How to inexpensively Recover Drone from Tree

[HoozierDroneDaddy]

If your fortunate enough to have another drone that is capable you can lift the stranded drone down. I made a releasable grappling hook for my Typhoon H to lift a drone from the top of a 90 foot tree. Releasable in case the hook gets caught in the trees or is unable to pull the first drone out, then you can still bring the recovery drone back down.

If it is a situation where the branch needs to be jerked around to release the drone, I have also used it to anchor a 100lb fishing line on the ground, lift the spool over the branch and release it. The spool then falls to the ground on the other side of the branch. If it is a small branch that the fishing line can handle all is ok. If it is a larger branch, then the fishing line is used to pull a rope over the branch.

Glad all the above were able to recover they birds.

 

[Wyojet]

I used my bobcat to push tree over to get my gkids drone down. laughing ?

 

[Cymruflyer]

Now that's bringing the mountain to Mohammed!!!!

 

[ed potter]

cheaper solution is to not fly into trees

I wish I had thought about that.

 

[AMann]

For you deer hunters, I have used my climbing tree stand to get to to first limbs. I used a short pole from there or you could climb on tree limbs from there. Use your safety harness!!!!

Climbing sticks- not height restricted as they are stackable as you climb and can be guided around branches, then simply use your rope and harness to rappel back down.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I used my bobcat to push tree over to get my gkids drone down. laughing ?

I was going to suggest Stihl method, but thought it was a softer type of recovery required

How did it go anyway @bobec231 . . . did you actually get it to fall without damage ???

 

[Merccooper]

Someone posted a nifty rig that consisted of a fishing reel, a length of conduit and rubber tube. You could shoot a piece of dowel (attached to the fishing line) through the conduit. Sounded like the aim could be pretty good. I’ve lost the post now. Maybe some could repost?

 

[AMann]

Someone posted a nifty rig that consisted of a fishing reel, a length of conduit and rubber tube. You could shoot a piece of dowel (attached to the fishing line) through the conduit. Sounded like the aim could be pretty good. I’ve lost the post now. Maybe some could repost?

If it used an apple and arrow, I’d be more impressed! What was the conduit for?

 

[Merccooper]

If it used an apple and arrow, I’d be more impressed! What was the conduit for?

You shoot the dowel through the conduit, which was maybe 3feet long. You can aim with conduit.

 

[AMann]

You shoot the dowel through the conduit, which was maybe 3feet long. You can aim with conduit.

With a bow?

 

[Merccooper]

More like a sling shot.

 

[toad007]

So I put the Platinum into a tall Conifer a couple of weeks ago. After help requests got a tree man to do it and mixed it with some tree work.
Got it back this morning and it worked perfectly despite heavy rain. I will be more careful in future and have the camera pointing down. Great device.

 

[AMann]

Here’s a international directory of tree climbers that will rescue pets and drones from trees:

http://www2.catinatreerescue.com/view/directory.cfm

 

[Tractorguy]

Here’s a international directory of tree climbers that will rescue pets and drones from trees:

http://www2.catinatreerescue.com/view/directory.cfm

That's the best suggestion I've seen yet.

 

[Tractorguy]

That's the best suggestion I've seen yet.

I checked this directory for a climber to rescue my drone and while there some in my local area nobody returned my call. However I found another tree guy, Brandon Koch, closer to home that I hired to recover the drone. I've attached some photos of the operation. He climbed 120 ft of a 140 ft tree in 2 hours 30 minutes.The lower half of the tree was limbed by another guy who could not complete the climb due physical exhaustion. No damage at all to the drone except the props got chewed up. If it didn’t get hung up it probably would have continued to fly. BTW Brandon says drones are much easier to rescue than cats.

 

[DanMan32]

I would imagine drones are easier than cats. Drones don't try to get away from the rescuer.

 

[norman.hicks.35]

They don’t jump out of the tree from 70’ up when you get close to them either.

 

[FePhoenix]

Depending on the tree, you could use a larger, more capable drone with a recovery claw. I've used my Typhoon H480 to retrieve smaller units, including Mavics. 3.5" Micro Mantis Claw Drone Recovery Hook Grabber System G10 Fiberglass Kit 644650956623 | eBay

Yeah, I know it's not "inexpensive" - unless you already have, or have access to, the larger aircraft.

 

[Tractorguy]

Depending on the tree, you could use a larger, more capable drone with a recovery claw. I've used my Typhoon H480 to retrieve smaller units, including Mavics. 3.5" Micro Mantis Claw Drone Recovery Hook Grabber System G10 Fiberglass Kit 644650956623 | eBay

Yeah, I know it's not "inexpensive" - unless you already have, or have access to, the larger aircraft.

What would you charge for retrieval? Brandon charged $500.

 

[FePhoenix]

What would you charge for retrieval? Brandon charged $500.

Depends on a lot of factors. Easy driving distance or 100mi away? For a kid or a professional aerographer? Also depends on if the target is found, or if I'm doing Search as well as Rescue. Factor in how risky the rescue (just in a hard-to-reach spot, but no risk to the rescue craft, or inside a tree, where the branches are a real danger...)

I've grabbed a couple for local kids off roofs for free. I've never charged more than $300. That one was abt 80 miles away, belonged to a real estate photog, was a Mavic (I think), and caught on a ham radio antenna some 70-75' up. Fortunately it was in the antenna itself, not the mast, or I'd've not been able to get to it.