Mini went CRAZY!!!

[Pahunter1274]

I'm in Honalulu on vacation and couldn't wait to fly drone. The 1st & 2nd flight went well. On the third battery I flew fine and was landing where I had the problem. I didn't want to land in the sand so I hand launched. I have launched and landed in my hand a few hundred times in the 3 yrs I've owned it with never an issue. Once in my hand the drone went crazy. It revealed up and would not stop. Nothing I did stopped it. I made the mistake of trying to remove the battery but the props got me good. Bleeding from 3 fingers, I let go. It did hit the ground hard then stopped. All of the flying, I never had this happen. Any ideas???

 

[FLDave]

I suspect you grabbed it and the drone sensed the downward pressure so it obviously responded to try to climb away from danger. If that were the case you should have released your grip and allowed it to fly. The other option would have been the landing sequence with stick or kill option with both sticks. Grabbing by hand is extremely dangerous.

 

[vindibona1]

I believe that with a one handed grab that the drone resists requires a firm grip on it and suddenly just turn it upside down. It should shut itself off.

 

[Pahunter1274]

I forgot about turning upside down. I did try the sticks with no success. Thanks.

 

[Mrpokey]

Pics or it Didn't happen..:/

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I would suspect you moved your hand and the drone sensed the movement, if so it attempts to maintain its position.
It is not necessary to grab the drone unless you have to, I hand land into a slighty cupped hand and do not grip the drone until the motors have stopped.
Whist the snatch and twist does 'sometimes' work it does not ALWAYS work nor does turning the drone upside down always work, as aptly demonstrated around the 16sec mark of the video of in Mini - Flying A Mini With A Missing Propeller

If you can keep your hand still holding the throttle fully closed will eventually stop the motors providing the drone is working correctly.

 

[Mavic Merrick]

Have to let the drone fly up then bring it back down into your hand and do now grab it hard. I have had the same happen a few times and have properly brought it back to normal landing except for the one time when I was a noob and did not know what was happening - cut fingers, heart rate spike, total terror.

 

[Zbip57]

I always hand-land my Mini.
Start with it safely hovering higher than eye-level. Hold your hand out flat. If the VPS bottom sensors detect your hand closer than 0.5m (~2ft) under the drone, it will automatically climb away from your hand. So start with your hand lower than that below the drone.
Hold the throttle stick full down. The app announces, "Landing". The Mini will settle slowly, straight down, to land on your flat hand.
When it has landed on your hand, the motors stop. Done.
There's no grabbing involved, and no chopped fingers.

 

[Capt KO]

As said by the others, the mistake was grabbing the drone instead of “landing” in your hand. Tough lesson but hope it hasn’t ruined your vacation or your drone. Happy flying and hope to see some pics.

 

[MS Coast]

@Zbip57 and @Capt KO are right on target.

I'd add that it's ok to grip the drone with your thumb and fingers as long as you don't move the drone downward. If you lower your hand while the motors are running, the drone will attempt to climb.

Personally, I like gripping the drone with my fingertips rather than landing on my flat hand, especially with the larger Air 2S.

 

[Pahunter1274]

Thanks for all the great suggestion & feedback. I did everything wrong. PANICKED!!! Won't make the same mistakes twice. ( I hope ).

 

[Taildragger]

I pull the sticks so it goes into landing mode so it just settles onto my hand. However, I found if you are hand grabbing it’s easier if it’s facing you to help avoid the sensors, then lift the drone slightly to reduce rpm’s then turn onto its side or upside down. If you grab it and pull down the drone will fight you in an effort to remain at altitude. Raising the drone lowers rpm also in an effort to remain at altitude. Much easier to flip when it’s throttling down.

 

[MS Coast]

I pull the sticks so it goes into landing mode so it just settles onto my hand. However, I found if you are hand grabbing it’s easier if it’s facing you to help avoid the sensors, then lift the drone slightly to reduce rpm’s then turn onto its side or upside down. If you grab it and pull down the drone will fight you in an effort to remain at altitude. Raising the drone lowers rpm also in an effort to remain at altitude. Much easier to flip when it’s throttling down.

There's no need to flip the drone over or raise it. Just keep your hand still and hold the throttle down. The motors will shut down without a fuss.

 

[Taildragger]

I never flip my drone. The point trying to make is the drone will not fight you if trying obtain a grip by lifting the drone slightly instead of gripping and lowering the hand before tuning off the motors for those who rather grip than land on the palm of the hand.

 

[Kywon McCain]

Oh we all do this lol
Might seem crazy but normal
I think yours (like ours) have the sensors on the bottom

If you try to grab it out of mid air it's gonna scream and kick
I don't know how you would hurt yourself
But normally the only thing that would happen to you is your heart going really fast

Try this
To hand catch (or my method)

Fly the drone over you

Open your hand
Now left stick down to your hand and don't let go

Grab it with your hand as your left stick is all the way down
Now that you catched it keep the left stick down until the props turn off
If you don't its going to blast out of your hand like a rocket and your heart will go fast(well for me at least)

After the props are not spinning let go of the stick

You hand catch drone!