I damaged my props trying to land though an open window.

Is it less risky to stick your hand out the window to hand catch it?

Really? More risky for what? Your hand or your drone?

Depends on how big the window is.  I have flown my Mini through a radio tower with an opening about the size of a window (I was doing a photo inspection of the tower and antennas).  I can tell you that I was REALLY being careful!
Either should work, but either has some risk involved.  Any wind could be a real problem!  If you hand catch it, I would recommend having the drone facing you, and grab it from underneath in front so that the downward sensors don't sense your hand and climb away from you.  That way you can grab it in hover rather than having to initiate a landing and hoping you catch it.  I would practice hand catch out in the open so that you are comfortable with the procedure before trying it in close quarters.

Here you go:

K6CCC Posted at 12-16 19:59
Depends on how big the window is.  I have flown my Mini through a radio tower with an opening about the size of a window (I was doing a photo inspection of the tower and antennas).  I can tell you that I was REALLY being careful!
Either should work, but either has some risk involved.  Any wind could be a real problem!  If you hand catch it, I would recommend having the drone facing you, and grab it from underneath in front so that the downward sensors don't sense your hand and climb away from you.  That way you can grab it in hover rather than having to initiate a landing and hoping you catch it.  I would practice hand catch out in the open so that you are comfortable with the procedure before trying it in close quarters.

Well thought out strategy!  I didn't realize the sensors weren't centered until you pointed it out.  I'll need to practice the hover and grab technique outdoors before I try it  through a window.

GaryDoug Posted at 12-16 20:10
Here you go:

[view_image]

Lol, I'd need to feed my Mini donuts for a month to need that thing....  I was thinking more along the lines of a wooden pizza oven paddle.

Hello there trader6777. Thank you for reaching out and for these information you have given. I hope that you will get the best recommendation from our fellow DJI co pilots on there strategy in doin this landing process. Thank you and fly and land safe always.

I can imagine that in such a situation you get a little tense or slightly nervous because you are afraid beforehand that something could go wrong. And it is precisely this nervousness that ultimately leads to something really happening. Otherwise it's just a completely normal flight maneuver. I would just fly in and out with propguards a couple of times. And it shouldn't be very windy.

You might need to be careful of the window ledge - When I approach from the ground side and fly over the edge of a roof the mini tends to "pop up" a bit when it senses the roof.

fanse39fc2b6 Posted at 12-17 11:03
You might need to be careful of the window ledge - When I approach from the ground side and fly over the edge of a roof the mini tends to "pop up" a bit when it senses the roof.

Yes, but only if you fly too slow and near the ledge the vps sensor reacts. Then the Mini "jumps" about 1 feet. Simply fly in the middle of the windows.

trader6777 Posted at 12-16 20:42
Well thought out strategy!  I didn't realize the sensors weren't centered until you pointed it out.  I'll need to practice the hover and grab technique outdoors before I try it  through a window.

Yea, you want to get practiced at hand landings and take offs out in the open BEFORE trying it reaching out a window.

GaryDoug Posted at 12-16 20:10
Here you go:

[view_image]

This is actually pretty good idea, practiced by some pilots filming rough sea boating. Net catch is safe and very sufficient.

Abandon this idea as risky for no reason. Get dressed, use the stairs or elevator to go outside and fly your toy out there. Gee ...

My advice wouldn't add much except to say, do it at your own risk. what I do to hand catch is let it hover above my hand then throttle down and let it land on my hand.

I do that maneuver with the Mini 2 lots of times, but only have done it once with the Mini.
If properly done there is no risk and the flight will go smoothly. You have to practice a lot of landings and takeoffs before you do it.

My apartment is on the second floor. Normal size window (1,20 meters). The procedures are the following:
Before take-off:
   1- Assure that you have a small furniture free corridor towards the window to fly the Mini;
   2- Assure that the window is open;
   3- Check downstairs that you have some place without people or cars to hoover the drone after leaving the apartment.
To take-off you should:
    1- Take-off from the floor of the apartment without GPS signal;
    2- Level the drone one palm higher than the balcony that supports the window. The drone should be facing the window to the outside;
    3- Carefully fly the drone throw the corridor and stop close but before the balcony (never stop in the vertical alignment of the balcony);
    4- Check the height (1 palm higher than the balcony);
    5- Look downstairs and check that no person is on the sidewalk;
    6- Accelerate until the drone is off the window (maintain the same altitude);
    7- Fly to a position were you can hoover and the drone does not represent a threat to anyone.
    8- This is very important: Hoover in the same position until the home point has been updated. Check it on the map.
         If you have some connection problem the RTH will take the Mini to the hoovering position that you are maintaining now. That's why maintaining the altitude is important.
  
To land:
    1- Return to the hoovering position so that you get there and have a minimum of 8 minutes of flight time (to assure the maneuver can be done calmly and with no stress);
    2- Check that no person is on the sidewalk;
    3- Check that the window is open;
    4- Fly the Mini towards the window and stop closely to the balcony, with the Mini facing you;
    5- Gently align the Mini with the window (1 palm above the balcony and centered with the middle of the window ) and the corridor;
    6- Press the forward joystick until the Mini is inside;
         Very important: never stop in the vertical alignment of the balcony to avoid the sensors detect it as an "obstacle";
     7- Fly the Mini to the landing area on the floor of the apartment and land it.
          You can also land it on your hand, but lower the altitude to avoid ceiling crashes.

Last, my advice is never launch the Mini from your hand out of the window and never catch it in the same way.
I did it with the Mini and it did drift a lot (due to poor GPS satellite geometry)  so I had to correct the flight to avoid a collision with the wall nearby the balcony. It is a not safe maneuver.

Before you try it through a window and from inside an apartment, test it before on an open field and above a small height wall to check the behaviour of the Mini.
Have safe flights and do it at you own risk!

Cients Posted at 12-21 17:28
I do that maneuver with the Mini 2 lots of times, but only have done it once with the Mini.
If properly done there is no risk and the flight will go smoothly. You have to practice a lot of landings and takeoffs before you do it.

Thanks for the step by step instructions.  Please clarify 2 things:
Why fly through the window at a palm (3 inches) above the bottom, instead of being centered? I'd imagine the closer to the bottom, the faster the sensors will trigger.
What mode do you use to fly though? (cine, normal or sport).  Flying faster gives the sensors less time to detect the window bottom, but also less reaction time if off centered.

I'm thinking the best way to line the drone up for a fly though is tape on 4 sides of the window, to get it vertically and horizontally centered, before going through.

trader6777 Posted at 12-26 20:06
Thanks for the step by step instructions.  Please clarify 2 things:
Why fly through the window at a palm (3 inches) above the bottom, instead of being centered? I'd imagine the closer to the bottom, the faster the sensors will trigger.
What mode do you use to fly though? (cine, normal or sport).  Flying faster gives the sensors less time to detect the window bottom, but also less reaction time if off centered.

Merry Christmas trader6777!

My answers in-line:

Why fly through the window at a palm (3 inches) above the bottom, instead of being centered? I'd imagine the closer to the bottom, the faster the sensors will trigger.

From my experience, if you fly indoors above furniture, tables, sofas, with a relative slow speed, the Mini 2 won't detect them as obstacles. The same for the window. The reason for not centering in the altitude factor is because the sensitivity of the up-down controls are much higher if you need to go up instead of going down with a drone. It ascends faster than descending.
Another reason is that even if the sensors "sense" the bottom part of the window it has space to ascend and do not crash with the upper part.
So, the reason is safety.

What mode do you use to fly though? (cine, normal or sport).  Flying faster gives the sensors less time to detect the window bottom, but also less reaction time if off centered.
I use always the normal mode. You don't need to fly very fast. as I told you, keep a steady speed but don't stop in the alignment of the window.
Train the manoeuvre above a wall outside your home and you will get the feeling.
The only concern is never stop in the alignment of the window. Move the Mini 2 outside or inside.

In the first try, don't change the altitude. Just fly it outwards and after you acquire the home point bring it inwards.
I will try to send you a video today, OK?

Cients Posted at 12-27 03:45
Merry Christmas trader6777!

My answers in-line:

Thanks, I'd love see a demonstration.

trader6777 Posted at 12-27 06:15
Thanks, I'd love see a demonstration.

Dear trader6777,

Please check the video on the following link:



The video maintains the same speed as acquired, nothing was changed, only added some text. It is not fancy but only to demonstrate the practical part of the manoeuvre.
As told before, never stop in the alignment of the window.
Press forward stick and only stop pressing after the Mini 2 is outside or inside.

Have excellent flights and tell me news!

Cients Posted at 12-27 09:26
Dear trader6777,

Please check the video on the following link:

Thanks for sharing! Glad to see the bottom sensor didn't push it up.  I plan to put a thin strip of yellow tape at the bottom of the window to give me more confidence that the drone is centered before I go through.

trader6777 Posted at 12-27 09:49
Thanks for sharing! Glad to see the bottom sensor didn't push it up.  I plan to put a thin strip of yellow tape at the bottom of the window to give me more confidence that the drone is centered before I go through.

Good idea.
Check the space from the propellers to the windows, either left or right to avoid collision.
Have safe flights!

"After flying return to homepoint" ... but don't press RTH ! Another option is to tape the VPS sensor or, if you own the litchi app, switch off landing protection. But with such a large window as in the video, that shouldn't be a problem either way. And/or mount propguards first or even better fly through opened windows at the car to get a feeling for it. Not as dangerous as flying in and out of the apartment for the first time.

jonny007 Posted at 12-27 11:32
"After flying return to homepoint" ... but don't press RTH !  Another option is to tape the VPS sensor or, if you own the litchi app, switch off landing protection. But with such a large window as in the video, that shouldn't be a problem either way. And/or mount propguards first or even better fly through opened windows at the car to get a feeling for it. Not as dangerous as flying in and out of the apartment for the first time.

Okaaaaaay, but while the drone is inside, it most likely will have insufficient GPS info to assist in hovering. If you now also tape the downward looking sensors, prepare for some wild drifting that you'll need to compensate for manually...better get all the Ming dynasty vases out of the room first :-)

HB