Hand take offs and hand landing

[BingErr]

If your going to reach up and grab, probably better to turn off the downward facing sensors? I hand launch and catch mine a few times now and have to drive it down into my open hand, not as hard as it sounds.

The downward sensors are only a problem if you're trying to descend into your hand. And easy way to avoid this is to stop the drone 4-5 feet from the ground, then walk towards it and grab it while pushing down on the left thumbstick to shut off the props. I've hand-landed the Spark, Mavic Air, MPP, and now the M2P. But I just got the M2P so not an expert on that one yet.

 

[Mordor]

Interesting:
Yesterday i have a meeting with a friend and we teach me how to lance and land the mavic 2. Very easly.

However, landing is more difficulty....basically we put hand under, wait, push hand a little up, drone goes up too, and then push stick donw with no fears...

Of course i try with no big success....

Have to practise better....

 

[OnTheRopes]

The downward sensors are only a problem if you're trying to descend into your hand. And easy way to avoid this is to stop the drone 4-5 feet from the ground, then walk towards it and grab it while pushing down on the left thumbstick to shut off the props. I've hand-landed the Spark, Mavic Air, MPP, and now the M2P. But I just got the M2P so not an expert on that one yet.

Yes I have since done this quite a few times and no issue with sensors on, I just put my hand under and drive it down.

 

[dfb]

This is the best (and there are many out there) hand catch tips. It may even be the safest.

This is off YouTube, it may be posted here somewhere, I can't find it.

Dragon7 has few tips, but they are always great!

 

[gnirtS]

Thats pretty much how i do it except i approach from the side not front.

 

[giebe]

Thanks to everyone for response.
This one is quite impressive tho:

Anyway, following your advice I have learnt how to hand land and hand take off.. its not as bad as I though.

For those interested I covered my landing experience around 10th minute of my recent video:

Cheers!
G.

 

[Mike4884]

I used to have a landing pad but stopped using it. Hand launch/catch is far easier.

The mavic is so low to the ground even long grass can interfere with the gimbals and props. And a slightly sloping surface, sand, dust, water, ducting, wiring,metal pipes and everything else. Unless its a very clean surface i wont fly from it now.

Hand take off i hold it thumb and finger nice and high above my head with one hand and with the other hand swipe the auto takeoff button. Loosen grip when you feel it start to support itself. You can CSC and left stick up otherwise.

For recovery i'll *never* let it come down and land on my palm. The last thing i want is a drone descending or moving towards me not under direct, immediate control. This is especially true if its gusty or on a moving surface like a boat.
So for recovery i have it hovering slightly above head height nice and stable. I approach from the side then reach under it, grab underneath and on the side using a thumb and finger. Once gripped the other hand is left stick down to kill the motors.
If you have landing protection off it wont try to fight you or rev the motors either.

As for risk of drone damage, hand methods i suspect are better for it because its not kicking up dust, water,small rocks or hitting anything with the props. Also on congested area like boats with rigging, wires and masts its a lot easier to hover and grab than to navigate an assault course with potential magnetic interference and land it on the deck.

Exactly how i do it....i also agree on not letting it land on "palm" that is calling for bad recipe!? I also keep landing protection off, it wont rise up, and will not fight just lands soft and gently?

 

[Jwiley]

I Also on congested area like boats with rigging, wires and masts its a lot easier to hover and grab than to navigate an assault course with potential magnetic interference and land it on the deck.

I found out the hard way that the obstacle avoidance system doesn’t like boat rigging when landing. We were attempting landing at stern of wakeboard boat but every time I flew it towards my hand, it would get almost there and then rebound back a few feet out of reach. It took a few times before I figured out the problem and then had to scramble for the setting to turn it off. I suggest practicing with lots of battery if over water.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I found out the hard way that the obstacle avoidance system doesn’t like boat rigging when landing. We were attempting landing at stern of wakeboard boat but every time I flew it towards my hand, it would get almost there and then rebound back a few feet out of reach. It took a few times before I figured out the problem and then had to scramble for the setting to turn it off. I suggest practicing with lots of battery if over water.

One advantage of landing at less than 10% battery is it automatically turns off obstacle avoidance, as I recall! It won't run away from you. However, you do need to keep your left hand on the left stick to keep it from descending, until you have it properly within reach!

 

[gnirtS]

I found out the hard way that the obstacle avoidance system doesn’t like boat rigging when landing. We were attempting landing at stern of wakeboard boat but every time I flew it towards my hand, it would get almost there and then rebound back a few feet out of reach. It took a few times before I figured out the problem and then had to scramble for the setting to turn it off. I suggest practicing with lots of battery if over water.

You can map one of the C buttons to senors on/off. A nice, quick toggle to change it then.

 

[CanadaDrone]

I found out the hard way that the obstacle avoidance system doesn’t like boat rigging when landing. We were attempting landing at stern of wakeboard boat but every time I flew it towards my hand, it would get almost there and then rebound back a few feet out of reach. It took a few times before I figured out the problem and then had to scramble for the setting to turn it off. I suggest practicing with lots of battery if over water.

If you hold the left stick down for 3 seconds it disables the obstacle sensors - no need to ever disable them.

 

[BingErr]

I found out the hard way that the obstacle avoidance system doesn’t like boat rigging when landing. We were attempting landing at stern of wakeboard boat but every time I flew it towards my hand, it would get almost there and then rebound back a few feet out of reach. It took a few times before I figured out the problem and then had to scramble for the setting to turn it off. I suggest practicing with lots of battery if over water.

YES! I learned that when landing my Mavic Air on a boat for the first time. Also, really hard to land when the boat is drifting. I was landing on a boat on the Mississippi and it was extremely difficult to land on the boat as it was drifting with the speed of the river. Much easier when I had the boat driving go against the current to hold is position. Almost had to get out the fishing net and just catch it from the air.

 

[BingErr]

If you hold the left stick down for 3 seconds it disables the obstacle sensors - no need to ever disable them.

This is really good information. Thank you. This may come in handy in the future.

 

[GadgetGuy]

If you hold the left stick down for 3 seconds it disables the obstacle sensors - no need to ever disable them.

Can you clarify the limited conditions under which that works?
Surely, while I am descending for 3 seconds, without intending on landing, I don't want my obstacle sensors to shut off!

 

[Dan C]

Can you clarify the limited conditions under which that works?
Surely, while I am descending for 3 seconds, without intending on landing, I don't want my obstacle sensors to shut off!

When it is just above the "ground", it will stop to avoid a collision. When in such proximity to "ground", AND holding the down stick for 3 seconds, "landing mode" will be engaged. It will then ignore the "obstacle" so it can land on it.

"Ground" of course could be your hand.

 

[GadgetGuy]

When it is just above the "ground", it will stop to avoid a collision. When in such proximity to "ground", AND holding the down stick for 3 seconds, "landing mode" will be engaged. It will then ignore the "obstacle" so it can land on it.

"Ground" of course could be your hand.

If that is what he meant, but that is basically just shutting off the motors. If it is that close to the ground, I have already grabbed it, and then shut the motors off by pulling down on the left stick for 3 seconds.

Just wanted to make sure he didn't mean that while out and about flying that fully descending for 3 seconds wouldn't shut off the obstacle avoidance system, as that would not be good!

 

[CanadaDrone]

Can you clarify the limited conditions under which that works?
Surely, while I am descending for 3 seconds, without intending on landing, I don't want my obstacle sensors to shut off!

Only when you're trying to land and an obstacle is detected at the same time - doing so way up in the air with no obstacles doesn't disable the sensors.

So for example you have the drone hovering a few feet above your head, you reach out your hand and initiate a catch landing. You position the drone over your hand, and hold the left stick down - obstacle avoidance will protest for 3 seconds (identifying your hand) and then it will very slowly descend and land in your hand like a feather. After you grasp the drone and it thinks it's on the ground, about 1 second later the motors shut off (all the while you are still holding down the left stick).

Turning the drone 90 degrees will also kill the motors, but that is for emergencies only and rather unsafe - before it shuts off, it will try to right itself with 100% power to the motors while it's in your hands. I don't recommend that unless it's an emergency, and it can't be good for the drone.

 

[Mossiback]

...If I hand land the drone is it ok to move 50m without turning it off and take off from hand again while gimbal tries to stabilise itself? Can I do any harm to the drone this way?...

I would turn off the Mavic before walking around with it because while you are walking the gimbal will constantly work to stabilize the camera.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Only when you're trying to land and an obstacle is detected at the same time - doing so way up in the air with no obstacles doesn't disable the sensors.

So for example you have the drone hovering a few feet above your head, you reach out your hand and initiate a catch landing. You position the drone over your hand, and hold the left stick down - obstacle avoidance will protest for 3 seconds (identifying your hand) and then it will very slowly descend and land in your hand like a feather. After you grasp the drone and it thinks it's on the ground, about 1 second later the motors shut off (all the while you are still holding down the left stick).

Turning the drone 90 degrees will also kill the motors, but that is for emergencies only and rather unsafe - before it shuts off, it will try to right itself with 100% power to the motors while it's in your hands. I don't recommend that unless it's an emergency, and it can't be good for the drone.

Thanks for the clarification. Very similar to what I do, but I grab it first from beneath while facing me (I fly it in facing me, for the obligatory selfie) , and then kill the motors.

 

[ZooCougar]

I hand launch and hand catch every time. Probably hundreds of times now.

I even have done it from a boat which can suck. But that is a whole different discussion.


I don’t even turn off the downward sensors. In fact I like that it resists landing because I know I am lined up. From there it is just a force landing