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Looking for help retrieving drone from tree

philipe

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Sep 7, 2025
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Los Angeles, CA
Hi guys! I’m wondering if anyone with a claw rig would be up for trying to airlift my stuck Air 2S from a tall ponderosa tree? My neighbor says he’s not willing to let an arborist climb the tree, sadly… Happy to compensate!
 
Don't tell the neighbor your friends an Arborist.;)
 
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Not knowing the height is a problem.
How far from the edge of the property line?

I had mine stuck 30 feet up but knew exactly where it was. The tree wasn't in someone's yard. It was overhanging their yard a tiny bit though. I hired a tree service to get it down. They used a boom lift.
 
Not knowing the height is a problem.
How far from the edge of the property line?

I had mine stuck 30 feet up but knew exactly where it was. The tree wasn't in someone's yard. It was overhanging their yard a tiny bit though. I hired a tree service to get it down. They used a boom lift.
I think it’s about 100 feet. Could be 80. Could be 120… unfortunately it’s fully on his property
 
Not knowing the height is a problem.
How far from the edge of the property line?

I had mine stuck 30 feet up but knew exactly where it was. The tree wasn't in someone's yard. It was overhanging their yard a tiny bit though. I hired a tree service to get it down. They used a boom lift.
YEP!!!! probably gonna be your best way unless you find someone with a drone and hook and they are willing to risk getting stuck too. Bakersfield is kinda a ways for a quik drone retrieval
 
If its 100 ft or less you can make a homemade "hotstick" out of PVC pipes and tap it out.. just attach all the pieces securely !!
 
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I'm not sure of the laws for drone recovery but being an "aircraft" you might have a right to go on the property to recover it.
 
Arborists do have equipment that they could possibly reach from parking that equipment on your lot and extending to the drone location.
You should call some of them and ask.
 
FWIW, there aren't a lot of trees over 100 feet tall. It would be hard to find one that tall on a normal residential property. Maybe in a forest but not many cities.
 
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Hi guys! I’m wondering if anyone with a claw rig would be up for trying to airlift my stuck Air 2S from a tall ponderosa tree? My neighbor says he’s not willing to let an arborist climb the tree, sadly… Happy to compensate!
Phillip3:

In South Florida,we have a lot of hurricanes. Almost everyone in my neighborhood does a prophylactic tree limb cutback before hurricane season. This allows the winds to blow through the trees with less pressure to knock them down. I just finished my tree service and they charged me $250 per tree (x6 trees) with complete trimming. They have a huge articulated arm and they stand in the platform and move it around quite accurately. They can probabaly reach it without crossing the neighbor's property. Offer them the job and negotiate on the price and advise the neighbor ahead of time for permission. If the price is less than the drone, it is worth it. You cannot replace these drones in today's environment.

Dale
Miami
Screenshot 2025-09-08 at 10.21.53 AM.png
 
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A few years ago my M2 Zoom decided to land in a tree about 100 feet above the beach so there was no possible way to get it down except a chainsaw. I went back many times trying to even see where it was. Six months later after a windstorm I went back and it was down in some brush under the tree. I let it dry inside for several days and charged the battery. Everything worked except the obstacle avoidance. Sent it back to DJI and $170. later it was good as new.
 

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