I'm normally quite happy to land my P4Adv myself, but am sometimes in quite irregular, back country, terrain, so interested in developing a hand catching routine. If you catch it though, while someone else is still on the controls, what is the AC going to do? what does the pilot need to do with the controls to keep it from reacting etc? I think some of you will know the answer so I don't have to experiment to find out...? THanks!
Catching a Phantom 4?
- Thread starter Phil Crossley
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Catching a Phantom is extremely easy due to the nice long landing skids.
There's no reason to have someone else at the controls. Fly it in yourself and catch it. If you do have someone else at the controls, just make sure they are careful and have good piloting skills.
Bring it in within a few feet of your position, off to one side and with the props slightly above your head. Then reach out and gently grab a skid. At that point just pull and hold the left stick full down until the motors stop.
Yes, it will speed up when caught by an observer. Just don’t let go until the pilot shuts down the motors. I hand catch by myself often. Once at the appropriate height, I fly to my open hand in reverse. This way the drone movements are identical to the right stick movements. Once in hand, left stick can throttle down to a stop. Even works from a moving boat. ? With practice.
Safest way to hand catch is to hover a few feet away just above eye level. Do not fly it into your hand. Walk up to it while hovering. Grab the right rear landing leg with your right hand and use your left hand to pull the left stick down until the motors stop. Do not move the aircraft until the motors stop or it will fight to maintain position.
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Do not pull the craft with your hand in neither direction as the Phantom will resist to change the position. So just grab the landing leg and be sure you will hold it tight when motors are stopping. Otherwise it can roll over into your forearm while props are still spinning and this is not a pleasant experience.
And catch the Phantom from aside, not from back or front. If you have sensors on it will try to avoid your hand.
Just do it once and you'll see how simple it is. However in spite of that I have few nice scars at my elbow due to not very successful catch.
And catch the Phantom from aside, not from back or front. If you have sensors on it will try to avoid your hand.
Just do it once and you'll see how simple it is. However in spite of that I have few nice scars at my elbow due to not very successful catch.
One other last thought - as you carefully reach in under the stationary hovering Phantom grip the leg with your thumb and forefinger up against the lower body. This is important because if you grasp the leg down at the skid end it provides too much leverage and it is possible to crack the leg. Keep the drone upright as you carry it to your case.
As others have said there is an element of risk when hand catching so look after your fingers! I recommend wearing a body harness to help you handle the RC.
All the best, Martin
As others have said there is an element of risk when hand catching so look after your fingers! I recommend wearing a body harness to help you handle the RC.
All the best, Martin
I hand catch mine P4A all the time. Process above always works. Just hold tight and don't try to pull it away from its hover point. Hold the left stick down until the props stop.
I agree with Andy. Whenever I land this way I make sure to grab the leg at the 90 degree point, never on the flat side. When de energized the drone will rotate and come down on your wrist otherwise.
Turn the drone 180 degrees and fly it "backwards" towards you so the obstacle sensors will not affect the flight. Use the left hand to bring the left stick back to shutoff while holding the landing gear of the P4.
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Catching the phantom 4 is easy but I do try to treat each catch as it's my first so I don't get lazy. Just before it's in range to catch I turn it so the controls work as normal. Then I bring it down just below a arm stretch then reach up and grab it. I don't lower with hand out just incase of a bounce. Grab and hold then with one hand on remote hold the down stick to stop props.
And like above yes grab at the 90 degree
And like above yes grab at the 90 degree
I’ve wondered about this myself since I land and take off a lot in dirt, due to the locations where I fly. I’ll definitely give this a try as even with a landing pad it blows a lot of dust.
I do have a follow-up question: how about holding it when starting the motors and taking off? It does sound more risky to me and I’m not sure how to start the props while holding it considering it requires both left & right knobs. However, it would ensure my lens doesn’t get so dusty from take off.
I do have a follow-up question: how about holding it when starting the motors and taking off? It does sound more risky to me and I’m not sure how to start the props while holding it considering it requires both left & right knobs. However, it would ensure my lens doesn’t get so dusty from take off.
I've never heard of anyone doing a "one person" hand release and take off. It would be difficult and dangerous. With 2 people it would be easy. Just have a second person hold the aircraft above eye level while you do a motor start and have them release as you take off.
I figured there wasn’t a safe way for one person to do it, but figured that I would ask in case somebody has some come up with something.
I have a hard bed cover on my truck and I was using that to take off and land with in dusty areas. It worked great, but I was getting obstacle avoidance alarms and compass errors, having to recalibrate and almost every take off.
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