Drone knowledge test; which rules did I break in this picture and story?

[Former Member]

Ok, this is just a dramatization, fiction, just for fun. Can you tell me what procedures I did wrong in this story and picture?


I decided to take my Mavic 2 drone for a flight this morning. The battery was at 50%, but I thought, what the heck. The battery will probably last around 10 or 15 minutes since a full battery lasts 20 or 30 minutes. There was a thick fog, but it wasnt raining. I put the drone down, and climbed up through the fog to try and get some pictures. I lost site of it at around 20 feet up but I knew if I climbed up high enough I could climb above it. I got to around 500 feet AGL, but still couldnt see a thing. DJI Go started to tell me something about the battery but I didnt look at it, I was having too much fun flying. I couldnt see or hear the drone any more, but I think it was right above me. Finally I decided to land, but I couldnt control the drone. It was going down on it's own, but I couldnt see where it was landing. Something on the controller was beeping but I was too freaked out to see what it was. Finally a few minutes later, my device said disconnected, and so did the controller. I didnt know where to start looking for it because I had no idea where it was. I just bought it this morning and I never flew a drone before this. By the way, what is this Refresh I keep hearing about? Am I covered?

 

[AMann]

This was a real post, wasn’t it? I don’t have the foggiest idea what was wrong about it either, seemed alright to me. There’s a guy online here that can find lost drones, you just have to post your flight photo files or something or other and he can pinpoint the location for you.

 

[Former Member]

This was a real post, wasn’t it?

Lets say its a dramatization based on some things I have read and heard. It is not directed at anyone, just a general quiz. I created a fictional story and I want people to tell me what I did wrong.

 

[JDawg]

You did good!

 

[Former Member]

You did good!

WRONG! You are grounded!

 

[AnotherMavicPilot]

Ok, this is just a dramatization, fiction, just for fun. Can you tell me what procedures I did wrong in this story and picture?


I decided to take my Mavic 2 drone for a flight this morning. The battery was at 50%, but I thought, what the heck. The battery will probably last around 10 or 15 minutes since a full battery lasts 20 or 30 minutes. There was a thick fog, but it wasnt raining. I put the drone down, and climbed up through the fog to try and get some pictures. I lost site of it at around 20 feet up but I knew if I climbed up high enough I could climb above it. I got to around 500 feet AGL, but still couldnt see a thing. DJI Go started to tell me something about the battery but I didnt look at it, I was having too much fun flying. I couldnt see or hear the drone any more, but I think it was right above me. Finally I decided to land, but I couldnt control the drone. It was going down on it's own, but I couldnt see where it was landing. Something on the controller was beeping but I was too freaked out to see what it was. Finally a few minutes later, my device said disconnected, and so did the controller. I didnt know where to start looking for it because I had no idea where it was. I just bought it this morning and I never flew a drone before this. By the way, what is this Refresh I keep hearing about? Am I covered?

View attachment 60019

Ok I'll bite...

I decided to take my Mavic 2 drone for a flight this morning. The battery was at 50%, but I thought, what the heck. The battery will probably last around 10 or 15 minutes since a full battery lasts 20 or 30 minutes. There was a thick fog, but it wasnt raining. I put the drone down, and climbed up through the fog to try and get some pictures. I lost site of it at around 20 feet up but I knew if I climbed up high enough I could climb above it. I got to around 500 feet AGL, but still couldnt see a thing. DJI Go started to tell me something about the battery but I didnt look at it, I was having too much fun flying. I couldnt see or hear the drone any more, but I think it was right above me. Finally I decided to land, but I couldnt control the drone. It was going down on it's own, but I couldnt see where it was landing. Something on the controller was beeping but I was too freaked out to see what it was. Finally a few minutes later, my device said disconnected, and so did the controller. I didnt know where to start looking for it because I had no idea where it was. I just bought it this morning and I never flew a drone before this. By the way, what is this Refresh I keep hearing about? Am I covered?


How did I score? Do I get a License now? or at least a pat on the back?

 

[JDawg]

WRONG! You are grounded!

You did great?

 

[AMann]

No it was not a real post. Lets say its a dramatization. I created a fictional story and I want people to tell me what I did wrong.

Sounds awfuly familiar though! Ok, besides the partially charged battery, the willingness to ignore minimum ceiling and go through the fog layer, loss of VLOS, the entire story could have ended with “and the sounds of landing jets at the nearby airport were so loud, he could barely hear the warning beeps of his controller.”

 

[Former Member]

Ok I'll bite...

I decided to take my Mavic 2 drone for a flight this morning. The battery was at 50%, but I thought, what the heck. The battery will probably last around 10 or 15 minutes since a full battery lasts 20 or 30 minutes. There was a thick fog, but it wasnt raining. I put the drone down, and climbed up through the fog to try and get some pictures. I lost site of it at around 20 feet up but I knew if I climbed up high enough I could climb above it. I got to around 500 feet AGL, but still couldnt see a thing. DJI Go started to tell me something about the battery but I didnt look at it, I was having too much fun flying. I couldnt see or hear the drone any more, but I think it was right above me. Finally I decided to land, but I couldnt control the drone. It was going down on it's own, but I couldnt see where it was landing. Something on the controller was beeping but I was too freaked out to see what it was. Finally a few minutes later, my device said disconnected, and so did the controller. I didnt know where to start looking for it because I had no idea where it was. I just bought it this morning and I never flew a drone before this. By the way, what is this Refresh I keep hearing about? Am I covered?


How did I score? Do I get a License now? or at least a pat on the back?

You get a B. Good job.

 

[Former Member]

Sounds awfuly familiar though! Ok, besides the partially charged battery, the willingness to ignore minimum ceiling and go through the fog layer, loss of DLOS, the entire story could have ended with “and the sounds of landing jets at the nearby airport were so loud, he could barely hear the warning beeps of his controller.”

Good work. B-

 

[Former Member]

You did great?

I would probably fail my own test.

 

[AnotherMavicPilot]

With photos like that you'll go far, probably into a tree - but still far!

 

[AnotherMavicPilot]

I would probably fail my own test.

Was gonna say that, do you even know the answers yourself Rob?

 

[Former Member]

Was gonna say that, do you even know the answers yourself Rob?

There are 10 things I could have done differently... thats a clue.

I think you got most of them.

 

[Mavic Pro Platinum]

Ok, this is just a dramatization, fiction, just for fun. Can you tell me what procedures I did wrong in this story and picture?


I decided to take my Mavic 2 drone for a flight this morning. The battery was at 50%, but I thought, what the heck. The battery will probably last around 10 or 15 minutes since a full battery lasts 20 or 30 minutes. There was a thick fog, but it wasnt raining. I put the drone down, and climbed up through the fog to try and get some pictures. I lost site of it at around 20 feet up but I knew if I climbed up high enough I could climb above it. I got to around 500 feet AGL, but still couldnt see a thing. DJI Go started to tell me something about the battery but I didnt look at it, I was having too much fun flying. I couldnt see or hear the drone any more, but I think it was right above me. Finally I decided to land, but I couldnt control the drone. It was going down on it's own, but I couldnt see where it was landing. Something on the controller was beeping but I was too freaked out to see what it was. Finally a few minutes later, my device said disconnected, and so did the controller. I didnt know where to start looking for it because I had no idea where it was. I just bought it this morning and I never flew a drone before this. By the way, what is this Refresh I keep hearing about? Am I covered?

View attachment 60019

Flying with a half charged battery, flying in thick fog, losing sight of it and not returning home, trying to go higher than the fog, going above 400 feet AGL, not hitting RTH when a low battery warning appeared, and DJI Care Refresh is insurance for your drone offered by DJI, with up to two replacements per year. Care Refresh does not replace lost drones.

 

[Former Member]

Flying with a half charged battery, flying in thick fog, losing sight of it and not returning home, trying to go higher than the fog, going above 400 feet AGL, not hitting RTH when a low battery warning appeared, and DJI Care Refresh is insurance for your drone offered by DJI, with up to two replacements per year. Care Refresh does not replace lost drones.

Excellent!

Ok, can you explain what his misconception was when starting out with 50% battery?

What could he (I) have done before takeoff to help in finding his drone after it went down?

Since Refresh does not insure for unrecoverable drones, is there anything else he (I) could have done before he took off to help "cover" himself for the cost of the total loss of his drone? He is in the USA.

 

[Mavic Pro Platinum]

Excellent!

Ok, can you explain what his misconception was when starting out with 50% battery?

What could he have done before takeoff to help in finding his drone after it went down?

Since Refresh does not insure for unrecoverable drones, is there anything else he could have done before he took off to help "cover" himself for the cost of the total loss of his drone? He is in the USA.

He should have said my battery isn’t fully charged, it wouldn’t be wise to fly half charged plus there’s a heavy fog. He should have had State Farm insurance and a Marco Polo drone tracker.

 

[Mavic Pro Platinum]

Excellent!

Ok, can you explain what his misconception was when starting out with 50% battery?

What could he (I) have done before takeoff to help in finding his drone after it went down?

Since Refresh does not insure for unrecoverable drones, is there anything else he (I) could have done before he took off to help "cover" himself for the cost of the total loss of his drone? He is in the USA.

Thank you![emoji16]

 

[Former Member]

He should have said my battery isn’t fully charged, it wouldn’t be wise to fly half charged plus there’s a heavy fog. He should have had State Farm insurance and a Marco Polo drone tracker.

Excellent!

But his logic was, "A full battery lasts 30 minutes, I can get at least 15 minutes from half a battery." Did he forget something?

 

[Mavic Pro Platinum]

Excellent!

But his logic was, "A full battery lasts 30 minutes, I can get at least 15 minutes from half a battery." Did he forget something?

Low battery warning is at 30% and auto landing is at 5%.