How do you descend?

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If you wanted to, can you descend with left stick all the way down? I don't think it's possible for the motors to shut off as long as it's still descending? I ask because I hand-catch a lot and use throttle down for 3 seconds to shut off motors. Is there literally NO WAY for this to happen in mid flight?
 
When holding the left stick in the full down position, the motors will only shut down after your Phantom lands. Only a CSC will kill the motors mid-flight.
 
Left stick down to decend.
Motors will shut down mid air if you toggle bother left and right stick down and inward or down and outward at the same time.


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Relax, its a pretty smart setup. During descent (left stick full down), the P3 will continue to descend all the way to the ground or your hand. Once its been at a stable altitude and at that altitude for 3.0 seconds, the motors will shut off. I use full down on left stick on my descents every time and I hand catch 50% of the time, depending on the landing surface. I've never had a worry for a second about this and neither should you. Just don't do a CSC. This will cut power to motors 100% of the time at ANY altitude. I'm sure you already knew that but there might be others reading this too, might save someone a crash. And a CSC (Combination stick command) is specifically both left and right stick to center full down.

EDIT: CSC is a combination stick command and is not the same thing as descending with left stick.
 
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I agree, it won't shut down until vertical descent stops (on the ground) but there is a 'red zone' on the vertical speed gauge. I usually back off when in the red but then never really fly too high anyway. Perhaps too long in the red might result in the P3 rolling inverted??
 
but there is a 'red zone' on the vertical speed gauge. Perhaps too long in the red might result in the P3 rolling inverted??
A red zone? I haven't seen it or heard of it before.
If you don't have prop guards, it's quite safe to descend at full speed from a great height.
I've tested it a few times for more than 1.5 minutes in still air with no problems.
 
Mostly, I will descnd at an angle of around 60*. Bringing her down, at 90* is rather boring. I often do a simple spiral corkscrew, or like a falling Hurricane.

RedHotPoker
 
If I have flown away I usually descend as I fly back. Gives a nice image on camera. Where of course I do have to be careful is when the camera is pointing backwards with the original view slowly disappearing from sight as I descend at the same time. Because of course its quite close to the CSC command. We don't want that to happen do we?
 
Where of course I do have to be careful is when the camera is pointing backwards with the original view slowly disappearing from sight as I descend at the same time.
Because of course its quite close to the CSC command.
Close to a CSC stick position?
Only if you are corkscrewing down at max speed while you're trying to fly back-sideways at full speed ... not a recommended technique for a video that anyone wants to watch - and nothing you're likely to get close to in normal flight unless you are this guy.
i-8t42DpQ-M.jpg
 
Close to a CSC stick position?
Only if you are corkscrewing down at max speed while you're trying to fly back-sideways at full speed ... not a recommended technique for a video that anyone wants to watch - and nothing you're likely to get close to in normal flight unless you are this guy.
i-8t42DpQ-M.jpg
Hey, that's my 333 Exemption licensed pilot! :p
 
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I personally don't like the thought that the csc command is only a double stick instruction. While I appreciate this combination would be less than useful in any scenario, you do fly the machine with both thumbs on sticks and a momentary lapse of control (aka confusion) could literally send your investment plummeting to earth.
More likely with a newbie perhaps but it's not an impossible scenario.
Personally I would feel safer with a csc+button combination either by hitting RTH or maybe a rear trigger in conjunction.
I wonder if this has happened by mistake in the past...?
Just my opinion but the current setup is prone to cause one or two casualties (where casualties = catastrophies) .
 
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I personally don't like the thought that the csc command is only a double stick instruction. While I appreciate this combination would be less than useful in any scenario, you do fly the machine with both thumbs on sticks and a momentary lapse of control (aka confusion) could literally send your investment plummeting to earth.
More likely with a newbie perhaps but it's not an impossible scenario.
Personally I would feel safer with a csc+button combination either by hitting RTH or maybe a rear trigger in conjunction.
I wonder if this has happened by mistake in the past...?
Just my opinion but the current setup is prone to cause one or two casualties (where casualties = catastrophies) .

Yep this was what I was on about. Flying backward whilst descending at the same has both sticks back. As you say not too far from the CSC command. It only takes a small lapse in concentration.
 
A red zone? I haven't seen it or heard of it before.
If you don't have prop guards, it's quite safe to descend at full speed from a great height.
I've tested it a few times for more than 1.5 minutes in still air with no problems.
It only shows when I use iPad, not iPhone. It's kinda like a 3/4circle that fills to indicate h.s. And v.s. And turns red when you go ascend or descend fast


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Ahh ...it's an Apple thing ... we don't get that over on planet Android.
That's a distinct possibility. I thought it may be a screen size thing, as I also get an orientation level with horizon on iPad that I don't get on iPhone and I thought I saw this feature on many Android screen captured videos on the YouTube.

I'm actually shocked that more threads don't devolve into an Apple v Android spat.

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It only shows when I use iPad, not iPhone. It's kinda like a 3/4circle that fills to indicate h.s. And v.s. And turns red when you go ascend or descend fast


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Interesting. Never seen it, and I often ascend and descend quickly. What version of the iPad DJI GO app are you using? Mine is a little older version. I also haven't seen the level with the horizon indicator, either.
 

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