Sand or Asphalt?

[LarBear360]

I'm taking my P3S on a vacation. There is plenty of open water and sand for take-off and landing, plus a huge parking lot. Off season there are very few cars.

So my question is where is the ideal launch and landing position? I worry about sand from the beach getting into the motors. But if I launch from the parking lot, who knows if there is rebar and steel down there?

Thoughts anyone?

 

[AA5XA]

I'm taking my P3S on a vacation. There is plenty of open water and sand for take-off and landing, plus a huge parking lot. Off season there are very few cars.

So my question is where is the ideal launch and landing position? I worry about sand from the beach getting into the motors. But if I launch from the parking lot, who knows if there is rebar and steel down there?

Thoughts anyone?

I just throw down a piece of cardboard for a landing pad. I hadn't really thought about getting sand in the motors, I've been worried about a piece of gravel getting blown up by the propwash and hitting the camera lens.

 

[LarBear360]

I just throw down a piece of cardboard for a landing pad. I hadn't really thought about getting sand in the motors, I've been worried about a piece of gravel getting blown up by the propwash and hitting the camera lens.

Yup, I have a nice fold-up, pop-up, spring-loaded landing pad and neutral UV filter to protect the lens.

 

[AA5XA]

Yup, I have a nice fold-up, pop-up, spring-loaded landing pad and neutral UV filter to protect the lens.

I tried a filter a couple of times, and both times I had trouble with the gimbal shaking. That ever happen to you?

 

[LarBear360]

I tried a filter a couple of times, and both times I had trouble with the gimbal shaking. That ever happen to you?

Nope and they are inexpensive Neewer filters.

 

[Phill2]

I'm taking my P3S on a vacation. There is plenty of open water and sand for take-off and landing, plus a huge parking lot. Off season there are very few cars.

So my question is where is the ideal launch and landing position? I worry about sand from the beach getting into the motors. But if I launch from the parking lot, who knows if there is rebar and steel down there?

Thoughts anyone?

I takeoff and land from the wet sand so it doesn't blow around

 

[REDMonstro8KVV]

I'm taking my P3S on a vacation. There is plenty of open water and sand for take-off and landing, plus a huge parking lot. Off season there are very few cars.

So my question is where is the ideal launch and landing position? I worry about sand from the beach getting into the motors. But if I launch from the parking lot, who knows if there is rebar and steel down there?

Thoughts anyone?

If there is a dirt spot hard enough, you may use that so sand/dirt is less likely to get in the motors. However, the best area to do it would be on asphalt, provided there are no electrical wires or rebar/steel beneath the surface. You can use the sand if you have a landing pad(something like cardboard, wood etc.etc.

 

[LarBear360]

If there is a dirt spot hard enough, you may use that so sand/dirt is less likely to get in the motors. However, the best area to do it would be on asphalt, provided there are no electrical wires or rebar/steel beneath the surface. You can use the sand if you have a landing pad(something like cardboard, wood etc.etc.

My preference is the parking lot. That way I'm close to my vehicle. But I have no way of knowing what that lot is made of and do not wish to mess up my compass or whatever.

Is it safe to fly if my home point is recorded correctly?

 

[REDMonstro8KVV]

My preference is the parking lot. That way I'm close to my vehicle. But I have no way of knowing what that lot is made of and do not wish to mess up my compass or whatever.

Is it safe to fly if my home point is recorded correctly?

Sometimes the home point will not be accurate so with the magnetic interferance, it might land up to 10m from the takeoff point. In my opinion, it is easier to manually land.

 

[REDMonstro8KVV]

My preference is the parking lot. That way I'm close to my vehicle. But I have no way of knowing what that lot is made of and do not wish to mess up my compass or whatever.

Is it safe to fly if my home point is recorded correctly?

If the compass is interfered, it would not take off so you will have to find some other place to do that.

 

[REDMonstro8KVV]

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My preference is the parking lot. That way I'm close to my vehicle. But I have no way of knowing what that lot is made of and do not wish to mess up my compass or whatever.

Is it safe to fly if my home point is recorded correctly?

The compass would not spoil so easily. At most, you will have to re-calibrate it. That's all

 

[Phill2]

My preference is the parking lot. That way I'm close to my vehicle. But I have no way of knowing what that lot is made of and do not wish to mess up my compass or whatever.

Is it safe to fly if my home point is recorded correctly?

The parking lot is likely to have as much dust and sand as the beach.
Launching close to your big metal car won't help the GPS.
It will however pick up GPS once in the air - no need to worry about compass.

 

[umanbean]

Take a medium-to-large empty cardboard box with you to the parking lot. Turn it upside down on top of your landing pad at least 15-20' from your vehicle, and away from any metal objects, and take-off from there. Move the box and land on the pad.

Taking off from 12-15" above the asphalt should be enough in case there is any metal underneath. Ascend to ~5-10' and watch it. If the compass is wonky it'll wobble around like a drunk.

 

[ArgenBrewer]

Take a medium-to-large empty cardboard box with you to the parking lot. Turn it upside down on top of your landing pad at least 15-20' from your vehicle, and away from any metal objects, and take-off from there. Move the box and land on the pad.

Taking off from 12-15" above the asphalt should be enough in case there is any metal underneath. Ascend to ~5-10' and watch it. If the compass is wonky it'll wobble around like a drunk.

If you do not want to buy a launch pad, you can get an easily, with a circle of plastic canvas 3 feet in diameter, just make sure you three holes spaced evenly around the edge and carry 3 stakes to secure it to the ground so that the wind of Propellers do not lift it when landing.

 

[LarBear360]

If you do not want to buy a launch pad, you can get an easily, with a circle of plastic canvas 3 feet in diameter, just make sure you three holes spaced evenly around the edge and carry 3 stakes to secure it to the ground so that the wind of Propellers do not lift it when landing.

I do have launch pad with the stakes.

 

[ArgenBrewer]

I do have launch pad with the stakes.

I do not understand, if you have the platform, why are you worried about where to take off?

 

[LarBear360]

I do not understand, if you have the platform, why are you worried about where to take off?

I don't have a platform, but I do have a foldable nylon landing pad I can deploy on the beach. Using a cardboard box as a platform is another idea.

 

[BigAl07]

Asphalt parking lots rarely have much rebar/steel in them. Concrete is another character all together but most times can still be utilized as an LZ.

If there is metal (wire mesh, rebar etc) and it's close enough to cause a problem you'll get a compass error and the aircraft won't engage. It will sit there with lights flashing and indicate COMPASS ERROR on the Go App. That's when you move it a few feet or to another location.

We routinely fly from asphalt, concrete and other areas daily. If there is a good potential for any "fine debris" we utilize our folding landing pad.

 

[RunningWithScissors]

I'm taking my P3S on a vacation. There is plenty of open water and sand for take-off and landing, plus a huge parking lot. Off season there are very few cars

Believe it or not, LarBear, somewhere else in this forum someone made the scientific argument for not launching from a beach because of naturally occuring metal particles found in sand.

 

[msinger]

Is it safe to fly if my home point is recorded correctly?

No.

Set your Phantom on the ground and watch the red aircraft symbol on the map in DJI GO. If you see that symbol slowly rotating, that's a sign that there is some type of nearby magnetic metal affecting the compass.