How to Fly a Drone on a Boat

DJI Mavic Pro Platinum: goo.gl/pWA3Hh
DJI Mavic Pro: goo.gl/IiLiSV
DJI Goggles: goo.gl/wVEiU3
With summer boating and drone flying season in full swing, many people want to get awesome drone video and drone photos while boating, fishing, water skiing or generally out on the water. This video will give you five tips to help you keep your drone out of the water and safely on your boat or on dry land. These five tips are pretty simple to follow and used, along with common sense, will reduce your stress while flying on a boat.

[@IamWedge]

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.

[@bvaldes8791]

That’s was great Kelly love that footage over the water and following the boats. 👍👍. Thank you for the tips.

[@jamesbrownlow8587]

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

[@xpane]

Awesome upbeat video. thanks for taking the time to do this.

[@BillTheDroneReviewer]

Kelly incredible tips ! That’s one of the 1,000 or so reasons why I love watching your channel ! That return to home using your controller as the home point is awesome ! Keep up the great work ! 👍🏻😎

[@readysetdrone]

Thanks Bill!

[@BIGDRONEFLYER77RC]

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

[@readysetdrone]

Thanks Donnie!

[@chriskinteris4665]

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

[@400AGLNET]

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

[@readysetdrone]

Thanks Mel!

[@malonecustomdesigns]

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!

[@JennaCee]

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

[@craigharpel295]

Will definitely have to try this from our pontoon boat on Rehoboth Bay this spring. I anticipate blow-back from other boaters though. Definitely a weekday adventure...

[@str8channel]

Great job! Nice to see you again! Wonderful viewage

[@alexdecker1515]

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

[@properlytwisted2172]

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..:)

[@luizaraujo1897]

Great tips. Thanks!

[@Lit0Rs]

Great video and tutorial, thanks!

[@kawasakiwaverunning]

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

[@k.p.kellerhals5923]

Good stuff!!!! Thanks for sharing!

[@HardkohrPiraat]

This is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you so much. I'm going on a SCUBA diving trip to Cabo Pulmo at the end of the month and this will be incredibly useful since we'll be diving from small boats. Once again thank you!

[@readysetdrone]

Nice!

[@petecarmichael3548]

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.

[@readysetdrone]

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!

[@RonaldBrown59]

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.

[@johndenardo2184]

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

[@readysetdrone]

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

[@JuicyFruityify]

Just wow!Just a joy to watch.

[@chrissimmons6358]

Great video.. best yet to walk new droners through. Thanks

[@jeffreyscott5806]

Awesome footage , now I know what to do . Thanks

[@delawaresrealtornick5670]

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.

[@readysetdrone]

Awesome. Thanks for the comment.

[@juliantse6730]

Great video and tips!!!

[@doodletime1649]

Ready set GO...Great video

[@BigAlFPV17]

Excellent tips Kelly!!

[@AndreRoy1967]

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

[@christophergeorge5888]

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.

[@WAXMAN1913]

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

[@readysetdrone]

Thanks Chuck!

[@ForWildsSake]

Great video! Thank you, just bought a drone for my channel and I do a lot of fishing video’s, so great information. Unfortunately I bought the DJI Mini 2 just to get started which has no active track that i am aware of.

[@AsgardStudios]

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

[@readysetdrone]

Beautiful place!

[@enwins]

A really useful video, thanks

[@johnwesleymcdonald432]

Good video I needed to learn that!! Keep it up 👍🏻

[@john_k1813]

Thanks good stuff!

[@rickpowell7550]

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.

[@readysetdrone]

Agreed!

[@MrGunawan79]

very nice tutorial thank you

[@grumpyvlogger]

Wow, very good and informative video. Your video footage is sweet. Thanks for sharing. 👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@ralph9987]

excelent, thanks so much

[@orlandodelrio63]

Great Video

[@mixchifius]

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

[@readysetdrone]

Nice! Beautiful place!

[@matt.squarebody5427]

@@readysetdrone we still do. Wonderful place for sure

[@WookieeRage]

Hello and thank you for the video. I was happy to see you made this video on the St Lawrence River. I am from Upstate New York so I wondered if you are from the area and if so do you fly your drone a lot. I'm getting into content creation and photography, so connecting with someone from the area would be fun and educational. I hope you are well and safe during these difficult times.

[@CanadianDroneHub]

very nice thanks for sharing

[@mjh96701]

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

[@hamzterix]

Someone already drowned their drone with those float balls in the backyard in a pool with no waves. His was able to dry his Mavic Air afterwards and fly it the same day. Lucky it was a just fresh water. I would highly NOT recommend using it.

[@51Drones]

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?

[@TheunfamousflyCoUk]

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.

[@readysetdrone]

Great story Kenneth! Thanks for sharing!

[@terson1927]

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

[@GSCork]

Great video and great footage

[@electroddxful]

Great video. What do you have your EXPO set to. Really nice and smooth. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@jhoedph4575]

JUST WOW!❤

[@SCAerialsSteveCarpenter]

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!

[@readysetdrone]

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!

[@dsarnson]

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

[@dronenjoy7141]

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

[@MrBerenguer67]

Great video and Exllent music great

[@jamesgruhn-n0dfi647]

Nice video and good tips

[@knowlestucker9752]

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.

[@exploringthearchipelagosea3286]

Thank you for a great piece of info. I'm planning to fly a Mavic Air from a sailboat next summer. Do you think it's going to be too hard operating it alone, particularly landing on my hand and steering it with my other hand? Or would you recommend to always try to land on the deck?

[@santaaugustino1]

Beautiful

[@dedydronebatam]

Top drone and boot 👍👍👍👍👍

[@bigbaza30]

nice one Kelly

[@1NATURELOVERJ]

Very helpful. As far as the dynamic home point feature, if I am on a boat and it is moving, if I have the person home point activated, will the drone land where it took off on the moving boat? Thanks.

[@bigalas27]

Great video thanks - what was that great music please ?

[@billjones6106]

Thank you. Very informative. Answered all my questions.

[@muzikmon2267]

really cool that you include your kids with a lot of these videos.. they're good helpers definitely a fun thing to do with your family.. Believe it or not my 6 year old grandson can fly my MAVIC PRO.. no seriously.. I bring him out to an open Park when nobody's around. And now he can fly it by himself he knows exactly what he's doing, and also take off and land it's a lot of family fun.. FYI he can also beat me in NHL hockey on PS4 🤣

[@readysetdrone]

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

[@muzikmon2267]

Ready Set Drone 😂😂🤣😂🤣 I WILL!!!! ;)

[@mobetterg]

Love your video 😎 I have a ⚓️25 FT RINKEN Cabin cruiser BOAT ⚓️I’ve tryed that before on my lounge pad TAKING OFF AND LANDING Np 😂 I enjoy flying around my spouse on my jet ski while I’m inside my boat ⚓️🛥⚓️

[@readysetdrone]

Sweet! chasing a jet ski sound like fun!

[@antwi313]

Thanks bro, great video and I really needed the info regarding the return home setting...😎

[@BBBB-gk5bm]

Nice video

[@58segdoh]

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 ?

[@Hollmuth]

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

[@readysetdrone]

You should definitely get a Mavic Air!

[@Swindie]

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

[@JohnnieV]

Does the controller have to have cell service? To enable dynamic?

[@RussOniPhone]

Thanks for the video would have liked you to see you catch it with your hand, I have to catch it by hand on a Kayak, do you turn off any of the avoidance sensors, because when I try with my hand it seems to fight you. I’ll have to try landing on the hand.

[@rayjones9066]

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.

[@readysetdrone]

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.

[@andrewandron7087]

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

[@readysetdrone]

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

[@faris1999]

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?!

[@butchmcgeeair4106]

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

[@readysetdrone]

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

[@samurailab22]

Molto interessante 👍

[@nsvaluto48328]

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

[@speliotis]

Hey Kelly, I realize the video is a couple years old.... What about hand catching with the sensors on & off? Can you update us about how to hand catch a drone on a moving boat with the sensors on & off? thank you

[@perrybryant4976]

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

[@KristenGraham]

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?

[@taterman320241]

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

[@KristenGraham]

Thank you so much!

[@TomWill2]

Can you hand land an Air with the bottom sensors?

[@MrMbrommer]

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

[@readysetdrone]

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

[@kirenireves]

On drones without landing gear, can you hang a thin line or string from the body of the drone with a light weight (maybe a couple of washers) attached to keep it from blowing up into the propellers? That line would make it easy to catch afterwards. Would this work?

[@justinanderson2598]

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?

[@amitjaju1051]

Please add a point to enable sports mode especially in drones such as DJI Spark....I flew the drone yesterday from a boat at the backwaters in Kerala, India and it was windy. Though my LOS and RTH was setup correctly but the drone was flying with restricted speed which could not beat the wind. I then enabled the sports mode toggle on the remote and the drone could easily beat the wind and it landed with 2% battery remaining.

[@muzikmon2267]

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...

[@readysetdrone]

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!

[@muzikmon2267]

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.. rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F263703241246 rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F163108282764

[@jb74635]

Just got one and thought this video was very well made - thanks for all the tips!

[@91niconico]

hi, thank for your video. But the location is fantastic!!!! could I know where is located in the world?? thanks nico

[@readysetdrone]

This was on the St. Lawrence River in upstate New York, USA.

[@thekiwibikeradventurers8552]

Very informative. Thanks for the great tips. Happy flying :)

[@js_filming7701]

Cant you set your homepoint where your remote is?

[@alexis1959]

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

[@patriceclerveau3062]

i love you

[@witwolfdebruin]

what app do you use for this flight?

[@dpeavey1]

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.

[@thomasandkimcowieson8340]

I would like to see you land it return to home.

[@marcsimeon29]

I have a question for you. At 7:31 if you pause. You have a white circle to the left of your recording button. What is that white circle for ?

[@ssphilproductions7968]

What kind of boat is this?