Removable landing gear/legs for compact travel?

[Thor⚡️]

Hello everyone,

So I've been using my P3P lately to film backcountry skiing and it's been a ton of fun. The problem is space in my pack! I often go for many miles and cover several thousand vertical feet in a day. My pack already contains food, water, shovel, warm layers, first aid, gloves, helmet, etc... And finding room to fit a drone in there as well has proven quite challenging.

I am trying to keep the phantom 3 as compact as possible while hiking and am considering pulling off the legs to try to reduce the footprint and adding some sort of small cover over the gimbal to try to keep it protected while traveling. Is there anyway that the compass and transmission wires can still function correctly without the legs attached? Or maybe i could remove the legs for travel then reattach them out in the field?

Anyone have any other ideas on how to protect the the drone using the smallest possible form fitting enclosure? So far I've just been strapping it to the outside of my pack but that solution definitely leaves it vulnerable.

Any ideas or help would be much appreciated!

 

[FantomFlier]

... and considered pullin off the legs to try to reduce the footprint ....

Where will you fit your skis then?

 

[Vertigo]

The antenna's wouldnt be too critical, as long as you can keep them away from the props. You could even try taping them to the arms, and position your transmitter antenna's horizontally as well. This will dent your range a bit, but that might be a worthwhile tradeoff. The bigger issue is the compass, that you want as far away from the motors/wires as possible. But if you feel adventurous, you could improvise a mount (can be on top too) or get a foldable GPS mast, something like this: GPS Antenna Mast

The orientation of the sensor might need to remain the same. With other flight controllers you can define the orientation/rotation, but I doubt DJI foresaw this, so that may need some tinkering so its like the original position.

Lastly, foldable landing gears for the P3 exist: RCDH RETRACT LANDING GEAR FOR DJI PHANTOM 3 Professional/Advanced

 

[Thor⚡️]

Thanks Vertigo,
Can anyone out there think of a way that i could remove the legs/landing gear for carrying in my pack and then reinstall them out in the field rather quickly? that would be an awesome option if its possible.

 

[Vertigo]

Sure. put the compass on a mast, reroute the antenna's in or below the arms, then its just a matter of 2 screws per leg. Or add some magnets.

 

[Imabiggles]

Sure. put the compass on a mast, reroute the antenna's in or below the arms, then its just a matter of 2 screws per leg. Or add some magnets.

Oh not you dint! I bet someone will comment on how you can not calibrate or take off if there is something metal within a mile of your bird and you want to put magnets on it? Actually, I think strong magnets may fubar the compass if installed on the bird. I still fly from reinforced concrete though - so take that compass calibration nazis!

 

[Thor⚡️]

I really like the idea about using magnets to hold the legs on, do you really think that would mess with the compass??

 

[flyNfrank]

I really like the idea about using magnets to hold the legs on, do you really think that would mess with the compass??

Your P3 had to be a gift to you.

 

[Thor⚡️]

Your P3 had to be a gift to you.

Ok then frank, after thinking it through a bit more I can see how this could present a problem but can you suggest a better quick disconnect option?

 

[Vertigo]

You guys realize whats inside those 4 motors rights? VERY strong magnets, lots of them, and they are rotating like mad too. More over, the current running through them and through the wires inside likely produce an even larger distortion of the magnetic field.

Of course, you need to keep your distance, which is why I proposed the collapsable mast on top

 

[Vertigo]

Oh not you dint! I bet someone will comment on how you can not calibrate or take off if there is something metal within a mile of your bird and you want to put magnets on it?

You definitely dont want to calibrate near a magnet that isnt going to fly with the phantom, say something in your pocket. But a fixed magnet on the phantom at a reasonable distance from the compass, shouldnt be a problem after calibration, like I mentioned above, just have a close look at your motors.

 

[Thor⚡️]

You guys realize whats inside those 4 motors rights? VERY strong magnets, lots of them, and they are rotating like mad too. More over, the current running through them and through the wires inside likely produce an even larger distortion of the magnetic field.

Of course, you need to keep your distance, which is why I proposed the collapsable mast on top

Good point! And putting some magnetic shielding film around the magnets should help reduce the field interference.

 

[Gazzer]

I bought a bag of spare gimbal plastic pins and I just cut the the 2 of them, unclip the 2 ribbons, undo the 8 leg (2x4) screws and there is enough slack in the leg cables feeding compass/antenna etc to fold the legs inward one over the other then I used an elastic bad and the whole copter took up a lot less space in my hand luggage to Cancun. To undo and redo with new pins takes less then 5 mins each way. Happy days.