Beware of RTC

[Matey]

I'm probably stating the obvious, so apologies if this is basic. Today I thought I would go into a wood with trees with a low canopy to fly along a path in between some chunky evergreens and other trees. I flew slowly, planning to speed up the video when I put something together. I flew for a while in and out of trees, great fun, but eventually got the battery Return to Home warning but chose to ignore it as I was in full control! At least a quarter battery left and only six to eight foot off the ground. So confident, I did not override before auto RTH kicked in. That's when my Mav decided to try and fly to its safe RTH height! Argghhhh! Horror. I just stopped it in time. My take off point was not in the wood but some distance away. I will remember this ! With RTH think about where it took off it and where you are now. I didn't.


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[PropPilot]

I had something similar but with a double whammy. Mine went into RTC while right in front of me while I was hovering to land and started to go for the RTH height to move about 75 feet from where I had started. I had not read up on how to cancel it so my reaction was to capture it from the bottom while it was in range......WELL.... the bottom sensors see the blockage from my hand and Mavvie throttles up for orbit while I am pulling the sticks down and round and round it goes. I got a solid grip on it and was able to command a prop stop and after my heart settled down, I went back online to figure out the series of errors due to my unfamiliarity with both the actions at RTC and of grabbing from below and now I am far more educated.

Its a fantastic device but not a toy. You have to definitely know your Mavvie !

 

[Matey]

Nice one! Interesting experience and a story to learn from. I agree, I think the Mav is a fantastic piece of technology, and you're right, it's not a toy! I flew a cheaper drone for a bit to get some experience before deciding I would get the Mav and I'm delighted.
I'll check on what things you can do in an emergency to switch off the auto functions. I tried pulling the cheaper drone I have down a while back and there was blood everywhere and on the Hubsan.

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[PropPilot]

There is a hard/physical button on the Mavvie remote that cancels the fun/magic and you get control back (except) the bottom sensors will still drive it away so I read about pilots on the board fetching from behind when it is in a stable hover.

On that day, if I had cancelled the RTC with the button and then swooped in from behind when he was not looking, it would have not driven my cardiac rate up to 144 ;-)

Sorry about the fingers !

 

[Matey]

Maybe I should practice in case I need to grab it in the air. Obviously I'm a little wary after the Hubsan incident and the Mav props are bigger and seem sharper!


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