Will be interesting to see peoples preferences on this.

Landing pad and landing gear.

It depends on where I am.  I don't carry a pad so, unless there is a clean level surface, I tend to hand launch and land.  I find this gives me more freedom of where I fly and a quicker deployment.

That is with mavic air by the way.

Breezer74 Posted at 2018-5-5 04:25
It depends on where I am.  I don't carry a pad so, unless there is a clean level surface, I tend to hand launch and land.  I find this gives me more freedom of where I fly and a quicker deployment.

That's something I'm considering as the pad is the only piece of my set up that I have to physically carry in my hand at the moment. - which gets annoying.

I just put it on the ground where the props have clearance. I land it wherever, also on the ground, even if it takes out a few plant stalks here and there. These birds are not as fragile as some think they are. xD

Oh, I also clean my Mavic Air after every outing when I get home. A brush, compressed air, and a lint cloth. I take the opportunity to inspect any wear/tear on the frame and propellers.

Breezer74 Posted at 2018-5-5 04:25
It depends on where I am.  I don't carry a pad so, unless there is a clean level surface, I tend to hand launch and land.  I find this gives me more freedom of where I fly and a quicker deployment.

I agree completely with this @Breezer74.  If i have a clean surface to launch from , i put the MA down and launch from there, if i'm in the park, or in grass or uneven surfaces, I'll hand launch.  and a lot of times, i'll do a hand landing, simply because it's easy to do.  I"m either bring it down to change the battery, or put it away.  In either case, the battery is coming off, so i land in my hand and begin the procedure.

A CW Posted at 2018-5-5 04:47
That's something I'm considering as the pad is the only piece of my set up that I have to physically carry in my hand at the moment. - which gets annoying.

Same as brezzer, good ground or catch, find landing pad can be a nuisance either with wind or folding or carrying, and most of them have metal rings around the outside of them, although I haven’t seen any problems caused by this yet....

I just use the floor. I keep meaning to invest in a landing pad but other things get in the way. I always carry a bit of carboars box if where I’m heading is going to be dusty or uneven.

3-D Posted at 2018-5-5 04:53
I agree completely with this @Breezer74.  If i have a clean surface to launch from , i put the MA down and launch from there, if i'm in the park, or in grass or uneven surfaces, I'll hand launch.  and a lot of times, i'll do a hand landing, simply because it's easy to do.  I"m either bring it down to change the battery, or put it away.  In either case, the battery is coming off, so i land in my hand and begin the procedure.

Yep - hand landing is very straightforward but hand launch takes a bit of practice due to needing to swipe the screen whilst holding the RC with one hand and holding the drone up in the air with the other hand knowing that the motors are about to arm.

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-5-5 04:54
Same as brezzer, good ground or catch, find landing pad can be a nuisance either with wind or folding or carrying, and most of them have metal rings around the outside of them, although I haven’t seen any problems caused by this yet....

Unless I'm flying from sand I think I'll leave the pad at home from now on - it is annoying to carry and set/pack up for sure.

A CW Posted at 2018-5-5 05:04
Yep - hand landing is very straightforward but hand launch takes a bit of practice due to needing to swipe the screen whilst holding the RC with one hand and holding the drone up in the air with the other hand knowing that the motors are about to arm.

it only takes one mistake to never hold it incorrectly again.  Just 1.

A landing pad because I’m not a savage.  It all goes in the old backpack that I always carry...

I use several methods depending on my conditions. I always look for a clean surface or hand catch.

Find a flat place, preferably without twigs or tall grass.

Landing pad, and for easy transport just loop it through your belt and let it flap by your side or butt slap it, works for me. She looks good walking around with it waving in the wind and so far hasn't nagged once.

Sometimes I hand launch but I prefer a flat, clean surface, depends on where I’m flying...

M2Wair Posted at 2018-5-5 05:41
Landing pad, and for easy transport just loop it through your belt and let it flap by your side or butt slap it, works for me. She looks good walking around with it waving in the wind and so far hasn't nagged once.

Genius mate! LOL It never crossed my mind to belt it up

I feature a landing pad on most flights but will take-off and land without it as long as the road is clean and there's not much risk of rubbing debris on the Mavic Pro.

ChaosKnign Posted at 2018-5-5 04:50
I just put it on the ground where the props have clearance. I land it wherever, also on the ground, even if it takes out a few plant stalks here and there. These birds are not as fragile as some think they are. xD

Oh, I also clean my Mavic Air after every outing when I get home. A brush, compressed air, and a lint cloth. I take the opportunity to inspect any wear/tear on the frame and propellers.

I'm doing it exactly the same way

Hand launch and catch unless I’m flying from some place like a paved parking lot.

Leg extensions and landing pad for me.

Take off from landing pad, and landing - offend hand, or less- pad. Depend on place.

3-D Posted at 2018-5-5 05:15
it only takes one mistake to never hold it incorrectly again.  Just 1.

Totally agree.

My method is hover in front of me, hold my hand flat under the drone and pull left stick down until it lands on my flat palm.  I don't "catch" the drone or close my fingers around it until the props have stopped.
Similarly, when I take off I tap the screen for auto take off, but only swipe across when my palm is flat, allowing the props to start and take off with my fingers well clear.
Even though I do sometimes take off and land from clean, clear areas, the palm launch/land is rapidly becoming my favourite.  It's clean, quicker, saves bending down, requires less equipment, and I feel safe enough.

Axeli Posted at 2018-5-5 08:54
I'm doing it exactly the same way

For reals.

One would think that an $800 toy can take off or land in tall grass without harm to itself... not giving enough credit to DJI’s dev team.

These things are solid and can take off in any semi-clear area and land just about anywhere.
FREE THE LANDING ZONE!

I have a question when it comes to landing with my Air. With my Phantom 3 I usually just pull back on the left stick until it touches down, then after 3 seconds the motors shut off. With the Air even when I have a clear landing area like my driveway when I hold the left stick down it will descend until it reaches about 1.5 feet off the ground then stop and hover. I cannot get it to land unless I swipe the landing button on the screen, which I get a message that the collision sensors will be bypassed during landing. Is there a way to manually land the Air like with the Phantom?

dont slow down Posted at 2018-5-5 09:53
I have a question when it comes to landing with my Air. With my Phantom 3 I usually just pull back on the left stick until it touches down, then after 3 seconds the motors shut off. With the Air even when I have a clear landing area like my driveway when I hold the left stick down it will descend until it reaches about 1.5 feet off the ground then stop and hover. I cannot get it to land unless I swipe the landing button on the screen, which I get a message that the collision sensors will be bypassed during landing. Is there a way to manually land the Air like with the Phantom?

Go into the obstacle avoidance settings and in the advanced section of the GO 4 app turn off 'landing protection'. The drone is sensing the ground and detects that it may be unstable to land on - the pop up is to warn you of that and gain your instruction to go-ahead and land. It's actually a good thing but if it's annoying then switch it off but be mindful that it will always just land wherever it is when instructed to do so.  

For my MP I always fly with leg extenders (landing gear) but often I also use a landing pad, depending on the location of start/landing.

95% by hand...

I have a landing pad I use if the ground requires it. Normally will take off from flat sidewalk, pavement so no need but the times when I go out and need I will use the landing pad.  So I say about 10% of the time I use the landing pad.

A CW Posted at 2018-5-5 05:04
Yep - hand landing is very straightforward but hand launch takes a bit of practice due to needing to swipe the screen whilst holding the RC with one hand and holding the drone up in the air with the other hand knowing that the motors are about to arm.

Do you hand launch your MPP?  I have never hand launched my MP.  Very interesting.  

Voted landing gear, but I also use a pad when taking off from and landing on field grass.  When I fly from cement area, I don't bother with pad.  And in a few cases no landing gear.

SparksBird Posted at 2018-5-5 14:57
Do you hand launch your MPP?  I have never hand launched my MP.  Very interesting.

I have never tried to hand launch MPP.  
Something about rapidly spinning blades being very near only two eyes I will ever have.  

Out of curiosity what do you control RC / GO-4 with; while holding MPP in one hand, and other hand is holding DJI RC attached to CrystalSky Ultra-brite?  

Using a landing pad as it is looped through my carry bag for the Mavic

SparksBird Posted at 2018-5-5 14:57
Do you hand launch your MPP?  I have never hand launched my MP.  Very interesting.

I have done but not very often. Catching is easy but be very careful taking off and best not to do it on windy days IMO.

Take Off from landing pad and land with hand launch

Breezer74 Posted at 2018-5-5 04:25
It depends on where I am.  I don't carry a pad so, unless there is a clean level surface, I tend to hand launch and land.  I find this gives me more freedom of where I fly and a quicker deployment.

that's exactly what I also do

with the low clearance of the mavic air, if it's not a solid surface (tarmac, concrete, decking etc) then it has to be landing pad; landing pad is essential for snow and fields.

A CW Posted at 2018-5-5 04:47
That's something I'm considering as the pad is the only piece of my set up that I have to physically carry in my hand at the moment. - which gets annoying.

You could get a buddy to 3D Print you something to attach it to your belt ?

Funny I bought one of those circular 'H' foldout landing pads (before the drone arrived) and have never used it! I use the back of my rucksack as it affords about 20cm elevation is water resistant and doubles as a good pattern marker (for RTH PL). Also I like the fun of landing on an area that is only just a tad larger than the area covered by the MPP. I tend to land manually every time and only use RTH for part of the return trip. In terms of pads there is a recently released rectangular one from Freewell, that folds into quadrants (US only so far to date - May 2018).