Durability - tipping over when landing.

[Davekyn]

Just some more newbie questions -

Has anyone else had or went through tipping the drone over when coming in to land in windy conditions?

I know its not good to fly in high wind speeds, however I do fly with some wind as the drone simply flys so well in medium wind speed. My only struggle is that whilst it flies pretty good in mild wind, is when coming in to land. Perhaps I am more open to this issue because I am still just getting used to flying and more so because I attempt to land on a flat piece of board.

I take a light piece of board to launch form when at the beach. Even though the sand is a little wet when its low tide, it comes in handy for making a level platform in different areas that may not be so level. The longer I take with havering to land on it, the more I seem at risk with the drone tipping over from a bit of wind.

Only twice so far - both times the motors kept going, but the props held the position right up till I powered down. During such time I hope I have not damaged the motors.

How many times has this happed to you?

 

[AerialCinemaGuy]

I never land, I just reach up grab the skid, and power down.

 

[IrishSights]

I Also do 100% catch landing. Very safe if you keep it above your head and are careful.

 

[Damon]

100% hand catch.

 

[Fyod]

That or get different (wide) landing gear. The stock landing gear sucks, to be frank.

 

[SJBrit]

+1 for the hand catch - it's really very easy to do. I snatched mine out of the air quite safely in strong winds on the pitching deck of a boat: the Naza holds the Phantom so stable it's almost a let down how easy it is the first time you try it.

 

[Clipper707]

That or get different (wide) landing gear. The stock landing gear sucks, to be frank.

+1

I feel the landing gear was designed to keep the camera off the coffee table, not to actually land on. I hand catch by grabbing the battery. My props stay clean and minty fresh.

 

[Davekyn]

OK - something new to learn ... youtubing now.

 

[Davekyn]

AWESOME! That's just made more even more confident about launching from sites that back onto a lot of obstacles but wide open in front of me.

 

[gunslinger]

That or get different (wide) landing gear. The stock landing gear sucks, to be frank.

+1

I feel the landing gear was designed to keep the camera off the coffee table, not to actually land on. I hand catch by grabbing the battery. My props stay clean and minty fresh.

Grabbing the battery... interesting. I've always hand caught my P2V, but always by the skids. I try to grab them up high where they're stronger, but it still seems kind of flimsy. I'm going to try this battery catch today. Sounds like a good idea...

-slinger

EDIT:
I was just trying this with the props off and getting a handle on how to actually grab it by the battery. Aren't your fingers a bit close to the props? I'm going to try to get my fingers under the body and just grab the top of the battery with my thumb. That seems a bit safer...

I'll follow this up even if I have to type with one hand... :shock:

 

[QYV]

I wouldn't feel comfortable catching the battery. imo there is a perfect skid catch in the first 30 seconds of this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tnQLPO-8TY

 

[Davekyn]

Subscribed. Just what I needed to know.

 

[Happyflyer]

Great example of a hand catch. I think the battery grab is too close to the props. I have seen so many videos of people landing so fast and hard it is no wonder they tip over.

 

[Deadmeat]

From a safety point of view i`ve a feeling landing the Phantom on the ground would be your preferred option. If this is tricky make the landing footprint bigger. This can be done cheaply and effectively by using plastic conduit, used extensively by electricians, which comes in .....white!! Cut the tubing to lenght, couple of cables, job done, bang tidy!!

 

[IrishSights]

From a safety point of view i`ve a feeling landing the Phantom on the ground would be your preferred option. If this is tricky make the landing footprint bigger. This can be done cheaply and effectively by using plastic conduit, used extensively by electricians, which comes in .....white!! Cut the tubing to lenght, couple of cables, job done, bang tidy!!

Many have made similar modifications, this also gets the camera sightly more off the ground although the skid extension maybe more visible in the view in certain camera modes. As far as safety is concerned, if the catch landing procedure is followed correctly it is safe and absolutely safe for the phantom too as no risk of damaged props from a tip over.

This is how I do it - safely!

* Use a neck strap on the controller - for one handed control, you'll need it.
* Never, ever have it below head height when you catch.
* Turn it to face away from you - harder to catch with the camera facing you.
* Hover at that height and step towards it - don't back it right up close to you
* With one hand catch it using the upright part of the back landing gear nearer where it joins the body - be prepared for the forward leaning weight on your grasp.
* Keeping it above your head, with the other hand pull down fully with the left stick. After 3 seconds the motors turn off.
* Only now lower it below your head.

Sent from Samsung S4 via Tapatalk

 

[QYV]

gotta back Irish here I've been saying for months a properly executed catch is overall safer than trying to land, at least with the stock legs.

 

[Happyflyer]

+2

 

[AerialCinemaGuy]

I hand catch 100% of the time, why risk it..

 

[fastsmiles]

Always hand catch, its an easy skill to learn.

 

[N017RW]

Hand vs. Land... Likely to be debated forever .

I've done both but default to ground landing where possible.

Commit to landing and don't use CSC to stop motors has been 100% successful for me.