Phantom 4 hand catch problem

BayouBill · Oct 29, 2016

This is ridiculous.. Hand catching has issues with motors not shutting down and slicing flesh unless you hold it just right. And landing on the ground also is a problem even if you use the recommended method of holding down the throttle for 3+ seconds. If the landing surface is not very level or if a puff of wind hits the bird just before touchdown it will tip over and do damage. I just ordered a new shell for my P3P because a tip-over caused a cracked upper shell. This was not a crash, just a tip-over and apparently the torque of the prop hitting the ground was enough to crack the shell. At least it didn't burn up a motor.

Great flying camera platform but impossible to land.

Mark The Droner · Oct 30, 2016

There are lots of aftermarket landing gear options if you aren't happy with stock:

phantom landing gear - Google Search

AWD · Oct 30, 2016

I will admit that my first hand catch had me pretty keyed up but now that I've done several, I find it is my preferred method to finish the flight.

Hand catch in right hand, shut down with left thumb on the stick for three seconds. No movement of the bird until rotors are completely stopped.

AD

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

Adam Morrison · Oct 30, 2016

BayouBill said:
This is ridiculous.. Hand catching has issues with motors not shutting down and slicing flesh unless you hold it just right. And landing on the ground also is a problem even if you use the recommended method of holding down the throttle for 3+ seconds. If the landing surface is not very level or if a puff of wind hits the bird just before touchdown it will tip over and do damage. I just ordered a new shell for my P3P because a tip-over caused a cracked upper shell. This was not a crash, just a tip-over and apparently the torque of the prop hitting the ground was enough to crack the shell. At least it didn't burn up a motor.

Great flying camera platform but impossible to land.

You might consider WaterStrider...easy to land on virtually any surface--including water.

Whitwellian · Oct 30, 2016

I've only had my Phantom 4 since early summer and only try to land on a solid surface that is smooth and flat, otherwise she'll tip over - fortunately in my case with no visible damage to the props.

Because of that, I now tend to bring her down to just above head height and let her hover and stabilise, before approaching her from behind, grasping a rear upright on the landing gear with my right hand and then shutting down by bringing the left stick backwards for 3 seconds.

Main thing to remember seems to be that your hand movement should not move her in any way to make the internal stabilisation think that there is a side wind or updraft that's causing movement and needs correction.

Whitwellian · Oct 30, 2016

Mark The Droner said:
Jump to 7:35 if you're short on time:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

You also might take a look at this - a drone attorney who advises that hand catches are prohibited under FAR Part 101 (scroll down about two thirds):

Model Aircraft Operations

Is there a problem with that link to "dronelawjournal" as it appears to bring up a "fatal error"?

Mark The Droner · Oct 30, 2016

Yes, the site seems to have been down since at least Friday. I don't know why. But fortunately we have google cache.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...ircraft-operations/+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Falcon4420 · Oct 30, 2016

Sorry guys, but hand catching might have a high cool factor and chicks might dig it...however, in my opinion it's poor airmanship and risky to the pilot.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

FlashBuddy · Oct 30, 2016

Adam Morrison said:
You might consider WaterStrider...easy to land on virtually any surface--including water.
View attachment 67926

Great product. Waaaay over priced.

NoCo Drones

dgd3 · Oct 31, 2016

Propguards propguards propguards.
I don't know why so many people fly without them. They're the first thing I put on when I get a phantom.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

dwfieldjr · Oct 31, 2016

How far up your arm is the cuts? I wonder if a pair of gauntlet gloves and something to shield your face would be good tools to have at hand when flying...

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

dwfieldjr · Oct 31, 2016

dgd3 said:
Propguards propguards propguards.
I don't know why so many people fly without them. They're the first thing I put on when I get a phantom.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

The phantom 4s come with them? Will prop guards minimize the harm to someone else as well?

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Patrick · Oct 31, 2016

Falcon4420 said:
Sorry guys, but hand catching might have a high cool factor and chicks might dig it...however, in my opinion it's poor airmanship and risky to the pilot.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

there's pragmatic reasons to hand catch. in my case , my most common launch point has lots of loose dirt/dust, i've never actually landed my P4, always hand catch, just reached my 250th flight/ 50+ hours on P4 the other day, it just requires a touch of caution not to put your hand in the blades, but there's a fool proof way. when catching i hover above my head where i can still grab it, cup my hand around the vertical side of the landing gear, but don't touch it. then just descend, having your hand in a fist physically prevents the blades from getting your fingers and the bird from drooping after the motors are off.

dwfieldjr · Oct 31, 2016

dgd3 said:
Propguards propguards propguards.
I don't know why so many people fly without them. They're the first thing I put on when I get a phantom.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

What happens if it turn upside down?

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Patrick · Oct 31, 2016

dgd3 said:
Propguards propguards propguards.
I don't know why so many people fly without them. They're the first thing I put on when I get a phantom.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

prop guards act like huge wind sails. i had guards on my p2v+ , i took them off one day for testing and never put them back on, would NEVER fly with prop guards, they effect the performance too much. i couldnt believe how much better it flew without them!

dgd3 · Oct 31, 2016

dwfieldjr said:
The phantom 4s come with them? Will prop guards minimize the harm to someone else as well?

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Prop guards are about $25 from DJI. They come with longer bolts. You need the precise wrench to install them. Keep the short bolts so if you take the guards off you have the right bolts to put back in. The longer bolts that come with the prop guards will bust the motors if you use them without the prop guards.
If too technical for you get the dealer to install them. They are worth it. DJI should have put them as standard with optional removal.

Patrick · Oct 31, 2016

dgd3 said:
Prop guards are about $25 from DJI. They come with longer bolts. You need the precise wrench to install them. Keep the short bolts so if you take the guards off you have the right bolts to put back in. The longer bolts that come with the prop guards will bust the motors if you use them without the prop guards.
If too technical for you get the dealer to install them. They are worth it. DJI should have put them as standard with optional removal.

With P4 prop guards also disable Object avoidance....

John Locke · Oct 31, 2016

dgd3 said:
Prop guards are about $25 from DJI. They come with longer bolts. You need the precise wrench to install them. Keep the short bolts so if you take the guards off you have the right bolts to put back in. The longer bolts that come with the prop guards will bust the motors if you use them without the prop guards.
If too technical for you get the dealer to install them. They are worth it. DJI should have put them as standard with optional removal.

P4s don't need screws, the DJI prop guards clip on and off. Much nicer than P3.

dgd3 · Oct 31, 2016

Patrick said:
prop guards act like huge wind sails. i had guards on my p2v+ , i took them off one day for testing and never put them back on, would NEVER fly with prop guards, they effect the performance too much. i couldnt believe how much better it flew without them!

I strongly disagree!
Both my P2V+ have no no noticeable flight performance issues. Photographically the prop guards show in "some" high velocity footage but so would props. The protection and flight general continuation after side impact is well worth any other problems I might consider.
But that's just me.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots