Newbie report & landing questions

[queue]

My P2V+ came yesterday. After thorough review of the instructions, I flew twice today. First, I picked a city property using Google Earth and the local government's land parcel map. Great spot, nice trails, well mowed, almost no foot traffic, but also about 500 feet from the local police HQ. It being Saturday morning, nobody seemed to notice me, but I decided to pack it in about halfway through my first battery.

Second flight was at the far end of a medical campus backing up to an empty lot owned by the university. Quite secluded on the weekend, but developed enough that I could fly from the parking lot. Finished off two batteries doing the one- and two-star maneuvers in the pilot guide. Out of six or seven landings, three were tipovers - the props survived the first two with grass stains, but the third time I landed next to a small rock. In retrospect, I'm lucky the rock wasn't between the landing gear.

It gave me a reason to order high-thrust 9450s, and I appreciate DJI's foresight in packing eight of the stock propellers in the original box.

I'm pretty sure that I was executing the CSC too early, because my tipovers were to the back-left. I think that for future landings, I need to concentrate on the sound of the engines and wait to CSC until they spin down.

Is it worth using a portable landing surface, something like a weighted 2-3ft square of styrofoam? I was landing on sturdy wild grass, which wasn't helping my tipover situation.

Any other advice on landing safely and efficiently?

 

[DBS]

DON'T CSC ON LANDINGS :!:

just hover it down gently touching the ground... then yank that left stick all the way down and hold it there... the motors will stop after 3 seconds without tipping the Phantom :ugeek:

 

[Dirty Bird]

Assuming you touched down smoothly, your tip over problem is because you are using the CSC to stop the motors.

DO NOT USE CSC TO STOP THE MOTORS! The "burp" when you apply the CSC causes the tip over. After you touch down, just hold the left stick fully down (leave the right stick centered) and after a few seconds, the motors will turn off.

 

[Panamon Creel]

DON'T CSC ON LANDINGS :!:
......

You can do CSC on landings you just have to do it in a specific sequence!!!!
First move your throttle stick all the way down centered side to side while leaving the directional stick centered after that you can move your directional stick down and move both sticks inboard to shut off the motors.

 

[eagleseye]

Two words, Hand Catch.

I've had my P2V+ for about 3 weeks and have landed MAYBE 2 times and that was just to see if I could do it. I'm not willing to take a chance on damaging anything on my bird by allowing it to hit the ground.

Just my 2 cents.

Eagles Eye

 

[queue]

DON'T CSC ON LANDINGS :!:

just hover it down gently touching the ground... then yank that left stick all the way down and hold it there... the motors will stop after 3 seconds without tipping the Phantom :ugeek:

Assuming you touched down smoothly, your tip over problem is because you are using the CSC to stop the motors.

DO NOT USE CSC TO STOP THE MOTORS! The "burp" when you apply the CSC causes the tip over. After you touch down, just hold the left stick fully down (leave the right stick centered) and after a few seconds, the motors will turn off.

You can do CSC on landings you just have to do it in a specific sequence!!!!
First move your throttle stick all the way down centered side to side while leaving the directional stick centered after that you can move your directional stick down and move both sticks inboard to shut off the motors.

Thanks! I understand now. The DJI quick start guide says exactly the same as Panamon Creel, and the first couple times, I did it right.

Then I got sloppy with the throttle, not realizing 100% down on the left was required before touching the right (even though it's logical, when I think about it.)

edit:

Two words, Hand Catch.

I already feel like I'm flying a lawnmower, I'm not sure I'm ready to hand-catch a lawnmower too

 

[Panamon Creel]

There are situations (unfavorable terrain for landing) where hand catching will be better so learn how to do that as well but you should also not skip on learning how to correctly land normally. I like doing landings exercises on a specific spot no larger than the Phantom while in Atti only mode. It hones the stick control skills especially when windy

 

[Meta4]

Two words, Hand Catch.

I already feel like I'm flying a lawnmower, I'm not sure I'm ready to hand-catch a lawnmower too

It's quite safe. Bring your bird down near head height and hover. Then walk towards the Phantom and hold one of the vertical parts of the landing gear. The spinning props won't be in a position to hit you. You can pull the Phantom around and see how it fights back to stay in place. To shut down, hold it still and hold the left stick down for 3 secs. If you aren't still enough it will take a little longer.

It's a good skill to practise and very useful to protect your gimbal and props.

 

[wharfbanger]

Two words, Hand Catch.

I've had my P2V+ for about 3 weeks and have landed MAYBE 2 times and that was just to see if I could do it. I'm not willing to take a chance on damaging anything on my bird by allowing it to hit the ground.

Just my 2 cents.

Eagles Eye

I agree. I always hand catch, from upwind. Very easy.

 

[Sketch6995]

way too easy to tip over and chip props, i dont land anymore i hand catch it.

 

[happydays]

Hand catch every time. You'll never have an issue with chipped props.

 

[vortigern]

I try to land so the gear is paralell to the wind. Or alway point the camera in to the wind the bird is more stable this way I find.

 

[N017RW]

DON'T CSC ON LANDINGS :!:
......

You can do CSC on landings you just have to do it in a specific sequence!!!!
First move your throttle stick all the way down centered side to side while leaving the directional stick centered after that you can move your directional stick down and move both sticks inboard to shut off the motors.

Why when only the left stick is required?

Seems all risk, no reward.

 

[Panamon Creel]

Every day you drive with the car, cross the road, even while sleeping there is a risk and hand catching, which many recommend is also a risk.
How every one lands and shuts down their motors in the end is their business but CSC done correctly will also work therefore is a valid working shut down method and not something "evil"

 

[job2310]

Re: Newbie report & landing questions

+1 for hand catch

 

[N017RW]

The point I and others have made is that CSC after landing MAY lead to tip overs etc. whereas left stick only CANNOT.

This is a T-O risk that can be avoided.

But you're right about 'it' being their business....TEHO.