Don't do what I did to "hand catch" your MA2!

[Squidinc]

Hi guys,
Have only been flying for about 3 weeks now, and thoroughly enjoying my Mavic Air 2's capabilities. That said, after watching a few YouTube videos, I thought I would try hand catching my MA2 on return. I made the costly mistake of attempting to grab it from above, instead of below! Lesson learnt. (See pic). Those props are like knives...trust me lol. Only damage done to my MA2 was to one prop, which I immediately replaced.

 

[bumper]

Ouch! Sorry you learned that lesson the hard way. You are correct, of course, there is no way to safely catch a drone from above. Even hand catching from below entails some risk, though it's far less and manageable. I'm 75, but active and exercise a lot. Still I managed to drop my drone from chest height while hand catching. Poor light and it slipped. I had a lens hood on, which broke and saved the gimbal on my M2P, so no real damage.

Heal quick.

 

[lannes]

You need a filleting glove

 

[Squidinc]

You need a filleting glove

View attachment 104540

Good idea lol

 

[Juggler]

Hi guys,
Have only been flying for about 3 weeks now, and thoroughly enjoying my Mavic Air 2's capabilities. That said, after watching a few YouTube videos, I thought I would try hand catching my MA2 on return. I made the costly mistake of attempting to grab it from above, instead of below! Lesson learnt. (See pic). Those props are like knives...trust me lol. Only damage done to my MA2 was to one prop, which I immediately replaced.

next you will be trying the ejection seat on the helicopter?....sorry

 

[Andy Mac 230]

Actually Juggler,
The Russians in the 70 tried to develop and ejection system for helicopters. One was a downward system....nor very good when your flying ultra low level. The second was blowing the blades off in sequence so as not to unbalance the head then eject upwards.. Needless to say neither was successful and after loosing many “volunteers” the program was shelved !!!

 

[Juggler]

Actually Juggler,
The Russians in the 70 tried to develop and ejection system for helicopters. One was a downward system....nor very good when your flying ultra low level. The second was blowing the blades off in sequence so as not to unbalance the head then eject upwards.. Needless to say neither was successful and after loosing many “volunteers” the program was shelved !!!

I know of those attempts however it spoils an attempt at a bit of light humour?

 

[boblui]

Which Youtube video shows how to grab the drone from above ?

 

[Andy Mac 230]

Juggler totally agree helicopter ejection drone catching from above both highly amusing..but I feel the pain...but he won’t do that again..will you squid..but there for the grace we all go

 

[ZFlyer]

Hi guys,
Have only been flying for about 3 weeks now, and thoroughly enjoying my Mavic Air 2's capabilities. That said, after watching a few YouTube videos, I thought I would try hand catching my MA2 on return. I made the costly mistake of attempting to grab it from above, instead of below! Lesson learnt. (See pic). Those props are like knives...trust me lol. Only damage done to my MA2 was to one prop, which I immediately replaced.

Been there done that....I feel your pain.

 

[Deleted member 114292]

Just learn how to land and stop worrying about being cool.

 

[Whitebeak]

I had a terror incident trying to hand catch my M2Pro , last year , from underneath . Grab and flip it over ; done before several times , but that day , the drone went bonkers with maximum thrust and was a terrifying wrestle . No injury , but I won’t do it again .

 

[Squidinc]

Ouch! Sorry you learned that lesson the hard way. You are correct, of course, there is no way to safely catch a drone from above. Even hand catching from below entails some risk, though it's far less and manageable. I'm 75, but active and exercise a lot. Still I managed to drop my drone from chest height while hand catching. Poor light and it slipped. I had a lens hood on, which broke and saved the gimbal on my M2P, so no real damage.

Heal quick.

Thanks!

 

[Squidinc]

I had a terror incident trying to hand catch my M2Pro , last year , from underneath . Grab and flip it over ; done before several times , but that day , the drone went bonkers with maximum thrust and was a terrifying wrestle . No injury , but I won’t do it again .

I can hand launch just fine, but won’t be attempting to catch again in a hurry!

 

[Squidinc]

Ouch! Sorry you learned that lesson the hard way. You are correct, of course, there is no way to safely catch a drone from above. Even hand catching from below entails some risk, though it's far less and manageable. I'm 75, but active and exercise a lot. Still I managed to drop my drone from chest height while hand catching. Poor light and it slipped. I had a lens hood on, which broke and saved the gimbal on my M2P, so no real damage.

Heal quick.

Thanks

 

[hiflyer201]

I made the costly mistake of attempting to grab it from above,

Yikes!! I've been bit before by trying to grab my Spark that was trying to fly with hand gestures that I knew nothing about. (read the manual)
Hope that doesn't discourage you. It really is easy. lower it down to shoulder level.(that seems too low at first) just watch it's behaviour and make sure it's stable and your on stable ground..Walk up to it on an angle, put your hand under it and gently pull back on the left stick. as it settles into your hand keep the stick all the way back until the props have stopped. once you've done it a few times you'll have your own preferred method. I think it's the best way to land it unless you're sitting in a chair I've scared myself a couple of times doing that

 

[Squidinc]

next you will be trying the ejection seat on the helicopter?....sorry

Ahhh, that’s what that lever is for!

 

[Squidinc]

Which Youtube video shows how to grab the drone from above ?

None. I wasn’t paying close enough attention between watching some YouTubes at home, & flying the next day. Lesson learnt. Hand launching....no problem!

 

[Squidinc]

Ouch! Sorry you learned that lesson the hard way. You are correct, of course, there is no way to safely catch a drone from above. Even hand catching from below entails some risk, though it's far less and manageable. I'm 75, but active and exercise a lot. Still I managed to drop my drone from chest height while hand catching. Poor light and it slipped. I had a lens hood on, which broke and saved the gimbal on my M2P, so no real damage.

Heal quick.

Thanks! ??

 

[Torcan]

Just learn how to land and stop worrying about being cool.

Now, now, be nice
Unless you know the reasons for someone wanting to hand catch, it is better to practice hand catch on dry land so if ever the occasion arrived where someone were to go boating and wanted to use their drone then they would know how to hand catch the drone. Catching it from above though , well...I'll just leave it at that