1st flight, 1st attempt, nailed it. Super simple recovery rig. Used 12 gauge speaker wire, soldered at both ends into loops, this keeps the thing from moving much as it's kind of stiff then just a simple painted metal coat hanger.  Recovery rig was 111g total weight.

Really cool... How long it took to hook that sucker up??? Is this on I81 South, WV?

dronist Posted at 2017-5-7 11:44
Really cool... How long it took to hook that sucker up??? Is this on I81 South, WV?

It took a little bit, we watched the winds for about two weeks, and we had a day with 0-2mph winds at 330feet, so we went for it.  

Didn't take long, I moved in slowly, and just took my time, I had practiced before hand on the ground in finding the best way to hook up. We had recon photos of it, it was in perfect position, upside down, and slightly tilted so the hanger would go under easily.

I got to the cross at about 85% battery, left it at about 70%.

Was a little issue with it not staying in place, I really think I should of turned off the downward sensors as I think they were not liking the white. But with patience I was able to get it into position. But it didn't like the edge of the cross. As it got over it, was reporting like 8.9feet and then would drift on me. So that's something I'm gonna have to test on like the edge of a roof to see if that's an issue. My advise for a future mission would to fly without the downward sensors on. Just turn them off.

This is on beltway 8 south, Sagemont Church in Houston. You can find info on the cross by googling for Sagemont church cross.

Yes, we had notified the Tower at Hobby airport as we were just in the edge of the 5 mile cicle. Just in case anyone was wondering. I had a team of about 5 experienced pilots with me. I've been flying RC for about 15 years. This is NOT something I'd recomend for rookies. We have a facebook group for Houston area fellas who like to fly together and do events. South Houston Multirotors on Facebook.

uavdoc Posted at 2017-5-7 11:57
It took a little bit, we watched the winds for about two weeks, and we had a day with 0-2mph winds at 330feet, so we went for it.  

Didn't take long, I moved in slowly, and just took my time, I had practiced before hand on the ground in finding the best way to hook up. We had recon photos of it, it was in perfect position, upside down, and slightly tilted so the hanger would go under easily.

Practice makes perfect... I passed by a white cross few weeks ago in WV and that is why I asked. I did not pay attention at the location in general but it was humongous like your Houston cross.

Yes downward sensors off would have helped but hey, you did it...

Fantastic flying

Reece1199 Posted at 2017-5-7 12:24
Fantastic flying

thanks! Was a challenge for sure!

uavdoc Posted at 2017-5-7 17:09
thanks! Was a challenge for sure!

Great job man! What was type the quad you rescued, a Phantom?

You should check out the Mantis Drone Recovery Claw, available in multiple sizes, obtainable on eBay or 3D print your own (model freely available on Thingiverse).  It would have made the recovery a lot simpler, you merely need to put the hook over the object and lower it.  It captures the object securely every time and grips more firmly as weight is applied.  Check out the video.

endotherm Posted at 2017-5-8 07:33
You should check out the Mantis Drone Recovery Claw, available in multiple sizes, obtainable on eBay or 3D print your own (model freely available on Thingiverse).  It would have made the recovery a lot simpler, you merely need to put the hook over the object and lower it.  It captures the object securely every time and grips more firmly as weight is applied.  Check out the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gJVcfd98bg

No doubt, that would be easier.

fans987d278a Posted at 2017-5-8 06:57
Great job man! What was type the quad you rescued, a Phantom?

It was a 200mm size race quad

That was pretty neat, I'm assuming that the quad was sitting on the cross as a test or was it actually a last minute "McGuyver" type rescue?

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2017-5-8 09:07
That was pretty neat, I'm assuming that the quad was sitting on the cross as a test or was it actually a last minute "McGuyver" type rescue?

I suspect it was an 'oopsie'.

Very nice. From the view, it looks like the cross is actually swaying back and forth. I found it somewhat funny that, on the way back, you took it right over a pond. LOL.

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2017-5-8 09:07
That was pretty neat, I'm assuming that the quad was sitting on the cross as a test or was it actually a last minute "McGuyver" type rescue?

The quad crashed up there 3 months ago. In my group, we took about 2 weeks planning this mission.

Blackbeagle Posted at 2017-5-8 13:23
Very nice. From the view, it looks like the cross is actually swaying back and forth. I found it somewhat funny that, on the way back, you took it right over a pond. LOL.

Yea lol, I thought a look down over the pond would add an "edgy" feel to it. haha

uavdoc Posted at 2017-5-8 15:29
Yea lol, I thought a look down over the pond would add an "edgy" feel to it. haha

That was pretty daring.  And awesome.  How in the heck did someone manage to get a quad stuck on top of a big cross??  Talk about a one in a million crash, lol.

uavdoc Posted at 2017-5-8 15:28
The quad crashed up there 3 months ago. In my group, we took about 2 weeks planning this mission.

Don't all those type of structures have an internal stairway for inspections/maintenance etc.?  It looks like there is some sort of hatch in the raised box structure.   Wouldn't it have been easier to find out who controls it and ask for access?

deplorable Posted at 2017-5-8 15:54
That was pretty daring.  And awesome.  How in the heck did someone manage to get a quad stuck on top of a big cross??  Talk about a one in a million crash, lol.

This is the video of his crash 3 months ago.

endotherm Posted at 2017-5-8 18:17
Don't all those type of structures have an internal stairway for inspections/maintenance etc.?  It looks like there is some sort of hatch in the raised box structure.   Wouldn't it have been easier to find out who controls it and ask for access?

He tried multiple times to do this. Problem is, you'd need someone qualified to climb it. 170 foot tall structure isn't just for anyone to climb up.

Also, not sure if it has stairs or if it's just a straight climbers ladder.

He did go to them and ask them about it, and multiple times they kind of said "yea we'll go look, nope didn't find anything" because he thought it was hollow and feel all the way down. Just a bunch of run around. See he didn't even know it was on the very top until a guy in my group spotted it a few weeks ago.

So instead of seeking out to risk someone's life climbing up the thing, we thought, we'd just rescue it and no risk to life or limb.  

I'm not your average rookie drone pilot I in fact started flying 15 years ago with RC helis 30-60 size. Those birds cost on the low end $1200-1500. So you spent 3 - 6 months learning how to fly properly. Nose in, smooth figure eights, and every other orientation you can think of. Seriously takes someone 3 - 6 months to learn how to fly RC helis under proper training. So I'm no rookie and I'm fully experienced in handling whatever comes my way in flight. (aka I don't panic in emergencies)  

I also had other experienced pilots near me, and other birds in the air watching the ground in our flight  path. We planned this flight over the course of a week. So this was no seat of the pants kind of thing. It was well planned and we waited just over a week for the perfect wind conditions. (2-3mph at 300ft)

Anyways, hope you enjoy the video!

KM5RG-Robert Posted at 2017-5-8 09:09
I suspect it was an 'oopsie'.

Oh no, we spent about a week planning this, and the same amount of time waiting for the perfect wind conditions. Including notifying the Tower of an airport 5 miles away.

I planned, built and tested several times my recovery rig just for this mission. Might of had a McGuyver feel to it, but what you don't see and I wish I had recorded was all the planning and testing that went into it before hand!

Hope you enjoy the video!

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2017-5-8 09:07
That was pretty neat, I'm assuming that the quad was sitting on the cross as a test or was it actually a last minute "McGuyver" type rescue?

I posted a video of how he lost it up there 3 months ago.

This was a well planned mission. We waited a week for perfect wind conditions, etc. A lot of planning and testing went into this. What you see in the video is what happened. First try, first battery, first flight we got it. Just good planning and well executed mission.

granted it has a McGuyver feel to it, i wish we recorded all the planning, building and testing that went on before hand. Hope you enjoy the video!

uavdoc Posted at 2017-5-9 21:47
Oh no, we spent about a week planning this, and the same amount of time waiting for the perfect wind conditions. Including notifying the Tower of an airport 5 miles away.

I planned, built and tested several times my recovery rig just for this mission. Might of had a McGuyver feel to it, but what you don't see and I wish I had recorded was all the planning and testing that went into it before hand!

I was referring to how the quad landed there, not the recovery operation. That was obviously planned.  
Although I wonder, did anyone consider just asking the church for permission to climb the ladder inside and retrieve it that way (I know, not as fun).  I assume however that y'all were trying to keep a low profile with the whole operation as you did not park in the parking lot of the church for the 'rescue'.

KM5RG-Robert Posted at 2017-5-10 05:44
I was referring to how the quad landed there, not the recovery operation. That was obviously planned.  
Although I wonder, did anyone consider just asking the church for permission to climb the ladder inside and retrieve it that way (I know, not as fun).  I assume however that y'all were trying to keep a low profile with the whole operation as you did not park in the parking lot of the church for the 'rescue'.

The liabilities alone would dictate having someone climb up there was not going to be possible. The church gave run around multiple times, he had talked with the church and they would tell him they went and looked but didn't see anything.  So figuring they didn't have anyone on staff qualified to climb it, that route just wasn't a possibility.  Most of the time climbers would have a considerable cost to hire a company to come out.

I'm not sure risking a human life to save a race quad would really be the logical way to go about it anyway. heh.