Suggestions for Landing Pad Weights

drhitch54 · Dec 15, 2022

Go to any sporting supply store and go to the gun section. Ask for a bag of steel shot pellets (they don't have lead shot anymore).
Pour some into an old sock and make small weight bags....you can even pin/stitch them to the edges of drone launch pad

Meta4 · Dec 15, 2022

drhitch54 said:
Ask for a bag of steel shot pellets
Pour some into an old sock and make small weight bags....you can even pin/stitch them to the edges of drone launch pad

Having a quantity of steel close to your drone at powering up is a very bad idea.

drhitch54 · Dec 15, 2022

OMG,
Ok, but any steel shot weight will be way out on the edge of the launch pad...so, use sand in a sock instead. The O.P. question really didn't require a fancy solution. Most of these pads are heavy enough as it is...otherwise too windy to fly!!

Rex Peters · Dec 16, 2022

Meta4 said:
No .... steel is not a good idea at all.
You don't want to have a large lump of iron or steel so close to the drone's compass when you power up.
That's a recipe for giving your drone a yaw error that could end very badly.

You make a good point about the metallic weights but I haven’t had any problems as of yet. I only use two and they are about a foot away from the drone and are on opposites sides from each other on the edges of the landing pad. But if I start having problems, I know the first place to look.
Cheers,

Meta4 · Dec 16, 2022

Rex Peters said:
You make a good point about the metallic weights

Metallic isn't a problem, but steel is.

Cymruflyer · Dec 26, 2022

Chrislaf said:
I have one of those circular landing pads that you twist to fold up and you usually stake down with 3 stakes, but now that winter is upon us and the ground is frozen, staking it down doesn't work anymore. Before I get the suggestions to hand launch and catch my drones - yes I do often hand launch and catch in warmer weather but now that the temperatures have dropped it is not practical. Yesterday, it was -5ºC and calm out (I often fly in colder weather and in breezier conditions) and my hands got cold pretty quickly.

I have thought of large fishing sinkers and if so what weight to use, but was wondering if there are any other suggestions from the forum. I am trying to keep things as portable as possible as I often hike, ski, or snowshoe to flying locations.

Thanks,

Chris

Just go to a carpet shop and get a free carpet tile sample. These can be rolled up and are heavy enough not to just blow away, unless the wind is very strong, of course. However, then it might not be prudent to fly, anyway.