"Catching" a Phantom

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A question:
I am using a nomojello connector and a ND filter that really makes the GoPro drop below the landing skids. I know that some people have used either swim noodles or pipe insulation to raise up the Phantom and others have rigged up new legs. I'm trying to avoid adding more stuff to my Phantom (especially items that can get in the way of the shot).
It's easy for me to have a little system that raises up the skids on take off and leaves a little space for the hanging GoPro - kind of like a launch pad. But I'm not nearly a good enough pilot to land it in that situation. So what I'm wondering is if it will mess with the Phantom if I "catch" it. I've done this before when I got into a pickle. Basically I hover the phantom at about 6.5-7 feet and reach up to grab it and then kill the throttle. It seems to work fine but I'm worried about messing with the IMU and making it think that I've crashed.
Thoughts?
 
I've seen many video's of guys catching their Phantom's to land.
- in many ways it's safer than trying to land on the ground, where a tip-oer will trash the props.
(but catching by hand could potentially cause some injury!)
 
fourthline said:
A question:
I am using a nomojello connector and a ND filter that really makes the GoPro drop below the landing skids. I know that some people have used either swim noodles or pipe insulation to raise up the Phantom and others have rigged up new legs. I'm trying to avoid adding more stuff to my Phantom (especially items that can get in the way of the shot).
It's easy for me to have a little system that raises up the skids on take off and leaves a little space for the hanging GoPro - kind of like a launch pad. But I'm not nearly a good enough pilot to land it in that situation. So what I'm wondering is if it will mess with the Phantom if I "catch" it. I've done this before when I got into a pickle. Basically I hover the phantom at about 6.5-7 feet and reach up to grab it and then kill the throttle. It seems to work fine but I'm worried about messing with the IMU and making it think that I've crashed.
Thoughts?

Steps to do a Phantom landing catch:

1) Tie your TX with a cord around your neck (hands free ! this is the most important clue to get it)
2) Move your back against wind direction, descend phantom and hover in front up you, pointing nose also in same direction that wind (Suggested: ATTI mode)
3) Hold TX and throotle stick with your left hand (let TX rest / hang by the cord around your neck)
4) Catch Phantom from right leg while moving throotle stick full down. (here you'll see the importance of hang TX on your neck!).

NOTE: after catch just stay, no move wait at least 5 seconds and don't touch throotle to avoid restart.

I always perform a safe catch on landing. (more than 80 times, so i can say It works for me !)

Watch this video. Great performance to show how to catch it :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_cDUxKEMeM
 
I used to think it was dumb to catch it rather than land it. By always catching, you never develop the skills required to land it.

However... I flew a couple of places where a landing would be hard on the gear and would force it to land in gravel/dirt, so I started catching it in those situations, and it seems like a good idea in the long run. No more tip-overs on landing, and no props hitting anything.

There's a right time and place for either way.
 

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