywhere.

Drone Police · Feb 28, 2017

AlanTheBeast said:
GPS is nowhere near 1 foot position. On a good day 2 metres if you happen to have SBAS reception (WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS) where you are landing.

If you're getting that on grass, then it's very well lit and patchy enough for there to be a distinct pattern for the belly cameras to pickup and resolve.

Lol I have personal anecdotal evidence. Why would I lie. I think the accuracy I'm seeing is because of my take off procedure , which is recording the home point before take off with minimum of 12 sats locked (I almost always get 18~19) and taking off vertically till about 10 meters before any horizontal flight.
This is on open grass field with little to no contrast.
Of course accuracy may vary if launching near buildings and tall trees where you may not be getting the best signals.
Anyway, this is not hard for anyone to test for themselves.