Hi pilots. New in this world. Considering buy a P3 Strd or SE next week. Planning flight it from a 11mtr sailing boat. On return, make a hover about 3mtr by side, over water. Then move over deck, which is 1,5 mtr over sea level. Will be a problem the P3SE Visual Reference system on moving over geck...??? Can be turned off...??? Better the P3strd for this use...???
More... As a sailing alone, I have no spare hands to catch it on air. And landind on a moving deck... Idea... A landing pad and in the landing gear with velcro, to make arresting landings, as the hook to wire landings on Carriers...
How crazy is the idea...???
Thanks, and have a good flight...

You could practice hand catching.  

Bring the drone in, to above eye level, reach out and catch it by the landing gear, up near the shell.
Now pull the left stick all the way back...


RedHotPoker

Sounds easy, if I have boths hands free...
Thanks.

djiuser_DXxRI35 Posted at 2017-11-15 09:55
Sounds easy, if I have boths hands free...
Thanks.

You don't need both hands free. Of course your one hand will be operating the Phantom, but you just reach out with the other hand and grab the landing gear like RHP said, then push the left stick down with the hand on the controller. I do it all the time, and it is not as hard as it sounds.
Assuming most of us will use both hands while normally operating the drone, but now hold the RC with you left hand, then when it gets close, while controlling your altitude with this hand, and then take your right hand to reach for the drone.
As far as doing it on a boat, I'll just say I would practice a bit on land first. The rocking of the boat will definitely make things harder for you. Another thing to consider is be aware that while on the water moving, your home-point will be where you took into the air......as the boat drifts or is moving, if you get into a low battery RTH situation, be prepared to take the correct action so it doesn't go back to wherever and land in the water! You say you are new to the drone world, so I am just saying that you may very well be ok with that, but it is not the norm, and your risk factor is certainly higher than on land. Have fun!

Been on a few carriers, They're just a little larger than yours, lol.  Practice hand catching before you try it on boat.   

Don't try it after sunset, the visual position hold stops working and then it gets very difficult if there is any wind.

Also be very careful if there is any iron or steel on deck that could affect the compass, DJI drones don't fly if you take off near steel.

Definitely practice hand catching, before you attempt it on a floating boat...

I would hate to read an obit... Ha

Be very careful.

RedHotPoker

Thanks. I see you all agree in the hand-catch way. I buy it. I will train in dry conditions first.
About the choice P3strd or SE, assume the SE better fot this purpouse...???

djiuser_DXxRI35 Posted at 2017-11-15 10:44
Thanks. I see you all agree in the hand-catch way. I buy it. I will train in dry conditions first.
About the choice P3strd or SE, assume the SE better fot this purpouse...???

Practically Anything, would trump attempting to line up and land safely on a piece of Velcro. ;-)

I think once you have handled the drone, in mid flight some, the comfort level will be adequate.

Just pay close attention, avoiding any distractions. You should be alright.

I will look forward to your reporting back, of ultimate happiness in your mission endeavors.


RedHotPoker

As pointed out by RicardoGray, if you are on a moving vessel then be extra careful about your home point. If for some reason the ac goes into RTH mode then you do not want it to go back to the point it started from. You can set the RTH to one of three modes, 1) return to original take off point, 2) stop and hover where it is, or 3) land directly.  Your best bet is option 2). Make sure the ac is in sight at all times. Flying from a moving vehicle, be it a boat or automobile is something that needs a reasonably competent pilot, hand catching is quickly learned, a good medical insurance helps.

The sensors might not recognize your standing rigging.  I made a video like this last summer and landed while we were engines in gear.  It took a few approaches, but we were able to have a crew mate capture it over her head with both hands on the landing bracket.  Once she had a hold of it, I held left joystick at bottom left and right joystick at bottom right and the props shut off.  Keep in mind that when you launch, your "return to home" will not be the same places as it was.  If anything happens, it will go back to that patch of water.  I saw a fishing boat one time haul full speed to catch the drone just inches before it went swimming.

If you have a device with a GPS module, you can change your dynamic home point.
That was part of the reason, I chose an iPad Air2 Cellular, as it's only the cellular version with GPS installed.
Something to seriously consider if buying a newer iOS device.

RedHotPoker

Boat landing is tricky.  Be very careful.

Don't do this:

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-11-15 13:46
If you have a device with a GPS module, you can change your dynamic home point.
That was part of the reason, I chose an iPad Air2 Cellular, as it's only the cellular version with GPS installed.
Something to seriously consider if buying a newer iOS device.

I have a Nexus tablet but installing the Dji app, says "device not compatible". So I have to use my smartphone, android. I hope is good enough.

Kuya Kano Posted at 2017-11-15 13:28
The sensors might not recognize your standing rigging.  I made a video like this last summer and landed while we were engines in gear.  It took a few approaches, but we were able to have a crew mate capture it over her head with both hands on the landing bracket.  Once she had a hold of it, I held left joystick at bottom left and right joystick at bottom right and the props shut off.  Keep in mind that when you launch, your "return to home" will not be the same places as it was.  If anything happens, it will go back to that patch of water.  I saw a fishing boat one time haul full speed to catch the drone just inches before it went swimming.

As I am single skeeper, I will miss that extra crewmember with both hands free...

Dockater Posted at 2017-11-15 12:06
As pointed out by RicardoGray, if you are on a moving vessel then be extra careful about your home point. If for some reason the ac goes into RTH mode then you do not want it to go back to the point it started from. You can set the RTH to one of three modes, 1) return to original take off point, 2) stop and hover where it is, or 3) land directly.  Your best bet is option 2). Make sure the ac is in sight at all times. Flying from a moving vehicle, be it a boat or automobile is something that needs a reasonably competent pilot, hand catching is quickly learned, a good medical insurance helps.

Agree with nr2 option. Mosts of the activity wil be at anchor, but some short flights around the boat sailing on sails will be done for sure.

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-11-15 11:03
Practically Anything, would trump attempting to line up and land safely on a piece of Velcro. ;-)

I think once you have handled the drone, in mid flight some, the comfort level will be adequate.

I have time for an intensive land trainning before my next year "deployment" at sea... I will report...

Mark The Droner Posted at 2017-11-15 15:58
Boat landing is tricky.  Be very careful.

Don't do this:

If your sailing (vs motoring) and your sails are up, I'd expect the drone to be acting very erratically due to the draft of the sails. I'd lock down the wheel and use both hands to pilot and hand capture the bird.

djiuser_DXxRI35 Posted at 2017-11-16 09:31

My comment is missing. I said...
What unstability...!!! That is not what I need and expect... Why is so bouncer...???

Mark The Droner Posted at 2017-11-15 15:58
Boat landing is tricky.  Be very careful.

Don't do this:

Difficult conditions, obviously a force 10 wind, 6 meter waves, zero visibility combined with some of the worst piloting I have ever seen. If you treated an animal like that drone was treated then you would end up in jail.

Dockater Posted at 2017-11-16 12:02
Difficult conditions, obviously a force 10 wind, 6 meter waves, zero visibility combined with some of the worst piloting I have ever seen. If you treated an animal like that drone was treated then you would end up in jail.

Looked like they hadn't worked out how to take it out of atti mode!

djiuser_DXxRI35 Posted at 2017-11-16 09:17
I have a Nexus tablet but installing the Dji app, says "device not compatible". So I have to use my smartphone, android. I hope is good enough.

Yes, I have an old iPad 3 as well. That device is wonderful, but Wouldn't download the original Pilot app, before the Go app was released.
So I bought my dedicated device. The iPad Air2 Cellular. & never looked back... ;-)



RedHotPoker

djiuser_DXxRI35 Posted at 2017-11-16 09:28
I have time for an intensive land trainning before my next year "deployment" at sea... I will report...

If you had time to practice hand catching, you would be well ahead of the game later.

Just be very careful and totally focused. We don't need any more injured drone pilots.


RedHotPoker

djiuser_DXxRI35 Posted at 2017-11-16 09:19
As I am single skeeper, I will miss that extra crewmember with both hands free...

All my years sailing, I never had a problem finding volunteers for extra hands on deck.  Then again, knowing what its like working with non-experienced deckhands, maybe its better that you're singlehanded.  
Good luck and fair winds to you.

djiuser_DXxRI35 Posted at 2017-11-16 09:19
As I am single skeeper, I will miss that extra crewmember with both hands free...

Aloha DXxRI35,

     That video of Mark's really does show what not to do.  Think how much more stable the catcher would have been if he was tied down.  If he used a bos'n 's belt with loops to tie into the bow and two side gunnels, he would have been stable and if she was not in ATTI mode the Inspire would have been much more stable and easy to control.

    As noted, practicing on land will help you the most.

     Now, you will be single-hand and you say a sailboat?  You also said it will be at anchor when you do the flying?    When you are at anchor it is much easier but you can still get rocky conditions so you still would have to tie in to stablize yourself.

     As Bartone says, when under way, lock down the wheel so you can use both hands for the catch.  Hopefully, you will have an autopilot for the sailboat.  The aft, high side of the boat will be the most stable and you will have to be tied in anyway, just cinch it up tight so you are stable.  

     In Mark's video, if that power boat had been under way, the skipper could have picked the most stable slow speed for a tied-in hand catch.  Bobbying around like that has to be avoided and you saw what happens.

     Whatever your circumstances, the sooner you get experience with your new Phantom, the better.  Hand catch is not hard but it is always dangerous.  Never try to catch a skid, the horizontal part that touches the ground when landing. When you shut off the motors, it will rotate around your grip and cut you up.  Like RedHot says in Post #2, "catch it by the landing gear, up near the shell."

     Hope this helps!

Aloha and Drone On!

I have done numerous flights from my aluminum 19' boat and usually when I am alone. Reaching up and grabbing the drone was never an issue for landing. Taking off gave me some fits on occasion though, if the boat was rocking due to wave action. With the drone sitting on the back deck and start the motors, it does not like rocking and rolling! It's like the drone tries to compensate for the movement, and I ended up bouncing off the inside of the boat a time or two. If you launch off the top of a sailboat you may not have that issue...but be careful if you launch off a lower deck, such as in the rear of the boat! Coming in slowly and reaching up and grabbing your drone should not be a problem.

Or if you're good, you can always land it this way (shoot ahead to 1:38):