Another Use for the Red Button... Landing!

[Dustoff]

Oh the good ole shinnok , by the laws physic it’s not suppose to fly but it sure does . Spent many a hour in one of thouse noisey things . Always felt safe in it too

 

[rdonson]

The Chinook CH-47 is one of the heaviest lifting helicopters we have. It’s a workhorse for our military.

 

[thoneter]

I like short "How To" videos, but this must be the shortest yet. I like it. I never heard of that before.

Naturally I had to go try this. Went through one battery messing with it in a breeze of 6-8 mph. Took off and landed at least a dozen times.
Works great.

Works fine from 10' down (did not try higher), you just keep bumping the Red button and it drops a bit each time. You can still use the right stick to center the drone, but not when bumping the button. Touching the ground is OK, or 6 to 12 inches high, when you finally hold the Red button down and kill the motors. Notice on the video he did not try to center above the pad.

This is super! Maybe you should put it in the Help Sticky, Steve.

I encourage everyone to try the pumping kill button from about 8 feet to get used how long to hold the red button in for.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

It should be noted that this technique should only be attempted with the ST-16 or ST-16+, used with the Typhoon H or H Professional.

Do not attempt with the ST-16S used with the Typhoon H Plus or Typhoon H Plus Professional. The ST-16S does not respond to short clicks in the same manner.

This concludes this PSA... we return you to your normally scheduled program...

 

[thoneter]

It should be noted that this technique should only be attempted with the ST-16 or ST-16+, used with the Typhoon H or H Professional.

Do not attempt with the ST-16S used with the Typhoon H Plus or Typhoon H Plus Professional. The ST-16S does not respond to short clicks in the same manner.

This concludes this PSA... we return you to your normally scheduled program...

It responded the same for the H+ that I flew.

 

[thoneter]

I can only speak for my experience. I've had it where my 920 and 480 did not respond to pumping the kill button. With the + I see no reason to use the kill button as it seems oblivious to ground effect.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

Thanks for the clarification... I thought you were saying that the Red Button technique did work for your H Plus.

 

[thoneter]

Thanks for the clarification... I thought you were saying that the Red Button technique did work for your H Plus.

It did work for the +. I'm saying that maybe when you tried it that it didn't work as my 920 and 480 sometimes glitch on this issue. I'm assuming that you have tried it on your H.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

Ok, so now there is some conflicting information that needs to be resolved...

in @Ty Pilot 's thread below

First Impressions

He states that the Red Button Landing method does not work with the Plus, while your experience is the opposite. Or this behavioral change is due to the recent FW upgrade?

Unfortunately, I have not purchased my Plus as of yet, so I have no means of any investigative problem solving on my own, currently.

 

[thoneter]

Ok, so now there is some conflicting information that needs to be resolved...

in @Ty Pilot 's thread below

First Impressions

He states that the Red Button Landing method does not work with the Plus, while your experience is the opposite. Or this behavioral change is due to the recent FW upgrade?

Unfortunately, I have not purchased my Plus as of yet, so I have no means of any investigative problem solving on my own, currently.

The + I'm referring to is a friends. He did a lot of research into drones before purchasing. He was concerned about flying by himself for the first time so I went with. He wanted to do the pump method so I explained it to him and he experimented with it at about 8 feet.

I saw the + descend as he pressed the button each time and he landed it with the kill button. I then had him do the normal landing and saw how the + lands without any ground effects causing any issues. I told him to ignore the button landing as I saw how much better the + accounts for ground effects. He landed and took off probably 10 times on 2 batteries of flight.

This is why I'm sure the kill button acted like the 480 at least with this + which he did not do the firmware update but he purchased it a month ago so I didn't check what the firmware version is.

I find it quite weird that this feature isn't on this new OS but still worked on his. Guess I'll have to stop doing those funky mushrooms before flight.

 

[Ty Pilot]

Having used the red button 'pump' method successfully many times on the 480, I thought I would try it on the Plus in exactly the same manner; typically I would let the aircraft settle at about two feet then two or three presses of the button would result in a landing.

When I tried this procedure on my Plus, the first tap dropped it all the way to the ground and I was just able to catch it. I also noted that the speed at which it dropped was more than double in my estimation. So, I raised back up to about three feet and tried again - same results. My findings at that time were that the decent speed was too fast and so different to the 480 that I would not use this method any further.

I would also note this was on the original firmware and perhaps this was one of the bugs that was fixed. Either way I have still not tried it as I am very happy with the landing habits of the Plus. Also I am now experimenting more with different tasks and the auto take-off and auto land are pretty good. The auto take off is seamless; once you swipe the start button it spools straight to a takeoff and lifts gently to about 12 feet. The landing is a little "carrier" like in that once initiated, it establishes a decent speed that I thought was a tad fast but let it go and it holds this speed till contact is made and the motors shut off clean.

 

[thoneter]

Having used the red button 'pump' method successfully many times on the 480, I thought I would try it on the Plus in exactly the same manner; typically I would let the aircraft settle at about two feet then two or three presses of the button would result in a landing.

When I tried this procedure on my Plus, the first tap dropped it all the way to the ground and I was just able to catch it. I also noted that the speed at which it dropped was more than double in my estimation. So, I raised back up to about three feet and tried again - same results. My findings at that time were that the decent speed was too fast and so different to the 480 that I would not use this method any further.

I would also note this was on the original firmware and perhaps this was one of the bugs that was fixed. Either way I have still not tried it as I am very happy with the landing habits of the Plus. Also I am now experimenting more with different tasks and the auto take-off and auto land are pretty good. The auto take off is seamless; once you swipe the start button it spools straight to a takeoff and lifts gently to about 12 feet. The landing is a little "carrier" like in that once initiated, it establishes a decent speed that I thought was a tad fast but let it go and it holds this speed till contact is made and the motors shut off clean.

We did the RTL and the descent is very fast. We did not let it complete the landing but it went to the take off point each time which is nice to have in the bag of tools. We did the button thing at about 8 and 12 feet and since my friend was doing the controls I can't say if it's faster or slower but the RTL descent is much faster to the point of being scary.

 

[Ty Pilot]

So perhaps the red button is fixed after the update.

 

[Ty Pilot]

We did the RTL and the descent is very fast. We did not let it complete the landing but it went to the take off point each time which is nice to have in the bag of tools. We did the button thing at about 8 and 12 feet and since my friend was doing the controls I can't say if it's faster or slower but the RTL descent is much faster to the point of being scary.

I would agree that the auto landing is very; how shall I say this? Deliberate. I am guessing it is at this speed so it can recognize when it stops, because those motors turn off within a millisecond of touch down. I mean fast, no chance of a bounce or skip, it is a carrier type "Controlled crash" if you will. I did it in plush grass and would not want to do on pavement.

 

[thoneter]

Can one of you guys buy me a + so I don't have to live vicariously through my friend? Anyone, anyone Bueller?

 

[Ty Pilot]

About a billion years ago, as a young man I did door to door sales. One of the tricks was called - puppy dog. Let them try it, keep it over night even, then they'll buy. The idea is - the more time you spend with something - you get attached. Test drive - same thing.

The Plus is something of an oddity in that - the attraction to it, by a current Typhoon H flyer; I suspect would happen in mere seconds - about the time just after lift off and having flown about ten feet. Game over. @thoneter in you're case I think you just about there if you ever get to central Florida I'll let you take her for a spin, hows that.

 

[thoneter]

My friend offered to let me fly but as it's brand spankin new I held off. I'll have to rob another bank or look for a new wife if I decide to take the plunge on the +.

I got a little soured by Yuneec promising the c23 for the 480, thy 920 issues, the 520 issues and decided that much like the Star Trek movies every other one was not so good. The + does seem to be the best release yet and a challenger to DJI.

What'll be nice is to see what DJI comes out with to compete with the +.

 

[thoneter]

So perhaps the red button is fixed after the update.

build652_20180507 is the version that was on the + that the pumping worked to land

 

[Danny J]

I'd stick with the 3' - 4' altitude. I like this landing method for uneven ground or wind, where "hopping" and tip-over can be a problem. The Red MOTOR ARM/DISARM button landing has the advantage of shutting down the motors the instant it senses the craft has contacted the ground. My next test will be to try this method with water landings (with pontoons) in choppy water, and also for "hand-catch" retrievals on a boat by an assistant.

I've found that pontoon landings on smooth water with little wind is uneventful if you hover-descend very slow and smooth until water contact.

Somebody tried this "Red Button" landing from 10' altitude?
You are lucky!

I just had to know so I worked my way to higher and higher shutoff heights in increments of 6" .At around 6' "Red Button" shutoff height the "H" descended until... at about 16" above the ground, ALL motors stopped! The short 16" free-fall was enough to break loose the latches on two of the motor arms (no permanent damage).

Danny J

 

[Steve Carr]

Somebody tried this "Red Button" landing from 10' altitude?

This should not be used higher than 3' above the ground just to be safe.