Precision landing

[akdrone]

I have been launching per DJI instructions and using a landing pad. I am landing on the pad about 50% of the time. The other time I am typically 10 feet away. Landing directly on the pad tells me that is more than simply GPS. I understand from other comments that the Mavic 3 is recording some version of a contrast picture or something but don't know why it seems to fail about half the time. If you fly with a drone that supposedly has the ability for Precision Landing (dunno which do or don't) I'm curious as you your thoughts and comments, and tossed up a poll out of curiosity.

 

[DesertWindAero]

I have been launching per DJI instructions and using a landing pad. I am landing on the pad about 50% of the time. The other time I am typically 10 feet away. Landing directly on the pad tells me that is more than simply GPS. I understand from other comments that the Mavic 3 is recording some version of a contrast picture or something but don't know why it seems to fail about half the time. If you fly with a drone that supposedly has the ability for Precision Landing (dunno which do or don't) I'm curious as you your thoughts and comments, and tossed up a poll out of curiosity.

I always land manually.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

You need an "Always" or finer sub division of "nearly always".

Unfortunately I have not seen anywhere in the Apps (Go4 in my case, M2P) that tells me if the take off was a suitable one and/or whether or not precision landing has been enabled. It would be useful if there was somewhere that did.
If I am wrong someone PLEASE enlighten me, I really would like to be able to check.

Thus, the only way I can judge whether it is enabled is to watch and see if, around the start of the descent phase, the drone does its pirouette. During a landing I watch the drone, not the screen device or controller screen.
If I see the pirouette and let it land I would say 99% of the time it lands within its original take off foot print. The last one was within 2cm of SPOT ON, the camera ended up over a reference point.

 

[EpicFlight]

PL requires the capture of an image from the VPS cameras at 20-25 feet over the landing spot. after takeoff, ascend vertically to 20', pause for few seconds, then fly normally.

Do not rotate (yaw) the aircraft, or move horizontally with the pitch/roll stick. Any input other than throttle will cancel the capture, and PL will be disabled for that flight.

 

[old man mavic]

when i fly my MPP which uses the GO4 app ,i have a choice as to whether i want Precision landing or not to be deployed
this consists of a small check box that needs to be ticked in order for the PL to be initiated
if it is then i can honestly say that on occasions when i have been testing the RTH feature, then the drone will land inches from its take off point,if the box is not ticked ,then it can land anywhere within a 3 to 6 foot circle around the take off point according to wind conditions at the time of the flight
its very easy to tell if PL is activated ,because if it is, the drone will rise some 25 ft up above the home point without any input from me and hover ,till i give it a stick input
if it is not set, then it just rises up about 4ft and hovers waiting for a stick input

 

[akdrone]

You need an "Always" or finer sub division of "nearly always".

Unfortunately I have not seen anywhere in the Apps (Go4 in my case, M2P) that tells me if the take off was a suitable one and/or whether or not precision landing has been enabled. It would be useful if there was somewhere that did.
If I am wrong someone PLEASE enlighten me, I really would like to be able to check.

Thus, the only way I can judge whether it is enabled is to watch and see if, around the start of the descent phase, the drone does its pirouette. During a landing I watch the drone, not the screen device or controller screen.
If I see the pirouette and let it land I would say 99% of the time it lands within its original take off foot print. The last one was within 2cm of SPOT ON, the camera ended up over a reference point.

I am on a Mav3 and not familiar with "Always". Is that a term used with the Go4 app?

 

[akdrone]

PL requires the capture of an image from the VPS cameras at 20-25 feet over the landing spot. after takeoff, ascend vertically to 20', pause for few seconds, then fly normally.

Do not rotate (yaw) the aircraft, or move horizontally with the pitch/roll stick. Any input other than throttle will cancel the capture, and PL will be disabled for that flight.

What are the VPS cameras? Does that apply to a Mavic 3? I have been hovering around 20ft but may well have been touching the other throttle or not been going perfectly straight up so I will take some care with that and see if that makes a difference. Thanks.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I am on a Mav3 and not familiar with "Always". Is that a term used with the Go4 app?

Sorry I meant in connection with the options in the poll.
"VPS cameras" are the downwards pointing sensors/cameras on the bottom of the drone.

 

[Yaros]

It works 90% of the time with my Air 2, however most of the time I land manually anyway, so I test precision landing once in a while.
One important step I noticed is to step back when launching, because the shadow coming from you standing there onto the launch pad might mess up the precision landing.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

One important step I noticed is to step back when launching, because the shadow coming from you standing there onto the launch pad might mess up the precision landing.

Good catch.

 

[Dangerly]

I've been flying for DJI for years and this is the first I've heard about precision landings, so thank you for that. Now I'm curious why anyone would use precision landing as opposed to manual landing, especially if it's not 100% reliable?

 

[AlanL]

I have landed my drones manually ever since the first day I had one. Dropping mine down dead center on a landing pad is easy.

 

[EpicFlight]

Avoiding any other control input other than ascending is critical. If the drone receives any command other than throttle it will disable PL.

This is because the drone is no longer exactly over the home point, which is integral to RTH, and PL is a subprocess of RTH.

 

[EpicFlight]

I have landed my drones manually ever since the first day I had one. Dropping mine down dead center on a landing pad is easy.

...and for some of us so profoundly boring after doing it thousands of times we risk nodding off.

I'm an enthusiastic user of RTH. Just as I am of cruise control in my car, even though I've been driving 44 years and can easily drive at constant speed manually.

When I'm done having fun flying, I'm happy to let the technology do the mundane stuff, and just monitor it.

Only drone I land manually every time is the FPV. Always a challenge to land precisely, especially with the Motion Controller.

 

[Dangerly]

Only drone I land manually every time is the FPV. Always a challenge to land precisely, especially with the Motion Controller.

I could understand landing with the Motion Controller would be challenging. I don't have one so I've only been landing the FPV manually with the RC. Do you also find it more challenging to land the FPV with the RC?

 

[EpicFlight]

I could understand landing with the Motion Controller would be challenging. I don't have one so I've only been landing the FPV manually with the RC. Do you also find it more challenging to land the FPV with the RC?

Moderately so, mostly because the camera doesn't point straight down.

So, you have to descend at an angle to keep the landing point in sight, to aim and adjust for it. All 4 control actions are necessary – throttle, yaw, pitch, and roll.

Landing an A2S by comparison is baby cakes. Put the cross-hair on the landing spot, descend. Make minor adjustments (if you care to) with pitch and roll to get it closer than a foot or two. Boring, the hundredth time.

 

[EpicFlight]

I have a very small deck in back that I launch from about 50% of my flights. There is a privacy screen about 7' tall around 2/3 of it.

Straight-down landings are trivial. coming in at a 75° angle that privacy screen suddenly becomes an issue.

I've never had a problem, but that's because I'm an exceptional pilot

Yet, the challenge is always there with the FPV, and always fun. Especially when it's a bit windy.

Elsewhere, I take the challenge of landing it right in front of my feet (I always sit when flying FPV). It's quite gratifying to remove the goggles, and there's Velociraptor (shout out to @Chaosrider for the inspiration, it even flies faster since I gave it a name ) right in front of me in easy reach.

Quick battery change, and I'm off for another 8-10 thrilling minutes.

 

[JohnnyD913]

I fly Mavic Pro and EVERTIME I PL I’m within 6 inches of take off

 

[Aerialskape]

It’s worked the few times I’ve tried but, but usually hand launch / catch.

 

[BrokenAero]

My P4P V1 will hit the center of the landing pad every time as long as I perform a Compass calibration prior to takeoff, the ambient light is sufficient, and there is enough contrast and pattern to allow the downward vision cameras to match the launch area image recorded at takeoff.

Recorded THIS LANDING with my iPhone after activating RTH when a tornado warning was issued while I was filming these building storm clouds.

For some reason my MA2 isn’t nearly as accurate.