Amen to that! And there was me thinking I’d seen it all when it comes to the Mavic Pro 
Great bit of info @Brian!
And thanks too @OzoneVibe for actually proving it!! Because I gotta admit, I was a little sceptical 
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Even hand-launching … a bit of a wave/swell … and it’s flying. And gone, if the boat is moving … and into the rigging possibly.
It does make @ash2020’s “handle” a very sensible option indeed!
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After watching the video I was going to ask about hand launching.
Hand launching is done by using ‘auto take off’ so it should be a little safer than starting the motors manually whilst the drone is on the floor.
Auto take off only takes a few seconds for the drone to shoot up so you just have to wait for the right time to launch.
Never had that on the P2 … so I’m still Old School for hand-launching … when I use it.
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Quite honestly - on a sailing boat with all the rigging - I’d still only use hand launch the old way … especially if underway.
What’s the old way?
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Without “auto take-off”.
Start motors, hold in right hand, release as you do left-stick up with your left hand.
Taking off when trekking in the alps there was never flat land, and it was the method I’d use most of the time.
That can only work with the Phantoms right?
No - I’ve done it with the MP, too.
Think I might be having a dumb moment here. You need both hands on the RC to start the motors right? So where do you have the AC? And how would you get a hold of it with the motors running?
I hold the MP in my right hand - RC in my left - and still start the motors OK.
I feel another video coming on …. when it’s daylight. 
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I can imagine it being possible but the auto take off method seems so much easier. One tap and one slide with the finger and it’s off.
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I do it that way as well.
Don’t think I’ve ever used auto take off.
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Wow, I thought the auto take off method was the norm 
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I’ve only ever used my Auto take-off to prove it works. Don’t normally use it … even when not hand-launching.
I am the friggin’ pilot … not DJI!!! 
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Sorry, only just saw this thread, can I give my 5 penn’orth. I rehearsed the whole manoeuvre many times in my head over the days before and I can safely say that nothing was like I imagined it would be!
I used auto take off, although manual sticks would be just as good, but look at the first few seconds. If you’re on a moving boat, it’s amazing how far the drone will be before you get your senses together. Don’t think its going up and hovering!
Next thing I found, forget about active track & helix & stuff. You will be hard pushed to tell where it is, let alone what direction it’s going in. Especially when you have sails up blocking half of your view. Probably best to fly fpv and forget about locating it.
I decided I was going to come home at 50% on the first run - good call, it takes a long time to recover.
I also decided to heave-to and stop the boat before catching, then to my surprise I found we had about 1/2 to 1 knot of tide so it was a real dilemma whether to bring it in on the windward or leeward side. I think I made the right decision on the windward side, i.e. the boat was moving away from the drone. That would happen anyway, because if you brought it in on the leeward side, you’d probably miss it the first time and it would shoot through the gap (hopefully). There’s almost nowhere to land so a catch is essential. All of the youtube stuff is generally with Phantoms, so no problem there. The Air and Pro have nowhere substantial to catch, especially in a bit of a swell and a bit of side to side movement.
To summarise my experience (which was extremely stressful).
- I reckon I had about a 60 / 40 chance of catching it in the conditions. I was lucky.
- I would have had zero chance of catching without the handle.
- Bearing in mind no.1, I would not do it again without floats. So easy to hit something and that’s it - gone.
4.If you want to shoot sailing clips then you prolly have to have 5 knots of wind to keep the sails nicely full. Comfortable to fly in but don’t underestimate the swell, which you can’t notice until you have a hovering Mavic in front of you!
Easy peasy - good luck!
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Thanks, Andrew. 
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BTW, I made the handle by using the centre clip from one of these (didn’t use these floats but I would next time, instead of the big balls)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332657295652?ViewItem=&item=332657295652&ppid=PPX000608&cnac=GB&rsta=en_GB(en_GB)&cust=3F149813RK383264C&unptid=dc718850-94e1-11e8-8c3d-441ea14e9560&t=&cal=4adb0134739e5&calc=4adb0134739e5&calf=4adb0134739e5&unp_tpcid=email-receipt-auction-payment&page=main:email&pgrp=main:email&e=op&mchn=em&s=ci&mail=sys
I had a bit of 20mm carbon fibre tube, so I epoxied a cork in, then drilled it and attached the clip to the top. It clips onto the battery and I have to say it is very useful. If take off sites are difficult I just clip it on and launch & catch by hand. Works really well and only adds 20 grams.
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Cheers Dave.
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Oh, and of course, obstacle avoidance and landing sensors switched off.
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