Hello guys,

I need a good landing pad, and I see on various videos that some pads are more easily recognized than others.

Do the Mini eyes see in b/w, meaning I should avoid an orange pad for fresh green grass as it is the same tone in b/v, or I should avoid a white pad on snow...
Any recommendation ? Special drawing ? Multi-tone pad to work everywhere ?

Thank you.

Thank you.

You must be right of course. I am surprised as I thought that indoor,( without the GPS)  the Mavic was able to view the ground as it keeps flying above the same spot. So I guess it would not take that much to keep an image of the take off place ( pad) and identify it later on

While the mini doesn't recognize or track the landing pad, I'm sure it helps the drone to hoover precisely.
The landing pad helps you to land safely, I personally have one that is orange and white in one side, black and yellow in the other.

I'm getting one just so I can take off and land over grass or sand without getting them into the motor.

Wiz33 Posted at 1-20 10:27
I'm getting one just so I can take off and land over grass or sand without getting them into the motor.

+1 or smashing something with (that paper thin) blades...

Wiz33 Posted at 1-20 10:27
I'm getting one just so I can take off and land over grass or sand without getting them into the motor.

Why not just palm it? I've done it since day one and can honestly recommend it. It's not hard and probably the safest way to take off and land for the drone. Not that dangerous for your fingers either since those tiny motors and props have pretty much no inertia.

It's just my opinion, but I think lugging anything more than the flymore case with it contents is a hassle and eats away the portability of the drone... Like DB already stated, you don't really get other benefits using a pad with Mini, than the smooth landing surface.

Miixxa Posted at 1-20 12:32
Why not just palm it? I've done it since day one and can honestly recommend it. It's not hard and probably the safest way to take off and land for the drone. Not that dangerous for your fingers either since those tiny motors and props have pretty much no inertia.

It's just my opinion, but I think lugging anything more than the flymore case with it contents is a hassle and eats away the portability of the drone... Like DB already stated, you don't really get other benefits using a pad with Mini, than the smooth landing surface.

+1 on palm for take off and landing.  

Miixxa Posted at 1-20 12:32
Why not just palm it? I've done it since day one and can honestly recommend it. It's not hard and probably the safest way to take off and land for the drone. Not that dangerous for your fingers either since those tiny motors and props have pretty much no inertia.

It's just my opinion, but I think lugging anything more than the flymore case with it contents is a hassle and eats away the portability of the drone... Like DB already stated, you don't really get other benefits using a pad with Mini, than the smooth landing surface.

You're lucky so far. You just don't realize how those blades can cut you up, There's been plenty of pictures online already. The good thing about those pads is that they weight almost nothing and folds up small. I carry my Mini around in a messenger bag in the fly more case so there's more than enough room.

Landing in palm is really easy and recommended! As long as theres no wind that is,.

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Wiz33 Posted at 1-20 12:53
You're lucky so far. You just don't realize how those blades can cut you up, There's been plenty of pictures online already. The good thing about those pads is that they weight almost nothing and folds up small. I carry my Mini around in a messenger bag in the fly more case so there's more than enough room.

I do realize that they can do damage, and I'd never put my fingers near the props of let's say Air, Mavic Pro/2 or Phantom.
You can't really fudge it up with the mini though if you land it on your flat palm. I personally just grab it by the sides to be extra secure for the drone. I've had the props hit my fingers twice already cause of really hard gusts and didn't even leave a mark. My fingers poked right in the middle of the props stopping the blade dead and just swiweling away. Of course those paper blades are gonna slice you if you sloooowly push your wieners straight into the blade tips like in the videos on YT...

I actually have the basic black and orange round pad, but it's really flimsy and blows away with the slightest wind, so I would then have to carry ground spikes (which aren't even an option at winter) or carry/find something heavy to anchor the pad...what a drag.
Other than that pads are only a good thing.

Sometimes the most simple solutions just work best

Miixxa Posted at 1-20 12:32
Why not just palm it? I've done it since day one and can honestly recommend it. It's not hard and probably the safest way to take off and land for the drone. Not that dangerous for your fingers either since those tiny motors and props have pretty much no inertia.

It's just my opinion, but I think lugging anything more than the flymore case with it contents is a hassle and eats away the portability of the drone... Like DB already stated, you don't really get other benefits using a pad with Mini, than the smooth landing surface.

I'm used to start the engines and make final check on the screen (GPS, HP, map ect.) so take-off from the pad (or fly more combo case) is more comfortable for me...

Miixxa Posted at 1-21 08:06
I do realize that they can do damage, and I'd never put my fingers near the props of let's say Air, Mavic Pro/2 or Phantom.
You can't really fudge it up with the mini though if you land it on your flat palm. I personally just grab it by the sides to be extra secure for the drone. I've had the props hit my fingers twice already cause of really hard gusts and didn't even leave a mark. My fingers poked right in the middle of the props stopping the blade dead and just swiweling away. Of course those paper blades are gonna slice you if you sloooowly push your wieners straight into the blade tips like in the videos on YT...

Why the spikes dont work? I find in the winter with wet floor spikes do work great.

InspektorGadjet Posted at 1-21 11:18
Why the spikes dont work? I find in the winter with wet floor spikes do work great.

Spikes don't tend to hold in slush or powder snow and are too hard to smash into ice. Of course they would work in firm frostsnow but haven't got that once this winter while flying...so I just started to hand launch and land and probably ain't never going back to the pad with Mini.

@virtual I usually just power on and place my Mini on the case to do it's thing while I fiddle with the RC and app. Usually when I get the RC running and connected to AC it has already found adequate satellites and ready to fly, if it's not I'll double check RTH settings etc. Then I'll just take off directly or pick it up and hand launch if the ground is too uneven for the case to be level..
The case is actually perfect for take offs, almost like they designed it to be...;) Landing on it though = bad idea.

Miixxa Posted at 1-21 11:32
Spikes don't tend to hold in slush or powder snow and are too hard to smash into ice. Of course theynwould work in firm frostsnow but have!ct got that once this winter while flying...so I just started to hand launch and land and probably ain't never going back to the pad with Mini.

@virtual I usually just power on and place my Mini on the case to do it's thing while I fiddle with the RC and app. Usually when I get the RC running and connected to AC it has already found adequate satellites and ready to fly, if it's not I'll double check RTH settings etc. Then I'll just take off directly or pick it up and hand launch if the ground is too uneven for the case to be level..

I suppose you are right, same will happen at the beach, too loose sand to hold spikes.
I do hand landing and launch every now and then but found the landing pad a must and easy for my environment. Considering you are in Finland maybe spring or summer will be better
Happy flying!

Miixxa Posted at 1-20 12:32
Why not just palm it? I've done it since day one and can honestly recommend it. It's not hard and probably the safest way to take off and land for the drone. Not that dangerous for your fingers either since those tiny motors and props have pretty much no inertia.

It's just my opinion, but I think lugging anything more than the flymore case with it contents is a hassle and eats away the portability of the drone... Like DB already stated, you don't really get other benefits using a pad with Mini, than the smooth landing surface.

Yup, palm it. Easiest way

I think the Mini should spot mine without too much trouble. Flat Hat

Well I like to calibrate everything before I fly ( compass / gyros / gimbal ) so it does take a few minutes sitting on the ground, meaning I need a clean place.

Yes indeed for the first time in years I can at last land on my hand with a big risk, which is a super nice thing if you are not in a moving vehicle ( boat, etc...)

But yes I intend to make lots of sailing videos and I was hoping for the Mini to recognize a specific shape or color as it does use ground viewing stabilisation indoor

Cheers

djiuser_bspCaGpYXt0P Posted at 1-22 04:40
Well I like to calibrate everything before I fly ( compass / gyros / gimbal ) so it does take a few minutes sitting on the ground, meaning I need a clean place.

Yes indeed for the first time in years I can at last land on my hand with a big risk, which is a super nice thing if you are not in a moving vehicle ( boat, etc...)

The bottom cameras aka optical flow sensors aren't good cameras and won't work well as a precision land sensors I guess. They're mainly there to recognise shapes ald textures to allow horizontal stability in non-gps environments. Many drones actually use the main camera for precision landings, and I guess that could be possible with the Mini also, but I'm pretty sure some other hardware or software limitations come into the play there...