First flight ....... and I had to turtle it!

[PhoenixSA]

So I've been too busy at work since I got my Air2 and clearly didn't read anywhere near enough instruction material.

What could go wrong anyway, right?

Up she went like a breeze and I was gentle on the sticks getting a good feel and getting my head around the left, right, front to back, frack to bunt. ... etc

Just flew around and got familiar with the controls.

I'm standing on a sloping driveway and start to bring her down, the sensor beeps activate close to the shrubbery, cool!

So idiot proof methinks!

Until I decide that the driveway was too slopey. No problem I'll just grab her and power off manually with a battery shutoff. She just floats there almost motionless.

I grab her belly, bend down to put the controller down ........ whoooooah!!!! She full throttles as soon as she dips a teeny bit. We got ourselves a Mexican standoff!!

I can't drop her any lower, and I'm not game enough to let her go coz I don't know what she'll to to self correct or what.

It wasn't funny at the time wrestling with and trying to push the power buttons, first the controller, then the bird and back to the controller!

Nup every time I pulled her down even slightly, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!

The only thing left was to turn her over and hope the motors shut down.

I grabbed on tight and quickly flipped her upside down.

Phew!! Faster than hypnotising a chook - she shut down immediately.

So guess what I'll be reading tonight?

I'll see what the video looks like and might work out how to post something so you guys can get a hoot out of it as well.

Cheers ....... Frank

 

[dirkclod]

When you hand catch it you have to hold it at that elevation or it will try to correct itself. Like if you pull it down it will go back up and Vs versus .Just be ready to shut it down when you get a hold of it.

 

[umanbean]

Glad you got it under control with no damage - to you or the drone! LOL

The controller on a lanyard, hanging at just the right height, makes hand launching and catching much easier.

I don't always launch or land by hand, but I always fly with that lanyard, it comes in real handy

 

[MA2 317]

So guess what I'll be reading tonight?

Read about holding the left stick down after landing in your hand to shut off the motors.


Glad to hear you still have your fingers and aircraft.

 

[Marty Markoe]

I'm standing on a sloping driveway and start to bring her down, the sensor beeps activate close to the shrubbery, cool!

Think about getting PolarPro retractable landing gear. The extra clearance allows for landing safely without propellers hithing surface on most slopes.

 

[PhoenixSA]

Definitely considering the lanyard now!

Lesson learned about the self correction during "hand catch"!!!!

Pushing battery button whilst props spinning didn't work for me at all, that's for sure!

And spinning props ......... Ouch against the legs but surprisingly only grazes and no blood on impact.

 

[Barbara]

Bet that would have a great video....

Lanyard, yes; hand landing, yes (practice makes perfect). Grab and flip also good for emergencies, like curious dogs and children. You only need to flip it 90 degrees to get the motors to shut off. You need to be quick, better from behind, and get a good grip as it will try to get away. Just watch your fingers.

 

[THE CYBORG]

A similar thing happened to my boy but he wasn’t so lucky

 

[Barbara]

A similar thing happened to my boy but he wasn’t so lucky

Ouch!

So for so good for me....

 

[Tentoes]

What a fright!

I hover the drone near me. Take hold of the front with right hand. Hold stick down with left hand to shut off motors. Then wonder how I'm going to stop the video while holding remote with left hand and drone with right.

 

[maelstrom]

I hover the drone near me.

Stop the recording at this point!

 

[JackL]

So I've been too busy at work since I got my Air2 and clearly didn't read anywhere near enough instruction material.

What could go wrong anyway, right?

Up she went like a breeze and I was gentle on the sticks getting a good feel and getting my head around the left, right, front to back, frack to bunt. ... etc

Just flew around and got familiar with the controls.

I'm standing on a sloping driveway and start to bring her down, the sensor beeps activate close to the shrubbery, cool!

So idiot proof methinks!

Until I decide that the driveway was too slopey. No problem I'll just grab her and power off manually with a battery shutoff. She just floats there almost motionless.

I grab her belly, bend down to put the controller down ........ whoooooah!!!! She full throttles as soon as she dips a teeny bit. We got ourselves a Mexican standoff!!

I can't drop her any lower, and I'm not game enough to let her go coz I don't know what she'll to to self correct or what.

It wasn't funny at the time wrestling with and trying to push the power buttons, first the controller, then the bird and back to the controller!

Nup every time I pulled her down even slightly, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!

The only thing left was to turn her over and hope the motors shut down.

I grabbed on tight and quickly flipped her upside down.

Phew!! Faster than hypnotising a chook - she shut down immediately.

So guess what I'll be reading tonight?

I'll see what the video looks like and might work out how to post something so you guys can get a hoot out of it as well.

Cheers ....... Frank

lol the first time I tried to desperately hand catch mine it kept jumping up just out of my reach, much to the amusement of my neighbor who was waiting for me to move out of the way. I can't believe you grabbed it from the top. Must be 1/2" clearance on the props/hands at best! You are the man,

 

[Lets Fly]

Just don't hand catch a drone.

 

[Daytona500]

I don't get why so many want to hand catch and risk cut up body parts. Just land it on the ground, a wood board, a car mat what ever. I'm not getting my fingers all chopped up

 

[SW_Drone_Guy]

I don't get why so many want to hand catch and risk cut up body parts. Just land it on the ground, a wood board, a car mat what ever. I'm not getting my fingers all chopped up

Every time you close a car door you risk getting your fingers smashed. If you're like most of us, you keep your fingers out of the way, no problem. Same thing with hand landing. After doing it correctly just a few times it gets to be second nature - usually.

 

[DanMan32]

There's lots of situations where finding a good place to land is difficult. This is especially true for the smaller Mavics that have very low ground clearance. You need a lot more room to land than you need for takeoff.

I'm a bit chicken to do it also, but I can see others being good at it and being cautious.

 

[Tentoes]

People think it's like catching a baseball with spinning knives bare handed.

Very easy and risk free: Not even catching! Just let it hover within reach and take hold of it.