Flying from a boat

[Thanev]

Took the Pro2 to the lake with the grandson this weekend and recorded some great video from the boat. A couple of things to consider:
1) Open areas on the boat for takeoff or landing are smaller than they appear.
2)Those you hold dear are dependent on your total control of the drone in close quarters.
3)No matter how calm and smooth the waters may seem,boats move,and not always at the best time.
4) Consider having a competent person captain the boat,leaving you to fly.
5)Hand launching and Hand landing are probably your best choices.Become familiar with them and practice .A lot.
6)RTH is probably not an option that remains viable.
7)Sunscreen and insect repellent.
8)Hat,sunglasses and drinking water.
9)Dont forget to breath .

 

[bmwbob]

Change from RTH to hover! I found that after using track on me on my motorcycle and when the battery got low, drone said RTH, and left headed back a mile or so! I stopped it and landed where I was at. Lesson learned!

 

[eaglesurfing]

I had mine take off and land on my pontoon.
What made it even more enjoyable is not worried about it landing in the water.
I had on a rescue jacket and this also made it easier to do hand landing.
If I had to land it on the water then no worries about that also.

 

[Meta4]

Change from RTH to hover! I found that after using track on me on my motorcycle and when the battery got low, drone said RTH, and left headed back a mile or so! I stopped it and landed where I was at. Lesson learned!

You are talking about changing the Loss of Signal action which operates when the drone loses signal (Failsafe RTH)
But it won't solve the issue you encountered which is Low Battery RTH.

 

[bmwbob]

You are talking about changing the Loss of Signal action which operates when the drone loses signal (Failsafe RTH)
But it won't solve the issue you encountered which is Low Battery RTH.

I'll get the low batt message and I'll stop and catch the drone instead of chasing it down the road to RTH point!

 

[Meta4]

I'll get the low batt message and I'll stop and catch the drone instead of chasing it down the road to RTH point!

Just reset the homepoint a few times during the flight so that the drone doesn't think it needs to go way back to where it was when launched.

 

[cuge]

This is a very good discussion and learning matter. Last time I tried to take off from a boat, I got the IMU message error and couldn't take off even with GPS strong signal.

 

[Meta4]

This is a very good discussion and learning matter. Last time I tried to take off from a boat, I got the IMU message error and couldn't take off even with GPS strong signal.

Don't launch from the deck ... hand launch instead.

 

[Capt KO]

Several previous posts about boat launch landings. Use the 'search' function above. Magnifying glass

 

[Mrmund]

This is a very good discussion and learning matter. Last time I tried to take off from a boat, I got the IMU message error and couldn't take off even with GPS strong signal.

The motion of the boat will upset the IMU. Try starting the aircraft and holding with your hand until ready to launch. I've had that same problem when trying to fly from a couple of boats anchored in choppy waves

 

[TTP]

Some advice from a drone pilot with about 1500 takeoffs and landings, most from my right hand.

Starting and landing from a boat moving in the lake or out on a more open water is much more difficult than you might think.

Normally after I start the engines, I put my SC in T-Mode for a smooth start on the flight, but with TakeOff and landing from the boat, keep the drone in P-Mode.

Landing on the ground even in rather difficult terrain is much easier than landing when you as a drone pilot move all the time, which you do when you are on board a boat that moves through the water.

From a sailboat, beat it out of your mind if you do not have the help of a knowledgeable drone pilot and you yourself are relatively skilled.

From a motorboat if you have relatively plenty of space in the cockpit and someone who manages the boat.

Starting from the boat with TakeOff with the drone in your right hand is relatively easy, as long as you keep in mind that as soon as the drone leaves your hand you have moved, how long naturally depends on how fast the boat is running, ask the boat driver to slow down so much as possible.

You will probably get the best pictures if you want to take photos in Mode: Activ track.

Landing the drone in your right hand as you can do when standing still on the ground is not possible when you are in a moving boat. You need your right hand on the right joystick to power the drone, and remember, always back the drone towards you to the cockpit, because then the left is always left and the right is always right. (as you understand now, you need to be quite knowledgeable and have quite a lot of training for these maneuvers).
If you have a used drone pilot to help, you can land in his right hand, otherwise you need a flat surface to land the drone on, not quite easy when you constantly have to keep the drone moving towards you and down on the surface you want to land.

Recommend that you practice at low speeds and in calm waters before embarking on more advanced TakeOff and landings.

Good luck.

 

[Capt KO]

@TTP
Good advice from a fellow boater. We all learn new tricks from practice (makes perfect). Slight variations depending on model.?
Preflight practice on land, preferably from a moving vehicle is a Must. Trailered boat is ideal, pickup works too.

 

[TTP]

@TTP
Good advice from a fellow boater. We all learn new tricks from practice (makes perfect). Slight variations depending on model.?
Preflight practice on land, preferably from a moving vehicle is a Must. Trailered boat is ideal, pickup works too.

Very good advice, if you can practice sitting on the platform of a Pickup in motion is definitely the best way, unfortunately not possible for everyone. But practicing landing in P-Mode, increasing the speed of the drone as you become more skilled, applies even if you are standing still on the ground.

 

[PhotoDB]

I had mine take off and land on my pontoon.

View attachment 109081

That is an awesome little contraption. Did you make it or is it commercially available? Any adverse affects while flying with it strapped below?

 

[eaglesurfing]

That is an awesome little contraption. Did you make it or is it commercially available? Any adverse affects while flying with it strapped below?

Yes it is commercially available. Contact Coal at Home
You will see several videos that will answer your questions.

 

[TTP]

Yesterday's flight over water went very calmly we had anchored in a sheltered bay, the sun was shining and a little wind, in other words perfect opportunity.

But:

Even though I have pontoons on my drone, this environment makes you actually more nervous than normal flying over land.

So my advice, take it easy, practice practice and take your development as a drone pilot flying over water, from boat etc, in small steps until you feel comfortable with this environment.

We had a wonderful day out in the Stockholm archipelago.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

be sure you calibrate your compass on land, many times the metal in a boat/ship will give you a compass error... (but usually goes away after take off) - but be sure it has been calibrated recently!

 

[Meta4]

be sure you calibrate your compass on land, many times the metal in a boat/ship will give you a compass error... (but usually goes away after take off) - but be sure it has been calibrated recently!

Or not.
A compass "error" is not a fault in the compass, it's a properly working compass warning you of a problem close by
Recalibrating the compass won't solve a compass error.
Moving away from the problem the compass is warning you of is the only solution.

 

[Greenheadkiller]

Just reset the homepoint a few times during the flight so that the drone doesn't think it needs to go way back to where it was when launched.

How do you reset the home point during flight?

 

[Capt KO]

How do you reset the home point during flight?

3 dots upper right. Half way down the page. Tap to update homepoint to where AC is at that moment. Not your location. You can even make homepoint on land by flying to it, look for a good spot, and make that your new homepoint. Or just keep updating new homepoint and set to hover. Makes water recovery more possible.