Land... in your hand.

UAVenthusiast · Oct 8, 2015

User Name said:
Risk vs. reward, as simple as that. There is literally no flat, unobstructed ground where I was flying, and I think the location was worth the minimal risk:

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This is one of the main locations I wanted a Solo to capture, I've hiked it countless times and always see birds flying around and think "man, the view they have must be soooo nice!".

Nice footage! Yes, as long as we take precautions it's great info. Maybe an idiot/PG warning to keep the move off the news, etc....

There are certainly times this technique is useful and also a viable option, even perhaps safely practiced to save injury to an errant dog, loss of quad, etc...

Thanks again for the post and video!

Maddog · Oct 8, 2015

User Name said:
Risk vs. reward, as simple as that. There is literally no flat, unobstructed ground where I was flying, and I think the location was worth the minimal risk:

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This is one of the main locations I wanted a Solo to capture, I've hiked it countless times and always see birds flying around and think "man, the view they have must be soooo nice!".

I agree- no guts, no glory!

Maddog · Oct 8, 2015

I suppose if the terrain dictated, you could do a "hand take-off", no?

Timmytimetravel · Oct 8, 2015

Well I just tried the throttle down catch landing. 1st try, turned off quicker than I expected without drama.
2nd try for some reason it decided to fight me. It spooled up it rotors and tried to leave my grip. I held on. Throttle climbed, I held on. I tried multiple throttle downs, no diff.
I then knelt whilst holding on, put controller on the ground, hit the three button ab pause whilst holding it with my other hand. Phew. Ok.

I guess so long as it does not think you are a gust of wind in that 1.5 second throttle down, your ok.

Timmytimetravel · Oct 8, 2015

Maddog said:
I suppose if the terrain dictated, you could do a "hand take-off", no?

If you found a way to hold it completely level or took off in alt hold? I think the checks prevent you. Needs a boat mode.

I've not tried a Lilly launch.

I don't think even taking off in full manual gets around the level check

Maddog · Oct 8, 2015

Timmytimetravel said:
If you found a way to hold it completely level or took off in alt hold? I think the checks prevent you. Needs a boat mode.

I've not tried a Lilly launch.

I don't think even taking off in full manual gets around the level check

Good points- I don't think I'm going to try it any time soon..

rhpdaddy · Oct 8, 2015

Timmytimetravel said:
Have you tried that on a catch landing?

No, and the more I think about it, for the solo in that situation, left stick straight down is probably a better idea.

Jubalr · Oct 8, 2015

Solo doesn't care how high it hovers. Unless you are trying to land on the side of a cliff, why not just bring it to a hover just a few inches off the ground and use the kill sequence?

User Name · Oct 8, 2015

Timmytimetravel said:
2nd try for some reason it decided to fight me. It spooled up it rotors and tried to leave my grip.

Did you pull down on it when you grabbed it? If so, it would spool up to try to maintain it's altitude. When I did it, I tried not to move it in any way, as soon as I gripped around the sides, I did throttle down and kept holding it at the same height.

And yes, if it was windy, this would be a lot more precarious and it'd probably be best to use some other method. When I did it, there was no wind and it was how rock solid it's hover was that prompted me to try it.

Rich · Oct 8, 2015

Instead of throttle down, try throttle down and full left to kill.

I don't know if it will work if the Solo still thinks it is flying.

Rich · Oct 8, 2015

User Name said:
That's how I disarm my other quad (pixhawk FC), but the Solo has always disarmed just by holding down once it's on the ground... or in my hand.

Yes! If it thanks it has landed, down only will disarm, but I think down and to the full left is a more specific command to disarm.

Solo58216 · Oct 8, 2015

Two thoughts
1 A leather glove may cut down on risk
2 You need to keep the controller out of the prop wash.

pyrate · Oct 8, 2015

z-axis said:
No need for buttons to disarm.Use your left thumb to do throttle down and to left, it disarms that way anytime you do it. Right hand can be free for whatever.

so you are saying if I dont think about it, and i want to descend while rotating left it will kill my motors?

Rich · Oct 8, 2015

No, this is a Full down, and Full left stick command, after the Solo is landed. I don't know what it will do if you have it in your hand. If someone can test this, it would be a great help.

I suppose one could test it without props on to see how it works.

Maddog · Oct 8, 2015

pyrate said:
so you are saying if I dont think about it, and i want to descend while rotating left it will kill my motors?

Good point- I hadn't thought of that. Does Solo somehow know when it has landed? When I land I just hold throttle straight back (not to left) and the motors stop. Didn't know about back & left.

Maddog · Oct 8, 2015

Rich said:
No, this is a Full down, and Full left stick command, after the Solo is landed. I don't know what it will do if you have it in your hand. If someone can test this, it would be a great help.

I suppose one could test it without props on to see how it works.

Will running motors without props attached damage anything?

Timmytimetravel · Oct 8, 2015

User Name said:
Did you pull down on it when you grabbed it? If so, it would spool up to try to maintain it's altitude. When I did it, I tried not to move it in any way, as soon as I gripped around the sides, I did throttle down and kept holding it at the same height.

And yes, if it was windy, this would be a lot more precarious and it'd probably be best to use some other method. When I did it, there was no wind and it was how rock solid it's hover was that prompted me to try it.

That is what I'm assuming happened. I should have maybe flown lower before grabbing 2nd time. Worked first time.
How does it know at 5ft holding down the left stick was to cutoff and not just me descending? It moving down but not getting anywhere 'ala ground'?

Walter · Oct 8, 2015

After your feedback I can absolutely see how you would want to fly and land in some pretty scary places. The images can be breathtaking. I guess I'm going to have to start practicing "The Solo Catch". You guys have made me a believer. However, like you guys, I'm going to keep my catching to a minimum. Thanks.

GoodnNuff · Oct 8, 2015

The Phantom hand catchers recommend bringing the drone down to a hover at slightly above shoulder height several feet away, then walk up to it, grab a leg and then shut the motors down.

I use UAVbits.com landing pad attached to my tripod - gives me a level launch/landing platform regardless of the terrain. As a micro-vascular surgeon and a concert pianist, I can't risk harming my hands.

Ok, I can't play the piano, I'm not a MD, but I am a chicken when it comes to pain...

User Name · Oct 8, 2015

GoodnNuff said:
The Phantom hand catchers recommend bringing the drone down to a hover at slightly above shoulder height several feet away, then walk up to it, grab a leg and then shut the motors down.

I considered grabbing a leg, but it would be much easier for the Solo to torque over and potentially do a job on me. The design of the body makes it easy to grab right in the middle, the Phantom isn't quite as facilitating.