Takeoff and landing on boat

MikeyOnline · May 11, 2016

OK, read the other threads I could find but not a whole lot on the details of what to expect, so I ask here. Might be going out on a friend's boat with a group and wanted some tips on launching/landing my P3P. I'm comfortable enough with hand launching/landing so no problem there. I suppose boating with a friend, he'd be more than willing to stop the boat for launch and landing but the position would change in between. I've read that the RTH point is updated every few seconds so if we stop, I take off, we move, and then stop somewhere else before landing... in the unlikely event that something goes wrong and RTH is triggered (or I have to trigger it), will it really return to the new location as long as we've been sitting there for a bit?

Also, if I want to hand launch from a moving boat, when I start to take off (holding it in my hand when I start the motors), are the motors going to be "fighting" my hand, trying to keep the P3P in one place while the boat is moving along? I also assume that when I first let it go, the P3P will sit in one place and the boat will continue along?

Just wondering what to expect.

Thanks,
Mike

msinger · May 11, 2016

MikeyOnline said:
I've read that the RTH point is updated every few seconds

The RTH point is never auto updated after takeoff. You can manually reset it to the Phantom's current location or to your current location (if you're mobile device has a GPS receiver). You'll have to continue to reset the home point as the boat moves.

Here are some other ideas that might work:

Set the home point to a location on land (if it's nearby).
In the "Main Controller Settings" --> "Advanced Settings" section of DJI GO, set "Remote Controller Signal Lost" to "Hover". That will make your Phantom hover at its current location if the remote controller signal is lost and it needs to RTH. Keep in mind that this setting will only be used if the remote controller signal is lost (not if you manually initiate RTH or Smart RTH kicks in).

MikeyOnline said:
if I want to hand launch from a moving boat, when I start to take off (holding it in my hand when I start the motors), are the motors going to be "fighting" my hand, trying to keep the P3P in one place while the boat is moving along? I also assume that when I first let it go, the P3P will sit in one place and the boat will continue along?

While you could hand launch from a moving boat, it would be much safer to launch while the boat is not moving. If you must launch while it's moving, make sure you face in the opposite direction the boat is moving, stand near the back of the boat, and take off at full throttle so your Phantom does not hit someone and/or the boat as it's hovering in the air after takeoff. Practice hand launching from land somewhere. Once you master that, do the same thing on the boat.

Meta4 · May 11, 2016

MikeyOnline said:
I've read that the RTH point is updated every few seconds so if we stop, I take off, we move, and then stop somewhere else before landing... in the unlikely event that something goes wrong and RTH is triggered (or I have to trigger it), will it really return to the new location as long as we've been sitting there for a bit?

Not quite ... The old P2V+ had Dynamic Homepoint which would update every 2 seconds as you moved.
BUT the P3 & P4 DO NOT have this feature.
Instead you can reset the home point to the current location of your controller whenever you feel that you've moved far enough.

MikeyOnline said:
Also, if I want to hand launch from a moving boat, when I start to take off (holding it in my hand when I start the motors), are the motors going to be "fighting" my hand, trying to keep the P3P in one place while the boat is moving along? I also assume that when I first let it go, the P3P will sit in one place and the boat will continue along?

Yes .. the Phantom will "lock on" to a GPS location and if the boat is moving, it will slip away from under the Phantom.

MikeyOnline · May 11, 2016

Thanks! Great info! One question since most likely, I'll take off while the boat is not moving, take some flying shots of us moving in the boat, and then stop the boat for landing... what is the procedure to reset the home point to the current controller position? Looked through the menus in the Go app and I must not be looking in the right place(s).

Mike

msinger · May 11, 2016

MikeyOnline said:
what is the procedure to reset the home point to the current controller position?

When the DJI GO app is connected to your Phantom, you'll see those options at the top of the "Main Controller Settings" section of the DJI GO app.

sonof40 · May 11, 2016

If moving during take-off use ATTI MODE.

tcope · May 11, 2016

sonof40 said:
If moving during take-off use ATTI MODE.

RTH in P-ATTI Mode

"Just to be clear. If the user has the craft in atti mode, RTH works just fine."

As mention in this thread and others, as long as the home point is locked, the P3 will RTH to that point no matter what mode it's in.

Timelinex · May 11, 2016

I just flew my drone for the second time off a small boat just this last weekend. As everyone else said, you have to have someone else there so they can hand catch it. Just take it slow and be careful. It is sometimes ALOT harder than it seems. It is usually more windy on water than on land. So when you combine

1. the drones natural amount of sway in positioning
2. 15+ mph wind
3. a rocking boat
4. the boat is moving in position from the rocking, since it is a small boat.

It can get very hard to lower it into another persons hands! Dont rush it. Keep it above the persons head and reach at all times until the exact second that you decide they are matched up and all the input you need is a little down. Never fly it horizontally into their hands.

Apilot101 · May 11, 2016

Meta4 said:
Not quite ... The old P2V+ had Dynamic Homepoint which would update every 2 seconds as you moved.
BUT the P3 & P4 DO NOT have this feature.
Instead you can reset the home point to the current location of your controller whenever you feel that you've moved far enough.

Yes .. the Phantom will "lock on" to a GPS location and if the boat is moving, it will slip away from under the Phantom.

Is it not true that Litchi is capable of dynamic homepoint?.........
Per Litchi

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