Tennis ball on string - drop/release?

[lenabanana]

Hey everyone,
New P3P owner here -
I wanted to rig up my P3 pro to hold a tennis ball on a string so I can make my dog chase it and eventually drop it for him / release it if he gives it a tug.

I saw there was some cargo drop hardware I can add- but for my use spending $170 to mess with my dog is a bit much.


Anyone have any cheaper ideas on how I can do this?

I thought of attaching the ball on loop directly to the camera so that i could just turn the camera downwards and it would slide off but I don't know if a tennis ball is too much weight for it.


Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated?

 

[jbrown630]

Way too much weight for the gimble

 

[MotorCycle-Man]

Just toss it to him way out in the yard........"Problem Solved " ! that's the cheapest idea for you....plus you get exercise and that dog too ! have fun. and things hanging from a expensive drone is trouble waiting to happen !

 

[lenabanana]

Just toss it to him way out in the yard........"Problem Solved " ! that's the cheapest idea for you....plus you get exercise and that dog too ! have fun. and things hanging from a expensive drone is trouble waiting to happen !

We take him in the field to play chuck it daily - have been for 8 years - looking to spice it up a bit

 

[Fester]

Well, if you just must, place a "weak link" in the string that will support the weight of the ball, but break at any force greater than that.

 

[lenabanana]

Well, if you just must, place a "weak link" in the string that will support the weight of the ball, but break at any force greater than that.

Yes I suppose I can add some type of knot that will just come apart under any tension or some type of break away clasp.

Was hoping for a bright idea on how to add a simple "drop" functionality so I could actually drop the ball for him after teasing him a bit but might not be feasible.
Going to be nervous that if my breakaway fails I'll have a 100lb dog dragging the drone out of the sky!

 

[BigAl07]

Welcome to the forum

Going to be nervous that if my breakaway fails I'll have a 100lb dog dragging the drone out of the sky!

Keep in mind that when the ball releases/breaks away you do NOT want any line/cable/wire whipping back up towards the aircraft. One bit goes into a rotor and it's Game Over.

 

[lenabanana]

Welcome to the forum



Keep in mind that when the ball releases/breaks away you do NOT want any line/cable/wire whipping back up towards the aircraft. One bit goes into a rotor and it's Game Over.

Good tip, I didn't think of that!
I'll make sure to put the knot on / right near the actual aircraft so he pulls the whole line down with the ball

 

[Oso]

For the sake of your dog, please do not do this.

 

[Steve7777]

Tie a weak clothes peg on for the release mechanism when pulled.

I agree there are simpler/less risky ways of exercising the dog - but to keep the fun element, how about firing the tennis ball from a bazooka?

 

[lenabanana]

For the sake of your dog, please do not do this.

Why not? I don't plan to fly it particularly high or fast... just out of his reach

 

[AnchorageAk]

Maybe tie a stick, or some thing long and light, across the legs. Have it go six inches are so pass. Put your string on the very end. When in the air, and drop point, turn the drone sharply in that direction.
The slicker the surface the better. Just be careful about not messing up the senors. Make certain the dog doesn't get hit by the props on take off, or landing if it doesn't work.

 

[N017RW]

Why not? I don't plan to fly it particularly high or fast... just out of his reach

+1 with Oso.

Dogs and spinning props don't mix. How horrible would you feel if...???

I also suspect the ball would be much less interesting with a flying drone buzzin' about.

Having said that, good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[MotorCycle-Man]

+1 with Oso.

Dogs and spinning props don't mix. How horrible would you feel if...???

I also suspect the ball would be much less interesting with a flying drone buzzin' about.

Having said that, good luck with whatever you decide.

I agree to that one..when im at my park and the dog walkers pass by....them dogs all want to get my drone and bark at it and tug at the leash when and im hovering at 40 feet out waiting to bring it in to land !..I'm glad that they have a leash law...or off they would go....trying to get my drone !

lenabanana just get a frisbee and be simple no batterys to recharge or app connects and
no bad accidents like BigAl stated.

are you really that highly experienced that you could perform that stunt with a drone.
just toss it...kepp it s i m p l e like you wanted.

 

[lenabanana]

Tie a weak clothes peg on for the release mechanism when pulled.

I agree there are simpler/less risky ways of exercising the dog - but to keep the fun element, how about firing the tennis ball from a bazooka?

+1 with Oso.

Dogs and spinning props don't mix. How horrible would you feel if...???

I also suspect the ball would be much less interesting with a flying drone buzzin' about.

Having said that, good luck with whatever you decide.

he is high drive and loves to do a lure course where he chases “pray” that is threaded on a string and pulled around a track so this is the same idea but up above his head with his favorite item - a tennis ball.
Im not planning to use this to regularly exersize him. Just to have some fun for an hour and get a cool video out of the deal.

Also I’m planning to keep it out of his reach entirely, wanted a break away as a safety net not because I intend to let him catch it.

 

[N017RW]

Well you seem determined.

A Phantom is a flying camera not a lure tow.

It’s a bad idea and the wrong equipment.

If the dog is so prone to capture prey it seems likely this will end badly should the drone somehow land with props spinning.

 

[lenabanana]

Well you seem determined.

A Phantom is a flying camera not a lure tow.

It’s a bad idea and the wrong equipment.

If the dog is so prone to capture prey it seems likely this will end badly should the drone somehow land with props spinning.

i appreciate your concern but dog is very well trained and will stop / stay / leave it on command.
Just want him to chase the chopper Planning to keep the ball out of reach. Break away is worst case scenario safety net. Since I’m hanging the ball on a string to keep the aircraft way high away from him. Don’t need it getting caught on a fence or bush either. Really not super worried, came asking for suggestions on how to implement something and instead am getting replies on how I shouldn’t do something that is pretty darn safe. I’ve seen people on here trying to drop knives from their drones getting less flack then me trying to get my dog to chase the chopper on an acre of property

 

[Michael Humphrey]

[emoji102]

 

[dnthomas]

This might help...

 

[lenabanana]

This might help...

Thank you for some actual useful info!

I actually had a similar idea and got some items together to test for breakaway point - clothes pins, hair clips, Velcro and magnets. Need to figure out which one of them is the right strength. Magnets seem the most promising but not sure if they’d cause interference? They are small fridge magnets - the size of a dime. Is that enough to cause interference if hung 4” under the landing gear?