Landing Pad Size and Patern

[rhettduke]

I am curious if anyone has experience concerning the marking and size of a landing pad ?
In my short time here I have used corplast sign scraps, plastic container lids , folded down card board boxes and the like,
I have used black and Pink "duck" tape to form a quick X .

I fly a Spark and Phantom

I am about to start using an H.

Somewhere I read that certain size pads were better for larger UAV';s....I don't remember if they were talking about the marked patern size or just "you need a bigger parking space" for a larger vehicle ?

 

[Spark 317]

I use my hand to launch and land. No pad needed and I always have it handy.?

If you were to get a pad, make sure you use the stakes that may come with it if it's not weighted. I have heard stories of the prop wash kicking up and taking out some of Sparks bigger brothers, but the Spark should be fine.

 

[Paul215]

Landing pads good for 2 reasons. First it protect your drone from the underground (high Gras, stones, water). If you are are good pilot and can land precisely your pad don't need to be much bigger than the drone.
Second reason is the precision landing function. Sparky takes a picture after starting with the downward camera. When there is just green Gras on the picture it's difficult to find the right place again. But if the spark can detect an object (your pad for example) it can land really precisely. Shape, color, size is equal.

 

[Highflyer]

This is the one I have and use for my big F550 hex also for the spark. I like it for the spark because its around 30'' W and adds better protection from dirt/sand/grass clippings from being blown up into the gimbal/motors.

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[Andre Levite]

I have a landing pad for my Mavic Pro because it's so much more awkward and dangerous to hand launch/land. But for the Spark I almost always hand launch and land -- it's probably my favorite feature.

When in public the landing pad draws extra attention. I love to walk up to my hovering Spark - grab it - tip it to kill the motors - and pocket it. It goes from the air to backpack in 2-3 seconds.

I don't think the particular pattern on pad matters as long as it's high contrast and fairly complex. Good to get comfortable with hand grab because one day you're gonna need it (especially if you fly around water a lot).

 

[Rwarrior]

I came across this and it seems quite useful, and it's selling for only $8 Sing Dollars. Any feedback is most welcome, thanks!

 

[Spark 317]

I like Peter's site.

A lot of good reviews on different products.

I purchased a sun hood for the mini4 and a lanyard for the remote thanks to his reviews.

 

[nilanjan118]

As explained above, I don't think a landing pad is really needed for the Spark. However, I did try to use a homemade one just for the heck of testing the Precision Landing. I printed an H on an A3 sheet and pasted it on cardboard. That's it. The first time I took off from it, the Spark landed right in the middle of it after RTH. Not dead center, but well within the A3 sheet. The second time it just managed to touch the edges.

 

[Rendlesham UAP]

I have used a landing pad for P3 P4 and Spark. A critical piece of kit IMHO. With the Spark I use it at every opportinity

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

I dont like hand launches, so I have a 2x3 foot piece of 3/4 inch plywood with a cross of blue painter's tape ( I went all out on this! ha ha) which you can see in my videos. I usually hand land, but now and then I like to drop it back onto the board... just for piloting practice. When I am out and about, I have a siimilarly sized cardboard with a laser printed target on it. Again, I am 99% hand landing so really, it does not matter what it looks like, but if I was in RTH and had a stroke or something, at least my spark would precision land without me!

 

[Spark 317]

had a stroke or something, at least my spark would precision land without me!

Hopefully it wasn't the fear of a "fly away" that prompted the stroke.


I don't always fly a drone...but when I do, I prefer the DJI Spark.

Stay healthy my friend.❤

 

[Sparksupersonic]

I use the big thin pieces of cardboard that wal mart uses with their bottled water, most of the times there’s s few of them there for the taking.

 

[GA_Chef]

I takeoff and land with my hand. I hover just above my hand and engage landing. Reach up and grab it with my fingers. It revs up for a split second and shuts motors off. Easy.

 

[dat1]

A folding pad is useful if you go on the sand or
high grass, not only for the Spark but as a "table"
for the accessories.
On winter, I prefer hand catch.

 

[graywoulf]

I don't always fly a drone...but when I do, I prefer the DJI Spark. Stay healthy my friend.❤

I love that. Very clever! ?

 

[rhettduke]

A lot of very FUNCTIONAL in real use solutions presented...

And as much as I wanted to blow off the small hand landing pad as the youtube video started....I actually see a real place for it now....

I am going to look further at the gentlmans reviews....I like how he picked something Ive never seen and as simple as it was I believe most of us would use it and be able to justify the space it took up in your Drone "go Bag"


I was called away and havent flown enough to see any difference in my landings except with the winds of late Im at least blaming that on my slightly more off target than normal landings.

My ipad newnes is wearing off some and Im getting more at home with litchi on it....the settings menu is very different than on the android I was comfortable with....

I have noticed that I better take an extra moment to check settings.....at least once I believe precision landing had been turned off .


I really know a check list is a must...its not if Im going to forget or take something for granted and have a negative experience....its a matter of when......



1 ..its like carboard but water doesnt hurt it......

2 I get "scraps" from a local sign shop for free

Mostly white but other colors from time to time

It can be painted weasily .....but simple duct or Gorilla Tape makes an fine x or H.


I keep Black rolls that Im embaressed to say just what all Ive kept functioning a bit longer with it....


I even try to keep a pink roll....hey......its VISIBLEand helps me find stuff maybe that i didnt put back in its proper place easier


And yes...when I use Black Plastic to land on.....Black tape just seems to be a waste for "marking" a symbal.....Pink wins there every time

Nothing glamorous but I fly mostly out of a 10 acre field thats my "back yard" and I can leave something like that out an unmarked piece of the corplastin front...and to the rear and old plastic lid from a container......they come from the sign shop.....and are part of a plastic barrel some of the chemicals are shipped in.....all are in individual containers...the plastic outer barells with metal locking ring is just a "Hazmat" required extra layer in shipping......


The metal rings go to the scrap yard.......i dont see a good reason to to let them "help" compass calibration times.



The barell can be turned upside down and for me makes a great table. Ugly but durable .... Good thing I dont live inside the city limits and have to worry what the neighbors thnk


That said If we come up with a sure fire better design or size.....the chorplast can be cheaply screen printed and look professional if you actually have a real licensed tax paying profitable drone mapping or photography business


Of note I thought of having a camera to record take off and landing.........have a extra phone and was /am willing to build it into a pad......in airplane mode...no wif bluetooth....NFC.....I got a compass error as soon as It went under the phantom......even a foot away interference registered ....


Yea...i like to tinker