3 crashes in a row, thoughts?

[lakong]

I was finishing off a 20 minute flight, mostly over water and I tried landing in a tight space while the mavic was turned towards me. This was really stupid on my part given that there were plenty of open areas to land plus I'm very comfortable with hand landings. Anyway, the wind blew it back a bit and I panicked given that the controls were reversed and it crashed into a low railing. Luckily the only clear damage was on all four props. The drone ended up on it's side and the camera/gimbal never hit the ground.

I have plenty of spare props so I attached them the next day (today) and decided to fly it for a bit in my backyard before chancing that something was actually broken and I lose it over water or from a high crash. I lifted off okay, but after about 30 seconds of testing it lost control and crashed. Again, luckily it landed in some rose bushes and this time no damage at all. But I realized that the back-left prop had flew off. I couldn't find it but had another so attached it pretty carefully. I was pretty sure that I locked it in place this time and tried again. Again, the prop flew off and again I was lucky that there was no damage. So three crashes in a row!

This time I spent a lot of time checking out the drone, the spring on the back-left arm, anything I could find. I compared the mechanism to the other 3 ones and it seemed just fine. I put the prop back and tried to get it to come lose and it didn't. I flew it again with the camera cover on, this time very low for a while and then I hovered about 15 feet for 10 minutes, then started going back and forth, rotated a bunch and went straight up and down about 50 feet. I also made sudden stops left and right and forward and back. I had it in the air for total of 15 minutes or so and it seemed just fine. Thoughts? Do you think that I should be okay after 15 minutes of testing or should I think about sending it back? I'm planning on going to a mountain lake area (big bear) next week and really want to fly high and over the lake but now am very paranoid.

FYI, here is the video prior to the first crash.

Notice that the focus goes in and out quite a bit, especially when I rotate the drone. It was a very windy day. Do you think this could be the focus issue or might there be something wrong with the gimbal (this was prior to the crash).

* I realize that I'm just on the inside of the 5 mile ring from Torrance Airport, so no need to point that out. I tried to fly fairly low and was always within line of sight.

- LA

 

[AlanTheBeast]

No idea. A good pre-flight means checking the props:
-remove them
-check the spring action
-check the props
-check the motor head (debris, cracking,screws).
-put the props back on
-make sure it is positively locked: try to remove it without pushing down.

I don't want to lecture you ... but ...
You were 3 NM from the beginning of runway 11L and directly under its RNAV approach - while also inside TOA's class C. At the height you were at you're safe from everything but a fine.

US controllers are pretty accommodating - you only needed to phone the tower and inform them and they probably would have been quite okay with flight up to about 200 feet where you were. The RNAV approach to 11L requires a/c to stay above 1300 feet until somewhat inland of where you were. But other operations under their control where you were (surface to 2400 ASL) are under their approval. Including you.

 

[stratos]

No idea. A good pre-flight means checking the props:
-remove them
-check the spring action
-check the props
-check the motor head (debris, cracking,screws).
-put the props back on
-make sure it is positively locked: try to remove it without pushing down.

I don't want to lecture you ... but ...
You were 3 NM from the beginning of runway 11L and directly under its RNAV approach - while also inside TOA's class C. At the height you were at you're safe from everything but a fine.

US controllers are pretty accommodating - you only needed to phone the tower and inform them and they probably would have been quite okay with flight up to about 200 feet where you were. The RNAV approach to 11L requires a/c to stay above 1300 feet until somewhat inland of where you were. But other operations under their control where you were (surface to 2400 ASL) are under their approval. Including you.

I think its ok to check the props, but the least you can do to remove and attach again the props will just cause the spring to give way faster.
but year check there are no obstructions or anything on the props and motors.

 

[Squamer]

Fly somewhere that your 4th crash isn't going to hurt anyone. Mistakes happen, minimize the chance of someone getting hurt until your confidence is back up.

 

[lakong]

No idea. A good pre-flight means checking the props:
-remove them
-check the spring action
-check the props
-check the motor head (debris, cracking,screws).
-put the props back on
-make sure it is positively locked: try to remove it without pushing down.

I don't want to lecture you ... but ...
You were 3 NM from the beginning of runway 11L and directly under its RNAV approach - while also inside TOA's class C. At the height you were at you're safe from everything but a fine.

US controllers are pretty accommodating - you only needed to phone the tower and inform them and they probably would have been quite okay with flight up to about 200 feet where you were. The RNAV approach to 11L requires a/c to stay above 1300 feet until somewhat inland of where you were. But other operations under their control where you were (surface to 2400 ASL) are under their approval. Including you.

Alan, thanks for the advice. For where I live, almost everywhere is technically inside of 5 miles from some airport, so I think you just need to be smart and safe. Fly relatively low, make sure you can see it, etc. I have called a few times, but the b4ufly app showed my position just at the outer-ring, not sure where you see it as 3 NM, but I'll take your word!

BTW, while I was finishing up 6-8 helicopters came fairly close to me while flying just off the coast. I immediately brought the drone even lower than it was as soon as I saw/heard them coming. Just after I landed a vintage WWII plane was flying super low right over the coastline, definitely less than 200 feet, maybe as low as 100 feet. It was flying back and forth a few times over the area. Is this even legal? It was not taking off or landing, just doing some scenic flying very low.

 

[lakong]

Fly somewhere that your 4th crash isn't going to hurt anyone. Mistakes happen, minimize the chance of someone getting hurt until your confidence is back up.

Thanks and good advice. So I have one low flight under my belt and I'll be sure to fly around low for a while when I do go up the mountains before taking any unnecessary chances!

 

[AlanTheBeast]

Alan, thanks for the advice. For where I live, almost everywhere is technically inside of 5 miles from some airport, so I think you just need to be smart and safe. Fly relatively low, make sure you can see it, etc. I have called a few times, but the b4ufly app showed my position just at the outer-ring, not sure where you see it as 3 NM, but I'll take your word!

BTW, while I was finishing up 6-8 helicopters came fairly close to me while flying just off the coast. I immediately brought the drone even lower than it was as soon as I saw/heard them coming. Just after I landed a vintage WWII plane was flying super low right over the coastline, definitely less than 200 feet, maybe as low as 100 feet. It was flying back and forth a few times over the area. Is this even legal? It was not taking off or landing, just doing some scenic flying very low.

They were all very likely in contact with TOA.

Look on Google Earth Pro. Draw a line or circle.

Look on SkyVector.com to see their class C airspace:
SkyVector: Flight Planning / Aeronautical Charts

 

[larryp]

Not sure how to advise about your crashes, maybe send it in for servicing.. I fly full sized airplanes out of Torrance and we hear airport information telling us where you are flying and what altitudes. Torrance tower would likely have told you it was ok. FYI Torrance is Class D


Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

 

[AlanTheBeast]

Not sure how to advise about your crashes, maybe send it in for servicing.. I fly full sized airplanes out of Torrance and we hear airport information telling us where you are flying and what altitudes. Torrance tower would likely have told you it was ok. FYI Torrance is Class D

Quite right. My mistake from looking at the chart and assuming C. Still - flight in their CZ is not kosher - Surface to 2400 is their ****.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

Sounds like you didn't have the prop secured. You lose a prop your going down. While it is a 'toy' to many, please respect the machine. Many people never even download the manual and read it. Given the nature of a device such as the Mavic you want to be best prepared as you can be to avoid issues

 

[Filmscum]

Wow 3 crashes in a 24 hour period!? You say you're "pretty sure" you attached your prop correctly. It sounds like you obviously didn't or if you did I'd say you have an issue with that locking mechanism. I would look it over with a fine tooth comb before taking it any distance from you.

As for your focusing issues what version of Go are you running? If it's a newer Go 4 then it sounds to me you're in AF (auto focus) which now means CAF (continuous auto focus). The camera will randomly focus itself, which is an awful feature. To get around it enable manual focus in general settings, then you can toggle between the two. While in AF tap to focus on something in the far distance, say over 150 meters away. You'll see when it locks in on focus, then toggle to MF. The focus will stay there, on second thought it will stay there on a craft that hasn't been crashed 3 times!

 

[pgitug]

I am a newbie. But any time my props hit something I was told to recalibrate the quad. So far I have never had a problem following this procedure. IMHO


Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

 

[sdharris]

I am a newbie. But any time my props hit something I was told to recalibrate the quad. So far I have never had a problem following this procedure. IMHO


Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

I'd second that. Following any crash or hard knock I would calibrate the IMU, and that's coming from someone who rarely calibrates the compass or IMU on the Mavic.

I'm in two minds on the prop thing, you'd think even spinning up would test that locking mechanism but it can happen in flight. I would personally calibrate, then take it and a few batteries somewhere quiet and wide open and fly those batteries until drained and gain some confidence before your next trip.

I can't comment on the proximity to the airport as I am UK based but its a nice video.

 

[ksull72487]

You panic ed and the controls are reversed and it was windy. You need to learn how to fly an RC helicopter or quad without GPS. You shouldn't being fly your Mavic experiencing how the controls reveres with different orientation. I wouldn't being flying in a ton of wind either. If that thing switches to ATTI mode odds are you won't be able to control it. No offense. But I'd practice with something else first so you fully understand what happens and how RC works. The Mavic dumbs people down since it has to many redundancies but the minute it hiccups they can't fly it.


Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

 

[Filmscum]

I used to ALWAYS fly my Phantom 1 and my F550 in atti mode when shooting video. Just made for more cinematic shots. I admit gps mode on the Mavic is smoother to say the least, but I still wish we had the the option to switch to atti when we want to.

 

[cobra46]

After breaking my props, I had a small piece of the old prop locking tab still inside the motor. Maybe you had the same issue and it was preventing the new prop from locking into place.

Check out the airmap app. The B4UFLY app is garbage. You absolutely must call the airport prior to flying within 5 miles of an airport. All the other aircraft you saw will be in contact with the local tower and may give aircraft flying near you a warning like 'caution drone traffic over pier at 200'.

People incorrectly think manned aircraft must stay above 500' except when landing or taking off. Over open water or sparsely populated area, airplanes can fly right on the deck but they must stay 500' away from any person, vessel, vehicle or structure. Furthermore, helicopters have even less strict rules.

 

[Strafe1]

After a hard landing or crash, DJI recommendation is to recalibrate IMU. The prop check has already been covered.

 

[Skyler King III]

No idea. A good pre-flight means checking the props:
-remove them
-check the spring action
-check the props
-check the motor head (debris, cracking,screws).
-put the props back on
-make sure it is positively locked: try to remove it without pushing down.

I don't want to lecture you ... but ...
You were 3 NM from the beginning of runway 11L and directly under its RNAV approach - while also inside TOA's class C. At the height you were at you're safe from everything but a fine.

US controllers are pretty accommodating - you only needed to phone the tower and inform them and they probably would have been quite okay with flight up to about 200 feet where you were. The RNAV approach to 11L requires a/c to stay above 1300 feet until somewhat inland of where you were. But other operations under their control where you were (surface to 2400 ASL) are under their approval. Including you.

I hate to say this but it seems that most people, not me, completely ignore the controlled airspace - notify requirement. Some of these folks don';t even know of the requirement. Some never heard of B4UFLY and some Not me) haven't registered with the FAA or even know about it. This is not good for the rest of us as it will call PEE to rain down on us...You know...The very broad brush. PHEW... I'm off my soapbox now but this stuff really concerns me. I don't want legal hassles because of the folks who do those things. I just want to happy (and compliantly) fly my drones. I'm too old for that stuff.