Those Hand Landings Look so Easy

[Rich QR]

Here's the result of my first hand-catch attempt. This photo was taken 24 hours after the incident, so it's cleaned up and there's no fresh blood. It wasn't serious, but it was painful enough to teach me some respect for spinning props.



Since then, I have hand-caught several more times, all without injury. My favorite technique is make the drone hover while I approach it from the front, grabbing from beneath. The downward-pointing sensors are only in the back of my MM, so I can grab the drone from the front without causing the drone to fly upwards. I don't attempt to move the drone, lest it sense the motion and try to fight me as it tries to maintain its hover. Once I have a firm grasp with the thumb and two fingers of my right hand, I use my left hand on the controller to hold the left stick fully down until the motors shut off.

But I usually use a landing pad.

 

[Gagey52]

Right of MA2 (hand catching) passage!

Ouch

 

[jamesm925]

I just let it hover near me and pick it out of the sky.

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papyrus!!!

 

[Endeavor]

Once I learned that the Mavic will come down, detect your hand about a foot below it, and jump up about a foot, and then slowly come down onto your hand...the entire process became second nature to me, with no injuries over the last year now. On a few occasions, I’ve hand launched and landed from a pitching sailboat, too.

Seriously though...this maneuver is not for everyone.

One trick is to slide your hand under the drone actually touching the drone which disables the down sensors. The drone will simply shut off rather than jump up. This does not seem to work with the mini. also on the MA and mini you can grab the drone then do a quick 90 degree twist and it immediately shuts off. I typically never land only hand catch.

 

[Antero52]

I regularly hand-launch and hand-grab my M2P. I often fly my drone in places where it is almost impossible to find places which are flat and free from rocks or shrubs. I haven't tried launching by throwing the bird. Instead I have my controller and tablet/tablet holder hanging from my neck. My left hand holds the drone and my right hand does the "slide-to-takeoff" command.

 

[Monument.AL]

Once I learned that the Mavic will come down, detect your hand about a foot below it, and jump up about a foot, and then slowly come down onto your hand...the entire process became second nature to me, with no injuries over the last year now. On a few occasions, I’ve hand launched and landed from a pitching sailboat, too.

Seriously though...this maneuver is not for everyone.

Agree. I had the same experience. It was quite unsettling when trying for the first time. But after a bit of practice it all becomes second nature and I think nothing of hand catching nowadays. Well worth the effort of practicing - do that on a calm day first though

 

[skyscapist]

Actually I’ve hand launched almost all the time, and when my M2P lands I hand catch too. I don’t use an open palm to let it land, but rather I catch its body with my fingers like in a 3 finger pinch (thumb, + index finger + middle finger). Never had any problems

 

[cmj0929]

pretty east to catch my mini 2 with 2 fingers most of the time