How to Fly a Drone on a Boat

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Most popular comments
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Doodle Time - 5 years ago

Ready set GO...Great video

David Peavey - 5 years ago

Nice tips. But the video pretty long - without narrated demonstration. I mean, great videos but really need to know how to land on boat. Am going sailing in carabean this summer and need more demonstrations. e.g. does return to dynamic home mean the controller? or something larger? Was the landing on the top of the boat using the return to dynamic home? or was it manually brought home? Not clear - would have appreciated narrating as it was happening. Would have appreciated the hand landing and how it was different from the return to dynamic home.

Peter Vandall - 5 years ago

You guys sped close to some MASSIVE rocks at 9:53

Dronenjoy - 5 years ago

Excellent Video, thank you fir sharing!
Which are the best free music websites do you recomend tobuse un youtube? Best regards fron Argentina!

Alex Decker - 5 years ago

Your videos have convinced me to get a Mavic. Thanks for all the great information!

John Kidd - 5 years ago

I’ve seen lots of drones on boats videos but they are all close to the shore. What about offshore? Is the GPS position satellite based or cell tower based?

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

GPS is satellite based, so you should be good.

THOMAS HODGES - 5 years ago

would it also be advised when setting dynamic home point to set it to hover instead of landing, just in case you are too far away ?

Guido Nietmann - 5 years ago

Sorry, some nice tips, but no sense on landing on a so restricted surface like on 9. Handlanding is more secure for this kind of situation.

Berry Guam - 5 years ago

nice video and background music song! i am planing to do the same thing before this year boating season end!

10. comment for How to Fly a Drone on a Boat

Pinoy Cars PH - Filipino Mexican blood - 5 years ago

Guys need your help to grow my channel please if you dont mind kindly subscribe my channel thanks

Selling DE Homes - 5 years ago

Always appreciate and love your videos. Have learned a ton about my mavic I did not know, and absolutely am a better and safer pilot because of the videos I have seen.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Awesome. Thanks for the comment.

Don Joyce - 5 years ago

I fly from a boat all the time. You can see how I do it here: https://youtu.be/EktaxPY1yYU

Lito15 - 5 years ago

Great video and tutorial, thanks!

Michael Hogan - 5 years ago

great video and tips, one additional tip I might add is adding the float balls to the legs just in case you have to make a water landing

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Thanks Bill!

Luiz Araujo - 5 years ago

Great tips. Thanks!

Terson Burgos - 5 years ago

Plan taking my boat out here in Jacksonville Florida with my Mavic Pro. Thanks so much for the tip. Love the video!

Pete Carmichael - 5 years ago

I will be flying off a boat for the first time in a couple of weeks around the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland, Australia. Love your footage using the active track, looks awesome. Thanks for making landing on a boat appear so easy.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

It's not hard to do. Just make sure you maintain visual line of sight, have a good place to land, and bring it in when the battery gets to 40%. Good luck and have fun!

Ray Jones - 5 years ago

Great tips - Thanks!
Have you any accessory suggestions for when it all goes wrong and the drone hits the water? Floats? Retrieval lines?? I have the DJI Care pack so the catastrophe is mitigated - but you need to send them the soggy carcass! :) Thanks again for the ideas.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

I have tried some floaty things on my Phantom and they really detract from the flight experience. I'd honestly just say pay alot of attention when you fly over water and understand that it is risk. Thanks for the comment.

20. comment for How to Fly a Drone on a Boat

JS_filming - 5 years ago

Cant you set your homepoint where your remote is?

Jhoed Ph - 5 years ago

JUST WOW!❤

হাসির রাজা - 5 years ago

wow♥♥ nice♥♥ vides

Jacob Taggart - 5 years ago

Thanks for the advice on how to fly over water since I have never done that before.

한상진 - 5 years ago

Good tips...BUT
Don't you get compass errors when you take a drone off the boat?

BB BB - 5 years ago

Nice video

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Awesome! Thanks for the comment. Keep practicing at the NHL Hockey!

James Brownlow - 5 years ago

Thanks for the home point tip! Will try it on Travis

Joseph DeLuca - 5 years ago

How do you get the use of the song that you used? new here and learning about videos. Mavic Air and starting out.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

I subscribe to Epidemic Sound, which allows me to use certain music.

muzikmon2267 - 5 years ago

EXCELLENT BOAT VIDEO FOR THE MAVIC PRO / PLATINUM!!! GREAT TIPS!!

I saw that you hand catch it without grabbing the MAVIC... I've never been able to do that I have to grab it tightly because when you put your hand under it and tries to run away because of the sensors.. how did you hand catch it with it laying right in your palm...

muzikmon2267 - 5 years ago

Ready Set Drone

Thank you I am going to start practing it that way!!!

I did see an attachment like a handle that attaches to the body of the mavic pro on eBay.... Definitely a good option for the boat..

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F263703241246

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F163108282764

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

You are exactly right - you have to just lay the palm of your hand flat and let the body of the drone land directly on it. It takes a bit of practice, but I'm very comfortable doing it now. Same thing with the Mavic Air!

30. comment for How to Fly a Drone on a Boat

muzikmon2267 - 5 years ago

Also remember there's a shortcut to set the return to home point in the DJI go 4 app I don't know if you knew that.

All you have to do is swipe to the left when you're on the main video screen and then when you're done just tap the screen again and it will go away.. the shortcut also has other functions...

;)

muzikmon2267 - 5 years ago

Ready Set Drone

I know it's weird I came across at the by an accident I guess it's been there all along.. I was watching one of Billy Kyle's videos and he made it one of his tips because he had no idea was there either LOL..

muzikmon2267 - 5 years ago

Ready Set Drone

:)

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

That's awesome! Thanks for the tip.

Ken Heron - 5 years ago

A three hour tour...
A three hour tour...

Shawn the Fawn - 5 years ago

Ken Heron You two should do more colabs. :)

R Sullini - 5 years ago

Ken Heron ha

Tim Castleton - 5 years ago

I was just about to write same damn thing....Your too quick Ken !!!! 2 days later as I look lol !!!!

Andrew Andron - 5 years ago

Very good tips. I knew them, but a refresher is always good. Downward sensors left on on the Platinum?

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Thanks! Yes - downward sensors were still on during these flights. I did not have any issues with them.

mixchifius - 5 years ago

I used to bring my wave runners to the St Lawrence by Thousand Islands, Love it there

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Nice! Beautiful place!

Big drone flyer77 - 5 years ago

Awesome info Kelly, glad you guys are having a great time.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Thanks Donnie!

Denny Floegstad - 5 years ago

Great video! I work on a ship so have experienced some other stuff as well.
Taking off from a all metal ship makes the compass give false readings and not being able to get gps on it. But as you take off just fly it away from the ship and it always finds gps again. Also when there is big waves and a lot of movement in the ship the sensors will start to make landing troublesome, so always be two when flying so one can catch the drone quick.

Dynamic homepoint only works if you got coverage on the cellphone, mine didn’t uppdate the homepoint and as the ship kept going my max flight distance activated and stopped the drone. Panic occurred a few seconds but was able to re set max flight distance and get it back.
A tip therefore is to turn of maximum flight distance if the dynamic homepoint ain’t available.

Andrew Mackenzie - 5 years ago

When launching from a moving boat, just be aware that the drone will remain in the exact location as soon as it goes up in the air. It does not retain the same momentum as the boat, so if for example you are near hand rails, they could run into the hovering drone. Not sure that I’ll explaining that well; if you were bouncing a ball on a moving ship, the ball retains the same momentum as the ship so it simply bounces up and down as it does on land. The GPS on the drone will however ensure it stays where it took off; it does not retain the momentum of the boat. That can get you into trouble very quickly. Similarly if you’re trying to land on a moving object, you actually need to be flying forward or ensure there’s enough room for it to ‘drift’ backwards as it lands.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Good points - the metal in the ship can really mess with the compass. Thanks for the comment!

Ceilidh Aerial Photography - 5 years ago

Great tips - I think I might be more comfortable setting a home point on my lawn and just sending it back there - just switching from a phantom to a mavic - no big handles to grab - lol - be difficult if you have 2-3 knots of current like we do

Ron Brown - 5 years ago

This is a very timely video, there have been many drone and boating mishaps in the past, and now that summer is here we all have to be careful. Thanks for passing along these important safety tips for landing your drone on a boat.

Bobster986 - 5 years ago

If you can see your screen, try either getting the smaller CrystalSky monitor, or take you freaking sunglasses off. ...Duh!

FCbisleybob - 5 years ago

I think this is incorrect. The dynamic home point person icon does not set the home point to you the person. It sets it to gps data of where the controller was at the moment it was pressed. If you are moving imagine it like dropping a home point overboard.

nick svaluto - 5 years ago

I agree but never remember those tips is there a writen Version so I can reference not try go by memory thanks I go out on my buddy’s boat all the time those wil help

Janet Airlines - 5 years ago

Does this person have permission to use your videos? https://youtu.be/xgNhEPzGFQQ

Alexis Hadjisoteriou - 5 years ago

What if the boat is moving and cannot stop as in a sailing race? How do you land it!

Justin Anderson - 5 years ago

How do you avoid the mag interferance on the boat? I have a mavic and sometimes its something as simple as a chair giving mag interferance?

Enwin's Motors - 5 years ago

A really useful video, thanks

F. W. Danley - 5 years ago

Or get a Hoodman with the extensions so you can see without googles.

51 Drones - 5 years ago

Nice tips Kelly! Quick question, just yesterday I was trying to launch from the boat and I kept getting the calibrate IMU. I turned it off, back on, and it went away. Ever have that issue?

faris1999 - 5 years ago

Very important tips which I will keep with my Mavic Air .. Clear voice and good shooting ... Wonderful music .. May I ask who is the singer?!

DSA44 - 5 years ago

Great stuff! Quick general question on "Active Track". When engaged, can you move the drone manually in or out or along side of the tracked object and maintain active track? Or will a manual input to change course automatically disengage the active track. This would be good to know before tracking my water craft, or anything else for that matter! Thx, Doug

Perry Bryant - 5 years ago

Thanks for the tips. Wasn't aware of the dynamic homepoint setting. Good to know.

50. comment for How to Fly a Drone on a Boat

Kristen Graham - 5 years ago

I have the Mavic Air, when you are following a boat or car do you put it on sport mode, where it flies faster, or leave it on the regular flying mode?

Kristen Graham - 5 years ago

Thank you so much!

taterman320241 - 5 years ago

Kristen Graham Active Track is not a selectable option when in sport mode.

Christopher George - 5 years ago

I was at a beach/river resovoir yesterday getting some footage of speedboats and people tubing while my kids were swimming and what I didn't account for were power lines that follow bridges across the water. As I was following a boat I looked to see what my kids were doing and I'm not sure how but my Mavic flew right in between a group of power lines, when I looked back at the footage my heart sank as I realized I almost lost my Mavic Pro! Definitely a good idea to know whats around the area your flying.

Boudewijn De Jong - 5 years ago

Nice tips. I did it with my Phantom 3, but that is very difficult to let it follow, all the time losing connection. This year I have a Spark, that is much better in following. Next video is with the Phantom 3. https://youtu.be/VZe_FA4Bmzo

Jheet Reyes - 5 years ago

very nice videos...
may i know what camera setting did you used and can you give tips on how you post edit them?
thanks in advance for your response.

Big Bazza - 5 years ago

nice one Kelly

GS1200 Cork - 5 years ago

Great video and great footage

Tom Williams - 5 years ago

Can you hand land an Air with the bottom sensors?

Adventures Unfold - 5 years ago

Your suggestions with drone flying are not only informative but entertaining too...please keep them coming!

Alan - 5 years ago

Excellent tips Kelly!!

400 AGL - 5 years ago

This was one fantastic video Kelly, I really enjoyed watching this and some of that footage was just amazing. Very well done Sir ! ! !

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Thanks Mel!

Jay Malone - 5 years ago

Nice stuff Kelly. I’ve never used dynamic home point! I’ll have to give that a try! Would be great for ATV riding too!

Properly Twisted - 5 years ago

Excellent vid!! Glad you showed the difference between a simple workhorse like the ,,,P3S and the others,,My workhorse will be lifting from a 24ft pontoon soon hopefully..:)

Douga57 - 5 years ago

Sounds like all good advice, although I don't think I can set dynamic home point with my Phantom 2 with GoPro :)

Timothy Church - 5 years ago

I hope it doesn't fall in the water?

Chris Kinteris - 5 years ago

Great video. I didn't know about the dynamic home point. Thanks so much

Richard Palmer - 5 years ago

Can I set the home point to your location feature before I take off? Planning on picking up a small boat like yours.

Richard Palmer - 5 years ago

Thanks your probably right. I live in North Idaho and 95% of my vids are over water.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

I’m not sure, but I think you have to take off first - then set the home point. This is because the drone automatically sets a home point on takeoff, and you have to override that default setting. I’ll try it this weekend.

Bill Jones - 5 years ago

Thank you. Very informative. Answered all my questions.

James Gruhn - n0dfi - 5 years ago

Nice video and good tips

Jay Meinen - 5 years ago

I haven’t verified this but I’ve heard that very smooth water can reflect GPS signals and cause your drone to do funny things. If it starts acting erratically, be prepared to switch from Position Mode to Sport Mode. Maybe you can verify this.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Hey Jay. I have heard of that, but I have never experienced it. I've been trying to push the limits of how close to the water I can fly and so far it's been pretty smooth. I think it's similar to that moment when you are landing the drone on the land and it stops to position itself before it goes all the way down. About 2 feet off the ground. Thanks for the comment about GPS and smooth water. If I experience weird GPS close to the ground, I'll definitely post a video about it!

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Thanks Philip. I just did check out your channel. Newfoundland looks amazing!

Cliff Miller - 5 years ago

Thanks for advice. Did you or should you over water turn off your bottom sensors?

Cliff Miller - 5 years ago

OK thank you ,I’m just starting out, I love your channel. Thanks again.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

I have not turned off my sensors over water...both at low altitude and at higher altitude. I usually stay above 3' (1 meter) over the water and have never had an issue with it.

John Kallas - 5 years ago

Thanks good stuff!

Asgard Studios - 5 years ago

Great video. I’ve been flying the St. Lawrence this week as well :)

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Beautiful place!

Canadian Drone Hub - 5 years ago

very nice thanks for sharing

Guitarlo - 5 years ago

nice video. Kelly, what lake is this? I'm looking for a good vacation spot

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

It's the St. Lawrence River in upstate New York...right on the border with Canada. Beautiful spot!

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Sweet! chasing a jet ski sound like fun!

John DeNardo - 5 years ago

Nice video, I fly my quads from our boat all the time. You are giving some good advice especially with setting the battery to 40% I have watched 3 people so far dump their quads in the river right next to there boats, do to critical low battery

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Thanks John. Landing at 40% is probably the most important thing here. Reduces stress greatly!

sofabike - 5 years ago

Dear Sir, I'm U'r subscriber. At mean time looking for a CrystalSky ultra DJI monitor (999usd). If you have an affiliate link with DJI, I will be happy to buy from your site. Also I am planning trip from Florida to NEVADA. Will be happy to meet with you during LaborDay weekend. Last year 2016 I did meet with Ken Heron in TN. https://youtu.be/KZHMfRRtB3YSince u2be does NOT has privat-MSG futures , please contact me on FaceBook login NIK RUNNER

Hampshire Drone ~ Video Productions [4K] - 5 years ago

For a great recap you can visit sea.dronetechpro.co.UK or to ask a question visit boats.dronetechpro.co.uk

Jenna C - 5 years ago

Learned a bunch and looking forward to trying them out!!

Kenneth Halley - 5 years ago

My first flight on a boat was in a mangrove lagoon in the Carribean and the lack of wind and water motion meant the take off and landing were really, really easy. No different to a conventional landside hand landing. However a few weeks ago I was out in a small rowing boat here in Scotland with an outboard in very still conditions. As I was flying the drone my friend had the motor and literally just started it to move us when the drone decided the battery was getting low and like you suggest, you don't want to be stressing over landing so I brought it straight in. My friend killed the outboard instantly the battery alarm went, but what I never really accounted for was the momentum generated by a few turns of the boat prop and that when hovering the drone, the boat even with a really slow drift very quickly means the drone isnt anywhere near the boat. The drone ( mines is a Mavic Air) hovers a few seconds even when you are commanding it to land as it waits to decide that you really do want to fly down to that solid object below it, that few seconds is all it takes for the drone to drift out of reach. I had a few heart stopping moments as the boat drifted me out the reach of the drone as I told it to land, but luckily my friend was just able to grab it before it crossed over the stern of the boat and probably into the water! So make sure your boat is as totally still as possible.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Great story Kenneth! Thanks for sharing!

Epicman Haralds - 5 years ago

Do I have to turn off the downwards positioning when flying over water?

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

No, you don't.

vhs opdvd - 5 years ago

You are wrong in the inserted footage!
With the dedicated symbol in the app (DJI GO 4), the new homepoint is NOT set to the location of the RC but to the location of the smartdevice (and only if it has GPS).
This because NO DJI RC has build in GPS.
Litchi has realtime dynamic homepoint possibility in FPV-mode.

taterman320241 - 5 years ago

Ready Set Drone It also does not "home in on" the remote or smart device either. It returns to the GPS location you sent to the drone the last time you updated your location by pressing that update location button. The wording is absolutely critical because a new pilot may update his current location as RTH, he then watches as it lands 8 feet away in the water because he drifted and it really wasn't homing in on the remote. For a new pilot all that happens so fast that he doesn't abort in time to take manual control. I'm probably splitting hairs here but just had to mention it. Nice video.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

OK - so you have a point. However, in this case, the phone is connected to the remote control and is running the software, so I think it's fair to say that it is "part" of the remote when it is plugged in and running DJI Go 4. But I agree that it is the phone, not the actual remote control that has the GPS. Thanks for watching!

Ryan Swindlehurst - 5 years ago

Nice video! I just got my Mavic Air 3 days ago! So excited for cool shots with it!

Rick Powell - 5 years ago

I do this the same way thanks for the video. I seen others try to envolve other people to help land and take off witch is a big mistake in my opinion. Much safer to be in total control yourself.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Agreed!

Hollmuth - 5 years ago

Just lying in my boat and dreaming about flying a drone from here. Great tips. Probably have to buy Mavic air :) Greetings from Finland.

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

You should definitely get a Mavic Air!

Chuck Dugas - 5 years ago

Great info. Noticed one thing your antennas were pointed inward,but you didn't have any connection problems. Thanks for sharing Kelly. Love the shirt! I wear mine a lot! Tks. Chuck

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Thanks Chuck!

Butch McGee Air - 5 years ago

cool... should not be watching this while I am at work on a Friday afternoon.. thanks for sharing

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

It's OK - I'm at work too...

IamWedge - 5 years ago

Great tips Kelly! Seen way to many drone fails on boats. Nobody thinks about the Take off and Landings being the most difficult thing to do.

WEeee RV The Johnston's - 5 years ago

Great job! Nice to see you again! Wonderful viewage

Knowles Tucker - 5 years ago

beautiful footage ! I live in south Louisiana so there is mostly water around. good info to know . But im still fearful of over the water, even as advanced as my p4p is it freaks me out.

Steve Carpenter - 5 years ago

Thanks for the great information Kelly. I totally agree with all you suggestions for flying from a boat. As for landing on your boat, MAKE SURE the landing surface is FLAT, I can attest to this. I watched my friend lose his drone overboard because of the slick surface of the fiberglass hull and it was at a slight angle, overboard it went; RIP to the bottom of the Ocean. Thanks again for all these great tips, you guys must have had a great time! Wow Kelly, 100,000 subscriber is just a few clicks away, hopefully before the end of July!

Ready Set Drone - 5 years ago

Thanks Steve! I could totally see how the drone might slip into the water if the boat was rocking - so great tip! Thanks for the comment and the encouragement!

About How to Fly a Drone on a Boat

The "How to Fly a Drone on a Boat" video is part of the boating, sailing tipps category, which contains similar videos like this one.