Evo Hand Launch or Boat Launch - Is it possible? (Maybe... with latest "Boat Mode" update)

fly186 · Dec 18, 2018

UnRanged said:
The best EVO promo video ever

This video in this thread started by another member is shot with an EVO... From a 30-40 foot sailboat in fairly Rocky conditions.. just watched it again. At the 2:50 mark, they take off from the deck... Water looked to be smooth. Filmed by Autel in New Zealand..

Thanks - I did watch that video yesterday from a link in an Autel Evo tweet and it does show a takeoff from the deck of the sailboat. I want to know how they did that and if they are using any beta firmware, etc.

UnRanged · Dec 19, 2018

fly186 said:
I had an email exchange with Autel support asking about the status of the hand launch problem. I was asked to try the latest firmware release (V1.3.3.25). I was hopeful, but after the upgrade and numerous hand launching attempts, even with a friend helping, I was still not able to do it.

IF ANYONE CAN HAND LAUNCH THEIR EVO PLEASE COMMENT ON THIS THREAD AND LET US KNOW HOW YOU DID IT!

Sorry. So far it still looks like a hand launch is a No-Go..

fly186 · Dec 31, 2018

Tried again this past weekend to launch from the deck of my boat but still couldn't do it. Conditions were perfect - boat was stationary, wind was less than 5 mph, and water was smooth with barely any ripples. I tried to arm the Evo multiple times with no luck and also powered the Evo on/off a number of times also. A few times I would see the "Gimbal not Ready" message on the controller but not always.

Jagerbomb52 · Dec 31, 2018

The UAV's that I know of that can be hand launched have a option in the APP. You can turn on hand launch or off. Even with this option it can be a hit or miss if it works properly. Hard to believe the EVO is that sensitive to movement.

Caribbean Dronz · Feb 17, 2019

fly186 said:
Tried again this past weekend to launch from the deck of my boat but still couldn't do it. Conditions were perfect - boat was stationary, wind was less than 5 mph, and water was smooth with barely any ripples. I tried to arm the Evo multiple times with no luck and also powered the Evo on/off a number of times also. A few times I would see the "Gimbal not Ready" message on the controller but not always.

Fly186, I see your last post still had no luck launching from the deck of a boat. But it was Oct of 2018. Any success since?

fly186 · Feb 17, 2019

Caribbean Dronz said:
Fly186, I see your last post still had no luck launching from the deck of a boat. But it was Oct of 2018. Any success since?

I tried a few weeks ago after installing the latest firmware (1.3.3.25) but it did not help and I could not launch from the deck of the boat or from my hand while on solid ground.
Autel support is also not making any commitments about fixing the gimbal sensitivity issue or adding a hand-launch option even after numerous requests from me about the issue.
So.. someone is going to get a good deal on a very lightly used Evo soon since I'm going to have to sell it.

Caribbean Dronz · Feb 23, 2019

Hey fly186, just wanted to let you know I got my Evo the other day, was on anchor in St. George's Grenada, connected everything hit the engine start with the joysticks, and the first time nothing, hit them again, bam! Engines started. If you've ever been here in Grenada, you'll know that anchorage is rolly.

fly186 · Feb 23, 2019

Caribbean Dronz said:
Hey fly186, just wanted to let you know I got my Evo the other day, was on anchor in St. George's Grenada, connected everything hit the engine start with the joysticks, and the first time nothing, hit them again, bam! Engines started. If you've ever been here in Grenada, you'll know that anchorage is rolly.

Thanks for the update. Did you apply any special settings, run any calibrations, or turn off anything to get that launch to work? Also, can you do that same launch from the deck CONSISTENTLY?
BTW - I've tried to launch from the deck multiple times. That includes moving the Evo to different locations and also attempting to arm multiple times as well during each attempt.
Plus - I still want to see if anyone can successfully hand launch their Evo from solid ground. I've never been able to do that either.

Caribbean Dronz · Feb 23, 2019

fly186 said:
Thanks for the update. Did you apply any special settings, run any calibrations, or turn off anything to get that launch to work? Also, can you do that same launch from the deck CONSISTENTLY?
BTW - I've tried to launch from the deck multiple times. That includes moving the Evo to different locations and also attempting to arm multiple times as well during each attempt.
Plus - I still want to see if anyone can successfully hand launch their Evo from solid ground. I've never been able to do that either.

I'll try again this week while out on a 42' cat and let you know later.

Caribbean Dronz · Feb 27, 2019

Good morning from Mystique fly186. So yesterday three takeoffs and landings from the bow of a Catamaran. No issues. Any chance there is something defective with your drone?

fly186 · Feb 27, 2019

I'm heading out on the boat tomorrow - I'll try once again. As far as being defective... I don't think so.

Thanks

Scrimma · Mar 31, 2019

Hey. I have a 40' sailboat and the only spot to launch is on the bow under the curling headsail. Not ideal but I've flown drones for many years and am confident in my abilities. Yesterday I have it my first attempt to hand launch off the side of the boat in glass out conditions. No luck. Tried it many times. Nothing. Gimble not ready etc. So I put it on the bow. Fired up immediately. Turned it off. Tried it again. Fired up immediately. Turned it off and tried hand launching holding super still. No luck. I have never owned a drone before that has required ground take off and landing. I have always hand launched and landed. I feel 100% safe doing it and protecting my drone from the ground conditions etc. The fact that autel won't allow hand launch...it's a HUGE deal breaker for anyone who is really adventurous and will cut out a huge portion of the potential market. Fingers crossed Autel ups their game!

fly186 · Mar 31, 2019

Scrimma... I feel your pain. It's extremely frustrating. Some people, including Autel, are claiming that launching from a boat is not a problem but that's not true. Again, if the Evo cannot be launched by hand while standing on terra firma and holding it as still as humanly possible there is no way anyone can expect to launch from the deck of a boat.
I'm going to load the latest firmware soon and try again but I'm not too hopeful.

Scrimma · Mar 31, 2019

fly186 said:
Scrimma... I feel your pain. It's extremely frustrating. Some people, including Autel, are claiming that launching from a boat is not a problem but that's not true. Again, if the Evo cannot be launched by hand while standing on terra firma and holding it as still as humanly possible there is no way anyone can expect to launch from the deck of a boat.
I'm going to load the latest firmware soon and try again but I'm not too hopeful.

Yes, they will definitely be losing customers in fast order of these kind of user friendly options are not added. I'm no geek, but I feel like it would be a simple algorithm for autel to implement. I've yet to upgrade to the latest firmware just because people seem to be crashing much more since the update. Either way, look ing forward to hearing if it helps or if anyone else has successfully hacked, used a decent 3rd party app or basically any solution to make the evo less 'boxed in'...

Jagerbomb52 · Mar 31, 2019

Welcome to the forum. I would be interested in hearing why you feel more people are crashing? Not saying you are wrong but just from going over the many posts here on the forum I don't see that happening. I do see a lot of new pilots that make a lot of new pilot mistakes but thats about it. I think if it was a firmware thing you would see a lot more complaints.

Scrimma · Mar 31, 2019

Agustine said:
Welcome to the forum. I would be interested in hearing why you feel more people are crashing? Not saying you are wrong but just from going over the many posts here on the forum I don't see that happening. I do see a lot of new pilots that make a lot of new pilot mistakes but thats about it. I think if it was a firmware thing you would see a lot more complaints.

Hi! Thank you! It's great to be apart of a community of fellow enthusiasts willing to share info and help each other out!
As for crashes being more frequent in the latest firmware update...im a member of a few Facebook Autel owners and evo owner groups. There's been chatter about it on them and has me a little concerned. I would agree that most mistakes are rookies, but occasionally firmware can get the best pilots in a sticky situation. Personally I've flown for many years with all types of drones, large and small consumer. The Evo itself though is new to me and there are slight control differences that cannot be customised that sometimes have me doing the opposite to what I want, but those little piloting errors I leave for a couple hundred feet up...just in case!
I do agree with your point though that it would make more sense if more consistently people were crashing with the new firmware. I did read that if the firmware is updated on anything less that a 100% fully charged battery and controller, that things can get muddled somehow and cause issues. One user states they worked this out on previous electronic devices and when it happened to his evo, he knew what to do and made sure everything was 100% charged before proceeding with the update. Also, downloading directly from autel onto a computer then onto the memory card is apparently a fool proof way of doing it. I'm no computer expert, but I feel it should be much simpler than that, but regardless, hope that answers your question?

Fingers cross for a hand launch and easier hand catch firmware update soooooooon!

Caribbean Dronz · Apr 1, 2019

fly186 said:
Scrimma... I feel your pain. It's extremely frustrating. Some people, including Autel, are claiming that launching from a boat is not a problem but that's not true. Again, if the Evo cannot be launched by hand while standing on terra firma and holding it as still as humanly possible there is no way anyone can expect to launch from the deck of a boat.
I'm going to load the latest firmware soon and try again but I'm not too hopeful.

fly186, I have launched from the deck of a boat more times than I have from terra firma.

fly186 · Apr 1, 2019

A

Caribbean Dronz said:
fly186, I have launched from the deck of a boat more times than I have from terra firma.

Some questions for you...
1) How big and what type of boat?
2) What are the conditions and is there ANY noticeable movement on the deck?
3) Are you using any specific settings on the Evo to enable your boat launches?
4) Are you able to consistently launch from your boat?
5) Have you ever been able to hand-launch the Evo?

Thanks!

UnRanged · Apr 1, 2019

Yep... I'm interested as well.

Caribbean Dronz · Apr 1, 2019

fly186 said:
A

Some questions for you...
1) How big and what type of boat?
2) What are the conditions and is there ANY noticeable movement on the deck?
3) Are you using any specific settings on the Evo to enable your boat launches?
4) Are you able to consistently launch from your boat?
5) Have you ever been able to hand-launch the Evo?

Thanks!

1) two types of boats; 42' catamaran, 40' monohull
2) different conditions from calm and well protected to open and windy. On the cat slight movement, but swinging on an anchor. On the monohull some wave rocking, and definite swinging on anchor.
3) no special settings at all. I might have been in novice mode even?
4) everytime I launched, it fired up and took off (6 in total now?)
5) no, never tried it.