Tutorial: Tether Tools’ Aero Drone LaunchPad

In this tutorial we’ll look at the Aero Drone LaunchPad by Tether Tools. The Aero Drone LaunchPad provides filmmakers and pilots with a stable, portable platform for many popular industry drones for use in the field. While it looks simple, we've been very impressed at how useful this piece of gear is, especially when shooting in remote locations.

How the Launch Pad Works

The Launch Pad attaches easily to any tripod or stand with a Tether Tools Pro Bracket (Figure 1, below). This is included with the product. In this case, we're using a tripod which makes this a compact setup. It's much easier than trying to carry a table out into the field.

Figure 1. Attaching the Launch Pad to a tripod with the Tether Tools Pro Bracket. Click the image to see it at full size.

The product is made completely of T6 aerospace aluminum, so it's extremely durable but also lightweight (Figure 2, below).

Figure 2. The Aero Drone Launch Pad is solidly constructed. 

How to Use It

We've used the Launch Pad in many different ways.

To start, we like to use this as a platform for building the drone. Having a surface at the right height keeps things more comfortable for operators on those long shoots.

Additionally, using a platform like this over a ground option can help prevent dust, dirt, and other items from interfering with your drone. Depending on the tripod or stand you're using, the Launch Pad can also serve as a great place to calibrate your drone on a level surface (Figure 3, below). Often times, we're providing drone coverage in very remote locations so we've been amazed at how much the launch pad can help in these situations.

Figure 3. Calibrating a drone on the Launch Pad. Click the image to see it at full size.

Finally, the product is a great place for staging the drone when it's not in use. The Aero Drone Launch Pad shifts with a protective black carrying case, so that it's protected during transport (Figure 4, below). It also works with the full line of Tether table accessories which can turn this into a complete field workstation.

Figure 4. The Launch Pad carrying case

I highly encourage checking out this product. You can learn more about it by visiting the Tether Tools website.