Should I try to recover small RC plane with Mavic Pro

[Classic flyer]

The most common rescue mistakes I have seen in videos are:

1. The line fouls the props. Even if you have a weight on the line to prevent this the line can go slack if the weight rests on something.
2. The hook or line fouls on something solid.
3. The change in aerodynamics after a successful capture causes erratic control.

I would suggest adding a clothes pin or other weak link in the chain that would allow your Mavic to break free if it needed to. Turn off downward sensors and fly in tripod mode.

Like your idea about a "weak" link...be safe fly safe

 

[Lapeer20m]

Go for it!

It is trickier than it looks. I have a mantis claw and it is surprisingly difficult to pick things up.

The other day I used mavic to get a stuck parachute out of a tree and it took several minutes to actually get the hook to grab it.

If you don’t have goggles, I suggest finding a good shady place to stand so you can see your iPad screen well.

Don’t be afraid to abort mission and replace battery if necessary.

 

[Sailorsteve]

If your RC plane only weighs 8oz, isn’t there a danger that the down wash from the Mavic will blow it around? Make sure that your hook device is a decent length so they don’t have a coming together!

I was thinking about the down wash also, but was thinking more of using it to blow the little plane off the roof, having someone standing by to try to catch it.
Maybe it'll work, maybe it won't, but I'm thinking it's worth a try cuz it's a lot less complicated than the "hook, line, and sinker" method!

 

[Lapeer20m]

I would be surprised if the downwash moved the plane off the roof but it's worth a try.

Definitely use a longer piece of rope/string as this should reduce the prop wash. 8-10 feet is a good length.

Once i used a nylon ratchet strap (minus the ratchet mechanism) and wrapped the hook in super sticky duct tape to recover an object from the gutter of a house. This is much easier than a traditional hook, but obviously the lifting power is minimal. Although duct tape will likely stick quite well to Styrofoam.

what state are you in?

 

[Chirp]

The most common rescue mistakes I have seen in videos are:

1. The line fouls the props. Even if you have a weight on the line to prevent this the line can go slack if the weight rests on something.
2. The hook or line fouls on something solid.
3. The change in aerodynamics after a successful capture causes erratic control.

I would suggest adding a clothes pin or other weak link in the chain that would allow your Mavic to break free if it needed to. Turn off downward sensors and fly in tripod mode.

Thank you!
I actually envisioned both 1 and 2. So I think I will use some very thin stiff wire for the line so it stays put and I will build into the line some kind of breakaway should I get stuck so I can release.
Therefore eliminating a need for another post here "Has anyone ever tried to recover a small plane and a Mavic Pro from a rooftop using an Inspire 1V2?"

 

[Chirp]

I would be surprised if the downwash moved the plane off the roof but it's worth a try.

Definitely use a longer piece of rope/string as this should reduce the prop wash. 8-10 feet is a good length.

Once i used a nylon ratchet strap (minus the ratchet mechanism) and wrapped the hook in super sticky duct tape to recover an object from the gutter of a house. This is much easier than a traditional hook, but obviously the lifting power is minimal. Although duct tape will likely stick quite well to Styrofoam.

what state are you in?

Pennsylvania

 

[Kenneyd]

I rescued a drone out of a tree with my Maverick, it was a little scary because it seem to want to drift only when it got close to the tree LOL. I made this video for family not the internet, so it's a little boring but here you go

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[Inspirephil]

Today I lost a small styrofoam RC plane to a high flat rooftop that is not accessible directly from the ground. The top of the roof is not visible from the ground below but I can hear the plane's motor when I throttle it up from the RC from the ground below.

The plane is worth about $150 so I would like to recover it if it's possible to do so safely and without damage to my Mavic Pro or the airplane.

I was thinking of extending some very thin wire down from my MP that is bent into hooks to try to snag it and carry it to safety. I think string or similar might blow all over the place.

I'm going to guess the plane weighs about 8oz. It's small and not very heavy.

My idea is to first locate the plane on the roof and then with the camera pointing straight down try to maneuver around it and get it hooked.

Has anyone ever tried something like this? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

I saw a recovery of a Yuneec Typhoon H from a cross in front of a church (300 feet up) on YouTube recently by a Phantom 4 Pro using a modified coat hanger and about 20 feet of small rope and he hooked onto one of the motors and successfully retrieved it!! Was an amazing feat. And he was standing in a parking lot about 500 feet away from the church when he did it. Truly a remarkable recovery. Search for the video on YouTube and you’ll see what I mean. It showed remarkable flying skills.

 

[Inspirephil]

I rescued a drone out of a tree with my Maverick, it was a little scary because it seem to want to drift only when it got close to the tree LOL. I made this video for family not the internet, so it's a little boring but here you go

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Good job buddy! Where there’s a will there’s a way!

 

[ryanolivas]

that would be awesome! tie some fishing line to it with a hook and weight, and get video!

I have seen some videos that drones are good for fishing too but the role of the drone in that video is to bring and drop the fishing leader in the spotted area in which there is much fish.

 

[Donnie Frank]

Today I lost a small styrofoam RC plane to a high flat rooftop that is not accessible directly from the ground. The top of the roof is not visible from the ground below but I can hear the plane's motor when I throttle it up from the RC from the ground below.

The plane is worth about $150 so I would like to recover it if it's possible to do so safely and without damage to my Mavic Pro or the airplane.

I was thinking of extending some very thin wire down from my MP that is bent into hooks to try to snag it and carry it to safety. I think string or similar might blow all over the place.

I'm going to guess the plane weighs about 8oz. It's small and not very heavy.

My idea is to first locate the plane on the roof and then with the camera pointing straight down try to maneuver around it and get it hooked.

Has anyone ever tried something like this? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

The Mavic is a pretty robust little beast, but I would conduct test flights with a similar payload to be sure. Make sure your recovery string is long enough so you don't prop-wash the plane into some kind of weird spin.

D

 

[mad monkey]

It's after Sunday... Where's the video of the sweet rescue!?

 

[Storyline]

I am late to the party with ideas but how about one of the new small and amazingly powerful Neodymium magnets tied to a long length of string. The RC plane will have an electric motor that should grab the magnet.

Edit: as someone else mentioned make sure you have a 'weak link' well under the lifting capacity of the Mavic as if the magnet grabs hold of a metal structure on the roof it would be game over !

 

[detectorguy]

That is a cool rescue. Where did you get the claw ?

 

[dvarapala]

If your RC plane only weighs 8oz, isn’t there a danger that the down wash from the Mavic will blow it around?

If that's truly possible then why not just use the Mavic's props to blow the plane off the roof?

 

[Simmo]

That is a cool rescue. Where did you get the claw ?

Its a 'mantis claw' off ebay.

 

[Classic flyer]

Its a 'mantis claw' off ebay.

What type r/c plane did you retrieve

 

[Simmo]

A racing quad body, I was just mucking about. There's a video on page 1 of this thread.

 

[dbyantis]

Today I lost a small styrofoam RC plane to a high flat rooftop that is not accessible directly from the ground. The top of the roof is not visible from the ground below but I can hear the plane's motor when I throttle it up from the RC from the ground below.

The plane is worth about $150 so I would like to recover it if it's possible to do so safely and without damage to my Mavic Pro or the airplane.

If you have a magnet and a place to attach it on the plane, that might be less stressful than trying hook with 2D camera view.

I was thinking of extending some very thin wire down from my MP that is bent into hooks to try to snag it and carry it to safety. I think string or similar might blow all over the place.

I'm going to guess the plane weighs about 8oz. It's small and not very heavy.

My idea is to first locate the plane on the roof and then with the camera pointing straight down try to maneuver around it and get it hooked.

Has anyone ever tried something like this? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Classic flyer]

Today I lost a small styrofoam RC plane to a high flat rooftop that is not accessible directly from the ground. The top of the roof is not visible from the ground below but I can hear the plane's motor when I throttle it up from the RC from the ground below.

The plane is worth about $150 so I would like to recover it if it's possible to do so safely and without damage to my Mavic Pro or the airplane.

I was thinking of extending some very thin wire down from my MP that is bent into hooks to try to snag it and carry it to safety. I think string or similar might blow all over the place.

I'm going to guess the plane weighs about 8oz. It's small and not very heavy.

My idea is to first locate the plane on the roof and then with the camera pointing straight down try to maneuver around it and get it hooked.

Has anyone ever tried something like this? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Hey what kind of foamy did you loose