Mavic didn't come home

[Mbillhym]

I lost contact with my Mavic behind a hill...I attempted to run around the hill to regain control but never saw the Mavic again. That was yesterday. I've hiked the most direct path to home 3 times and not found it. I was surprised it didn't come home...it really wasn't that far from home? Any ideas would be great.

 

[msinger]

Please upload your TXT flight log here and post a link back here.

 

[Mbillhym]

I'll do that when I back to my computer...thanks

 

[Rnl]

You in ohio

 

[Mbillhym]

No...Arizona

 

[Rnl]

Upload your log,the guys here are really good at finding mavics amazing to watch these guys work.

 

[Mbillhym]

I uploaded the log...can anyone see it and help me find this thing...? Thanks so kuch

 

[Mbillhym]

Here is the link

Phantom Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

 

[erkme73]

Download the KML file from the phantomhelp page you linked to above. Then open it with Google Earth. You can spin and tilt (hold ctrl and/or shift while using mouse scroll wheel) to see how the line would intersect with your original home point. Where that line hits the hill, that's likely where you will find your bird.

Your RTH height was set to 30m (roughly 100'). Since you were flying at 180' above the home point, it would not have climbed any higher. Based on the Google Earth representation, the hill was higher than your RTH.

 

[Mbillhym]

That's great help...I'll hike to the point you outlined tomorrow morning...thank you

 

[erkme73]

I wish you luck. But whatever comes of it, make sure you always set your RTH altitude to be higher than any obstructions that could come between you and the MP. While that setting is permanent, it will default back to 30m after most firmware updates - so keep an eye on it.

 

[Andrew F]

I wish you luck. But whatever comes of it, make sure you always set your RTH altitude to be higher than any obstructions that could come between you and the MP. While that setting is permanent, it will default back to 30m after most firmware updates - so keep an eye on it.

And PS: DON'T fly behind big hills or this will happen again. Remember line of sight. You can get away with dropping the V (visual) but not the direct line.

 

[Mbillhym]

No luck hiking the line of trajectory or the circle today...could it have gotten further? I'll hike the line all the way back home again when I can hopefully soon.

 

[erkme73]

There are other possibilities that could have it deviate from that line, but the most probable is that it is within those designated areas.

If it lost GPS signal and resorted to ATTI mode, it could have drifted with the wind - but ATTI mode rarely lasts more than a few seconds/minutes. And once GPS is restored, it would have attempted the RTH again. Granted, it would have attempted RTH from a different point, thereby creating a different vector and landing location if the new path intersected the hill.

My guess is small dark gray item is just very difficult to spot in the environment in which you're searching. Maybe another set of eyes to help thoroughly comb the area?

 

[Andrew F]

There are other possibilities that could have it deviate from that line, but the most probable is that it is within those designated areas.

If it lost GPS signal and resorted to ATTI mode, it could have drifted with the wind - but ATTI mode rarely lasts more than a few seconds/minutes. And once GPS is restored, it would have attempted the RTH again. Granted, it would have attempted RTH from a different point, thereby creating a different vector and landing location if the new path intersected the hill.

My guess is small dark gray item is just very difficult to spot in the environment in which you're searching. Maybe another set of eyes to help thoroughly comb the area?

I agree. I doubt it lost GPS in the wide open area. What was your obstacle avoidance set to? Once it got right in front of the hill, obstacle avoidance would kick in (if turned on) and may have tried to go around (if you had that selected). I'd scour that entire area (at the RTH elevation) Then walk the line up and over if you had "go over" selected. The battery may have died enroute and it may have just set itself down and it's sitting there waiting patiently for you!

 

[Mbillhym]

I found it finally after 3 days of hiking up and down the hill...at the 90 ft elevation but further south then expected. Looks like it ran in to something and fell to the ground. One propeller broke, battery popped out ( still had more then half life) and the front the the Mavic is busted with one of the sensors unable to calibrate. Very happy to have it back. I'll send it in for repairs to DJI I suppose. Special thanks to erkme73....your map really helped me find it.

 

[erkme73]

That's great news. Glad to know it helped. I'd take credit for it, but really this is entirely on @msinger's shoulders. His phantomhelp website is what converted the flight record into a KML file that Google Earth can open. The combination makes it nearly foolproof to find the last known/reported location, superimposed on a 3D map, showing elevation and possible points of interference. He is teh one that deserves all the kudos.