Keep in mind guys the ONLY people that ask or wonder if they should hand catch are people new to this. I would think good advice would be to learn how to land properly in all conditions first then do it that way a couple hundred times before telling a newer guy to go ahead and grab a flying mix master with a bare hand because you have gotten away with it.
Catching your drone - is that a good idea?
- Thread starter zaphodbeeb
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I nearly always hand catch to avoid tip over and to avoid dirt, sand, grass... I will land on surfaces like asphalt when available.
I would take a different approach - more important to hand catch when you are learning, as long as you do it properly (fly it near you and above your head, walk over and just grab the sucker, turn props off). As your skills improve, then practice landing on some solid object. When I was learning, this was my approach and it worked for me....
Ever since I started flying I've always utilized hand catching.
It's very easy and doesn't seem dangerous unless its a windy day and you stand in the wrong place and wind brings the craft towards your body.
It's very easy and doesn't seem dangerous unless its a windy day and you stand in the wrong place and wind brings the craft towards your body.
My wife catches mine. I let it hover and she walks up to it and catches the landing legs. It is hovering higher than her head. She can just reach the legs. Done many times.
I agree with a bunch of others here. The P3A is my first Phantom and I read a lot here before it came. I landed the first couple of times without problems, but on one of my early flights it was really windy and I was afraid of a tip over on landing so I decided to try the techniques that had been well described here on hand catching. I've not landed a single time since then. I feel very safe with hand catching using proper techniques (as described above), and feel that my Phantom is much safer as well. I won't likely ever go back to landing. If I want to try to practice landing on a dime, I'll play with my Blade Nano for that. It can flip over and I don't care.
Chris
Chris
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i just started flying few weeks ago..
hand catch is totaly easy and safe... is a kind of thing that you have to work hard on the wrong way to get hurt with it...
hand catch is totaly easy and safe... is a kind of thing that you have to work hard on the wrong way to get hurt with it...
I resisted the idea of hand catching at first, but now it is my preferred approach; especially when the alternative is landing on sand.
This man wins the internet for getting his wife to hand catch it! My hat is off to you sir, we should all involve our wives more in our hobby haha
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I am with you. I come from nitro planes and heliicopters
It's not unsafe at all if are using stock plastic props. Worst case scenario is they amazingly hit you in the eye. If they hit your arm or flesh you will be fine, a few scratches but nothing too bad. Use CF Props and you are going to the hospital, remember to put your chopped digits on ice first 
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I would not try this. Make sure you have a level place to land it and have a soft hand when landing. IDK how you grab the drone with one hand while pulling down on the throttle with the other.
Doesn't make sense. The second the throttle is pulled down and it turns off it will go limp in the hand you're holding it in.
Doesn't make sense. The second the throttle is pulled down and it turns off it will go limp in the hand you're holding it in.
It's really very easy, it's best to have a lanyard from the tx around your neck while you hold down fully on the left stick, I do that with my left hand while my right hold the landing skid of the phantom. The blades just turn off and that's it. I only hand catch, along with many others and I'm sure that equates to millions of hand catches. The only ever video online I saw go bad was someone who didn't have a clue what he was doing, he had CF Props and there was a lot of blood, it was entertaining. Honestly, it's absolutely fine. I'm sure there are plenty of videos of how to do it.
How long are you flying phantoms? Maybe wait until you are a little more seasoned with them before you understand how easy and benficial it is to hand catch.
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So far I have not hand caught the P3, but might do so in an usual circumstance.
I hand caught my P1.1.1, but I find the P3 much easier to land reliably and accurately. With the new motors, props, and VPS, it's much more stable upon descent.
I hand caught my P1.1.1, but I find the P3 much easier to land reliably and accurately. With the new motors, props, and VPS, it's much more stable upon descent.
I am very rarely in a place to land it on the ground, it's just the places I shoot I guess so after these few years of flying I'd probably have a tip over if I were to try land on the ground. It's been a long long while, plus hand catching definitely gets the smiles from the girls
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