Hand Catching Mavic Pro with Stock Settings (Simple/Safe)

[wytnyt]

Don't know where I got this from, but I use a different - and for my taste very easy way:

- let the Mavic hover 7-10 m above you (and yes, pointing in the same direction like in your video)
- initiate auto-landing on the DJI Go App
- stretch out your hand
- as soon as the Mavic discovers your hand it will stop
- then pull the stick down to continue landing and grab it

this way the Mavic won't fight back when you grab it!

If I am not mistaken, using the auto-landing function is similar to disabling the downward sensor, but I could be wrong here.

At first I did hand-catching the wrong way (simply pulling the stick down), but then the Mavic was always fighting for a while to escape until it shuts off. With this auto-landing process there is no fighting back anymore, smooth landing!

finally-someone that does it like i do
quite simple-mimics an actual landing

 

[Youser]

Just to be clear do motors rev up just before it cuts off?

Yes it does. It tries to fly up

That is by design. You can find this info right in the manual...

View attachment 40004​

Says when the aircraft has landed. I've never landed the AC with the bottom sensors off so every time I've landed on the ground it was an auto land and the motors **** off by themselves.

When I hand catch and turn the motors off by holding the left stick down, the AC revs up and tries to fly up. I'm using a little force to hold it in place before the motors shut off.

Does it rev up when the AC is on the ground with the bottom sensors off? I'm guessing they do not??

 

[dirkclod]

Just to be clear do motors rev up just before it cuts off?

To be honest I have never noticed it but will listen for that tomorrow .

OK today was the first day since this was posted and I did pay attention every time I caught mine and flew 3 batteries down. It does not rev up when it is shut down .
But I do not use the sensors .
They are all cut off .Always have been on mine.

 

[Endeavor]

The trick with hand catch is to grab the drone do the down full on left stick and flip the mavic 90 degrees. As soon as the bird is turned 90 degrees it will just shut off. I do this with all the avoidance on and it instantly kills the motors. Works super on the spark and air also.

 

[Youser]

The trick with hand catch is to grab the drone do the down full on left stick and flip the mavic 90 degrees. As soon as the bird is turned 90 degrees it will just shut off. I do this with all the avoidance on and it instantly kills the motors. Works super on the spark and air also.

Holding the left stick down will kill the motors anyway though. Tilting the drone without holding the left stick down should cut the motors, right?

 

[ScubaBob]

Fellow Pilots,

It really pains me to see so many people who are new to flying and even some pros struggling to hand catch the Mavic Pro and even worse turning off safety features or putting stress on the motors/props.

So I wanted to create a video to explain it as I couldn't see anything online the same and simple, I saw another thread on here which I originally posted to but wow there was so much bad advice that I wanted to create a new thread to help others discover this simple/safe way of hand catching.

If it helps you , newbie or Pro please let me know because I wrongly assumed just everyone would just eventually figure this out.

Cheers
Rob

You are absolutely right. Back the drone into your hand. I have used this (with extreme caution) on boats but for boats I have to turn off the sensors. Good video.

 

[esuohdica]

I like this method and I'm gonna try it soon.
I'm one of the ones who just grab hold of it until the motors give up, so this will be much less stress on the motors/props. Cheers

 

[ghalleck]

Brilliant. Thanks for sharing!

 

[PTBperegrine]

Fellow Pilots,

It really pains me to see so many people who are new to flying and even some pros struggling to hand catch the Mavic Pro and even worse turning off safety features or putting stress on the motors/props.

So I wanted to create a video to explain it as I couldn't see anything online the same and simple, I saw another thread on here which I originally posted to but wow there was so much bad advice that I wanted to create a new thread to help others discover this simple/safe way of hand catching.

If it helps you , newbie or Pro please let me know because I wrongly assumed just everyone would just eventually figure this out.

Cheers
Rob

Awesome! I've been hovering then grabbing it. Is there any reason to use your fist rather than an open hand? Thanks!

 

[Brett 21]

I turn off Landing Protection. It prevents the spin up of the motors. I just gently grab the craft while killing the throttle. No drama. And yeah...you look like a pro. Lol. Just watch those fingers. [emoji3]

Same here,landing protection off,all the other safety nets are still there.Hand catching and launching is all I do,dont want grass,dirt or dust kicking up in the camera.I still laugh at my original purchase of landing gear extensions or carrying around a "landing pad."

 

[Youser]

Same here,landing protection off,all the other safety nets are still there.Hand catching and launching is all I do,dont want grass,dirt or dust kicking up in the camera.I still laugh at my original purchase of landing gear extensions or carrying around a "landing pad."

You just reminded me that I own a set of landing gears that I have never once used

 

[Brett 21]

You just reminded me that I own a set of landing gears that I have never once used

I'm assuming they came with a bundled kit since,and I quote........."never once used...." (much less twice)which confuses me.Are they brand new or hand me downs?

 

[Youser]

I'm assuming they came with a bundled kit since,and I quote........."never once used...." (much less twice)which confuses me.Are they brand new or hand me downs?

I bought them separately when I first got the drone. You get this urge to buy bits and pieces for your new drone. Thought I may need them as hand launching/catching was not a priority when it came to learning things about the MP. Bought my MP during winter and thought there may be a time where I'd have to take off from wet grass. They were cheap enough so not much of a loss.

 

[robmulally]

Don't know where I got this from, but I use a different - and for my taste very easy way:

- let the Mavic hover 7-10 m above you (and yes, pointing in the same direction like in your video)
- initiate auto-landing on the DJI Go App
- stretch out your hand
- as soon as the Mavic discovers your hand it will stop
- then pull the stick down to continue landing and grab it

this way the Mavic won't fight back when you grab it!

If I am not mistaken, using the auto-landing function is similar to disabling the downward sensor, but I could be wrong here.

At first I did hand-catching the wrong way (simply pulling the stick down), but then the Mavic was always fighting for a while to escape until it shuts off. With this auto-landing process there is no fighting back anymore, smooth landing!

The only issue I have with the AUTO Landing option is my way ensures your hand is in a safe spot before the landing.
I have personally made a mistake using auto land as there is a sense of urgency to grab it and I didn't line my hand up.

I think as in my video that first touch of hand rise then fall doesn't allow your hand to move into a unsafe spot. and lets you adjust/cancel/move as needed incase something changes.

 

[robmulally]

OK I just watched it and I just bring it to a hover Over my eyes and reach up from under it and close my fingers on the bottom like you have it here
View attachment 40033 but it is over my head .Is just habit .

Dirk, I just realised something! if you hold it as you mentioned but don't cover the down/landing sensor and dont' try and move the drone that would explain why it will just hover until you kill/cut the motor!
as I place my hand under the drone to act as the ground or if you grab drone in wrong spot then it will try to go up .

I'm just curious to try our your method, where do you grab it from? i'd love to try it that way.

 

[AKflyer]

Didn't seem all the clear in the video what he was doing with the controls to get it to land that way. Here's what I do, also stock settings, which works perfectly every time - no "catching", "grabbing", chasing, or special acrobatics- it just lands itself on your hand with no fuss:

1. Hover Mavic in front of you at eye level, facing away from you.
2. Walk up to it from behind, holding controller with one hand, and put other hand flat and outstretched a foot or two underneath it.
3. With the controller hand, move left control stick downward to get it to descend (I find it easy to operate the left stick with my thumb while holding the controller on the left side, myself)
4. Mavic initially moves down, but then detects your hand as an obstacle and reacts by starting to climb again.
5. Do not release the "stick down" command, KEEP HOLDING LEFT CONTROL STICK DOWN without interruption. Mavic will rise a bit up while you are doing this, pause, then begin descending again slowly. By continuing to hold the stick down without releasing it, you're telling it that you actually want it to land. When it is descending the second time, you need to be holding the stick FULL down to tell it to continue to land.
6. Mavic will continue slowly down, softly touch down on your palm, and automatically shut off the motors. Done!

Again, the key to all this is to just keep holding your outstretched hand in place, and keep holding the control stick full down without releasing it.

It's actually as amazingly easy and non-dramatic as Rob shows in the video. I almost never land on the ground anymore.

 

[robmulally]

Didn't seem all the clear in the video what he was doing with the controls to get it to land that way. Here's what I do, also stock settings, which works perfectly every time - no "catching", "grabbing", chasing, or special acrobatics- it just lands itself on your hand with no fuss:

1. Hover Mavic in front of you at eye level, facing away from you.
2. Walk up to it from behind, holding controller with one hand, and put other hand flat and outstretched a foot or two underneath it.
3. With the controller hand, move left control stick downward to get it to descend (I find it easy to operate the left stick with my thumb while holding the controller on the left side, myself)
4. Mavic initially moves down, but then detects your hand as an obstacle and reacts by starting to climb again.
5. Do not release the "stick down" command, KEEP HOLDING LEFT CONTROL STICK DOWN without interruption. Mavic will rise a bit up while you are doing this, pause, then begin descending again slowly. By continuing to hold the stick down without releasing it, you're telling it that you actually want it to land.
6. Mavic will continue slowly down, softly touch down on your palm, and automatically shut off the motors. Done!

Again, the key to all this is to just keep holding your outstretched hand in place, and keep holding the control stick down without releasing it.

It's actually amazingly easy and non-dramatic. I almost never land on the ground anymore.

That's exactly what I do and explain in the video.
Happy to find someone else doing it this way.

 

[AKflyer]

That's exactly what I do and explain in the video.
Happy to find someone else doing it this way.

Awesome- I agree that it works great! Only thing that didn't seem all that clear to me in the video (although I knew that's what you were doing) was continuing to hold the left stick down and not letting up on it to get it to do that.

 

[robmulally]

Your so right, I pinned a comment so it's clear. Thanks for feedback. I had a step by step of what to do in the controls but edited that out. Cheers Rob

 

[AKflyer]

Your so right, I pinned a comment so it's clear. Thanks for feedback. I had a step by step of what to do in the controls but edited that out. Cheers Rob

Great video, it's definitely needed!!