Forgot to remove gimbal bracket

[Maddy]

Started my p4p and noticed that the gimbal bracket was still on, which I removed in a hurry! It's so easy to overlook and got me thinking how stupid I am and how not to forget again. Took care of that by affixing an annoyingly ugly red pocka doted ribbon to the thing. If I forget about it again, I shouldn't have a drone...

 

[WV. Rootman]

The older you get, the more you forget.

"If I forget about it again, I shouldn't have a drone..."
How about, "If I forget about it again, I'll quit getting older."

As you get older, you have to do those little extra things to remember. You are smart with the ribbon.

 

[rexster314]

I have a set list in my mind I go by, it's all by rote by now. Everything assuming all batteries are fresh.
Turn on R/C, turn on A/C, remove gimbal bracket. Wait for satellite lock, start up A/C, wait a few seconds, take off or start mission.
I turn on battery on A/C first because it takes a few seconds to boot up, and in the meantime, I'm snapping off the gimbal clamp.
BTW, I've broken 2 DJI clamps in the last several months, I bought a Polar Pro bracket for replacement and it's much sturdier, not made out of that cheap brittle plastic DJI uses

 

[Bad Andy]

Started my p4p and noticed that the gimbal bracket was still on, which I removed in a hurry! It's so easy to overlook and got me thinking how stupid I am and how not to forget again. Took care of that by affixing an annoyingly ugly red pocka doted ribbon to the thing. If I forget about it again, I shouldn't have a drone...

Those "remove before flight" ribbons are a wonderful thing, and not just for stuff that flies.

Motorcycle riders who use security locks on the brake rotors use them to avoid forgetting about the lock and bending a rotor.

 

[Nightwolf]

Motorcycle riders who use security locks on the brake rotors use them to avoid forgetting about the lock and bending a rotor.

I remember the famous "Turn the gas on dummy" Stickers everyone was sporting back in the day

 

[umanbean]

Started my p4p and noticed that the gimbal bracket was still on,

Don't fret it, likely most everyone here has done it at least once. After my third time I got a 'remove before flight' tag

 

[captainmilehigh]

My ‘CRS’ moment wasn’t the gimbal bracket. It was the dern micro SD card. Have it.....just forgot to install it. Nuts ! Get to fly back, land, shutdown, install the thing and restart. Oh what fun.

Eliminated that issue by including it in my preflight checklist.

The older I get, the smarter I was. [emoji12]

 

[umanbean]

It was the dern micro SD card

Done that one too, more than once

You're right!... a pre-flight checklist is the only way to go.

Did mine on ms-word and it went through some heavy revisions the first month or two... it's settled down now but still add something or make a change every now and again

 

[Bad Andy]

Make the checklist into the background image on your tablet.

 

[captainmilehigh]

Make the checklist into the background image on your tablet.

Yep, that’s an idea. Mine is on a laminated sheet in the drone case.

It’s amazing what you can forget sometimes. [emoji37]

 

[Maddy]

Make the checklist into the background image on your tablet.

Great idea!

 

[Technical Bob]

Make the checklist into the background image on your tablet.

I have done this, laminated, and on the side on my drone back pack, a few mates have extracted the urine about it, but it wasnt me who turned up to fly and had a 10 minute wait while his Mavic was updating etc lol

 

[dclifton]

When you try to take off and realize you forgot to install the props... then you might have a problem....

 

[Maddy]

When you try to take off and realize you forgot to install the props... then you might have a problem....

What the heck is wrong with this thing? Better get on the forum for some help... haha

 

[Jerry H]

What the heck is wrong with this thing? Better get on the forum for some help... haha

Even worse when you get to you're destination and realize you forgot the whole drone lol.
Love this forum guys. Especially the light hearted conversations like this one.

 

[hani7up]

Started my p4p and noticed that the gimbal bracket was still on, which I removed in a hurry! It's so easy to overlook and got me thinking how stupid I am and how not to forget again. Took care of that by affixing an annoyingly ugly red pocka doted ribbon to the thing. If I forget about it again, I shouldn't have a drone...

I also fear starting the phantom with it attached, so I tied up a lanyard holder which ended in an elastic band, which crossed on the top of the aircraft. It is so conspicuous there’s no way you can overse it.

 

[Dpanetta]

The DJI GO app goes through a lot of drone preflight checks before allowing the drone to fly. How hard could it be for the programmers to add in a manual preflight checklist that the operator would have to go through and check off the boxes each time the drone gets ready for flight? It could even include a manual checklist override for the operators that do not desire it. That would be one software upgrade that I would enjoy!

 

[planedr]

Even worse when you get to you're destination and realize you forgot the whole drone lol.
Love this forum guys. Especially the light hearted conversations like this one.

I didn't forget the drone, it was nice and secure in the case. It was the batteries and controller still plugged in to the charger..........sitting on the table at home..........75 miles away.

 

[Rudder Bug]

It happened twice to me. I now do that and can't forget to remove before flight!

 

[Russ43Phantom]

I tie a blue ribbon around the gimbal brace. Now I always remember. Is much like the suggestion above the tie a red shoe lace around the bracket.