Do you take off in the wind?

How do you handle taking off and/ or flying in the wind?

  • I don't

  • I do it all the time

  • I hold up the Phantom and take off that way

  • I use other methods


Results are only viewable after voting.
Open a YouTube page & search for "Schtuperman" & you will find all of my public videos. If you subscribe you will get notified whenever a new video goes online. I believe this link should take you to my YouTube Channel:

Schtuperman

Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with us. Great info.

Being carried away downwind is exactly what happened to me during my 3rd flight with my P2.
I felt nauseous watching my toy getting away and noticing that it wasn't responding to controls! :(

I do recall your giving the same advice in another thread where I brought up the same question: turn on the motors and gun it right away.
I will try and make a video of it next time I bring myself to attempt this.

You mentioned videos of your own. Could you please let us know how to watch them (where they are)?
 
Open a YouTube page & search for "Schtuperman" & you will find all of my public videos. If you subscribe you will get notified whenever a new video goes online. I believe this link should take you to my YouTube Channel:

Schtuperman



Thank you.
 
I have over 1000 Phantom flights & I almost always land except in an emergency or extreme gusty winds (>25 mph). I have NEVER had a Phantom tip over during take off or landing. On take off just start the motors & gun it. Don't try to gingerly "throttle up" like you're in a real helicopter. Just gas it to get her 10' or so off the deck, then release the sticks & allow her to stabilize. Timidly applying throttle will lead to tips. I consider landing part of the whole flight experience. IMHO, if you aren't landing you are only rated as 2/3rds of a pilot. ;) Being raised flying fixed-wings hand catching was never an option. Pick your mark, bring her close, commit & bring her down. Once you commit, bring her down & kill the motors the instant the skids hit the deck. Most of my videos include the landing sequence & you can see how easily & smoothly she lands even in windy conditions.

A Phantom can fly in winds as high as 25-30 mph but you'll want to keep her upwind & close in conditions like that. I don't suggest flying in such conditions for novice pilots, but 10-15 mph winds she will handle just fine. On a P4 with OA active, the Phantom is limited to 22 mph. If the wind is blowing 20 and you're flying directly into it, that gives you only 2 mph. This is when you want to turn off OA (35 mph) or engage Sport Mode. When its windy you want to fly into the wind so the wind brings her back to you when it's time to come home. Do NOT go way out downwind in windy conditions since the Phantom will have a difficult time getting back to you against the wind. If you find yourself in this situation get as low as you can while maintaining control signal since winds are normally lower near the surface.
I agree with DB but for different reasons. I have never had a tip over either and unless I'm in a boat or something I won't catch it. I land every other time, simply because I enjoy it and I hate the feeling of the Phantom going limp after a catch. I just don't like it for whatever reason.
 
Do you recall the name of your handheld anemometer?

It's a 'HoldPeak'. It's not super accurate, but it is good to within a couple of km/h and provides a clear picture of how the wind is blowing wherever one may be. There are many hand held units like this.. (Google for hand held anemometer). I've had it quite a few years. I think I paid $15-$20 for it.
anemometer.jpg
 
I use the Vaavud Sleipnir to measure wind speed before takeoff, and don't fly if wind exceeds 20 mph at arm's reach "altitude".

Good luck,

Bobby


Mine is on its way! Will post a review soon. :)

It's a 'HoldPeak'. It's not super accurate, but it is good to within a couple of km/h and provides a clear picture of how the wind is blowing wherever one may be. There are many hand held units like this.. (Google for hand held anemometer). I've had it quite a few years. I think I paid $15-$20 for it.View attachment 57768


Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it. I spy with my little eye the DJI case underneath it. I wonder where you fit it. I am assuming you have a couple of extra batteries and the space is taken up, no?
 
I am continually amazed at what a beast this P4 is in the wind. Several times I have taken off in what could be questionable conditions (25mph winds) and flew upwind for about 6000' at an altitude of 400'. When I downloaded my flight logs later I saw wind speed readings in excess of 40mph but you would never know by watching the video. Rock solid all the way and by the way coming home downwind I hit over 60mph.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
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Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it. I spy with my little eye the DJI case underneath it. I wonder where you fit it. I am assuming you have a couple of extra batteries and the space is taken up, no?

I was wondering if someone would notice that I used the case as a backdrop for the photo :) The anemometer is small. It fits with plenty of room in the 'hole' on the left hand side of the case just below the spot where the included WiFi/OTG cables are stored.
 
Since the P4 knows (or can work out rather) how much wind it's 'fighting' against (when in P or S mode) - Be nice if we had a 'Wind Speed' reading could be displayed in the app... in case DJI listening somewhere ;)
 
I agree with DB but for different reasons. I have never had a tip over either and unless I'm in a boat or something I won't catch it. I land every other time, simply because I enjoy it and I hate the feeling of the Phantom going limp after a catch. I just don't like it for whatever reason.

I agree it's fun to land, but I prefer to hand catch, mostly to keep dust and debris away from it. I launch from a stool or the case. Always good to throttle up hard if any breeze.

If I need a landing fix I'll take out the X5C. Now that's a challenge to fly and land in the wind LOL
 
I agree it's fun to land, but I prefer to hand catch, mostly to keep dust and debris away from it. I launch from a stool or the case. Always good to throttle up hard if any breeze.

If I need a landing fix I'll take out the X5C. Now that's a challenge to fly and land in the wind LOL
I learned on the x5sw and x5c and I love those. So fun.
 
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Another option is to use the auto takeoff located on the left side of the screen. This provides a controlled rapid liftoff to about 3 to 4 feet, and then it will hover until you decide what you want to do next. I have never had a tip over, and I am up to 277 flights with P4 and P3P.

The only near tipover I've had was landing and then not cutting the engine right after the skids hit the deck (on a windy day).

Again, auto takeoff and auto landing make it very unlikely that you will tip over.

I do agree with a previous response when he wrote that hand catching takes away from the flight experience. Just don't land where there is a lot of debris on the ground.

-gumby
 
How do you guys measure the wind speed?

And for those of you who do it often and confidently, how do you prevent the tip over: just turn on the motors and take off immediately? There is a chance the drone may go sideways, isn't there?
I use an app called UAV Forecast. It gives you all kinds of info based on your current location. I like it because it will tell me what the wind speed and direction is at different elevations. I usually set mine to 400 feet so that I know what I'm dealing with up there.
 

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