Windblown pad

[Paint Rock Drones]

Today I learned the importance of those loops on the side of my landing pad. I took out my Mini 2, placed it on the pad, and launched. After a few minutes the wind picked up suddenly and started gusting. Not so much that the Mini 2 couldn't hold position, but since I have a bunch of trees, buildings and wires around I brought it down. Just as I started the landing sequence, the wind caught the pad, the pad whacked the Mini 2, and the Mini 2 landed 6 or 8 feet away upside down with one of the legs folded. It reported that the propellers were stopped (accurate). I shut everything down, inspected the props, drone body and gimbal. All intact. So I brought it inside, installed the prop guards, and did an indoor test flight. All good. I was lucky this time. But next time I'll put weights on the pad (which was sitting on my snow covered driveway). I was thinking I could use stakes through the loops, but on frozen ground that wouldn't work so well either. So I guess I'll invest in some bricks or something.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

the Mini 2 landed 6 or 8 feet away upside down with one of the legs folded. It reported that the propellers were stopped (accurate).

As soon as it tilted on its side it shut down, a great feature to stop further damage in your scenario.
Glad it came up fine, next X flights probably use some caution.

Did you change props anyway, or just give them a good inspection ?

The landing pad.
I don't use them, if necessary hand launch / catch . . . but maybe a few of those special screw in tent pegs a lot of hardware sell could be used on frozen ground, shorter / smaller gauge for hard ground, a few longer ones for summer etc.

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You could probably make your own from normal coach bolts, weld a tab on the top to enable hard screwing, tab is left hanging over the edge of the pad loops.
Only need narrow, short ones for hard ground.

 

[Howard70]

That same thing happened to my Air 2. Mine was totaled!

Howard

 

[eaglesurfing]

Watch this video and you will see a very clever man solved the problem.

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

* Did you change props anyway, or just give them a good inspection ?

I considered changing props. But I ran my finger along all the edges (no nicks), and inspected visually. They look fine. I guess I should look at the log from my indoor flight to make sure none of the motors was working extra hard.

You know, I could probably stick metal rods horizontally through the loops and lay them on the ground to weigh it down. The only downside would be if a strong enough wind flipped those up they would more seriously damage the drone. Really bad timing though this time. The wind had been blowing for some time, and the pad didn't flip until the poor drone was around a meter above it.

 

[Capt KO]

Bring a hammer next time, with metal tent stakes. Plastic ones work in Florida. Learned the hard way too.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

There are always a few options out there, If its not the blistering winds of the winter festivals its the gusts off the lake , its gets frustrating always have to stake , thus why i made the lunar pads to hand catch with and land safely without the worry of my pad flying away in the wind..

Today The lunar pad saved me.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water and Hand Catch with the Lunar pad.



One Lunar Pad now works with all the DJI drones: Mavic 3 / Mavic 2 / Mavic Pro / Mini 2 / Air 2/S

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

Watch this video and you will see a very clever man solved the problem.

I was thinking sand bags, but this idea is even better.

 

[WyomingCB]

My dumb *** has been packing around a 2' square piece of oil soaked plywood...It didn't show much contrast to ground until I painted it, but if it's windy enough to blow it up, it's likely too windy to fly the distances I need to fly. It's worked better than the soft light pads just because our ground is frozen in winter and still very hard in summer (unless it's wet).

There's a few good ideas here! I like the pvc filled with non mag weight. I Might try split shot fishing weights in the tube.

I believe lead is non magnetic. ?
If you ever saw how bad the dust blows here, you'll understand how dirt might not be dense enough.

Good Thread!!

 

[Rchawks]

I had the same thing happen with my MA2 once, only I happened to be about 3 inches above the pad as it passed under the drone leaving it untouched. Very close call and I was lucky. After that I'm very careful to be aware of the danger myself.

 

[eEridani]

I got one of the rigid folding pads... it seems to stay down all by itself. Though, it probably could go sailing if enough air got under a corner. My only complaint is the 30" size seems to be the largest they make.

 

[old man mavic]

i had one of those round pads that fold up ,my method of weighing it down, was to use large lead fishing weights attached to the loops of the pad ,they dont stop it being folded up, and dont interfere with the compass either

 

[Old John]

Today I learned the importance of those loops on the side of my landing pad. I took out my Mini 2, placed it on the pad, and launched. After a few minutes the wind picked up suddenly and started gusting. Not so much that the Mini 2 couldn't hold position, but since I have a bunch of trees, buildings and wires around I brought it down. Just as I started the landing sequence, the wind caught the pad, the pad whacked the Mini 2, and the Mini 2 landed 6 or 8 feet away upside down with one of the legs folded. It reported that the propellers were stopped (accurate). I shut everything down, inspected the props, drone body and gimbal. All intact. So I brought it inside, installed the prop guards, and did an indoor test flight. All good. I was lucky this time. But next time I'll put weights on the pad (which was sitting on my snow covered driveway). I was thinking I could use stakes through the loops, but on frozen ground that wouldn't work so well either. So I guess I'll invest in some bricks or something.

That's a tricky situation.
For snowy ground, I made 4, ground spikes out of 1/8" wire....about 9+ " long and a 90° bend with another 4". The long portion gets shoved through the loop on an angle, down into the snow. The shorter portion forms a 'hook' over the loop so the pad is well secured.
Using bricks can become obstacles to the drone blades if landing position is a wee bit off.
These wire hooks are low profile.
Just an idea.

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

That's a tricky situation.
For snowy ground, I made 4, ground spikes out of 1/8" wire....about 9+ " long and a 90° bend with another 4". The long portion gets shoved through the loop on an angle, down into the snow. The shorter portion forms a 'hook' over the loop so the pad is well secured.
Using bricks can become obstacles to the drone blades if landing position is a wee bit off.
These wire hooks are low profile.
Just an idea.

Makes sense for when I have more snow. But I was on my driveway with a thin layer of hard packed snow. Enough so I didn't want the drone directly on it, but not enough to plant anything in it.

 

[Dale D]

Today I learned the importance of those loops on the side of my landing pad. I took out my Mini 2, placed it on the pad, and launched. After a few minutes the wind picked up suddenly and started gusting. Not so much that the Mini 2 couldn't hold position, but since I have a bunch of trees, buildings and wires around I brought it down. Just as I started the landing sequence, the wind caught the pad, the pad whacked the Mini 2, and the Mini 2 landed 6 or 8 feet away upside down with one of the legs folded. It reported that the propellers were stopped (accurate). I shut everything down, inspected the props, drone body and gimbal. All intact. So I brought it inside, installed the prop guards, and did an indoor test flight. All good. I was lucky this time. But next time I'll put weights on the pad (which was sitting on my snow covered driveway). I was thinking I could use stakes through the loops, but on frozen ground that wouldn't work so well either. So I guess I'll invest in some bricks or something.

I tried weights (a few stones) and the props hit them! No image but no weight for me.

 

[OldGuy]

Today I learned the importance of those loops on the side of my landing pad. I took out my Mini 2, placed it on the pad, and launched. After a few minutes the wind picked up suddenly and started gusting. Not so much that the Mini 2 couldn't hold position, but since I have a bunch of trees, buildings and wires around I brought it down. Just as I started the landing sequence, the wind caught the pad, the pad whacked the Mini 2, and the Mini 2 landed 6 or 8 feet away upside down with one of the legs folded. It reported that the propellers were stopped (accurate). I shut everything down, inspected the props, drone body and gimbal. All intact. So I brought it inside, installed the prop guards, and did an indoor test flight. All good. I was lucky this time. But next time I'll put weights on the pad (which was sitting on my snow covered driveway). I was thinking I could use stakes through the loops, but on frozen ground that wouldn't work so well either. So I guess I'll invest in some bricks or something.

I use a lead dive weight from a scuba dive belt. It's heavy so you only need one. It has molded tag so it slips into the loop on the landing pad. If you point it into the wind it doesn't lift up. It's flat so it stores easily under the mat in the back of my car.

 

[Dale D]

I use a lead dive weight from a scuba dive belt. It's heavy so you only need one. It has molded tag so it slips into the loop on the landing pad. If you point it into the wind it doesn't lift up. It's flat so it stores easily under the mat in the back of my car.

That's an excellent idea, although adds yet one more weight to my camera bag!

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

This happened to me the other day going up to get a 360 pano of the neighborhood after the snow. Luckily it tried blowing away while the drone was a couple hundred feet up in the air. There were only occasional gusts and no steady wind to speak of so I just put my foot over the upwind side to hold it down and landed on the far side of the pad. I also landed it sideways since my MA2 doesn't have side sensors, I didn't want the back or front sensors seeing my leg as an obstacle.

 

[Pepperbr]

I have found an easy way to keep your mat down. Use 1 lb. diving weights they work well.

 

[Dale D]

Today I learned the importance of those loops on the side of my landing pad. I took out my Mini 2, placed it on the pad, and launched. After a few minutes the wind picked up suddenly and started gusting. Not so much that the Mini 2 couldn't hold position, but since I have a bunch of trees, buildings and wires around I brought it down. Just as I started the landing sequence, the wind caught the pad, the pad whacked the Mini 2, and the Mini 2 landed 6 or 8 feet away upside down with one of the legs folded. It reported that the propellers were stopped (accurate). I shut everything down, inspected the props, drone body and gimbal. All intact. So I brought it inside, installed the prop guards, and did an indoor test flight. All good. I was lucky this time. But next time I'll put weights on the pad (which was sitting on my snow covered driveway). I was thinking I could use stakes through the loops, but on frozen ground that wouldn't work so well either. So I guess I'll invest in some bricks or something.