Using a drone to retrieve a drone?

[samtex]

I found a location off from a shopping center with an abandoned Gym - closed due to the pandemic. The location is separated from businesses as it is the last building on the street with a wide landscape area between the next viable building. So, it is isolated from the main shopping area and there is a broad area of uncultivated land off from this site that I am considering taking some aerial videos. There are no "No Trespassing signs." I noticed landscape folks mowing the grass and keeping the property in decent shape and in the latest excursion there was one lone skateboarder using the parking lot. On that excursion, I attempted to get some shots/videos of the sunset but have no filters to get a good view of the sunset. If I can locate a set of about three filters I may be able to take more viable videos. The Mini 2 hovers over the landing pad in the parking lot and does not fly out from it, but instead, I test winds at 80 to 200 feet elevations, and as it is rotated 360 degrees and from those views, I am scoping the vacant land nearby.

Since the flights are precariously in proximity to the building if I venture out to examine the terrain what if the Mini 2 drops on the roof of that building? That is a question for our local drone flyers’ group, but what are your views about recovery if the mini 2 lands on the roof and I cannot bring it back with the controller?
Most of the property that I can see from videos does not seem even to be fenced, but instead, berms have been built up, probably for water runoff.

Are there hooks that could be used by another drone pilot to recover the Mini 2 if it crashes on a flat top roof of a business building? Does anyone know if this has been done?

 

[Phantomrain.org]

One of the best ideas I have seen so far is the use of a strong Neo Magnet to pick up a drone .
Both the Mavic 2 and the Mavic 3 have and the Air 2 can pick up the Mini 2 where the Magnet can latch onto the Motor but would not fly it to far .

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mini 2 in the Rain. Land on the Water .

 

[Kywon McCain]

One of the best ideas I have seen so far is the use of a strong Neo Magnet to pick up a drone .
Both the Mavic 2 and the Mavic 3 have and the Air 2 can pick up the Mini 2 where the Magnet can latch onto the Motor but would not fly it to far .

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mini 2 in the Rain. Land on the Water .

Doesnt magnets.... Damage electronics?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

One thing to bear in mind, the rescuing drone needs to be able to disconnect itself from the drone to be rescued. Otherwise you could end up having the the "to be rescued drone" caught on something and losing the rescuing drone too.
I do not know what force is required to pull a magnet off a rescued drone but I would suggest you test this before hand.
Also I have lifted a BATTTERY-LESS Mavic Mini or Mini 2 with either a MavIc Mini or a Mini 2 (I can't remember which way around the combination was) but I could not lift the 'to be lifted' drone when it had a battery installed. So you would need a more powerful drone as the rescuing drone.

 

[ScottNH]

There are a number of "Drone Rescue" videos on YouTube showing various methods for rescuing drones from roofs, monuments, etc. Techniques vary from clothes hangars (surprisingly successful) to the previously mentioned magnets. Give 'em a look.

 

[RobHod]

I found a location off from a shopping center with an abandoned Gym - closed due to the pandemic. The location is separated from businesses as it is the last building on the street with a wide landscape area between the next viable building. So, it is isolated from the main shopping area and there is a broad area of uncultivated land off from this site that I am considering taking some aerial videos. There are no "No Trespassing signs." I noticed landscape folks mowing the grass and keeping the property in decent shape and in the latest excursion there was one lone skateboarder using the parking lot. On that excursion, I attempted to get some shots/videos of the sunset but have no filters to get a good view of the sunset. If I can locate a set of about three filters I may be able to take more viable videos. The Mini 2 hovers over the landing pad in the parking lot and does not fly out from it, but instead, I test winds at 80 to 200 feet elevations, and as it is rotated 360 degrees and from those views, I am scoping the vacant land nearby.

Since the flights are precariously in proximity to the building if I venture out to examine the terrain what if the Mini 2 drops on the roof of that building? That is a question for our local drone flyers’ group, but what are your views about recovery if the mini 2 lands on the roof and I cannot bring it back with the controller?
Most of the property that I can see from videos does not seem even to be fenced, but instead, berms have been built up, probably for water runoff.

Are there hooks that could be used by another drone pilot to recover the Mini 2 if it crashes on a flat top roof of a business building? Does anyone know if this has been done?

Mine got dive bombed by a seagull and it landed against a wall on a roof with no access. I luckily had my Mavic pro 2 with me and after a trip home for magnet and fishing line que rescue drone.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Doesnt magnets.... Damage electronics?

It may mess with the Compass , but nothing that would damage the drone.

They make some nice strong small magnets that can easily attach to the Motors and allow for a pick up as shown by the post above.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water < Hand Catch your Drone.

 

[EpicFlight]

A DJI FPV would be able to pick an M3P with little effort.

And do flips and rolls on the way there

 

[Chaosrider]

A DJI FPV would be able to pick an M3P with little effort.

And do flips and rolls on the way there

I've often thought of landing a Mini-2 on a rock high up on the other side of the canyon to "reset" the 1640 ft max ATL limitation.

So are you suggesting that if I tried that, and something went wrong, my FPV could easily go snag the wayward Mini-2?

Hmmmm...

 

[EpicFlight]

I'm tellin' ya, the first time you flip that switch to S and floor it, those goggles are gonna pop forward and snap back on you face. The power of that drone will make you 50 again

We won't even talk about Manual yet...

 

[Zbip57]

Since the flights are precariously in proximity to the building if I venture out to examine the terrain what if the Mini 2 drops on the roof of that building?

Why would the Mini 2 drop onto the roof of that building?

 

[Chaosrider]

I'm tellin' ya, the first time you flip that switch to S and floor it, those goggles are gonna pop forward and snap back on you face. The power of that drone will make you 50 again

We won't even talk about Manual yet...

Well, I'll definitely look forward to that! That was exactly the sensation that I got from my new 2005 Honda Goldwing, the first time I did the full wrist flip thing after the break-in period.

I feel on track for the conversion from Normal to Sport Mode on Sunday.

 

[EpicFlight]

I'll confess, Manual is fun, and I do fly in M, but frankly it's a lot of work.

I'll always be doing some flying in manual, but it can be stressful. I spend the plurality of my DJI FPV flying in Sport with the Motion Controller. Pure excitement, no stress. Closest experience to the days of my now long not-current PPL.

I have yet to find any drone flying experience that compares to diving at the breakers from 150ft then screaming along 10ft above them down the shoreline... This was an early video just after I got the MC, and was getting the feel for it.

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That flight was at Snipehunt County Park in South Dakota

 

[Chaosrider]

I'll confess, Manual is fun, and I do fly in M, but frankly it's a lot of work.

I'll always be doing some flying in manual, but it can be stressful. I spend the plurality of my DJI FPV flying in Sport with the Motion Controller. Pure excitement, no stress. Closest experience to the days of my now long not-current PPL.

I have yet to find any drone flying experience that compares to diving at the breakers from 150ft then screaming along 10ft above them down the shoreline... This was an early video just after I got the MC, and was getting the feel for it.

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That flight was at Snipehunt County Park in South Dakota

My vids will be more along the line of screaming down a tree lined canyon at low altitude, but similar in concept.

I absolutely believe that flying in Manual is a lot more work. Perhaps, for me, it will turn out to be like my instrument rating: something I want to have, and something that I sometimes like to do, but not what I'd want to do for most of my flying.

But this prompts a question: In the limited Manual mode, can you still bomb along at 87 mph? If I can get top speed, with just an attitude limitation, that could be just the ticket for me.

I'm looking forward to checking out cruise control when I move up to Sport!

 

[Jagerbomb52]

This guy has rescued a couple of drones using his Air 2S.

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[Deleted member 154956]

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Use with an auxiliary light release mechanism on your drone in case you get snagged up.

 

[Chaosrider]

This guy has rescued a couple of drones using his Air 2S.

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Cool vid! Once it was clear that the Air 2S couldn't lift it, I knew where it was going to go.

There's a cynical phrase among multi-engine pilots:

"The purpose of the second engine is to carry you to the crash site."

Not true with modern light twins, but on some of the old twins, like the early Piper Apache's, the single engine service ceiling was BGL across most of the US.

So when it was clear he couldn't lift it, the solution was clear: Use the Air 2S to cushion the fall! It seemed to work pretty well in this case.

Thx!

 

[YVRGUY]

I found a location off from a shopping center with an abandoned Gym - closed due to the pandemic. The location is separated from businesses as it is the last building on the street with a wide landscape area between the next viable building. So, it is isolated from the main shopping area and there is a broad area of uncultivated land off from this site that I am considering taking some aerial videos. There are no "No Trespassing signs." I noticed landscape folks mowing the grass and keeping the property in decent shape and in the latest excursion there was one lone skateboarder using the parking lot. On that excursion, I attempted to get some shots/videos of the sunset but have no filters to get a good view of the sunset. If I can locate a set of about three filters I may be able to take more viable videos. The Mini 2 hovers over the landing pad in the parking lot and does not fly out from it, but instead, I test winds at 80 to 200 feet elevations, and as it is rotated 360 degrees and from those views, I am scoping the vacant land nearby.

Since the flights are precariously in proximity to the building if I venture out to examine the terrain what if the Mini 2 drops on the roof of that building? That is a question for our local drone flyers’ group, but what are your views about recovery if the mini 2 lands on the roof and I cannot bring it back with the controller?
Most of the property that I can see from videos does not seem even to be fenced, but instead, berms have been built up, probably for water runoff.

Are there hooks that could be used by another drone pilot to recover the Mini 2 if it crashes on a flat top roof of a business building? Does anyone know if this has been done?

Whatever you do where another drone is the liftee… DONT use the motor arms as attachment locations… use the centre bottom of the drones body. The other thing is, you won’t crash if you take your time, have 100% , avoid heavy wind conditions, make sure you are aware of your surroundings (power lines and trees) and be confident flying your drone.

 

[Deleted member 154956]

Whatever you do where another drone is the liftee… DONT use the motor arms as attachment locations… use the centre bottom of the drones body. The other thing is, you won’t crash if you take your time, have 100% , avoid heavy wind conditions, make sure you are aware of your surroundings (power lines and trees) and be confident flying your drone.

Center bottom? Attaching to what exactly?

 

[YVRGUY]

Center bottom? Attaching to what exactly?

My guess is something like fish line around the body and held with tape to prevent it from wandering…that’s what I would do. My main concern regarding the lift was to emphasize to NOT attach to the arms…if you do the weight of the drone could possibly pull the arms out of alignment and Bobs your uncle…we now have two drones down.