With the mini 3 pro, I have come to like the hand catch. It means I don't need to worry about the uneven ground. It makes it quick and easy to get the drone up in the air, take a few shots and bring it down and move on. I have done this lots of times now successfully.

I have however had a couple of misses with the hand catch. Usually it comes down softly into the hand....but today it came down HARD, I missed it (the props hit my fingers) and it spun off into the bushes (thankfully I don't see any damage - took it up in the air again after this and all looks OK)...and I am trying to figure out what I did wrong.

Could it have been not enough contrast between my hand and the ground (though the drone did appear to recognize the hand)? It did happen twice at the same location (the first time it was windy so I thought it was that - today it wasn't). Any tips to avoid this? It has spooked me a little as I don't understand how this happened.

Dont land it on the palm of ya hand, use the pincer grip.

• Turn on sports mode to turn off OA
• Drop the drone a few feet above your head
• Stretch up under the drone so that it rises on its own, if it doesn't rise, repeat the arm stretch under the drone
• Once it rises then left stick down (or what ever stick you use for down)
• Catch it in a pincer
  

What you don't want to be doing is moving your hand around at all, your hand should not need to move in any way other than closing the pincer grip.
So make sure when doing step 3, don't move your hand once it rises, practise a good few times if you need to without actually catching in, follow all the steps except #5, also there are plenty of YT videos you can watch, but ignoring all of the palm versions. Ive have never used my palm for launch or catch, it just never seemed like a trust worth action what with wind or the balance of the drone being enough to make it fail.

get a launch pad and save the hand for the one or two times you really need it.  i don't believe the flat earth theories either but c'mon, the "uneven" ground, really?  

Thanks. Sport mode definitely makes it as easy as Mini 2.  Don't move it up or down until the propellers stop.

I prefer a hand landing since i dropped the Mini 2 off the side of the BBQ table, and puts dents in it. Much better to catch, when you are out in the rough.

One difference to Bashy, instead of turning on Sport mode, go into settings and turn OA off. MUCH MORE SAFE!!

The Saint Posted at 12-1 18:21
get a launch pad and save the hand for the one or two times you really need it.  i don't believe the flat earth theories either but c'mon, the "uneven" ground, really?

I have a launch pad which I originally baught for my air 2. I don't want to have to carry it. I don't want to have to waste time opening it putting it away. I usually launch off the top of my mini 3 case.

I am near the coast in Sydney, Australia at the moment. I am launching off rocks/grass, all sort of surfaces. I made the mistake of trying to land on the rocks and scraped my props. I won't be doing that again.

Bashy Posted at 12-1 18:04
Dont land it on the palm of ya hand, use the pincer grip.

OK, thanks very much for the response. I **thought** I was already doing this. The only think I am missing here is turning off the OA. That is so it doesn't move sideways due to object detection?

FlashNY Posted at 12-1 19:02
OK, thanks very much for the response. I **thought** I was already doing this. The only think I am missing here is turning off the OA. That is so it doesn't move sideways due to object detection?

It doesn't have side OA, but front to back. It can move suddenly.

We are sorry to read about the accident. How are your fingers now? Hope no injuries. Please note that it's not recommended to hand-catch the drone.  Please take off and land the drone on flat and open ground, and keep a certain distance from the drone to ensure your safety. Out of flight safety consideration, since the drone has a collision, we still recommend that you submit a case and send it back for further diagnosis. http://www.dji.com/support Should you have any further concerns, please feel free to contact us.

FlashNY Posted at 12-1 18:59
I have a launch pad which I originally baught for my air 2. I don't want to have to carry it. I don't want to have to waste time opening it putting it away. I usually launch off the top of my mini 3 case.

I am near the coast in Sydney, Australia at the moment. I am launching off rocks/grass, all sort of surfaces. I made the mistake of trying to land on the rocks and scraped my props. I won't be doing that again.

i got tired of it too until i found one of the sturdy flat panels that folds up into 4 tiny squares.  no need to bother with trying to twist and bend and store like traditional pads.  ok to hand launch but landing is risky and if you're on the coast, there's gotta be lots of wind.  it's just a matter to time before it happens, my friend.  the drone is not perfect, it goes awry and you don't want to be near it when it does.

The Saint Posted at 12-1 20:21
i got tired of it too until i found one of the sturdy flat panels that folds up into 4 tiny squares.  no need to bother with trying to twist and bend and store like traditional pads.  ok to hand launch but landing is risky and if you're on the coast, there's gotta be lots of wind.  it's just a matter to time before it happens, my friend.  the drone is not perfect, it goes awry and you don't want to be near it when it does.

Do you have a link to your one? I will take a look. Thanks!

FlashNY Posted at 12-1 20:22
Do you have a link to your one? I will take a look. Thanks!

https://www.amazon.com/STARTRC-U ... pters/dp/B08VJ3LPRC

fold it to any size but i've seen them small and some even tiny:  https://wholesalephoto.com/ultim ... r_spark_5282286.php

The Saint Posted at 12-1 18:21
get a launch pad and save the hand for the one or two times you really need it.  i don't believe the flat earth theories either but c'mon, the "uneven" ground, really?

Where I live, if you're off the pavement, there is pretty much NO even ground. It's rocky and dusty, and you're lucky if you find a horizontal patch more than a few feet in diameter. So, yeah, hand-landing is pretty much the only way to go. Sure, the pad would work sometimes as well, but for my taste, it's too much of a hassle.

1. Lower the drone to the height of your shoulder or just below it and hover, facing away from you.
2. Approach it  and slowly raise your extended hand under its belly
3. The drone would raise up
4. Keep pressing the left joystick down
5. Catch it as it lands on your palm.

The shoulder level is pretty important, IMHO, as it allows you to avoid the props and measure the distance correctly.

HTH

DJI Mindy Posted at 12-1 20:12
We are sorry to read about the accident. How are your fingers now? Hope no injuries. Please note that it's not recommended to hand-catch the drone.  Please take off and land the drone on flat and open ground, and keep a certain distance from the drone to ensure your safety. Out of flight safety consideration, since the drone has a collision, we still recommend that you submit a case and send it back for further diagnosis. http://www.dji.com/support Should you have any further concerns, please feel free to contact us.

I understand the DJI position 100%. It is a liability issue. If someone takes out an eye because they don't know how to hand catch properly and DJI advocates hand catch, DJI becomes liable.

I think it is an important skill though. Sometimes you will just need to do it as you don't have a good place to land. I prefer to be able to consistently get it right so that if I really am in a situation where this is the only option I don't get into trouble. I want to get to the point I am confident launching off a boat (or even something smaller).

I went out and did some tests and I didn't have a problem hand catching several times. It could have been the wind (Sydney is generally far windier that NY/cities I have visited in Europe/Thailand). It could have been I have been a bit blasé about it when I have been doing it. When I get home I need to practice more drills to figure out what I screwed up.

Perhaps the mini 3 is not the right drone for Sydney. I also am coming to appreciate the soft tips on the end of the props...

DarthSLR Posted at 12-1 21:15
1. Lower the drone to the height of your shoulder or just below it and hover, facing away from you.
2. Approach it  and slowly raise your extended hand under its belly
3. The drone would raise up

Thanks! I appreciate it. I tend to start with it low enough that it raises up like you are suggesting. I am wondering if that is better or whether I should start out high.

I suppose the palm catch is down to preference, not my cup of tea, i prefer to be able to grab the drone, less chance of tipping, plus,  on the palm there is no grabbing possible, the shoulder height is a bit scary, thats below the head and too close for my comfort, at least above the head your head is out of the way in case of gusts or rouge drone etc. Its down to what we've all gotten used to i suppose.

I will have to do a video, i have been meaning to add my own to the million other hand catch videos out there lol

DJI Mindy Posted at 12-1 20:12
We are sorry to read about the accident. How are your fingers now? Hope no injuries. Please note that it's not recommended to hand-catch the drone.  Please take off and land the drone on flat and open ground, and keep a certain distance from the drone to ensure your safety. Out of flight safety consideration, since the drone has a collision, we still recommend that you submit a case and send it back for further diagnosis. http://www.dji.com/support Should you have any further concerns, please feel free to contact us.

I may have misunderstood here. Are you suggesting sending it back even if it appears to be fully functional and working correctly?

FlashNY Posted at 12-1 22:00
I may have misunderstood here. Are you suggesting sending it back even if it appears to be fully functional and working correctly?

Thanks for your understanding. Due to the accident of the drone, in order to ensure flight performance and safety, it is recommended that you send the drone back for further testing in case of any potential problems. Please be aware of your safety while flying a drone.

DJI Mindy Posted at 12-1 22:29
Thanks for your understanding. Due to the accident of the drone, in order to ensure flight performance and safety, it is recommended that you send the drone back for further testing in case of any potential problems. Please be aware of your safety while flying a drone.

What would that cost though? Would sending it back just to check whether there is any damage take one of my DJI Care Refresh replacements? What testing on it would you actually do?
I think this is a bit of overkill.

FlashNY Posted at 12-1 22:34
What would that cost though? Would sending it back just to check whether there is any damage take one of my DJI Care Refresh replacements?

If theres no damage, then there is no need.
Check that the props are 100% ok, go over them carefully, if any are dodgy, replace them.
If it flies 100% as it should and the camera and gimbal is working 100% then no need to send it in

FlashNY Posted at 12-1 22:34
What would that cost though? Would sending it back just to check whether there is any damage take one of my DJI Care Refresh replacements? What testing on it would you actually do?
I think this is a bit of overkill.

Hope you understand that it is possible that some problems are not visible and may crop up on subsequent use. So in order to ensure your flight safety, we suggest you send it back for testing. After sending it back for diagnosis, our repair center will do a comprehensive inspection. If the drone is under warranty, the inspection is free of charge. If there is no issue with the drone, we will send it back to you. If you do not want to send it back, we will respect your decision. Thanks for your understanding.

FlashNY, never ever try to hand catch or even land with OA on, it's a recipe for disaster.
I do not have a Mini 3 but with my M2P/Z I seem to remember DJI switch OA off when the drone is in automated landing, if so DJI do that for a reason. I probably hand catch them more frequently than I land them on the ground.
My M2 would certainly register my body if OA were on and I was trying to hand catch it from the rear or front.
As I said I do not have a mini 3 so I can't say whether a cupped hand is safe with it but with my Mini 1 & 2 and the M2P/Z my fingers cup the drone, that way it can't slip off my hand.

if you are into gimmicks, here's another option:  https://www.ebay.com/itm/144595573912

By far the safest and easiest way to hand recover these, just like the Mavic 1 and 2s is to hover it in front of you and reach underneath it (avoiding the OA which cant be disabled) with a thumb and 2 fingers then roll it to stop the motors.

Trying to get it to land on a hand is a bad idea - you now have a drone, physically descending towards your body as opposed to stationary.

^rolling a drone to shut to down, really?

The Saint Posted at 12-5 15:21
^rolling a drone to shut to down, really?

It does work ....most of the time but I have had it not work............. that said I wouldn't use it as a routine method of stopping the motors. Personally I think it probably stresses stuff too much. Better to simply hold the drone still and the throttle closed.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 12-5 16:04
It does work ....most of the time but I have had it not work............. that said I wouldn't use it as a routine method of stopping the motors. Personally I think it probably stresses stuff too much. Better to simply hold the drone still and the throttle closed.

yeah i've seen it work but every time i see someone doing it, it's on youtube and it's so they can show off.  not once in any demonstration or documentation that i've seen has dji recommended doing this, im not sure why people think it is good idea?  what happens if the motors don't stop, do you try it again until it does?  it reminds me of people who shut off their car engine while moving and let their car coast for another 50 feet into a parking spot because they think it looks cool.  i guess if you are hand landing routinely and you don't have to, i guess it's all part of the shtick.
the avata winds up pretty high the noise is peak when you "roll it" so i guess if you cant get it to go that fast with the mc, you might at least get to enjoy that sound at the end of your flight.  

The Saint Posted at 12-5 16:50
yeah i've seen it work but every time i see someone doing it, it's on youtube and it's so they can show off.  not once in any demonstration or documentation that i've seen has dji recommended doing this, im not sure why people think it is good idea?  what happens if the motors don't stop, do you try it again until it does?  it reminds me of people who shut off their car engine while moving and let their car coast for another 50 feet into a parking spot because they think it looks cool.  i guess if you are hand landing routinely and you don't have to, i guess it's all part of the shtick.
the avata winds up pretty high the noise is peak when you "roll it" so i guess if you cant get it to go that fast with the mc, you might at least get to enjoy that sound at the end of your flight.

I've only done it once for real, a dog was trying to get my M2P and I didn't want the drone or the dog's mouth shredded, I had run out of battery waiting for the owners' to get the dog under control. I grabbed the drone and whipped it behind my back, fortunately the motors stopped lol.

I agree, i have not once tried this for the same reasons, the stress on the airframe, not to mention if it does not shut down, this could lead to pilot anxiety and in turn a mistake and then a wee ouchy, its not worth it.

Just be mindful in whichever way you decide, no one way is 100% foolproof, 1st and foremost, get into the habit where the drone is the furthest away from you and above the head, that way, if something does go wrong, you have some leeway and hopefully time to react.

OT, what muppet would coast their car with the engine off to look cool, they must be cuckoo, considering there's little to zero braking as most are either electronic or vacuum lol

Bashy Posted at 12-5 18:50
I agree, i have not once tried this for the same reasons, the stress on the airframe, not to mention if it does not shut down, this could lead to pilot anxiety and in turn a mistake and then a wee ouchy, its not worth it.

Just be mindful in whichever way you decide, no one way is 100% foolproof, 1st and foremost, get into the habit where the drone is the furthest away from you and above the head, that way, if something does go wrong, you have some leeway and hopefully time to react.

im thinking mostly manual shift cars and motorcycles (i have a motorcycle).  and a decades or so ago when you wouldn't lose all control of a car that shut off; i dunno if they still do this now.  lol

You dont lose control, its a large decrease in breaking, I too have had a few motorbikes in my time and yep, you don't lose breaking efficiency as those brakes are gravity fed I never did kill the ignition though, i kept the sound going a while after i had stopped lol, especially on my GSXR, ah, those were the days