Work-around for Mini 3 pro lack of tripod mode to move drone slowly

[JimSteadman]

Many have found the lack of the tripod mode in the newer drones, including the Mini 3 Pro, to be troublesome. Even in cine mode, it is sometimes hard to keep the drone from moving too rapidly to get good videos. I know that some designers are working on a solution and have seen some posts about this, but I came up with my own cheap, quick solution - and likely others have too. I went to a hobby store and bought 2 sheets of 100% recyclable polyfoam 12"x12"x1" in size for $3.99. Using good sharp kitchen scissors, I cut a strip about 3/4 inch wide off one side. Then, again using scissors I cut two squares about 1" square from the strip. You can force the control sticks thru the center of the square. Make sure any part of the polyfoam which is loosened by forcing the sticks thru is removed. Then attach the sticks to the drone.

I find the drone much more easily controllable by just pushing on the foam instead of the sticks. Is it perfect? NO. Will they last long? Probably not. But for $3.99 and 5 minutes of effort, I thought it was a good result. And I have enough polyfoam left over for a couple hundred replacements.

 

[old man mavic]

I must be the odd one out here ,i find that the drone responds to the sticks really smoothly in cine mode ,and in normal mode the way it banks during turns is just brilliant ,this of course is with the obstacle avoidance set to stop ,or off ,it can still be jittery in bypass mode ,which is really down to the way APAS works ,but it needs the quick brake response time ,to enable it to prevent a collision ,and maybe it could be dialed down a bit during,one of the firmware upgrades

 

[mobilehomer]

Even better, turn the expo settings all the way down. Then a very little input results in a very slow and subtle movement.

 

[old man mavic]

@mobilehomer which is exactly what i have done in all three modes ,it takes a bit of practice to get the expos dialed in to suit your flying style,but it is well worth the effort ,just remember to make a note of them in case they are lost during a firmware update ,as they can sometimes revert to factory afterwards

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

Even better, turn the expo settings all the way down. Then a very little input results in a very slow and subtle movement.

I don't think the OP knows about that change...

 

[vindibona1]

I don't think the OP knows about that change...

Wasn't there supposed to be a change in the Fly app that allowed the horizonal speed to be limited to 1/ms? I saw some video that was primarily about the Mavic 3 Classic but the guy mentioned that the Mini 3 Pro was included in that new feature. Am I wrong?

FWIW I haven't yet upgraded firmware on my Mini 3 Pro for some time. I have been told that as soon as I upgrade RID will be turned on with no way to turn it off. I posed a question in another thread asking of RID was optional on the Mini 3 Pro if it is flown under 250g but didn't see any replies (unless somehow I missed them). I don't want RID until it is absolutely mandated, which is supposed to be later in the year. What does anyone know about this?

 

[shb]

expo settings

What are expo settings?

 

[old man mavic]

Expo settings refer to the way the drone responds ,in relation to the amount of movement that is applied to the control sticks on the RC
by altering the response that a given stick movement makes to the drone during flight,you can set that response to be gentle at the start of the stick movement ,or at the other end of the scale you can set it to have a very quick response, as the sticks are first moved
its called Expo ,which is a shortened version of the term exponential,this refers to the way that the amount of movement given to the sticks ,is then reproduced in the drone ,like for like

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

Wasn't there supposed to be a change in the Fly app that allowed the horizonal speed to be limited to 1/ms? I saw some video that was primarily about the Mavic 3 Classic but the guy mentioned that the Mini 3 Pro was included in that new feature. Am I wrong?

FWIW I haven't yet upgraded firmware on my Mini 3 Pro for some time. I have been told that as soon as I upgrade RID will be turned on with no way to turn it off. I posed a question in another thread asking of RID was optional on the Mini 3 Pro if it is flown under 250g but didn't see any replies (unless somehow I missed them). I don't want RID until it is absolutely mandated, which is supposed to be later in the year. What does anyone know about this?

If you don't want updates you miss out on updates. RID is not the sky is falling.

 

[patc45 France]

Si vous ne voulez pas de mises à jour, vous manquez des mises à jour. RID n'est pas le ciel qui nous tombe dessus.

Bonjour
Ma solution baton maison et roue dentée chez Aliexpress

 

[Galopin]

Salutations cordiales du Québec patc45! À propos, la nicotine est-elle nécessaire pour ralentir les mouvements des manettes?

 

[Cafguy]

If you don't want updates you miss out on updates. RID is not the sky is falling.

I don't understand the people scared about R.I.D. I mean if you are flying by the rules not breaking any laws then big deal R.I.D. doesn't send out your tax info to the I.R.S!
R.I.D. simply helps the Faa and law enforcement deal with the dummies and rich kids that make it hard for us legal guys to make a living.

 

[vindibona1]

If you don't want updates you miss out on updates. RID is not the sky is falling.

You didn't answer my questions. Is the horizontal speed control now a new feature of the Mini 3 Pro? Will RID be able to be turned off after firmware updates?

 

[old man mavic]

@vindibona1 as far as i am able to ascertain ,here un the UK anyway the reduced speed control component is part of the requirement for the C rating of new drones ,and as of now this is not a feature yet ,and it would seem that once the latest update is carried out then at least in the US then RID is enabled ,and cant be turned off

 

[Cafguy]

Why do you wish to turn off R.I.D. ?
Remote ID provides information about drones in flight, such as the identity, location, and altitude of the drone and its control station or take-off location. Authorized individuals from public safety organizations may request identity of the drone's owner from the FAA.
It does not effect flight or performance in any way It only effects how one can Skirt the regs I am not saying that is what you are intending, I'm just saying why care about it?

 

[JimSteadman]

Expo settings refer to the way the drone responds ,in relation to the amount of movement that is applied to the control sticks on the RC
by altering the response that a given stick movement makes to the drone during flight,you can set that response to be gentle at the start of the stick movement ,or at the other end of the scale you can set it to have a very quick response, as the sticks are first moved
its called Expo ,which is a shortened version of the term exponential,this refers to the way that the amount of movement given to the sticks ,is then reproduced in the drone ,like for like

I liked this response and was not aware that such an adjustment was possible. It seems a better way to handle the problem than my poly-foam suggestion, but I have looked at the manual for instructions to do this and cannot find them. So I went online and found an excellent explanation by Ian in London.

Thanks for pointing this out.

Even better, turn the expo settings all the way down. Then a very little input results in a very slow and subtle movement.

 

[vindibona1]

Why do you wish to turn off R.I.D. ?
Remote ID provides information about drones in flight, such as the identity, location, and altitude of the drone and its control station or take-off location. Authorized individuals from public safety organizations may request identity of the drone's owner from the FAA.
It does not effect flight or performance in any way It only effects how one can Skirt the regs I am not saying that is what you are intending, I'm just saying why care about it?

I envision encounters with people who can access software, not only to see the drone's location, altitude, etc.but my location as well. There are enough drone hating Karen's in the world that go nuts when they see you that we don't need them hunting drone pilots with locators they can load on their phones. It's going to happen. It's not if, but when and how bad. I can see how RID might be suitable for a company like Amazon who is sending large delivery drones all over the place, probably on autonomous flight, but for the most part with the millions upon millions of small drone flights, the number if incidents is staticically infinitecimal, very much like the stats on rifle deaths in comparison to all gun deaths. But yet, look where the focus is/are. Don't we have enough surveillance in this world already?

 

[Cafguy]

I'm with you 100 percent on the third party location software thing I'm really don't know how such software would work but if it is possible it would not be a good thing
I hope you don't think i was egging you on with comments I was really wondering about your aversion to R.I.D.
also I don't really agree with sticking R.I.D. on consumer drones but there are too many stories of stupid stunts with drones ( in my area alone) that I guess they had to do something.
One of the producers I work with took a liking to my drone and ran out and bought a phantom 4 with the fly more and all the goodies. Not even bothering to look up drone laws and responsibility's he headed for the local park with his new toy.
long story short he ended up flying it way beyond line of site over traffic, houses, crowds of people etc... the drone somehow lost its way or crashed on its R.T.H. somewhere over a busy street in van nuys. of course it was grabbed up by the first person that saw it land , or whoever it hit . so Thanks to the hundreds dummies like him I have a new reg I have to comply with at least I don't have to keep a string tied to my drone yet------yet

 

[vindibona1]

I'm with you 100 percent on the third party location software thing I'm really don't know how such software would work but if it is possible it would not be a good thing
I hope you don't think i was egging you on with comments I was really wondering about your aversion to R.I.D.
also I don't really agree with sticking R.I.D. on consumer drones but there are too many stories of stupid stunts with drones ( in my area alone) that I guess they had to do something.
One of the producers I work with took a liking to my drone and ran out and bought a phantom 4 with the fly more and all the goodies. Not even bothering to look up drone laws and responsibility's he headed for the local park with his new toy.
long story short he ended up flying it way beyond line of site over traffic, houses, crowds of people etc... the drone somehow lost its way or crashed on its R.T.H. somewhere over a busy street in van nuys. of course it was grabbed up by the first person that saw it land , or whoever it hit . so Thanks to the hundreds dummies like him I have a new reg I have to comply with at least I don't have to keep a string tied to my drone yet------yet

Thanks for your post. And you're right, there are morons that just go out there with drones, not knowing anything. They are the minority, a small minority that draw attention. Probably the same morons that buy a gun and haven't the slightest clue about safety or the laws. I have additional thoughts, but have to stay away from the political content on the forum.

 

[Cafguy]

Sorry to get way off subject.
I like to zero in my expo settings as well when I am doing videos, It helps me alot because I still have "R.C. airplane fingers" and sometimes I slam on the gimbles a little much inadvertently