How I hand catch the Mavic without fighting sensors on...

[gnirtS]

Landing protection has no effect on front sensor obstacle avoidance.

 

[Koelkop]

I tried this yesterday @Koelkop !
Took off without issues. Landed without issues!
"Wow," I thought... "all those times I lugged the landing pad out were for nothing. This is really going to change the game!"
Then on the next hand take-off the Mavic pancakes upside-down onto a gravel beach. ****.
Maybe my landing pad is still the safest approach...

(I'm sure it was user error and I pulled my hand away before it had fully lifted off, but it still sucked. I think the only damage is that it knocked my gimbal bracket out from under the hook. I was getting vibration errors. Will fly it again today to see if I've fixed it.)

@KiterTodd did your Mavic get any damage from the fall or is it alright now? I keep hold of the drone until it starts to pull my hand up then I let go.

 

[DTC709]

This method works great, hand caught & landed 90% of my flights since I got my MP. I don’t want to lug a landing pad no matter how small it folds, also I fly in rough back country, and from boats and canoes so it isn’t feasible.

Launching is easy as anything, I have big hands and even I find once the props shut down fully, I don’t have as good as grip as I thought for the weight of the MP. But still easy and I’ve been getting more used to it. One suggestion, I always have sun glasses on my head or face, even if it’s almost dark/overcast and they are on my head, I’ll slip em on before I hand catch. If stuff goes sideways, gashes can be stitched, your eyes might not be so fortunate.

 

[The Real Heavy Metal]

I bought a Pgytech combo kit. landing pad, extended gear, gimbal cover with the hole in it, Controller lanyard, Prop Controller stick protectors. Tried the landing pad once. Id' rather hand catching and hand launching. I use it all except the pad. Funny. I ordered the kit specifically for the pad and now that I figured out this hand catch method it's the only part I don't use. I Even use the extended gear in case something happens that the drone doesn't make it back for the hand catch.

 

[The Real Heavy Metal]

I tried your method yesterday and it worked very well. Grasping from the front avoids the sensors entirely. Thanks for the tip.

Glad it worked for you. You are very welcome. I bought a pgytech combo kit of accessories with a landing pad for the landing pad mainly but then discovered this hand catch technique. The landing pad is the only part of the combo kit I don't use. I live on the prairies. It's always windy here. Trying to land on that pad is a pain. get it lined up push the throttle down to land and a gust blows it half way off before the drone can descend the 18 inches. hand launching and catching is much quicker and easier and terrain or ground cover don't matter. I like flying everywhere and anywhere hand launching allowed me to take off anywhere and this technique allowed me to land anywhere safely without a worry about an improper grab or injury

 

[The Real Heavy Metal]

This is exactly what I did. I wanted to practice in case I needed it, and with all the different methods, it just seems easiest to land in the hand. Plus, you are already holding the stick down, so motors will shut off in a second like you said to make it safe.

I'm from the prairies. It's always windy and gusty here. If I waited for calm I'd never fly. When you are pushing the stick down one handed with your other hand out to have it landed on the drone is still susceptible to gusts with no way to control the drone manually and it does not have time to respond automatically within the 18" of drop for the landing. It's one of the reasons I disliked the grab or land on the hand method. I can hand catch with my method in wind with 20 km gusts without worry. I can be below a tree. I can catch it anywhere safely and securely. Land in the hand is great if there is no wind. If you have gusts to deal with landing on a 30" pad can be hard never mind the hand. I bought a landing pad and tried it. I keep it with me cause it could be useful for manual takeoffs in a tight spot but I doubt I'll ever use it for landing again. First time I tried it: I lined it up with the pad pushed the elevator down as it began to land a gust came through and it ended up completing the landing half on and half off the pad. Catching from the front as I said in the video works well in wind. your hands are no where near the props. Matter of fact the moment you gently grab it. the drone calms down because it is no longer fighting to hold it's position. If I tried hand landing in the conditions I fly in. I know I would have gotten tagged many times by the props and would probably have dropped the drone a few times also.

 

[The Real Heavy Metal]

I dont get all the fuss..

All you have to do is come down to head height more or less, keep your one hand under the drone and throttle down with the other. It sees your hand as the ground and just comes down, when it comes and sit in my hand I just hold it for the second or so it takes for the props to stop.

Who said it was a fuss. I just figured out a way to pluck it from the air as easily and safely as a phantom. Other ways work. You can grab it hope you have it well and watch it fight for a few seconds. You can play juggler in the wind and attempt to land it on your hand. You can ignore the drone while you go into the settings and shut off the bottom sensors. Don't matter to me which way people use. My way is no fuss. reach out and gently take it. gently shut it down. 88 flights and about 65 were hand caught with this method and never a single issue. Each and every one looked identical to the video even with 20+ km gusts.

The entire point of my making the video once I figured it out was that hand catching doesn't have to be a fuss. But, more importantly far far less chance of a muss also. Looks more professional to onlookers as a side benefit.

 

[Koelkop]

Who said it was a fuss. I just figured out a way to pluck it from the air as easily and safely as a phantom. Other ways work. You can grab it hope you have it well and watch it fight for a few seconds. You can play juggler in the wind and attempt to land it on your hand. You can ignore the drone while you go into the settings and shut off the bottom sensors. Don't matter to me which way people use. My way is no fuss. reach out and gently take it. gently shut it down. 88 flights and about 65 were hand caught with this method and never a single issue. Each and every one looked identical to the video even with 20+ km gusts.

The entire point of my making the video once I figured it out was that hand catching doesn't have to be a fuss. But, more importantly far far less chance of a muss also. Looks more professional to onlookers as a side benefit.

I'm not criticizing your method. I referred to the replies going on about disabling sensors and stuff.

 

[The Real Heavy Metal]

I'm not criticizing your method. I referred to the replies going on about disabling sensors and stuff.

No problem. It wouldn't bother me if you were. New ways, different ways even better ways are always criticized. I knew that when I made the video which is why I said try it if you want. I'm certainly no expert and there are many ways to skin a cat. Being green and seeing some of the damage drones have done to people and to drones hand catching, i had the same concerns as any new drone owner with hand catching. But for both the drone and myself the benefit of hand launching and catching were too great to just write off. Once I figured this way out there was no longer any fear in doing it because your hand is below the front arms and far enough from the rear blades that chances of new scars are minimal on me or the drone. I can take my time. No rush, It's just hovering there.My video was targeted not at the folks set in how they do things but instead those who are uncomfortable with the other methods or unsure of themselves. If they were as nervous as I was catching a drone worth a grand that WILL draw blood if done wrong I think my way might be a breath of fresh air. Plus folks turning on and off sensors has got to be a pain in the you know where. In my opinion taking it out of the air without a fight without removing attention to shut off sensors with cool precision looks more professional and in control to the general public and the critics. But criticism isn't bad. I'm a rock drummer. My fans tell me I'm great. My critics say I need improvement. Who do I listen to? Who is right? Both! Happy with what I can do and my ability to entertain,but, there is always room for improvement. It's the constructive criticism that makes us all better.

Gotta say though it's **** windy and gusty where I live. Love my method for catching in those conditions. drone is bouncing around trying to hold position. Drone drops two inches the front arms hit your hand instead of the props. The moment you have hands on it calms for the shutdown. BEAUTIFUL.

 

[rsierra54]

Simply switch off Landing Protection in the app and it won't fight you anymore. You can just hover it at a convenient height and simply grab it, or even land it on a flat hand, hold it in pace for a second or two while shutting down the motors by keeping the left stick down.

Don't you need to disable Obstacle Avoidance?