Traveling with quadcopter on mountain hikes

[PayDayPirate]

Hi everyone!

I'm new here and have spent many, many hours scouring over quadcopter videos, reviews and this amazing forum over the past 24 hours. I live in the pacific northwest and would love to buy a Phantom and take it on various mountain hikes. How feasible is this?

The Phantom 2 Vision+ is the one I'm interested in. The primary thing preventing me from making a purchase is that it doesn't seem to "fold up small" or I haven't really seen any small travel cases for it. All backpacks and suitcases seems gigantic and super crazy thick! Is this because the gimbal and/or legs can't/shouldn't be removed?

Normally on a 4-hour round-trip hike I'd only take my small camelbak backpack with water and snacks. I'm trying to figure out how best to carry that and a Phantom. Carrying the quadcopter by hand the entire way would be tiring and one accidental trip and I could crush it!

Any ideas of a thinner case or carrying method I maybe haven't seen? Thanks guys!

Joe

 

[DaveTown]

Could you put a pannier over the rear wheel, and then bungee a phantom carry case to it for your road trips?

EDIT - DISREGARD - I thought you said mountain BIKE, not mountain HIKE. Sorry.

 

[QYV]

I think I can help get started... the reason you see travel cases and backpacks that are thick is indeed due to the legs... not that they aren't removeable at all, but it's not exactly convenient to remove and put them back on... and imo not only due to the legs themselves (do you really want to be working with tiny screws out in the middle of nowhere?) but rather the fact that there are cables and things running down the legs and attached.. just as a quick example this is the compass which always has to be on the proper leg. Also there are 2 antennas each running down a different leg, one needs to be in the front and another in the rear.

I like you want to be able to hike into the woods with my Phantom but also consider what you'll want to bring in addition... probably some extra props, a field took kit and almost certainly a few extra batteries... that stuff gets bulky and heavy and you just plain need a solid backpack. I personally am very happy with mine (Vanguard Uprise II 48)... indeed it's big but there's even room for other things in there not Phantom related like snacks and you could say carabiner your water to your belt or the outside of the backpack.

alternately, there are plenty of aftermarket legs including some cool carbon fiber ones that can fold up... I don't know exactly how the compass and antennas are handled since I haven't gone that route but it can't be too hard. The Phantom itself isn't TOO bad with the propellers off which you'll definitely do for transport.

finally, I did see an innovative solution once where a guy bungee'd his Phantom to the outside of his backpack, that might be a solution too for a smaller backpack

 

[cahutch]

Even if you could fold the legs, you have the camera/gimbal also.
The landing gear protect the camera and gimbal which are not easily removable or attachable in the field so you can't do much about the height of the unit.

 

[PayDayPirate]

Hmmm, true. That was my worry. The Walkera Tali H500 looks much more collapsible. Though the overall size is much larger. So it still might look funny strapped on ones back.

 

[PayDayPirate]

Great! So you take off the propellers, rest the top of the phantom against your backpack, then tie it together with bungee cords or rope right? Sounds doable, cheap and lightweight. Thanks!

 

[iswimmer]

I use my regular day pack and snap the upper two straps through the phantom legs and let the phantom rest on its legs on the back of the pack. Controller n batteries go inside. Works for both hiking n biking as long as ur not going thru much thick brush. I leave props on.

 

[cahutch]

How do you protect the gimbal when you strap it to your back?
The gimbal lock may or may not fall off but the vibration dampers will still allow for alot of bounce and side to side movement.

 

[Mako79]

I use a KingKong 40 to trek. I haven't tried mountain biking with it yet.
It's padded and has a rain cover. I rate it.

It's an old series and very hard to get a hold of. I bought mine from the UK as its not available in Aus.

 

[mfp]

I use a KingKong 40 to trek. I haven't tried mountain biking with it yet.
It's padded and has a rain cover. I rate it.

It's an old series and very hard to get a hold of. I bought mine from the UK as its not available in Aus.

Off-topic, but that looks like a fazer in the background...fz1 here in the states...I have one.

 

[iswimmer]

How do you protect the gimbal when you strap it to your back?
The gimbal lock may or may not fall off but the vibration dampers will still allow for alot of bounce and side to side movement.

I don't do anything special besides have the gimbal lock on and I be sure to remember that it's back there on my back so I don't lean up against anything or do too much bouncing when I walk. I think the movement is not as much as doing quick maneuvers in the air and I think you probably get the same amount of gimbal movement in a specially made backpack

 

[Jeremyconk]

I use my Gopro pack for hikes and biking.... It holds my bird and all accessories, and there is plenty of room for water,bottles and clothing...

 

[gr8pics]

I just used a regular 40l bacpack, strapped the P2 on the outside, rest inside, incl a 10" SmallHD monitor and tripod, no prob. Heres the final result
http://vimeo.com/m/102626252

 

[gr8pics]

I use my Gopro pack for hikes and biking.... It holds my bird and all accessories, and there is plenty of room for water,bottles and clothing...

Nice, where did u get it, and what did u pay?