Return to home question

[Nautidawg]

newb question here...flew my MZ yesterday from a landing pad. Reason: deep snow all around. Had 17 satellites showing in RC. CLicked return to home and it was about to miss its mark by about 3 ft. I quickly took the joysticks and ascended again and then landed it by manually on the pad. Am I missing something? If it's GPS wouldn't it land right where it took off from? TIA and for you patience with all my newbie questions

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

This is common and within specs. GPS all by itself is not more accurate than that. Correcting a little bit by sticks is normal.

The M2P has something called Precision Landing. I don't know if the M2Z does. Basically, it takes off, then stops a certain height and records and image of the HP, so it can land more squarely on that point on return. Check your owners manual for details. It's best if your landing pad has a recognizable pattern on it (like a big alphabetic letter).

Another thing to consider as you get better: hand landing. You do this completely manual (no RTH, or you turn off RTH when the bird gets low), then catch in the hand. No landing pad required. I almost always land that way. There are videos for that on youtube (ask if you don't find any) and more than one way of doing it.

Chris

 

[Nautidawg]

This is common and within specs. GPS all by itself is not more accurate than that. Correcting a little bit by sticks is normal.

The M2P has something called Precision Landing. I don't know if the M2Z does. Basically, it takes off, then stops a certain height and records and image of the HP, so it can land more squarely on that point on return. Check your owners manual for details. It's best if your landing pad has a recognizable pattern on it (like a big alphabetic letter).

Another thing to consider as you get better: hand landing. You do this completely manual (no RTH, or you turn off RTH when the bird gets low), then catch in the hand. No landing pad required. I almost always land that way. There are videos for that on youtube (ask if you don't find any) and more than one way of doing it.

Chris

THank you. I've watched loads of hand landings on videos (b/c I want to fly over water and boats someday). Good suggestion on the big letter idea makes sense. I believe the Zoom does not have the precision landing setting. Ill check tho.

 

[barrybcar]

Both M2 models are the same except for the cameras Including PL. That’s why there’s only 1 manual for both.

 

[Nautidawg]

Hmm. Interesting. because I've watched a number of 'setup' videos for both models and they DO differ more than just the camera. In settings there are some settings listed in Pro but not the Zoom. Can't find the precision landing anywhere in the whole manual.

 

[barrybcar]

Hmm. Interesting. because I've watched a number of 'setup' videos for both models and they DO differ more than just the camera. In settings there are some settings listed in Pro but not the Zoom. Can't find the precision landing anywhere in the whole manual.

I own both. The info is on page 19 of the manual I have.

 

[old man mavic]

the MPP has a tick box above the slider on the screen if you use it to take off after you hear the message and have enough Sats locked
it goes up around 20-25 ft and hovers and is then ready to go if you don't tick the box then it just goes up to about 4 ft and waits for a stick input
when the M2P and M2Z first came out they did not have this feature it was added in an update soon after
all you need to do is go straight up 20-25 ft give it a few seconds to remember its position and then if you do a RTH later it will pretty much hit the exact spot it took off from
it does help to have a landing mat with contrasting markings on it

 

[BullDoggBoyz]

the MPP has a tick box above the slider on the screen if you use it to take off after you hear the message and have enough Sats locked
it goes up around 20-25 ft and hovers and is then ready to go if you don't tick the box then it just goes up to about 4 ft and waits for a stick input
when the M2P and M2Z first came out they did not have this feature it was added in an update soon after
all you need to do is go straight up 20-25 ft give it a few seconds to remember its position and then if you do a RTH later it will pretty much hit the exact spot it took off from
it does help to have a landing mat with contrasting markings on it

My M2P doesn't automatically go up to 20-25 feet and hover when it takes off in precision landing mode. It goes up about 4 or 5 feet and then hovers. It's incumbent upon the pilot to rise up and hover over the take off spot (preferably a landing pad) for a good 5 seconds or so and allow the bird to do it's thing in precision landing mode. I have had almost flawless precision landing using this technique. Just saying.

 

[old man mavic]

My M2P doesn't automatically go up to 20-25 feet and hover when it takes off in precision landing mode. It goes up about 4 or 5 feet and then hovers. It's incumbent upon the pilot to rise up and hover over the take off spot (preferably a landing pad) for a good 5 seconds or so and allow the bird to do it's thing in precision landing mode. I have had almost flawless precision landing using this technique. Just saying.

you are correct sorry i should have worded my reply differently, it does not have the tick box like the MPP

 

[bumper]

A hovering delay, post take-off, is not required for M2 Precision Landing. All that is needed is adequate illumination and a contrasting (detail or color*) take off spot. On take off, climb straight up to at least 7 meters (roughly 24 feet), before heading out on course - no hovering at all.

*Detail can be as little as the concrete seams in my driveway or a 1.5 inch hole in a picnic table!

 

[Nautidawg]

I own both. The info is on page 19 of the manual I have.

Thank you! Maybe I didn't hover high enough at start up?

 

[Nautidawg]

Ok ya'll good to know. I think I didn't hover high enough right off. I let it hover a bit at 4-5 ft so I guess it didnt' lock on the precision spot. And def need something more contrasting as far as a landing pad. I had a piece of red plywood on snow

 

[Nautidawg]

My M2P doesn't automatically go up to 20-25 feet and hover when it takes off in precision landing mode. It goes up about 4 or 5 feet and then hovers. It's incumbent upon the pilot to rise up and hover over the take off spot (preferably a landing pad) for a good 5 seconds or so and allow the bird to do it's thing in precision landing mode. I have had almost flawless precision landing using this technique. Just saying.

so is this a setting I must find in RC? Or does it do this automatically when/after you hover at 20-25 ft?

 

[Thomas B]

so is this a setting I must find in RC? Or does it do this automatically when/after you hover at 20-25 ft?

Automatic. Works well enough that lands within a couple of inches, even when I’m shooting a sundown and land in the dark (M2P landing lights do come on).

 

[Nautidawg]

Awesome! Thanks all. I will try it next time to go up 20-25 ft as it locks on location

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

*Detail can be as little as the concrete seams in my driveway or a 1.5 inch hole in a picnic table!

Very true, all I need to look for is a white chalk mark on an oval, or a contrasting stone on the ground near take off point.
With my M1P (and I Presume MPP) the aircraft must take of vertically, and go up at least 10m, then the voice / text message will come up to advise precision landing recorded.
When actually working in a RTH situation with precision landing set, you can pull down left stick for accelerated descent, but any other sticks movement will cancel precision landing.

I'm not sure of those idiosyncrasies with the M2 aircraft, but pretty sure the same dead perfect vertical ascent is required from take off, and it is only 7m altitude required to enable precision landing.

 

[Thomas B]

Works with my M2P.

 

[BullDoggBoyz]

Well...It may be true that you don't "Have to" lift up 20 feet and hover a few seconds, but it worked better for me that way upon initial introduction of precision landing feature, so I just stuck with it. It only takes a few seconds and is no big deal. I will definitely say that a landing pad is a good idea for several reasons. It certainly helps produce a landing spot easier to pick up on, and it gives u options when you are taking off and landing in unfamiliar terrain and new places. I rigged mine up with these 3 ounce epoxy coated fishing weights. The loops on my pad accommodate a large enough clip or fishing swivel to attach the weights at 3 different points around the perimeter of the pad. This works great for me when it's a bit windy and keeps the pad in place from the downdraft of the props too. The pad still coils up and goes back in it's pouch with the weights attached. I used epoxy coated weights as to not have to be touching lead all the time.

 

[Dakarenduro]

Hmm. Interesting. because I've watched a number of 'setup' videos for both models and they DO differ more than just the camera. In settings there are some settings listed in Pro but not the Zoom. Can't find the precision landing anywhere in the whole manual.

They only differ in the settings/modes associated with the different cameras. Otherwise they are identical in all ways including the Go4 app.

 

[Deleted member 3792]

newb question here...flew my MZ yesterday from a landing pad. Reason: deep snow all around. Had 17 satellites showing in RC. CLicked return to home and it was about to miss its mark by about 3 ft. I quickly took the joysticks and ascended again and then landed it by manually on the pad. Am I missing something? If it's GPS wouldn't it land right where it took off from? TIA and for you patience with all my newbie questions

When you have learned how the GPS system works you might understand why it isn’t more exactly positioning.

The satellites running with a speed of 3.2 kilometers per second at the height of 12.550 miles. So your 3 ft from the landing pad is accurate enough.

GPS.gov: Space Segment

Information about the space segment of the Global Positioning System (GPS)

www.gps.gov