Yes, I know, I know we need to know how to fly without the GPS training wheels.. that's all I've been doing so far and didn't actually even realize you could use the GPS for take-off until tonight after reading on some forums. So, when you are on the job, filming or shooting stills - do you use the GPS hold to take off in a pretty fashion?
No totally manual. While you may get lucky most of the time it is entirely possible to have a GPS lock with such poor reception that the copter will take off and then immediately start the proverbial toilet bowl dance. Manual is predictable, automation less so.
Hi Tyler: To echo what Gary says, I'd strongly recommend against using GPS on take off or landing. If there is any "twinkling" in the GPS signal (that is a momentary disruption in a signal), you could either crash or trip the copter over its landing gear and trash some props. I use GPS for two things: 1. When shooting stills and I want to park the copter in the sky (in conjunction with AH). This is especially true for panoramas. 2 As an emergency come home feature if I lose the Smart OSD, lose situation awareness, and would otherwise put the copter at risk. In anticipation of this use, on the first flight of the day I first test AH, and then test PH, before I fly the bird away for the first shot. Andy.
Echo the (smart) guys above. I only use it to "park" the copter, and I'm extremely careful when engaging it to keep my fingers on the sticks in case things go bad with either PH or AH (both have weaknesses). I've tested Coming Home, but I (thankfully) have never had to rely on it in the field. I know there are those who advocate flying with it all the time. But IMHO it is no different than training wheels. Great, unless they fail, and they can make things bad when they get tangled in your wheels. I can tell you that after hundreds of flights and fortunately, an equal number of takeoffs and landings (well, ALMOST equal), you can do both very smoothly with practice and a properly set up bird.