Hand Catching

[Fletcher500]

Different ways to do this. To clarify, one method is to turn landing protection off, grab it, then pull the left stick all the way down to stop the rotors?

 

[Mavicsailor]

This is REALLY BAD advice. Catching a moving drone is asking for trouble. This guy is absolutely giving out dangerous advice, making it look easy. What happens of an unexpected gust of wind pushes it 5" to the side at the moment it gets to your hand and it's descending. Hello emergency room.

The correct way:
1. Hover the craft at 6' so the craft is easily grabbed, props above head level.
2. With your hands OFF THE STICKS, watch the craft a couple seconds to insure it's stable.
3. Grab the craft near the battery release buttons, middle finger and thumb on the sides., squeeze.
4. Hold the craft in place at catch level while you push the left stick full down
5. Wait for the motors to stop 3 sec later, then bring the craft down from 6', turn off the craft battery.

Before you attempt this, with the craft off, inspect the craft and plan where and how you will grab the craft when it's hovering. Notice where near the battery buttons you have good clearance from the props, when grabbing from below.

BTW, VPS can be turned off so the craft doesn't ascend when you try to grab it, however with practice, when you approach the craft from the front, you can grab it before it tries to ascend. With VPS on, the craft will fight you more and try to ascend when you hold it in place, but it's not bad. Turn it off is best, if you know where it's at in the app to access quickly.

Fully agree and smart advice....if you MUST hand catch, always do so above your head. Especially for new Mavic pilots, get really good at controling your AC before you attempt this. You don't want your new login name to be Scarface.

 

[BorisTheSpider]

Different ways to do this. To clarify, one method is to turn landing protection off, grab it, then pull the left stick all the way down to stop the rotors?

Exactly - that's how I do it. It's not a big deal like some people seem to be implying, but I do agree it's only sensible to do it from below so the props are above your head if the drone moves.

 

[tictag]

Related: Have you seen the new prop cage offered by Dji? It's expensive and cuts down flight time, but should virtually eliminate damage or injury to people or property. The biggest concern [to me] is causing injury to others. That would be indefensible.

I totally agree. I recently bought the prop guards and, whilst they are not as foolproof as the cages, they do offer 90% protection from potential injuries (unlikely finger are above or below). My only caution is that they do make the drone far more unstable ... blow on the drone and it'll react. So balance is needed, and with the prop guards on, confident flying skills.

 

[Fletcher500]

Exactly - that's how I do it. It's not a big deal like some people seem to be implying, but I do agree it's only sensible to do it from below so the props are above your head if the drone moves.

This may be a dumb question, but if the quad is in flight and you pull and hold the left stick down all the way and hold it, there is no chance of the props stopping?

I.E., I assume the downward facing sensor is still active with landing protection off, and it realizes the quad is on solid ground so it allows the prop motors to de energize when the left stick is held down?

 

[tictag]

The Mavic won't allow itself to be lowered beyond 50cm .. this is an amazingly good safety feature. However, at some point you want to land! It deals with this by a delay ... hold down (left stick) for more than a three seconds and she will land and shut her rotors off. If you're still moving forward, she won't land, nor will she dip below 50cm. There is an emergency rotor stop but I don't think that's what you're talking about here.

 

[Gary cato]

I hand catch all the time just turn off landing OA its not needed anyway hover the craft shoulder height. Stand to the side of it and just use your 4 fimgers and thumb at the front end dont try to gran it with your whole hand. With the landing OA off there is no rise in revs. No pulling up from you etc so its stable. Just pull down onstick the motors will just wind down leaving it sitting in your hand. I have done ten launches and catches from a beach this weekend alone

 

[TrayBoz]

I don't find hand catching to be very difficult, although I still only do it if I don't have an optimal landing spot.

Hand launching is a little more difficult, because you have to hold the controller and SLIDE that little slider to make it take-off while holding the mavic in your other hand.

Is there any way to make the mavic take off WITHOUT sliding that little yellow slider to the right? Just plain-ol' UP on the left stick doesn't do it.

 

[tictag]

With a little practice you can. You don't have to use auto-take-off, you can pull left stick down/left and right stick down/right to start the props then left throttle works as usual to take off. Doing this with one hand whilst holding the Mavic is a skill, to say the least.

 

[Mavicsailor]

This may be a dumb question, but if the quad is in flight and you pull and hold the left stick down all the way and hold it, there is no chance of the props stopping?

I.E., I assume the downward facing sensor is still active with landing protection off, and it realizes the quad is on solid ground so it allows the prop motors to de energize when the left stick is held down?

Actually a very good question.

With landing protection off, even if holding down the left stick, the props won't stop until safely on the ground, and even then you need to keep the sticks down for 2 or 3 seconds for the props to stop. From any altitude, you can hold the sticks fully down, and the sensors will detect the ground as it approaches, and will slow the AC down for a soft landing.

The downward sensors are still working with LP off, it just won't stop and wait for confirmation at .5 meters, and it won't raise up if you put your hand, or another object under it. Great for maintaining full control all the way to landing. Hope this helps!

 

[Mavicsailor]

I don't find hand catching to be very difficult, although I still only do it if I don't have an optimal landing spot.

Hand launching is a little more difficult, because you have to hold the controller and SLIDE that little slider to make it take-off while holding the mavic in your other hand.

Is there any way to make the mavic take off WITHOUT sliding that little yellow slider to the right? Just plain-ol' UP on the left stick doesn't do it.

CSC....pinch the sticks inward while holding them down. Props start, takeoff with left stick up.

 

[JLane]

BTW, VPS can be turned off so the craft doesn't ascend when you try to grab it

The much better solution is to just disable Landing Protection, so you still get the added VPS hovering stability.

I personally find no use for Landing Protection and usually leave it off, but for those who prefer to have it on, I can tell you that I have practiced my technique so that I can leave all the sensors and Landing Protection on, and the Mavic never senses any part of my hand while I catch it.

 

[JLane]

Is there any way to make the mavic take off WITHOUT sliding that little yellow slider to the right? Just plain-ol' UP on the left stick doesn't do it.

I like to perform the CSC command with my left thumb and right elbow Once the motors are spinning, I either apply throttle to go up, or I can just gently lower my hand until the Mavic hovers itself and leaves my hand.