What I don't like about the premium

[rkyleh]

The legs!! I hate that design. Not everybody takes of and lands on flat land. Sometimes I have a real problem finding a perfectly flat spot to land on. From old ingrained habits I always take off into and land into the wind. I have had a couple of times where she tipped over backwards. No damage yet but it has to be hard on those motors to stop that fast. There is no reason they can't design a UAV with a wide stance and solve that problem. That is why I will be looking hard at the EVO or the new Mavic. I am going to steel my nerves and learn to hand catch, but in the meantime I took a 3/16 carbon rod and taped it with black electricians tape to the bottom of the legs to prevent it from tipping over backwards. I cut the rod so I have 3 1/4 out the back and close to 1 1/2 out the front the legs don't get into the video this way. It works very well. I had to cut some slots in my case for the legs to fit.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Cool, have thought about the 3D printed leg extensions?
Autel X-Star Clip On Landing Gear Extension set - 3D Printed Drone Mods

 

[rkyleh]

I would like the snap on idea but if your going to design it the legs should go out on the diagonal. And you don't need to raise it but very little.

 

[Busdriver]

20 yrs flying for the Navy has ingrained my landing habits like a spawning salmon. I have "found Hong Kong in a hurricane" (on more than one occasion) so it's difficult to let a little wind stop me now.

I have had to resort to hand-catching when I couldn't risk a tip over in gusting winds. Your idea is intriguing and makes me think of how it can be easily removed and installed. Coincidence would have it that I just came in from the yard from working on the drip system. This popped into my head. The long rigid 1/4" tubing is light, a bout 12" long and readily available. Think a snap on/off arrangement to both the existing landing gear and the tubing might be handy. Hmmmmmm. Kind of like affixing floats to a frog. Where to start?

As for the landing gear extensions, it appears they would raise the CG without increasing the base proportionally. Hence, increasing the incidence of a tip over. I think they are designed to keep the camera out of the weeds.

Regardless, good idea.

CAVU

 

[ovrszd]

Hand catch. Not sure why that seems difficult to you. Not picking on you. I built a landing pad in the beginning. Used it half a dozen times. Haven't landed on the ground since.

Friend of mine has a Mavic. When it's sitting on the ground the props are only 2-3" from the ground. Maybe closer. Any tilt during landing puts the props on the ground.

 

[rkyleh]

I have arthritis in my hands sometimes they just don't work like they used to. Catching that big lettuce chopper out of the air with little grip in my hand may not be the wisest choice so I am looking for a better solution. I'm just whining because there is no reason not to build a stable platform for this thing to land on.

 

[Busdriver]

Sorry to hear that. Yeah, the pumpkin will chop more than lettuce, big time.

 

[Tufargon]

Sorry to hear that. Yeah, the pumpkin will chop more than lettuce, big time.

Indeed!!

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Level 5 cut resistant wear.

 

[Busdriver]

Speaking of hand catching, Last Summer a guy stops by the hanger while we are wrenching. Wanted to walk around and have a look. His left forearm arm was bandaged up big time. I asked what did the other guy look like and pointed to his arm. He said he attempted to hand catch his drone (a DJI no less). Just when he grabbed the landing gear, it tried to climb and rotated around the horizontal gear axis and was 50 stitches into his arm before he could let go.

A couple of tips about hand catching assuming your not in a boat or vehicle:

1. Hover the drone to just above your head (so you can duck out of the way if necessary) and about 5-8 feet away from you. Walk toward the drone once a stable hover has been achieved. Flying the drone into your hand could be a mistake.
2. Grab the vertical landing gear (green arrows on the photo)
3. DO NOT grab hold of the horizontal landing gear (red arrow). If the drone adds power to maintain altitude, it will rotate over that point and eat your arm. Unless your into that sort of thing.

This from a guy who found out the hard way.

 

[arto.inetco]

I like the idea of hand catching...it has snowed here in Michigan almost a foot in 2 days...I launched from my case in the snow no problem, and landed on my case 4 times today, but it was tough....it would be nice if a drone had a battery disconnect toggle on a leg, so when you went to pluck it out of the air, you could cut the power....

 

[jjp735i]

Not sure why you have such a problem with tip overs. I had mine about 8 months and it has landed perfect every time, even on a slight slant. I would never hand catch, your just asking for a major cut.

 

[rkyleh]

Not sure why you have such a problem with tip overs. I had mine about 8 months and it has landed perfect every time, even on a slight slant. I would never hand catch, your just asking for a major cut.

Its really not really a problem more a case of dimwit. I drive out of town about 20 miles then up a dirt road another 2 miles and up around 5000 feet and the winds are generally blustery. After driving that far I don't want go home with out flying and I have got burnt a couple of times.

 

[rkyleh]

Hand catch. Not sure why that seems difficult to you. Not picking on you. I built a landing pad in the beginning. Used it half a dozen times. Haven't landed on the ground since.

Friend of mine has a Mavic. When it's sitting on the ground the props are only 2-3" from the ground. Maybe closer. Any tilt during landing puts the props on the ground.

That's true about the Mavic. But you got to admit the width to height ratio is so much better than the top heavy design of the Autel/DJI UAV'S.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

In windy conditions like the ones you mentioned I will nose to the wind and stand behind the *** end of the quad. I get it to about one foot off the ground and when it steadys out I do what I call a Slam & Donk landing. Full stick down to hit the ground and shut off a few seconds later. If its dancing around I just wait for that right moment and pull on that stick
If you think this is hard to land try a Yuneec Q 500. They bounce up and down like crazy on landings.

 

[rkyleh]

I have had to resort to hand-catching when I couldn't risk a tip over in gusting winds. Your idea is intriguing and makes me think of how it can be easily removed and installed. Coincidence would have it that I just came in from the yard from working on the drip system. This popped into my head. The long rigid 1/4" tubing is light, a bout 12" long and readily available. Think a snap on/off arrangement to both the existing landing gear and the tubing might be handy. Hmmmmmm. Kind of like affixing floats to a frog. Where to start?

After reading your post I got to thinking how I could make a snap on arrangement. I picked up some hillman 3/8 nylon.clips from lowes. with a little heat and some slight shaping some hot melt glue I came up with this. Snaps in place and they will keep my props out of the dirt.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

You have to love a man on a mission LOL

 

[Squirrel!]

Speaking of hand catching, Last Summer a guy stops by the hanger while we are wrenching. Wanted to walk around and have a look. His left forearm arm was bandaged up big time. I asked what did the other guy look like and pointed to his arm. He said he attempted to hand catch his drone (a DJI no less). Just when he grabbed the landing gear, it tried to climb and rotated around the horizontal gear axis and was 50 stitches into his arm before he could let go.

A couple of tips about hand catching assuming your not in a boat or vehicle:

1. Hover the drone to just above your head (so you can duck out of the way if necessary) and about 5-8 feet away from you. Walk toward the drone once a stable hover has been achieved. Flying the drone into your hand could be a mistake.
2. Grab the vertical landing gear (green arrows on the photo)
3. DO NOT grab hold of the horizontal landing gear (red arrow). If the drone adds power to maintain altitude, it will rotate over that point and eat your arm. Unless your into that sort of thing.

This from a guy who found out the hard way.

I learned the hard way to 'combine' the catching points by getting hold of the corner of the leg, NOT just the bottom or the sides. Never an issue since.

 

[Roadkyng]

As for the landing gear extensions, it appears they would raise the CG without increasing the base proportionally. Hence, increasing the incidence of a tip over. I think they are designed to keep the camera out of the weeds.

Regardless, good idea.

CAVU

Looks like they have a wide set as well

Autel X-Star Clip On Landing Gear Extension Wide - 3D Printed Drone Mods

 

[Busdriver]

Looks like they have a wide set as well

Autel X-Star Clip On Landing Gear Extension Wide - 3D Printed Drone Mods

I may stand corrected. But i'm still thinking the raise in CG by going "up", may outweigh the benefits of going "out". Wondering if anyone has any practical experience? My minor in Aeronautical Engineering is a bit rusty after 30 years.

I may have to get a set and do a review as the winds will be within normal range in the afternoons here for the foreseeable future.