Note to self, be more careful hand catching!

[JSSR]

I get down to the lake, it's perfectly still and the light is perfect so I load up the Mavic and get it in the air. I line up the shot but can't see the button for intelligent flight modes, I close down the DJI app but this doesn't help. I look through the options but can't see anything wrong. I figure I'll just shut everything down and try again.

No wind, long grass - the perfect scenario for a hand catch that I've done dozens of times before. I bring the bird down to the right height and put my hand under it, I pull down on the stick. She comes down way faster than I was expecting and catches my middle finger ripping most of the nail right back! I quickly push it back into place and assess the damage. Got away pretty easy I figure.

To add insult to injury I realise I haven't let go of the down stick fast enough and the Mavic has done an autoland in the long grass so I have to spend the next 5 mins pulling out grass and seeds from the props!

Once I get home I realise what I've done wrong, bloody sport mode switch was on, this disables intelligent flight modes and also answers why it descended so quickly into my hand!

View media item 538

 

[Droneymcdrone]

Nice, mine must have safety props on cause it has got me a few times and not even a scratch

 

[ryo]

ouch!

 

[bucefalo]

I get down to the lake, it's perfectly still and the light is perfect so I load up the Mavic and get it in the air. I line up the shot but can't see the button for intelligent flight modes, I close down the DJI app but this doesn't help. I look through the options but can't see anything wrong. I figure I'll just shut everything down and try again.

No wind, long grass - the perfect scenario for a hand catch that I've done dozens of times before. I bring the bird down to the right height and put my hand under it, I pull down on the stick. She comes down way faster than I was expecting and catches my middle finger ripping most of the nail right back! I quickly push it back into place and assess the damage. Got away pretty easy I figure.

To add insult to injury I realise I haven't let go of the down stick fast enough and the Mavic has done an autoland in the long grass so I have to spend the next 5 mins pulling out grass and seeds from the props!

Once I get home I realise what I've done wrong, bloody sport mode switch was on, this disables intelligent flight modes and also answers why it descended so quickly into my hand!

View media item 538

sorry for you finger mate.. i guess that hurts :-/
this makes just the point.. i mean you can do it 100 times.. but one single time where a little detail,sport mode, will make it bad !
i'm personally " fascinated" by the idea to hand grab my mavic in some conditions.. but the idea that i could cut off one of my fingers refrain me from doing it !

good luck for your finger !

 

[oferlaor]

You got off easy

Your tip off should have been that the intelligent mode button was MIA

 

[mlaczek]

nice job

next time try it with this

 

[AlanTheBeast]

I get down to the lake, it's perfectly still and the light is perfect so I load up the Mavic and get it in the air. I line up the shot but can't see the button for intelligent flight modes, I close down the DJI app but this doesn't help. I look through the options but can't see anything wrong. I figure I'll just shut everything down and try again.

No wind, long grass - the perfect scenario for a hand catch that I've done dozens of times before. I bring the bird down to the right height and put my hand under it, I pull down on the stick. She comes down way faster than I was expecting and catches my middle finger ripping most of the nail right back! I quickly push it back into place and assess the damage. Got away pretty easy I figure.

To add insult to injury I realise I haven't let go of the down stick fast enough and the Mavic has done an autoland in the long grass so I have to spend the next 5 mins pulling out grass and seeds from the props!

Once I get home I realise what I've done wrong, bloody sport mode switch was on, this disables intelligent flight modes and also answers why it descended so quickly into my hand!

View media item 538

My sole incident to date was by forgetting to switch back to P to land.

Since then I've practiced landing Sport mode so that I would recognize the 'twitchiness' of the bird and either take care or switch to P.

Injured nails are a PITA. Essentially have to wait for most of the nail to grow out and push off the damaged part.

 

[mlaczek]

My sole incident to date was by forgetting to switch back to P to land.

Since then I've practiced landing Sport mode so that I would recognize the 'twitchiness' of the bird and either take care or switch to P.

Injured nails are a PITA. Essentially have to wait for most of the nail to grow out and push off the damaged part.

sorry Alan, what does it mean PITA?

 

[Droneymcdrone]

sorry Alan, what does it mean PITA?

Pita= Pain In The ***

 

[mlaczek]

thanks Droneymcdrone! but what under the stars [emoji12] (okay, i know it [emoji6] )

 

[AlanTheBeast]

sorry Alan, what does it mean PITA?

Pain In The A--

 

[islandattitude]

Ouch! Glad it wasn't worse for you.. glad you didn't lose a finger, or a drone.

 

[JLane]

This reinforces my preference for hand catching the Mavic when it's in a stable hover, rather than trying to land it into my hand. In my opinion, there are just too many variables involved in landing a descending aircraft into your hand. Several ways that things can go wrong, especially with the newest firmware that makes it impossible to slow or abort the autolanding with the throttle stick.

At least while the Mavic is hovering, I can observe and wait to make sure it's nice and stable before reaching to grab it. And if there's a gust or something while I'm reaching for it, all I have to do is pull my hand back away from it. The Mavic will still remain roughly where it is, waiting for me to try again. (Although I've so far never had to make a 2nd attempt).

 

[jpbecker2112]

I have VPS off and just bring the mavic a foot or two over my head. Walk up to it and reach to grab and then down on left stick. I don't actually descend. Not sure if that helps. I live on the water so I have all the obstacle avoidance turned off. Can't have it thinking the sun is an object and try to ascend over the top of it - and drain the battery like it did on one of my first flights!

 

[mlaczek]

Pain In The A--

thanks Alan!

 

[PhilBT]

This reinforces my preference for hand catching the Mavic when it's in a stable hover, rather than trying to land it into my hand. In my opinion, there are just too many variables involved in landing a descending aircraft into your hand. Several ways that things can go wrong, especially with the newest firmware that makes it impossible to slow or abort the autolanding with the throttle stick.
At least while the Mavic is hovering, I can observe and wait to make sure it's nice and stable before reaching to grab it. And if there's a gust or something while I'm reaching for it, all I have to do is pull my hand back away from it. The Mavic will still remain roughly where it is, waiting for me to try again. (Although I've so far never had to make a 2nd attempt).

Sorry to go back to a very old post, but can I just clarify as I'm new to this. You say that it is impossible to slow down or abort the autolanding with the throttle stick. So are you saying that if the Mavic is descending for an autolanding and you see it's a bad place to be, you can't stop it from landing unless you catch it?