Case Landings--Your Success Rate?

[w8ZUpMs8]

I usually hand catch, but I like the idea of using the case too

I've had a few case landings go bad--the drone sees the case (yellow circle thing in the video) and goes for it...but then lands just off the side and scrapes the props against the case.

In the past week, I am 50% success!

Props don't get beat up too badly, haven't had to replace any yet.

What is your success rate?

 

[Trailryder42]

From what I understand, the drones obstacle avoidance turns off for that type of landing, so you could nudge the case as required, as it's coming down, to get it centered, without the drone sensing its proximity to you if you get too close. Would that work?

 

[w8ZUpMs8]

From what I understand, the drones obstacle avoidance turns off for that type of landing, so you could nudge the case as required, as it's coming down, to get it centered, without the drone sensing its proximity to you if you get too close. Would that work?

@Trailryder42

Just found this on the online manual:

WARNING: Piloting or nudging the vehicle during a case landing will cancel the case landing and continue with a normal landing. Once you nudge the vehicle, the yellow ring will disappear and you will be responsible for manually nudging the drone back onto or away from the case (the drone will not automatically find the case again).

Once you nudge, you are in full control. I recorded the screen, and in my cases the yellow ring didn't go away (so I didn't accidentally nudge it and cancel).



Another thing from online manual:

Skydio 2 will descend until it is 10 ft (3 m) above the surface below it. Once Skydio 2 is less than 10 ft from the surface, the LEDs on Skydio 2 will turn yellow and all obstacle avoidance will be disabled for the remainder of the landing. Users will be notified of this change on screen if flying with the Skydio 2 app.

So it is good to look for the yellow lights on the drone itself, to know if it is flying blind or not.



One more tip from online manual:

Do not attempt to hand catch Skydio before the LEDs turn yellow. Attempting to hand catch Skydio while obstacle avoidance is active will cause it to attempt to avoid your hand and may result in Skydio impacting yourself or another nearby object.

I will test some more case landings tomorrow and see if I can figure out what's happening

 

[Trailryder42]

I understand about nudging the Drone itself. I'm talking about tweaking the cases position with your foot.

 

[w8ZUpMs8]

I understand about nudging the Drone itself. I'm talking about tweaking the cases position with your foot.

ah, ok I misread

is this something you've tried?

I would think it is still seeking the logo all the way down

 

[Trailryder42]

ah, ok I misread

is this something you've tried?

I would think it is still seeking the logo all the way down

No, haven't tried it.

I guess it depends on what camera/cameras it's using to see the logo. From videos I've seen, once the drone sees it and starts to descend, the video camera returns to forward view. So if it's using that camera, it's losing sight of the logo for last 3-4 ft before touchdown, which would explain it's slight drift.

 

[gsrider]

When my S2 sees the case logo, as indicated by the yellow circle in the display, success rate has been 100% I always hand fly the drone using the controller, so when the drone doesn't recognize the logo when landing, I reposition and start the landing again.

 

[Ridefreak]

Does it need to be directly over the case to see and initiate a case landing? I've never used that function.

 

[gsrider]

Does it need to be directly over the case to see and initiate a case landing? I've never used that function.

I have found that depends on your altitude when pressing the land button. The lower you are, the more directly you need to be over the case. It may take some practice on your part to get a feel for it; however, I just maneuver the drone to where the case is directly below. On those (now mostly rare) occasions where I misjudge and there's no recognition circle when coming down, I just cancel the landing and readjust either the drone or the case.

 

[ETdronehome]

Does it need to be directly over the case to see and initiate a case landing? I've never used that function.

Not necessarily directly above but it’s a little like helping the tracking by putting the drone in a position it has the best chance of succeeding.

I tested a whole bunch of “case landings” as I painted a fold up landing pad black and stencilled the Skydio logo on it and I made sure it worked as well as the actual case.

What I found to help achieve consistent successful landings was to position the drone about 30-40 ft and as directly above the logo as possible. If you fly with the app or controller you can be pretty precise as you can gimbal straight down and center the logo in the frame before you initiate the actual landing, little more of an art form with just the beacon.

 

[Ridefreak]

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

 

[w8ZUpMs8]

Did some test flights today with case landings

These were in DroneDeploy app, NOT the Skydio app.

The DD app shows video from the S2 gimbal, so the green home icon shows, as well as the yellow circle when case landing (this must be overlayed directly in the S2 processor)

The case landings today were not good; one barely made it, the other got 1 foot above the case then stayed there looking confused (I aborted then hand catch)

Maybe my case lnding issues have to do with the DD app somehow getting in the way…..

 

[TonyPHX]

Success rate is 9 out of 10 for me. I have been using the hard shell case that came with the Cinema upgrade. The softshell standard case just kind of scared me because it is smaller, but probably works just as well given the precision I have seen it land with.

All of my landings have been on very bright, well lit days. The one time it missed, it was still a safe landing and haven't been able to recreate that. I think maybe I was standing too close and it reacted to me.

 

[UNIXman]

I've solved that by using a FLAT logo, and improved on that with a LARGER logo. Here's a video:

 

[CrazyReggie]

I use a big, collapsible landing pad for all my Drones, it’s better on the Drones!

 

[Trailryder42]

I'd thought about that. Shouldn't be too hard to come up with a roll out or foldable mat of some kind with the logo on it.

 

[Trailryder42]

I've solved that by using a FLAT logo, and improved on that with a LARGER logo. Here's a video:

Where did you get your logo mat Jim?

 

[CrazyReggie]

I'd thought about that. Shouldn't be too hard to come up with a roll out or foldable mat of some kind with the logo on it.

They have those Drone landing and take off Pads, they’re only about 20 Bucks and I just throw in the Trunk! It takes up virtually no space at all!

 

[johnfischbeck3]

I usually hand catch, but I like the idea of using the case too

I've had a few case landings go bad--the drone sees the case (yellow circle thing in the video) and goes for it...but then lands just off the side and scrapes the props against the case.

In the past week, I am 50% success!

Props don't get beat up too badly, haven't had to replace any yet.

What is your success rate?

X2D

After 20 case landings, about 1/3 miss the case partially or it lands and falls off the case. Damage to the AV definitely includes prop damage(tip and cracks on the aft side of the blade about 2/5 and 4/5 from the hub), antenna damage and if it lands upside down in the sand, the navigation camera lenses scratch making the AV unflyable.

A quick fix. Scanned the landing symbol on a printer, printed the image, taped the image on a black 30 gal trash bag. Taped the edges of the bag. Placed small weights(rocks) around the periphery of the bag. Lands fine with no issues. I guess you could tape a bunch of small fishing weights around the periphery to keep the bag on the ground. Lightweight trash bag works well with no issues and cost less than a dollar to make. Time to make, about 15 minutes. Also used black ducktape.

 

[Trailryder42]

X2D

After 20 case landings, about 1/3 miss the case partially or it lands and falls off the case. Damage to the AV definitely includes prop damage(tip and cracks on the aft side of the blade about 2/5 and 4/5 from the hub), antenna damage and if it lands upside down in the sand, the navigation camera lenses scratch making the AV unflyable.

A quick fix. Scanned the landing symbol on a printer, printed the image, taped the image on a black 30 gal trash bag. Taped the edges of the bag. Placed small weights(rocks) around the periphery of the bag. Lands fine with no issues. I guess you could tape a bunch of small fishing weights around the periphery to keep the bag on the ground. Lightweight trash bag works well with no issues and cost less than a dollar to make. Time to make, about 15 minutes. Also used black ducktape.

I found an image of the symbol and scaled it up to 8". I wouldn't mind using up so much of my printers black ink if it was going on vinyl sticker material, but a regular sheet of paper isn't going to last long with use.

I have some white duct tape I could use to make the pattern and stick that to some kind of black back ground that's foldable and fits in the case.