Flying without sticks, just thumbs.

[RockRZR]

Now I think about it. Didn't the fly more combo come with extra sticks. I will find them and modify them tonight.

 

[THE CYBORG]

If it works for you RockRZR that’s all that counts.

 

[NOLADG]

I saw one video where a guy was using the drone to follow himself on a bicycle and he mounted the controller and the phone to his handle bars. Since he was only using Active tracking, he didn't not install the sticks and just thumbed the mounting knobs to get the drone to take off/land and into position for filming. I guess this also kept him from accidentally bumping the controls.

 

[RockRZR]

Alright guys. I cut them down. I still need to shape and polish the nubs. Inputs are quick which I expected. Great thing is with the new gimbal settings, you can adjust yaw speed in tripod, normal and sport to your liking. My drone does fly like a fixed wing aircraft in all three modes. I flew around my property dodging trees at a very fast pace. I'm actually liking the way it flies. I feel more in control. Now i don't have to remove sticks when placing phone on controller or in bag.

 

[THE CYBORG]

Good to see your plan worked out for you
I am a slow & easy sort so it wouldn't do for me.?

 

[Oakley75]

Alright guys. I cut them down. I still need to shape and polish the nubs. Inputs are quick which I expected. Great thing is with the new gimbal settings, you can adjust yaw speed in tripod, normal and sport to your liking. My drone does fly like a fixed wing aircraft in all three modes. I flew around my property dodging trees at a very fast pace. I'm actually liking the way it flies. I feel more in control. Now i don't have to remove sticks when placing phone on controller or in bag.


View attachment 110569

Thanks for posting your pics, nice job

 

[DrizzyDrones]

I didn’t get the fly more combo and I received an extra set of sticks.. I never remove them tho

 

[DJayI]

Anybody else finding the controller a bit more responsive using one's thumbs rather than the sticks??

From the very first time I tried a trackball, I have never used a mouse, not willingly anyway.
I play an online pool game, I feel sometimes I can tell if my opponent is using a mouse or definitely a touchpad. Now maybe I am a little delusional but that is how I feel. I feel the trackball gives me an unfair advantage to the rodent users, but I am OK with that because,.....choices.
Because the Mini 2's controller has those two spherical surfaces below the sticks, I myself have wondered, so today, I put the wonder out of its misery. During a "walking-the-dog" flight today around the property, I first removed the left stick. Got half way around the house, removed the right stick. I felt much more finesse in my ability to input control movements. Thumbs engaged the balled surfaces like a gear, I enjoyed it a great deal. While I don't think it would be my preference for all flight types, for those close in, confined, CINE flights, it will be my goto controller configuration.

I might always fly without the sticks if...
1.) The return springs applied about half of the return force they do now(could probably mod that easy enough)
2.) The hole where the sticks screw in was just a tad smoother or rounded over(could probably mod that easy enough).
3.) The balled surface allowed for just a tad more traction.
If 1 were true, I wouldn't need 3 and visa versa.

 

[Pilot Adam]

Anybody else finding the controller a bit more responsive using one's thumbs rather than the sticks??

Wow. Interesting; haven't tried it.

 

[rich11pc]

Anybody else finding the controller a bit more responsive using one's thumbs rather than the sticks??

yep. I fly without sticks all the time. Sticks amplify movements so its easier to acheive smooth movements without sticks in my experience

 

[hiflyer201]

In the end it’s all muscle memory. But I have to say….just thumbs takes a bit more muscle than I like to use.

 

[rich11pc]

In the end it’s all muscle memory. But I have to say….just thumbs takes a bit more muscle than I like to use.

there is also the old question ''To pinch or not to pinch'' ? .. More calories spent per battery minute as a pincher i suggest

 

[AZDave]

It's a simple tradeoff ... levers are levers, period. The sticks give more precision ... without the sticks gives quicker response.

 

[AnzacJack]

yep. I fly without sticks all the time. Sticks amplify movements so its easier to acheive smooth movements without sticks in my experience

Not sure what you mean by amplifying movements, its the opposite of this.

 

[AZDave]

Not sure what you mean by amplifying movements, its the opposite of this.

Agree.

 

[Mavic Merrick]

Anybody else finding the controller a bit more responsive using one's thumbs rather than the sticks??

I think sticks or no sticks is about the same. I almost always fly with sticks but if you lose a stick, don’t write off the day of flying - just fly without!