Lost drone

[fivepak]

Hi all. Unfortunately my first post here is to report a lost drone. I'm a complete newbie to drones. My first flight was on Christmas where I just flew it straight up in my yard on beginner mode. I panned 360 degrees for a video and brought it straight down. Yesterday I did the same thing, but took it out of beginner mode to take it higher. I went up to 380' panned for a 360 degree video and went to bring it down. I received high wind alert and magnetic interference alert. I hit RTH and it started to come down. Then it started drifting. After some panicked moments hoping it would come back it drifted out of site. I'm getting disconnect messages off and on and still hoping RTH would work. I looked at the flight record on my home and drop to its last known point. I got permission to search a few back yards and no luck. Later I used the "Find my Drone" feature and it showed the same rough location, but actually gave Latitude and Longitude. If it's very accurate it put it in a tree in a front yard that I didn't check. When I first drove over there my RC said connecting, but didn't. Battery life eventually went to zero, but before it died I think the remote did detect the drone nearby. Is find my drone accurate? Could it have drifted well beyond that last known point and my RC detected it anyway?
As a newbie I shouldn't have done this and deserve any criticism directed my way.
Coordinates: 42.730705 -71.483317

 

[Haloweenhamster]

If / when you find it its good to keep an eye on the mini map as it will show if the mavic is being moved by the wind, in which direction and how fast

I'm a believer that rth is a last resort, think I've used it 2 or 3 times since march

There should be a flight log on your phone, I'm sure it also says height so you know how high in the tree or if it could be on a roof

DJI Flight Log Viewer

Hope you find it

 

[fivepak]

Here's my flight log.
DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

 

[Simmo]

Wow, that log reads like a horror story! Sorry for your loss.
I am still learning from the likes of Sar and msinger, so I wont comment. I've got my own theory in my head, however I'll let the 'pro's' comment and I'll see if I was close!

 

[kakao]

Did you press and hold the rth button or just one quick hit?

 

[fivepak]

Did you press and hold the rth button or just one quick hit?

No. I held it for a few seconds until it activated. It seemed to start coming back and then drifted away.
Do you guys think I have a case with DJI?

 

[Haloweenhamster]

Tbh I don't know much about the logs but some here do and will be able to help more

It looks to me like a Flyaway

At the end of the log its still moving at about 400ft up with 50% battery so it could be a lot further

It maybe time to contact dji

 

[fivepak]

Tbh I don't know much about the logs but some here do and will be able to help more

It looks to me like a Flyaway

At the end of the log its still moving at about 400ft up with 50% battery so it could be a lot further

It maybe time to contact dji

I did open a case with them yesterday. They sent me an email with instruction on providing all the information they need. I'm at work now, but will send the info when I get home.
I saw the altitude at the end of the log too, but when I went to that location the RC did start displaying "connecting" as if the drone was nearby.

 

[Haloweenhamster]

it got 4600ft with 28% battery and had say 40% left until it started landing traveling 10mph

 

[fivepak]

Once it loses connection isn't it supposed to attempt to RTH?

 

[Simmo]

If I'm right....'attempt' is also right...

 

[Callum]

Once it loses connection isn't it supposed to attempt to RTH?

Looks like it was in atti mode due to yaw error.
Would have been at mercy of the wind and would require manually piloting home.

 

[Haloweenhamster]

Also it was already in rth

 

[Zonian]

So, I'm new to looking at these logs...wow.

What causes a "yaw error" ??

 

[Callum]

So, I'm new to looking at these logs...wow.

What causes a "yaw error" ??

First time I've looked at them as well. Guessing it is related to the compass error. Yaw movement of aircraft does not relate to the magnetometer data it is receiving.

 

[Anthony Viscomi]

Following this thread to see what the experts say. Interesting log.

 

[Haloweenhamster]

Looks like others have had this issue

Speed error

 

[Anthony Viscomi]

Looks like others have had this issue

Speed error

Unfortunately they never posted their resolutions

 

[sar104]

Unfortunately it likely went much further than indicated by the last recorded point - that was just when it lost connection. Looking at the drift, it was somewhat variable in both direction and speed, although generally east. If you extrapolate battery % down to around 15% for autolanding and then use that to estimate further distance travelled you get the following:



In other words it looks like it should have drifted another 2,000 m before autolanding.

Combining that with the flight track, and adding some directional and distance uncertainty produces the following map:



Between the yellow radials and the range rings is where it is likely to have landed. That's a big area to cover though.

 

[fivepak]

After answering all of DJI's questions and sending videos and flight records, now I wait.