request for options for supporting the RC plus terminal

[Gorlash]

I've got a Mavic 2 Pro; I've been doing my initial experiments with it, using an HTC Android cell phone and the 'tablet stent' which came with the Fly More kit.
From here on out, I will refer to that 'tablet stent' as a 'mounting bracket', for simplicity's stake.
I am already having trouble managing all of the parts; the mounting bracket came with a neck strap which has a single point of attachment; there is also another neck strap which has two clips, and I tried attaching it to the two holes on the bracket, but that doesn't actually allow me to rest the hardware in a usable position on my chest/stomach.

This is turning out to simply not be very workable; I need three hands to do simple things such as walk outside (closing the door behind me), or manage hand-held launch/land operations, which I will need to do in the field.

So I really need some kind of a... don't know what name to use, I'll call it a 'portable dinner tray' ... ... something that I can hang around my neck, and the entire RC flight-management console can just rest in it, in a usable position... this way, one hand is free to manage the screen, while the other is busy doing other things. I'm sure I can jury-rig something eventually, but I'm suspecting that I'm not the first person to want to solve this problem!! I tried doing some searching, both here and on Amazon, but I haven't figured out what terms to look for - or else it just doesn't exist??

Today, I just made my problem even worse - I got a new mounting bracket that will let me use my Samsung Galaxy Tab A, 10" tablet !! That will be really beautiful to use, but I will *absolutely* need some way to just let the RC harness rest somewhere in a usable manner, because *both* hands are required just to hold the danged thing!!

Any ideas on how to handle this?? or even what search terms I should use to do further research?

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

I have a tablet mount for my 10" tablet and it too has a neck strap that attaches to the mount, but I almost never use the strap. However, I never hand-launch (see below). I do hand-land though (I'm sure the neck strap would make this easier), but I manage to do it with just one hand on the controller (doing the down stick, which doesn't require me to touch the tablet) and the other hand held out to catch the descending AC.

However, my tablet for this use is an iPad Air, which is very light.

I also have a Tab A and it's really heavy. I've never tried to use that for my drone controller device, mostly because iOS devices work better with DJI Go, but I can also see how it would be much heavier than iPad Air.

I'm not really seeing your scenario with having to manage the front door to your house. I never fly at home, but when I did at the last house, it was trivial to make two trips to the porch.

Mostly, I go places, which means using the backpack. I take everything out in the field when I get there, put the controller / tablet together, and am ready to launch ... again, though, I launch from the ground.

In all the videos I've seen where people hand-launch, they're using a small device (smartphone) where they can easily reach the launch icon on their phone with a thumb or something.

Not only is this more difficult with a larger tablet, it's impossible if you have a sun hood on your tablet. I just always find a way to launch and bring a pad if the ground is questionable (uneven, high-grass, dirt or sand).

Chris

 

[Gorlash]

Yeah, I'm not sure the tablet is going to work out that well, though it *would* be nice to have the larger screen when framing images.

As for getting in and out of the house (which will only be relevant during this initial learning phase), at least with the normal phone, I actually can use the single-point harness and let the controller hang from my neck... don't know why I didn't just do that today...

Basically, it feels like it would be natural to just have the controller resting on my chest in a usable position, but I'm not seeing anything even *remotely* resembling such a harness, anywhere, so I have a hunch that I need to forget about this...

It *was* a little awkward today, practicing the hand-landing, and trying to support the controller with the other hand, while also pushing the descend button several times, but I probably will get better with practice.

The places where I *most* want to use this drone (on hillsides and other uneven ground), once I'm done with training, will often not have any flat spots to launch/land, so I'm starting out early on practicing hand launch/land.

It *would* be handy (so to speak) to not have to devote one hand solely to supporting the controller assembly... just as a general concept.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

I think it will just take some time to get used to it. A lot of us use 10" tablets. Aside from the hand-launch thing, I do everything I need with two hands. Since you're suppose to be paying attention to the flight (with VLOS), you don't really need your hands for anything but the sticks (once the AC is in the air).

I have seen pictures in these forums of guys that use drones for mapping (for a living} at least one of them showed a tripod (or light-stand) mounted controller, which would be hands free.

The trouble with that: once in the air, one likes to walk around, perhaps to see the AC in the air around an obstacle, or to see it down a ravine (once it is launched from some place back from the edge). A tripod would be pretty static.

Chris

 

[lannes]

Yeah, I'm not sure the tablet is going to work out that well, though it *would* be nice to have the larger screen when framing images.

As for getting in and out of the house (which will only be relevant during this initial learning phase), at least with the normal phone, I actually can use the single-point harness and let the controller hang from my neck... don't know why I didn't just do that today...

Basically, it feels like it would be natural to just have the controller resting on my chest in a usable position, but I'm not seeing anything even *remotely* resembling such a harness, anywhere, so I have a hunch that I need to forget about this...

It *was* a little awkward today, practicing the hand-landing, and trying to support the controller with the other hand, while also pushing the descend button several times, but I probably will get better with practice.

The places where I *most* want to use this drone (on hillsides and other uneven ground), once I'm done with training, will often not have any flat spots to launch/land, so I'm starting out early on practicing hand launch/land.

It *would* be handy (so to speak) to not have to devote one hand solely to supporting the controller assembly... just as a general concept.

A small 8in tablet like the Ipad Mini 4 or 5 will fit in the jaws of the controller and be easier to handle.
I also use mine as a flat surface to carry the drone on, which frees up one hand.

 

[Camino Ken]

I use a small foldable camping table near me which is big enough to launch from and is great place for important things, like something to drink. Oh yeah, you can also put the other stuff that you use to fly.

 

[lannes]

You also consider this, but it won't be that secure and things could slide off , unless you rigged it with velcro.

Amazon.com: Connect-A-Desk: Mobile Laptop Harness & Desk | Hands Free Portable Adjustable Wearable Desk for Laptop, Tablet, Notepad, MacBook, etc.: Electronics

Buy Connect-A-Desk: Mobile Laptop Harness & Desk | Hands Free Portable Adjustable Wearable Desk for Laptop, Tablet, Notepad, MacBook, etc.: Stands - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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[brett8883]

I've got a Mavic 2 Pro; I've been doing my initial experiments with it, using an HTC Android cell phone and the 'tablet stent' which came with the Fly More kit.
From here on out, I will refer to that 'tablet stent' as a 'mounting bracket', for simplicity's stake.
I am already having trouble managing all of the parts; the mounting bracket came with a neck strap which has a single point of attachment; there is also another neck strap which has two clips, and I tried attaching it to the two holes on the bracket, but that doesn't actually allow me to rest the hardware in a usable position on my chest/stomach.

This is turning out to simply not be very workable; I need three hands to do simple things such as walk outside (closing the door behind me), or manage hand-held launch/land operations, which I will need to do in the field.

So I really need some kind of a... don't know what name to use, I'll call it a 'portable dinner tray' ... ... something that I can hang around my neck, and the entire RC flight-management console can just rest in it, in a usable position... this way, one hand is free to manage the screen, while the other is busy doing other things. I'm sure I can jury-rig something eventually, but I'm suspecting that I'm not the first person to want to solve this problem!! I tried doing some searching, both here and on Amazon, but I haven't figured out what terms to look for - or else it just doesn't exist??

Today, I just made my problem even worse - I got a new mounting bracket that will let me use my Samsung Galaxy Tab A, 10" tablet !! That will be really beautiful to use, but I will *absolutely* need some way to just let the RC harness rest somewhere in a usable manner, because *both* hands are required just to hold the danged thing!!

Any ideas on how to handle this?? or even what search terms I should use to do further research?

Haha I love this post! Haven’t we all thought about this problem at one point or the other. If you figure it out let us know

 

[Gorlash]

I think it will just take some time to get used to it. A lot of us use 10" tablets. Aside from the hand-launch thing, I do everything I need with two hands. Since you're suppose to be paying attention to the flight (with VLOS), you don't really need your hands for anything but the sticks (once the AC is in the air).

I have seen pictures in these forums of guys that use drones for mapping (for a living} at least one of them showed a tripod (or light-stand) mounted controller, which would be hands free.

The trouble with that: once in the air, one likes to walk around, perhaps to see the AC in the air around an obstacle, or to see it down a ravine (once it is launched from some place back from the edge). A tripod would be pretty static.

Chris

A tripod is definitely out, I tried hiking with a tripod in the past, when I was using a long-zoom DSLR (camera), and it just was not manageable at all.

And tables or such things aren't really what I envisioned; I want mobility, don't want another object to deal with!

"you don't really need your hands for anything but the sticks (once the AC is in the air)."
The thing I was struggling with yesterday, was trying to position, aim and focus the camera, while still needing to manage the controller at the same time... that was the point at which I was saying "dang!! I really wish this assembly would stay in one place for a minute!!"...

However, I also believe you are correct, in that with more experience, all these things will get easier... I'm *still* on only my second day playing with this device!

ITM, it sounds like folks here are agreeing with my own impressions - there really *isn't* anything available that will accomplish what I actually want, which is to just get the controller assembly to rest horizontally against my chest, so I can use my hands where I want to. (Yep, @brett8883, I heard you !! ?)

 

[lannes]

Something simpler, if you use a optech strap it should not move around too much

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[Thomas B]

A tripod is definitely out, I tried hiking with a tripod in the past, when I was using a long-zoom DSLR (camera), and it just was not manageable at all.

And tables or such things aren't really what I envisioned; I want mobility, don't want another object to deal with!

"you don't really need your hands for anything but the sticks (once the AC is in the air)."
The thing I was struggling with yesterday, was trying to position, aim and focus the camera, while still needing to manage the controller at the same time... that was the point at which I was saying "dang!! I really wish this assembly would stay in one place for a minute!!"...

However, I also believe you are correct, in that with more experience, all these things will get easier... I'm *still* on only my second day playing with this device!

ITM, it sounds like folks here are agreeing with my own impressions - there really *isn't* anything available that will accomplish what I actually want, which is to just get the controller assembly to rest horizontally against my chest, so I can use my hands where I want to. (Yep, @brett8883, I heard you !! ?)

This was my solution... works pretty well keeps SC flat and level with no hands.

Amazon.com: Roboterwerk Shoulder Strap with Horizontal Suspension, Accessories for DJI Smart Controller (Mavic): Toys & Games

Amazon.com: Roboterwerk Shoulder Strap with Horizontal Suspension, Accessories for DJI Smart Controller (Mavic): Toys & Games

www.amazon.com

 

[Gorlash]

This was my solution... works pretty well keeps SC flat and level with no hands.

Amazon.com: Roboterwerk Shoulder Strap with Horizontal Suspension, Accessories for DJI Smart Controller (Mavic): Toys & Games

Amazon.com: Roboterwerk Shoulder Strap with Horizontal Suspension, Accessories for DJI Smart Controller (Mavic): Toys & Games

www.amazon.com

Dang, I wish this was available for the regular controller, as well as the Smart Controller. After all my spending over past two months, the Smart Controller is definitely out of my budget for the forseeable future !!