Do you hand catch your drone?

[51 Drones]

This video looks to be resonating with some, so I thought I would share here. I’m surprised more people don’t hand catch!

These Are 5 Habits of Professional Drone Pilots You Should Do!

 

[rickmurray1989]

No. Only once, in several hundred flights.

 

[old man mavic]

@51 Drones hi Russ i myself do not hand launch /catch simply for the fact i take an anticoagulant every day for medical reasons, so for me to have the props make contact with me would not be a good thing ,i am often flying alone and miles from anywhere

 

[mobilehomer]

Russ, your method is the BEST way to do it. But, not me on a regular basis. I can if needed.

 

[Deleted member 162835]

I've only hand caught a few times mostly for the gimmick of thinking it looked cool. Once that wore off week one, I stopped. If I launched from poor terrain maybe I would. Not sure why this is something that professionals do so I should too haha.

 

[Deleted member 170519]

It really depends on where I am at. If I am in a place that doesn't have suitable landing or I went off and forgot my landing pad. So, about half the time.

 

[3rdof5]

I have never hand launched any drone ever. I often hand catch my P3P but that's easy compared to a Mavic. I haven't tried with my Classic yet as I have never needed to. But I could easily do it. There's plenty to grab hold of out of props way. The trick is the landing protection. You have to know how to work with it.

 

[NOLADG]

Hand launch and catch 95% of the time. Helps to keep junk out of the props.

 

[LoudThunder]

I thought I would share here

Russ,

a Great video. I have posted about Hand Launching and Hand Catching numerous times, not so much for the Cool Factor (although it is…), but for safety sake. To protect the drone if you are flying from a location where a ground take-off or landing is difficult or impossible due to dirt, rocks, water, etc…

But I also preach Hand Launching and Hand Catching when there are children or animals around, especially if your flying has drawn a crowd or the unwanted attention of loose dogs (or small kids)…

Your recommendation of drone orientation, facing towards or away from you is good advice, but I have always added, hold the drone downwind away from you (or you upwind of the drone…). You advise holding your arm up at a 45-degree angle to get the drone above your face and head, but I have seen so many folk start getting lazy and holding their arm straight out, perhaps it's just so they can see their face on the screen and in the video…

But I really push the downwind factor… I tell them "those props will slap the pretty off your face…"

LT signing off (at arm's length, up 45 degrees, but upwind of the drone…).

 

[MA2 317]

Launch / Land with the hand.

Started with a Spark and now a Mavic Air 2.

I don't spin the aircraft over to kill the motors after a flight.

That's an accident waiting to happen.

It's much easier to hold the left stick down for a couple of seconds while holding the aircraft.

.

 

[Hrodnand]

Great video however, I prefer to use my launch pad for takeoff/landing and also to make the extra effort and seek for a suitable surface where I can unfold it.

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

Definitely, if ground conditions demand it. I’m a front-end catcher.

 

[Kendallfordguy]

I launch from the ground and hand catch most of the time.

 

[Aerialskape]

Frequently hand launch / land. Prefer to do so to keep dirt out of motors. Landing pads are ok, but need a large enough flat area to be placed securely. Also I’m often moving from away from take off area before landing so would need to take landing pad with me as frequently nowhere near take off point at end of flight.

 

[FletcherAero]

I usually hand launch/catch except for at night where I prefer to land traditionally.

 

[iam4k33m]

Sometimes - when the ground is uneven I'll hover Infront of me, grab it just behind the gimbal to avoid the ground sensors and push the throttle down. In the same conditions I'll hand launch too.

 

[Ralph thompson]

Very nice video but like others above I do not hand launch or catch by hand. One reason and it's an obvious issue with the video, checklists are important, even if just the basics like; confirming Home pt, RTH altitude, battery cell balance, empty SD card, etc. I have a"no exceptions" policy, always go through the checklist. Hand launching makes completing a good checklist difficult, you need one hand to hold the checklist and quickly move around the screen menus. I always use a landing pad like the one shown by Hrodnand.

 

[CorralesDan]

All the time with my Air 2S.

 

[PakNheat380]

I hand launch/catch on my boat and when I am in an area that is less than suitable for normal takeoff & landings. After a cut to my hand, I always wear a leather glove.

 

[mmcphee]

This video looks to be resonating with some, so I thought I would share here. I’m surprised more people don’t hand catch!

These Are 5 Habits of Professional Drone Pilots You Should Do!