Hand launching/catching

alpinekiwi

Any ideas if this new Mavic drone can be hand-launched and -caught?

This is a pretty essential procedure in the mountains, especially in the snow...

I 100% hand-catch my P4 and hand-launch perhaps 10% of the time...

Fulgerite

No. DJI definitely does NOT recommend hand landing catches..

There is no landing gear to grab at.

If you reach for the body the proximity sensors will make the drone fly up suddenly as your hand tries to grab it.

Hand catching is not recommended for this drone.
Frankly I never hand launch or land. It dangerous and completely un-nessessary. I can always find a flat spot to touch down. (Although I have to admint I don't have much experince with snow here in California.) ;-)

ngvuanh

If you look at Mavic front page, there is a video with title "SEE EVERYTHING" showing Mavic is flying off a girl hand. You can skip to 1:00
I was about to ask the same question.
With Phantom, you may not be able to do hand launch because you need 2 hands to start motors if you hold RC in one hand.

marctronixx

that casey cat everyone is doe eyed over did it in his first vid about the mavic. well, he at least caught it, once inside and outside i think...

yes on instagram the video there shows a young lady doing just that.

cjmc

There's lots of people have demonstrated hand launch and catch on YouTube. They appear to be catching the body of the Mavic from the rear to avoid the sensors. They bring the drone in to hover and slowly approach. Take care not to lose a finger eh

alpinekiwi

Perfect, this is what I was after. Like I said, I always hand-catch (unstable ground often) and sometimes hand-launch for the same reason (I'm a mountain climber and ski tourer). This is with my Phantom 4. Using caution, there is no danger. In fact, the couple of times I have landed the drone on the ground, once it flipped over and broke props and the other time it landed hard. Hand catching is smooth and easy and safe.

I think this wee drone looks amazing. I am willing to trade a slight drop in image quality for the incredible portability this one offers me as a outdoors person.

Upon saying this, I am still waiting to see some raw images, not video. I use video just for personal use (Facebook etc), but I am a professional photographer and more interested in image quality.

cjmc

DJI Ken posted a link to raw files in another post. Side by side comparison with a Phantom 4. Detail was excellent and sharp. There were some issues with colour but not noticeable in my opinion. DJI confirmed that it was a pre production model not yet aligned properly with the software and this would be corrected.

The drone looks superb. I've one ordered. Yeah I've flipped over on landing before with strong winds. Annoying. I think the Mavic will be easier to hand catch than the P4 ... and it's half the weight. I'm gonna give it a go as well as I've never done it.

smarraccini

alpinekiwi Posted at 2016-10-2 03:05
Perfect, this is what I was after. Like I said, I always hand-catch (unstable ground often) and some ...

Folks, don't listen to this extremely reckless advice.

"Using caution, there is no danger"

"Hand catching is easy and smooth and safe"

Listen, you want to keep rolling the dice with your own fingers or worse then go right ahead, but I find it offensive and maddening that you are going to pass this nonsense off to other pilots including many novices.

Here's the bottom line: Regardless of how good you are at hand catching or launching, the fact is that some random event *completely out of your control* including device malfunction, losing your balance, wind gust, or any number of things could happen and a serious injury could occur.

You are kidding yourself mr. pro if you think what you are doing is "safe".

alpinekiwi

I don't give a damn if you or others follow suit. I'm just stating that this is what I do and for what reasons... At your own risk.

ngvuanh

I mostly hand catching my P3A and P4 at landing bracket and use other hand to turn off motor. I think hand catching with Mavic is a bit harder but it should be fine since it's body is small.

Fulgerite

NO!

Because this:

ngvuanh

GREAT HALLOWEEN COSTUME EVER!
Just kidding, but sorry guys to see these. I know accidents happen all the time but just be careful what we do.

R&L Aerial

Hand catching is dangerous, just the idea of reaching out for something with 4 spinning props is not a good idea. It's called "landing gear" for a reason.

HFI

Does seem odd that DJI has the girl actor hand launch the Mavic in their own video if it's not recommended - exactly 1min in

Personally I have hand launched/caught my P4 and I1 several times when needed when the take off/landing area is not good and safer (for the aircraft) than landing on a travel case/bad ground. I don't recommend it unless you know what you're doing and know where the sensors are.

Just my 2¢

ngvuanh

I mentioned this video above. Mavic is actually flying off the girl hand.I never hand launching P3 or P4 but hand catching most of the time. For me, I know when it safe to do but I DO NOT recommend since it is different from person to person.

Oleksiy · 2016-10-12

alpinekiwi Posted at 2016-10-2 15:53
I don't give a damn if you or others follow suit. I'm just stating that this is what I do and for wh ...

I also often catch and release in mountains, however I also use when applicable landing pad with special snow or stone spikes. This landing pad also serves as picknic cover.

HFI · 2016-10-25

Just tested hand launching and catching the Mavic which works fine if you turn the Downwards vision sensor off and catch it from under neither.

I DO NOT recommend doing this if you are not an experienced pilot, just my 2¢

thefurmanuk · 2016-10-26

This guy did it here, first time it went up to avoid:

DRONE-flies-YOU · 2016-10-27

Can't I just THROW the Mavic into the air to launch like Lily Drone?

Tenreth · 2016-10-27

Fulgerite Posted at 2016-10-3 02:08
NO!

Because this:

WOW.

Damn... And I thought my hand was in bad condition (cut some flesh out, massive pain). But this... F*!

So I recommend: DO NOT GET CLOSE TO SPINNING PROPS! NEVER! NO! NO NO NOOO!

FrequentFlyer · 2016-10-27

thefurmanuk Posted at 2016-10-26 20:14
This guy did it here, first time it went up to avoid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiAzA9zLoNE

I just seen this video last night, pretty good. I was gonna post the link to this also!

vietnamodyssey · 2016-10-29

Fulgerite Posted at 2016-10-3 02:08
NO!

Because this:

OUCH!....

vietnamodyssey · 2016-10-29

Fulgerite Posted at 2016-10-3 02:08
NO!

Because this:

Ouch!......I guess this answers the hand launch/catch question.

thehippoz · 2016-10-29

vietnamodyssey Posted at 2016-10-30 03:04
Ouch!......I guess this answers the hand launch/catch question.

Bet he can barely hold a pencil, not the drones fault

I don't see any reason you couldn't catch it without issues.

dana5 · 2016-10-29

I say go ahead and catch with your hand if you want. It's your drone, it's your blood. But with the sensors on the bottom, the drone is likely to react and shoot up, or move into you, or away from you into someone else. I guess I have to ask the obvious... Since the drone has a landing feature, why not just use that? Why would you risk all by trying to catch it? Does you just look cool while doing it? Do you need to be smoking a cigarette to do it correctly?

For me, I have always, and will continue to, land it on a flat surface, several feet from any living flesh.

sploodge · 2016-10-29

Catching it from the front is fine, from the rear you need to avoid the sensors as it will try and rise up.

but as with a lot of things, just be careful. I have done it over a 100 times with the mvic over the last three weeks and had no issues.

DRONE-flies-YOU · 2016-10-29

Please just be sure to film yourself grabbing the Mavic out of the air and upload it to YouTube. That way when it goes terribly wrong, we'll have THAT video!

leostark · 2016-10-29

because of the way Mavic landing gears are positioned, I don't think it'll try to topple when launching/landing so should be fairly easy to land/launch if you have a launchpad to balance out uneven ground. I've always caught my P4 because the area I'm in is usually windy and the landing almost always topples the quad.

boostedford · 2016-11-26

Someone needs to 3d print easily attachable and detachable landing gear similar to the phantom gear so you can snap it on in conditions where u need to hand launch/catch. Like i wannq be able to use my quad when i go kayaking qgain in the summer and idk how id launch from my kayak let alone land safely

jamgabbi · 2016-11-26

here you go

trance728- · 2016-11-26

I just got mine and due to the terrain I've been testing it in I've only been hand launching and catching. I don't see it as a big worry, it hovers perfectly still.

madkow70 · 2016-11-26

hand launching and landing/grabbing will always have its risks, of course.
sometimes it's just not possible to land it on ground, especially my Mavic. because how close the props are to the ground, any decently uneven ground will screw things up if I try to ground-land it.
I've done it without much problem. I've done it in a flowing boat.

it's simple. if you are not confident or skilled, don't do it.

Mikedefieslife · 2016-11-27

DRONE-flies-YOU Posted at 2016-10-27 16:41
Can't I just THROW the Mavic into the air to launch like Lily Drone?

It's a shame it doesn't have this feature. Must be easy with accelerometers and such like.

Mikedefieslife · 2016-11-27

How do you turn the motors off when you catch land it? IIRC it needs both sticks pointed inwards to turn them off, but of course if catch landing, you only have one hand free for the controller.

BengalBoy · 2016-11-27

If your the last guy chosen to play sports in Gym class, never fly anywhere except the park and designated areas near the park, have been told you have the co-ordination of a 2 year old Toddler, or, begin to cry at the sight of blood, hand catching isn't for you. But, if you fly on the open ocean from a moving boat, climb mountains and hike volcanos, go flying from unusual and difficult terrain,, Hand Catch is a required skill. I've never landed any of my drones other than hand catch and never will. When on the open ocean or the top of a volcano, hand launch is a necessary skill as well. For those who can't do it, scared to do it and believe its wrong to teach someone how to do it,, be content you'll have a great day in the park with your drone and let the people who fly in extreme conditions and remote areas learn the technique.

hallmark007 · 2016-11-27

Mikedefieslife Posted at 2016-11-27 16:52
How do you turn the motors off when you catch land it? IIRC it needs both sticks pointed inwards to ...

Left stick down 3 seconds..

fanse5c500f2 · 2016-12-18

I always grab land my p3 and P4, I am often filming on cliffs and beaches and certainly I like to avoid sand, dirt, uneven surfaces and have never been anywhere near to any dangerous situations.
I would like to grab land my mavic but it's proving difficult as my latest video will show. The gimbal is just too close to the ground and risks being damaged. Makes me giggle the guy who said he was " offended" by the notion of people advising grab landing! What has the world come to when people take offence so easily? If you want to see what happens when you grab land a mavic...check my YouTube .....duncan scobie is my Chanel

fanse5c500f2 · 2016-12-18

BengalBoy Posted at 2016-11-27 16:06
If your the last guy chosen to play sports in Gym class, never fly anywhere except the park and designated areas near the park, have been told you have the co-ordination of a 2 year old Toddler, or, begin to cry at the sight of blood, hand catching isn't for you. But, if you fly on the open ocean from a moving boat, climb mountains and hike volcanos, go flying from unusual and difficult terrain,, Hand Catch is a required skill. I've never landed any of my drones other than hand catch and never will. When on the open ocean or the top of a volcano, hand launch is a necessary skill as well. For those who can't do it, scared to do it and believe its wrong to teach someone how to do it,, be content you'll have a great day in the park with your drone and let the people who fly in extreme conditions and remote areas learn the technique.

Totally agree! I was filming on a 45 degree hillside this morning.....ain't no way I was going to land my mavic on the ground. Similarly I would not on a beach or on a boat !

4wesomeAdam · 2016-12-18

If you see this guy snooping around your Mavik. Run away and pilot your drone away from him.

thehippoz · 2016-12-18

4wesomeAdam Posted at 2016-12-19 00:50
[view_image]

If you see this guy snooping around your Mavik. Run away and pilot your drone away from him.

xd I wouldn't worry about that guy