Flying from a canoe. Any Advice?

[Baron von Richthofen]

We have a two-person canoe and a Mavic Air2. The canoe's open-topped 'Indian' type, with no deck, not a kayak or sit-on. I'm thinking of using my drone to follow us and film from it, but while the rewards for success are great, I'm well aware this is fraught with risk, particularly for the unprepared or inexperienced. Is anyone out there who has done this type of flying and can offer some suggestions and advice that will help ensure it doesn't all end in tears and disaster?

One idea I had that really plays it safe is to cheat a bit and take off from the shore, well back from the water's edge. Then paddle out, do a couple of hundred yards along the river with one of the auto tracking settings running on the drone, then back again to our start point and the drone's home point where we can land both boat and drone.

The alternative of course is what my son dubbed the 'suicide method', ie to run the entire operation from the canoe - take-off, flying and landing (hand-catching). Has anyone done this successfully or is it, as we both suspect, just not worth the risk? Are there any other possible ways a film like this (where the film-maker/AC controller is in the canoe) can be achieved?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts folks
The Baron

 

[StantonZ]

Ummm...don't. Unless you have $ to burn.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

I do a lot fishing from a canoe. I have brought my Air 2S and Parrot Anafi with me but have always second guessed my decision to use them. I have no problem hand launching or landing. Practice it all the time in the back yard. It is very easy to do but when you are out in a canoe its a different story. One wrong move and its all over. I tend to just use my action cameras for any video I might want.

 

[RayKelly]

I flew my Air 2 from my kayak. It's tricky but can be done. I also flew my Air 2S from my boat and almost lost it to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Try launching/landing from the canoe by the shoreline first.

 

[Baron von Richthofen]

Ummm...don't. Unless you have $ to burn.

Thanks Stanton

 

[Baron von Richthofen]

I flew my Air 2 from my kayak. It's tricky but can be done. I also flew my Air 2S from my boat and almost lost it to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Try launching/landing from the canoe by the shoreline first.

Seems a lot of the anxiety about this is to do with the likely irretrievable consequences of the AC putting down/crashing on the water because it's water and not solid ground. Otherwise the problems are the same as working from (say) a moving car or bicycle.

This is all about fear of consequence rather than any particular technical issue that flying a drone from a canoe may bring up. Seems if you follow the usual procedures carefully, plan it well enough and have a good enough understanding of flying a drone (eg how the homepoint works) then the risks of stuff going wrong remains the same.

 

[Baron von Richthofen]

I do a lot fishing from a canoe. I have brought my Air 2S and Parrot Anafi with me but have always second guessed my decision to use them. I have no problem hand launching or landing. Practice it all the time in the back yard. It is very easy to do but when you are out in a canoe its a different story. One wrong move and its all over. I tend to just use my action cameras for any video I might want.

Yeah, change my mind at the last minute is what I think I might do. Hand-catching is one thing standing in a field, quite another when you're wobbling about in a canoe in the middle of a river...

 

[okw]

I've flown my Mavic Pro from my kayak and used different Active Track modes to film myself. I have taken off from the bow of the boat, but I also have a set of floats that I got from @Mike_Flys, so would usually just take off and land on the water. Super easy and loads of fun.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

 

[vindibona1]

1) Big zip-lok bags.
2) Robust landing gear that you can grab onto for a hand catch.

 

[Macinfo]

I think the odds of a safe flight are against you.. While you can hand launch and retrieve, only takes one glitch to drop it in whatever body of water your in.. not to mention the potential for injury from hand captures..

While you could spend extra dollars for the waterproof floating jackets for drones that are available. still seems like an iffy flight for something you could potentially stop along the way to capture from shore.

If the idea was to active track the ride, unless its a clear path and no trees or obstacles, its still a risky proposition with a $800 drone.

 

[Baron von Richthofen]

1) Big zip-lok bags.
2) Robust landing gear that you can grab onto for a hand catch.

Two good ideas there vindibona, cheers!

 

[MS Coast]

If you decide to go with on-water launch and recovery, you might consider first trying a flight while sitting in the canoe on the grass in the backyard.

 

[Baron von Richthofen]

If you decide to go with on-water launch and recovery, you might consider first trying a flight while sitting in the canoe on the grass in the backyard.

That's a good, simple idea MS Coast, thanks. getting familiar with the feel of it all reduces a lot of the anxiety. I think ending up dropping the drone in the drink from a hand catch has a lot to do with anxiety with an unfamiliar situation.

 

[Ron-EP]

I'm a little surprised by all the discouraging comments about flying from a canoe/boat/kayak. I've read much more encouraging stuff in other threads here about this topic. Is it potentially dangerous? Yes, it is. Can it be done successfully with proper planning and practice? Definitely.

I myself have done this. I plan and think my steps through carefully knowing there isn't much room for mistakes like when on land. Check all settings before taking off. Get comfortable hand launching and catching. Be aware of your home point and how it will change as your location changes. Plan what shot you want to do and be done. Don't just fly around aimlessly unless you're very comfortable.

Being too afraid to enjoy your quad is just silly. Just don't be wreckless. Get those nice shots. Make those memories. Crashes aren't that common. Have fun!

 

[Baron von Richthofen]

I think the odds of a safe flight are against you.. While you can hand launch and retrieve, only takes one glitch to drop it in whatever body of water your in.. not to mention the potential for injury from hand captures..

While you could spend extra dollars for the waterproof floating jackets for drones that are available. still seems like an iffy flight for something you could potentially stop along the way to capture from shore.

If the idea was to active track the ride, unless its a clear path and no trees or obstacles, its still a risky proposition with a $800 drone.

Really? More than 50% chance of either losing fingers or the drone in the water. Or both..? Surely not.

 

[Baron von Richthofen]

I'm a little surprised by all the discouraging comments about flying from a canoe/boat/kayak. I've read much more encouraging stuff in other threads here about this topic. Is it potentially dangerous? Yes, it is. Can it be done successfully with proper planning and practice? Definitely.

I myself have done this. I plan and think my steps through carefully knowing there isn't much room for mistakes like when on land. Check all settings before taking off. Get comfortable hand launching and catching. Be aware of your home point and how it will change as your location changes. Plan what shot you want to do and be done. Don't just fly around aimlessly unless you're very comfortable.

Being too afraid to enjoy your quad is just silly. Just don't be wreckless. Get those nice shots. Make those memories. Crashes aren't that common. Have fun!

Yay! thanks Ron, I was beginning to lose hope.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

The task would be so much easier and risk would be Minimized by using a Rescue Jacket with the Wet Suit for Splash Protection. This way you Protect the Drone from sinking and catching is 10 times easier. You can also take off from the Water or land on the water..


Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain and Land on the Water.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

One of my biggest concerns is not being able to turn off the downward sensors. I know on the Air 2S I cannot. Not sure about the Air 2 but I suspect it is the same. A canoe gets turned around in the water with the littlest of wind. Not to mention if you are on a river the current. I find the few seconds it takes for the Air 2S to decide to fully land in my hand could be the difference from a good catch to OH NO the wind just blew me three feet away. Hit one prop and the motors stop. Next thing its in the water.

 

[Baron von Richthofen]

The task would be so much easier and risk would be Minimized by using a Rescue Jacket with the Wet Suit for Splash Protection. This way you Protect the Drone from sinking and catching is 10 times easier. You can also take off from the Water or land on the water..


Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain and Land on the Water.

View attachment 132764

Now this would reduce the consequences of a screw-up significantly. How much does this device affect the flying characteristics of an MA2?