ok so i resisted buying a landing pad for like a year because it seemed like one of those things that youre told you need but dont actually need. always just found a clear patch of grass or whatever and it was fine. but i was flying at this park last month and the grass was really long and wet and i lost a prop trying to land and it scared me enough to finally order one.

got one of those foldable ones, orange on one side, grey on the other, i think its a hoodman or maybe a knockoff i cant remember. anyway the thing actually is useful. cleaner landings, easier to spot in low light, and i think it keeps the sensors from freaking out when youre close to the ground on uneven terrain. not sure if that last part is real or in my head but it feels more stable.

also picked up a polarizing filter at the same time and that combo has made my footage look a lot better, the water shots especially. wish i hadnt waited so long on both of them tbh. anyone else have gear they put off buying and then felt dumb about it after

the sensor thing is probably real actually, optical flow works better with a flat reference surface underneath especially at low altitudes. glad it worked out for you. i had the same experience with ND filters, kept thinking i could just fix it in post and then finally tried a proper set and the difference in motion blur alone was worth it

haha yes straps. i finally got proper prop guards and mounting straps for transport after i found a loose prop rattling around in my bag and realized it had been vibrating against the body the whole flight home. no damage but could have been bad. some of this stuff is cheap enough that theres really no reason not to just get it and stop thinking about it