Landing pad

[mfc]

I run a 22" landing pad. Its a bit tricky in high wind but 22" vs 30" is so much easier to store when your bag space is at a premium.

My 30cm pad folds in 3 (see link above) .. so when folded it comfortably goes into one of the 'water-bottle' pockets on the outside of my pack (or, indeed, goes inside alongside the drone container if not wet or muddy).

 

[mfc]

Sorry, was referring to the pgytech landing pad.

OK, so 50cm x 50cm .. so I am still surprised that the Mavic would miss that. Possibly you're not taking off (and hence usually landing) into the wind, so more affected by crosswind gusts?

 

[Speedmeister]

I run a 22" landing pad. Its a bit tricky in high wind but 22" vs 30" is so much easier to store when your bag space is at a premium.

I am now confident on my hand catch landing that I no longer pack my landing pad. No room in the flymore combo bag!

 

[Bobby Brown]

Sorry, was referring to the pgytech landing pad.

 

[Speedmeister]

OK, so 50cm x 50cm .. so I am still surprised that the Mavic would miss that. Possibly you're not taking off (and hence usually landing) into the wind, so more affected by crosswind gusts?

I dont own the pgytech landing pad. I tested my precision landing on a 80cm pad. Only two legs touches the H in my ten tries and if this was a 50cm pad then it would have been off the pad. I am not a big fan of auto landings or precision landings. I use it for testing when flying in new location or testing compass in general.

 

[mfc]

I dont own the pgytech landing pad. I tested my precision landing on a 80cm pad. Only two legs touches the H in my ten tries and if this was a 50cm pad then it would have been off the pad. I am not a big fan of auto landings or precision landings. I use it for testing when flying in new location or testing compass in general.

OK, thanks for the explanation! I'm not familiar with that pad (or the size of its H) so I think you're saying that your auto-landings are off by pretty much the entire width (front-leg span) of the aircraft. My experience is that usually auto-land puts the drone down within much better than that; almost always the centre line of the pad (= of the T) is between the two front legs. And the front-to-back positioning is rarely more than a couple of centimetres wrong (i.e., the front legs align with and land on the crossbar of the T).

Sometimes it's quite a bit worse than that .. e.g., when the wind has become unpredictable in direction as well as strength.

 

[jctarvin]

Just curious what size landing pad people are using for the M2? I am looking at the 55cm one but wondering if it will be too small. Now that PL is out, maybe that’s not a concern?

24" Hoodman. Perfect.... With or without precision landing.

 

[mfc]

24" Hoodman. Perfect.... With or without precision landing.

'24" Hoodman ' didn't google well. Post a link?

 

[transplant]

Here's a link...

Launch Pads

 

[mavicman3]

Call me chicken but the hand landing is not something I'm going to try soon. Those spinning propellers just seem like surgery without anesthetic!

Yes, if the blade hits a finger it will hurt! If it hits your face it is probably worse (no close calls on the face). For these small quads like the Mavic hand catching / launching is great. I have a small pad I picked up for a spark a while back. When I am flying with someone new (dual remotes), then we use the pad unless there is a good take off surface. But on my own, I will just hand launch / catch. It is way easier especially if you in a location with no practical (flag) take off / landing point. Even the pad will not help in those situations.

If you are flying something bigger like an inspire, then I fully see why you will want a landing pad. I mean you can hand launch I have seen people do it but they are pretty pro and typically it would be a two person job (one pilot and a catcher / launcher).

If you are flying something larger, then you would have a team to work on catching or you would have a good place to land as you will have a heavy payload / plus the aircraft will be pretty heavy. At some point it is just not worth the risk of not having a landing pad for safety.

 

[ff22]

Yes, if the blade hits a finger it will hurt! If it hits your face it is probably worse (no close calls on the face). For these small quads like the Mavic hand catching / launching is great. I have a small pad I picked up for a spark a while back. When I am flying with someone new (dual remotes), then we use the pad unless there is a good take off surface. But on my own, I will just hand launch / catch. It is way easier especially if you in a location with no practical (flag) take off / landing point. Even the pad will not help in those situations.

If you are flying something bigger like an inspire, then I fully see why you will want a landing pad. I mean you can hand launch I have seen people do it but they are pretty pro and typically it would be a two person job (one pilot and a catcher / launcher).

If you are flying something larger, then you would have a team to work on catching or you would have a good place to land as you will have a heavy payload / plus the aircraft will be pretty heavy. At some point it is just not worth the risk of not having a landing pad for safety.

I guess I could test the injury potential by using a carrot or green bean and submitting it to the propellers! (g)

 

[PaulNH]

It's not pretty but I had one square left over... makes for a great landing pad, easy to throw into the trunk... if it's windy I simply stake two ends down. Works GREAT.

 

[DrRobin]

I can hand launch and catch my Phantom without a problem, but the Mavic is a little harder. I bought a 78cm pad when I got a Spark and use it for my Mavic Pro and Air. You can see it in this video (

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).

The are quick to deploy and unless it is windy they don't blow away. They fold up quickly as well and not too expensive, well worth it.

My only complaint, it doesn't fold up small enough to put in the Mavic bag, so it is something else to carry, but you can attach it to the strap if it is an issue.

 

[Speedmeister]

I can hand launch and catch my Phantom without a problem, but the Mavic is a little harder. I bought a 78cm pad when I got a Spark and use it for my Mavic Pro and Air. You can see it in this video (

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).

The are quick to deploy and unless it is windy they don't blow away. They fold up quickly as well and not too expensive, well worth it.

My only complaint, it doesn't fold up small enough to put in the Mavic bag, so it is something else to carry, but you can attach it to the strap if it is an issue.

Try hand catching with landing protection off. You can leave obstacle sensors on or off. It is better at manual landings too. You will hit center of pad every time.

 

[Porky]

I am a complete new guy and I bought PGYTech Landing Pad when I bought my Mavic air (arrived two days ago and has not been flown). After seeing a YouTube video about not placing the aircraft on a concrete sidewalk because of the possible magnetic interference of the rebar, I am concerned about the metal ring around the perimeter of the round landing pad also causing a compass problem. Am I worrying too much? Thanks.

I’ve been using my pad for quite sometime now and have not had any issues with the metal ring. No compass errors, nothing.

 

[Old Aviator]

Thank you, sir.

 

[mfc]

However, be cautious with those 'landing pads'. The metal ring can separate unexpectedly (poor welding?). I have a scar to prove it, just millimeters above my left eye ...

 

[ff22]

However, be cautious with those 'landing pads'. The metal ring can separate unexpectedly (poor welding?). I have a scar to prove it, just millimeters above my left eye ...

I can believe it. I've had problems rolling it back into thirds to fit back in the case. The metal ring is much stiffer than the ones in my car's sunshade for the windshield. I've since gotten one of the foldup types. Not as "nifty" but much safer to fold!

 

[mfc]

Yes, I recently got one of the folding ones and am pleased with it. Two strips of packing tape converted the 'H' to a 'T' quite well, although I'm keeping an eye open for some orange paint ...

 

[DrRobin]

I have never had a problem with concrete or a landing pad. Now and again I get a compass error, although this seems to happen at random. Most times, I just ignore the error and once the drone is in the air it seems to go. I don't seem to have ever had a problem with the compass in flight.

When I had a Phantom 3, that would often take a while to get it's GPS lock on the ground, but again take off and hover for a few seconds nearly always got the position very quickly. I don't think that the GPS was as good on the P3 Standard as other newer drones.