Landing via Camera Only

Grantt · Sep 27, 2018

Has anyone practiced landing far away from you, in unknown terrain, by only using the camera? I'm looking for tips on how to identify good landing spots with the camera only on my Mavic Pro. I thought pointing the camera straight down would do the trick, and it does a fine job to identify a spot horizontally. However, I tried to see what it would look like coming down on my roof with a significantly steep pitch. I could not tell from the camera that the roof had a slope on it. That made me nervous. If I tried to land, I think the props would have hit the roof tiles. So I believe I have to not just look vertically, but I have to view areas from the side too to inspect.

The purpose for this is I am considering trying to land on a remote island. Identifying a landing spot might be harder than I thought. Even if the area was wide open, steep terrain, a softball ball sized rock or even a short plant could be hard to spot with the camera and might be a problem.

Any thoughts or experience trying to do such a thing?

Wilbur&Garth · Sep 27, 2018

It's always a dangerous thing to try, especially if it's somewhere you can't access. I've thought about trying to land on some rooftops before, but was too scared to try. One little bump or wire or plant could be all it would take to damage a prop. That's a scary risk. Now if you're able to get to this remote island, that would make it more reasonable.

Defens · Sep 27, 2018

Might want to orbit around the selected point for a couple of passes at different altitudes - that should give you an idea of the ground flatness and possible obstructions. Unless, of course the spot selected is too tight to orbit around. But, in that case, I'd be worried about losing GPS lock or even RC connection once landed, and not being able to take off again.

Drone_guy · Sep 27, 2018

Think of your drone as a fly and wires as a spiders web, it's not so easy to see wires but they'll get you.

Now...I have practiced landing with just the camera but that was in my back yard after landing there 50 times first. I have one small corner that isn't blocked by trees so I point my camera down and I find that corner. I don't want to risk landing anywhere other than my home point.

Grantt · Sep 27, 2018

The more I think about it, the more complicated it seems.

I thought it would be easier. I'll just have to practice more in accessible areas before I attempt something more risky.

Defens,
I didn't think about losing GPS lock or RC connection in tight spots. Good point. Definitely something to keep in mind. Drones typically land close to the operator so RC connection is always taken for granted. But the ground must be a very significant signal blocker. It could be big problem if landing far away. More things to test.

One application I was thinking was helping a lost or stranded hiker. A drone could deploy and transfer light payloads to them back and forth.

DroningOn · Sep 27, 2018

Grantt said:
The more I think about it, the more complicated it seems.

It’s super easy. I’ve seen the Amazon video. No problem!

Bob1956 · Jan 17, 2020

I remote landed on the other end of my field but I tramped out there and placed a landing pad first. The site was also flat and clear.

Landing in a spot unseen? Looking straight down nothing has height or slope. Possibly circle the landing area and view from the side. Or maybe get low over the site and spin around for a side view. Possibly carry a load of colored water or small balls (gum balls) release that and watch the behavior.

From what little I've seen the delivery drones of the future won't land at all but will release the payload with a line paying out till touchdown and then disconnect .

PeRo · Jan 17, 2020

Another aspect of "Landing via camera only" in this video:

I do not want to judge here, however this guy seemed to have taken the Mavic (Air) to its limits...

Thomas B · Jan 17, 2020

When videoing in mountains with peaks over 1600’ above my original TO location I located landing spots with slight angulation of the place toward me and landed on the edge near me to maintain VLOS and controller connection. That allowed me to TO again, which established a new zero altitude and I could then gain the absolute altitude to see (film) over the mountains. Stayed within 400’ of the side of the mountain and never was above 400’ from the ground below. This with M2P.
Here’s one vid I did that way:

dronepilotbob · Jan 17, 2020

I did once during emergency landing (battery was going bad) I never scouted the area so I didn’t know there was a thin cable running from one small 2 storey building to another. I made sure no people were around, it was the weekend and completely empty parking lot. Long story short I did land it, however when I went to retrieve it I noticed I missed a thin wire by few feet. I never saw the wire when I was landing, could have been bad.

Needless to say small tree branches, cables, etc can be difficult to spot via camera only.