I just came back from China where I registered and flew my drone a few times without problem.
Then in Guilin I set my home point, took off and flew a couple of k's down river, then back past me and another couple of k's up river, all with good line of sight (nothing obstructing in the way).
When I manually bought it home the drone suddenly and without warning disconnected from the controller directly in front of me - maybe 50 meters from me, and at roughly 120 meters altitude. I could see it hovering there but could do nothing to reconnect to it.
It was hovering over a reasonable size river just in front of me and I was powerless to do anything. I was certain that when it eventually ran out of power it would drop into the river in front of me. I saw a small boat just downstream and ran down to see if I could pay someone to take me into the current to try and catch it when it eventually ran out of battery. But the owner wasn't there and no-one spoke English. I was resigned to watching it descend into the river. I considered swimming out to get it but the current was too much and the chances of me timing my swim to meet it before I got washed downstream were practically zero.
Then after what seemed a lifetime resigned to losing the drone before my eyes, all of a sudden the controller started beeping and telling me the drone was returning home (it was still disconnected and I couldn't control it in any way). I ran back to where it had taken off and to my absolute joy it re-positioned and landed right where it had taken off. I was ecstatic.
Can anyone give me any idea on why it would all of a sudden disconnect??, and if that happens is there a way to re-connect while the drone is still airborne??
Obviously if the home point is set even if it disconnects it still comes home, so I will never fly if the home point hasn't set.
Is it normal if the controller has disconnected that it somehow still beeps and says that the drone is coming home automatically?? - I would have thought it would need some form of connection to tell me it was coming home?
Finally - due to a range of factors I forgot to unpack the drone from my suitcase while it was stored at the Hotel for the day that I left China. Like a total idiot I checked the drone in with 2 batteries for my flight as check in instead of carry on. When I got home after 2 flights my suitcase had been opened, the batteries removed and a very detailed note left in the suitcase from China airport security detailing what had been taken and why. The drone was untouched but I lost the batteries. Completely my fault, I did raise it with the airport security once I realised what I had done, but they were well onto it. Just thought I would detail what happened. For all the successful flights I put the batteries into ziplock bags and took them onto the plane as carry on without any problems whatsoever.
Any answers on the disconnect issue would be appreciated.
Cheers
Brent Smith
Then in Guilin I set my home point, took off and flew a couple of k's down river, then back past me and another couple of k's up river, all with good line of sight (nothing obstructing in the way).
When I manually bought it home the drone suddenly and without warning disconnected from the controller directly in front of me - maybe 50 meters from me, and at roughly 120 meters altitude. I could see it hovering there but could do nothing to reconnect to it.
It was hovering over a reasonable size river just in front of me and I was powerless to do anything. I was certain that when it eventually ran out of power it would drop into the river in front of me. I saw a small boat just downstream and ran down to see if I could pay someone to take me into the current to try and catch it when it eventually ran out of battery. But the owner wasn't there and no-one spoke English. I was resigned to watching it descend into the river. I considered swimming out to get it but the current was too much and the chances of me timing my swim to meet it before I got washed downstream were practically zero.
Then after what seemed a lifetime resigned to losing the drone before my eyes, all of a sudden the controller started beeping and telling me the drone was returning home (it was still disconnected and I couldn't control it in any way). I ran back to where it had taken off and to my absolute joy it re-positioned and landed right where it had taken off. I was ecstatic.
Can anyone give me any idea on why it would all of a sudden disconnect??, and if that happens is there a way to re-connect while the drone is still airborne??
Obviously if the home point is set even if it disconnects it still comes home, so I will never fly if the home point hasn't set.
Is it normal if the controller has disconnected that it somehow still beeps and says that the drone is coming home automatically?? - I would have thought it would need some form of connection to tell me it was coming home?
Finally - due to a range of factors I forgot to unpack the drone from my suitcase while it was stored at the Hotel for the day that I left China. Like a total idiot I checked the drone in with 2 batteries for my flight as check in instead of carry on. When I got home after 2 flights my suitcase had been opened, the batteries removed and a very detailed note left in the suitcase from China airport security detailing what had been taken and why. The drone was untouched but I lost the batteries. Completely my fault, I did raise it with the airport security once I realised what I had done, but they were well onto it. Just thought I would detail what happened. For all the successful flights I put the batteries into ziplock bags and took them onto the plane as carry on without any problems whatsoever.
Any answers on the disconnect issue would be appreciated.
Cheers
Brent Smith
