How do you land?

Hand catch most of the time, land on helipad the rest. Landing on a helipad makes a nice finishing shot in a video.
Normally take off on raised helipad, there's a ton of iron in my driveway and sidewalk that always interferes with the compass.
 
I land it on any surface (...always find something flat) I'm also a GA pilot, so you learn to take great pride in bringing your aircraft back to 'terra firma' gently.
 
Im glad to read that catching is a thing. I've never tried. Landed manually 15+ times without issue but just the other day I had the motors shut down then turn back on for some inexplicable reason. This resulted in a flip. Fortunately no damage but some dirtied blades. Definitely going to try catching it next time!
 
Manually on the ground...I don't trust the auto land so much and hand catching is just too **** awkward from my chair. No upsets yet but I have less than 50 flights so I'm sure I will now that I've said that.
 
Land on ground 99% of the time. Usually a park or in my street or backyard patio (live next to an open field). I don't get the hand catch thing...not really necessary and I don't like having only one hand on the RC to control it.
 
Land on ground 99% of the time. Usually a park or in my street or backyard patio (live next to an open field). I don't get the hand catch thing...not really necessary and I don't like having only one hand on the RC to control it.
...same here.
 
Land on ground 99% of the time. Usually a park or in my street or backyard patio (live next to an open field). I don't get the hand catch thing...not really necessary and I don't like having only one hand on the RC to control it.
FYI, when you hand catch you're not controlling it during the catch. It's best to let it hover on it's own and let it settle in to about 6' or 7' off the ground, above eye level. When the bird is rock solid in a hover with no RC input, cautiously and slowly approach to grab the landing gear with your right hand while holding the RC with the left hand. DO NOT move the craft, firmly hold it in place while the motors are running. At the same time, with one hand, push the throttle stick down with your left thumb while holding the RC with only the left hand (it's easy if you practice). You should throttle down with your left thumb/hand because the throttle stick is on the left side of the RC, presumably. It takes about 3 seconds for the motors to go off after full down throttle is applied. Before the motors shut down during that 3 seconds they will slightly increase in speed in an attempt to maintain it's position as you firmly hold the craft. After the motors are off then you can bring the bird down by hand. Don't forget to turn off the video recorder and shut off the craft battery (which I have a bad habit of forgetting one or the other :rolleyes:).

So this above is my process. If find it the safest way. Others may differ. If you've never done a hand catch I recommend you learn for those unexpected times you'll need the option, depending on your environment. I'm not suggesting you always hand catch if you prefer landing. I'm only suggesting that you be prepared to know how to hand catch so you know what you're doing in the time of need or emergency. The time will come when you need to hand catch.

Scenarios you may prefer to hand catch:
1. When a loose dog shows interest in potentially fetching the craft during landing.
2. When little kids come by unattended and they're excited to see it fly and you have to land. During landing you're unsure if they'll run and try to grab it.
3. When it's too winding to land without risking tipping and ruining props (always approach from the windward side, not leeward).
4. If you use follow me mode on a trail, then at the end of the battery you have walked away from areas that are level enough to land.
5. When you want to impress your friends, cause it just looks cool.

Do you get it now?
 
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Scenarios you may prefer to hand catch:
1. When a loose dog shows interest in potentially fetching the craft during landing.
2. When little kids come by unattended and they're excited to see it fly and you have to land. During landing you're unsure if they'll run and try to grab it.
3. When it's too winding to land without risking tipping and ruining props (always approach from the windward side, not leeward).
4. If you use follow me mode on a trail, then at the end of the battery you have walked away from areas that are level enough to land.
5. When you want to impress your friends, cause it just looks cool.

Do you get it now?


...interesting scenarios but (respectfully) no..I still don't get, but that's just me. As a GA pilot, I don't have the option of hand catching a Cirrus 22. I approach landing a quad the same way. I'm just really into the skill of finding a safe place to land...anywhere.
 
Landing the phantom is half the fun. Trying to land it on different small platforms is great.

I would only hand catch if it was impossible to land.
 
Im glad to read that catching is a thing. I've never tried. Landed manually 15+ times without issue but just the other day I had the motors shut down then turn back on for some inexplicable reason. This resulted in a flip. Fortunately no damage but some dirtied blades. Definitely going to try catching it next time!

Wouldn't that be more unsafe if you had hand caught it and they started back up once you thought it was safe to be near the blades?
 
Any landing that results in a dry undamaged, intact bird is a good one! :D
Water landings in saltwater are preferably avoided! Only 3 out of the last 250 landings were not handcaught. One of those 3 was on the surface of a 1,000 foot long, very narrow, 8 foot wide pier, in high winds, 50 feet over the ocean. Unfortunately, I was 300 feet away at the end of the pier with no chance to grab it! It could have ended very badly, had the landing ended up a few feet further away! :eek: 200 flights later, all over saltwater, and I have managed to handcatch ever since!
 
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I always take off and land on the ground. It's all part of the fun for me. I make sure there is somewhere to take off and land or I don't fly.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
Oddly, I did not know that there was an auto landing until just recently. I always manually landed my craft.

Not sure why I did not know there was an auto and feature, when I always use the auto take off feature but oh well.

Now have your GPS fail, 18 mph winds, and landed in ATTI mode, now there is some white knuckle flying.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
Hey!

I have gotten a little better at this. Practice landings, but due to trips to the beach, I have picked up the hand catch. Very, very useful, and I catch my drone for nearly all landings now. Easy, and I grab at the battery area with it over my head.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
250 P3P flights and 18 hours flight time. I always take off from a hard level surface. I have a 2x2 foot piece of plywood I through on the grass and use auto take-off. I hand catch when no concrete or hard surface is available. I grab the front landing arm and hold it in that position well over my head until all props have stopped. I truly believe this is safe for both me and my quad (Scotty).


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 

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