air2s dissapeared at 300ft during sunset

[MS Coast]

Considering it did not land according to its gps i am currently assuming it had shot straight up to extreme altitude until the battery went dead upon which time it fell.

Is it necessary to postulate an extreme climb after disconnection?

The drone fell from 318 feet and there was a breeze from the northeast last night. GPS positions aren't absolute. It's not at all unreasonable for it to land 30 feet from where the power loss occurred. And the location where it was found isn't necessarily the location where it landed. And with a dog, a fox, the lawn mowing man, and you there were opportunities for it to have been moved after it landed.

Does anyone know if drone propellers might autorotate, as helicopter rotors do with a power failure? Any lift from the rotors or asymmetric drag might cause a falling drone to move a bit to one side as it falls.

 

[Meta4]

Considering it did not land according to its gps i am currently assuming it had shot straight up to extreme altitude until the battery went dead upon which time it fell.

You are joining dots that just aren't there.

What could cause a drone to shoot up to extreme heights? (nothing)
Why would you lose signal at the same time as it zoomed off? (it wouldn't)

You lost sight of the drone when it lost power and the lights went out.
That's when and why signal was lost.
That's when it fell.

 

[scott492010]

You are joining dots that just aren't there.

What could cause a drone to shoot up to extreme heights? (nothing)
Why would you lose signal at the same time as it zoomed off? (it wouldn't)

You lost sight of the drone when it lost power and the lights went out.
That's when and why signal was lost.
That's when it fell.

the time in which this happened was at the end of sunset... i mean to say that it had become pretty dark at that point...almost completely dark. The incident happened when i zoomed in to Jupiter almost instantly. I think at this point the motherboard was having issues with the sensors and calibration. For example when you try to start a air2s in the dark to video fireworks in July you have to calibrate the drone as a result of failing censors. I believe once i zoomed in to Jupiter it forced some kind of non calibration issue within the programming and the as a result the drone did all kinds of unexpected maneuvers. This in fact may have caused a loss in power but the damage done to the props seems to prove that there was no immediate loss in power. The damage to those props seem to suggest they were chopping stone. The drone may have rolled completely over and flew directly into the earth (gravel) at which point the battery was ejected... I dont know for sure. Neverthless, I do not believe it was a power failure that forced disconnection to the controller. More likely it was a calibration issue concerning the sensors. Also lets not forget the time discrepancy because i was standing right there and i heard and seen NOTHING. It was dead silent and i felt absolutely no breeze at all. It was still as can be wind wise.

 

[Meta4]

I think at this point the motherboard was having issues with the sensors and calibration. For example when you try to start a air2s in the dark to video fireworks in July you have to calibrate the drone as a result of failing censors.

None of that is at all convincing.
The calibrate before launching in the dark, is DJI being stupid.
The compass works exactly the same whether it's day or night.
There's no physical reason you would need to calibrate anything to fly in the dark.

I've had DJI do this to me several times and investigated to find out what happens.
Here's the initial message suggesting there's compass issue, but repeated compass calibration doesn't fix it.
Neither does moving to different spots that have no magnetic interference.

Tap the red warning and you get this explanation:

Compass error. Unable to take off in low light environment.
This has nothing to do with the compass and there is no compass error at all.
If you light the drone with a bright flashlight or car headlamps, the drone stops complaining about the totally false compass error.

I believe once i zoomed in to Jupiter it forced some kind of non calibration issue within the programming and the as a result the drone did all kinds of unexpected maneuvers.

A non-calibration issue (??) caused the drone to do all kinds of unexpected manoeuvers ?
That's as believable as saying a spaceship from Mars came and took the drone.
DJI drones are very reliable and predictable and don't suddenly perform "all kinds of unexpected manoeuvers", particularly at the same time as the control signal is lost and the lights go out.

the damage done to the props seems to prove that there was no immediate loss in power.

How do you figure this?

The damage to those props seem to suggest they were chopping stone.

The props would have been spinning because of the air rushing past as the drone fell.
That's what I'd expect to see on a drone that plummeted >300 ft to the ground.

I dont know for sure.

I agree with that.

Neverthless, I do not believe it was a power failure that forced disconnection to the controller. More likely it was a calibration issue concerning the sensors. Also lets not forget the time discrepancy because i was standing right there and i heard and seen NOTHING. It was dead silent and i felt absolutely no breeze at all. It was still as can be wind wise.

Your drone flew normally for almost seven minutes showing no calibration problems.
Calibration problems don't just start after 7 minutes of flying and they don't turn off the LEDs and they don't cause the control signal to be lost or cause drones to zoom off to Jupiter.

Your drone lost power and fell to earth.

 

[Feek]

the time in which this happened was at the end of sunset... i mean to say that it had become pretty dark at that point...almost completely dark. The incident happened when i zoomed in to Jupiter almost instantly. I think at this point the motherboard was having issues with the sensors and calibration. For example when you try to start a air2s in the dark to video fireworks in July you have to calibrate the drone as a result of failing censors. I believe once i zoomed in to Jupiter it forced some kind of non calibration issue within the programming and the as a result the drone did all kinds of unexpected maneuvers. This in fact may have caused a loss in power but the damage done to the props seems to prove that there was no immediate loss in power. The damage to those props seem to suggest they were chopping stone. The drone may have rolled completely over and flew directly into the earth (gravel) at which point the battery was ejected... I dont know for sure. Neverthless, I do not believe it was a power failure that forced disconnection to the controller. More likely it was a calibration issue concerning the sensors. Also lets not forget the time discrepancy because i was standing right there and i heard and seen NOTHING. It was dead silent and i felt absolutely no breeze at all. It was still as can be wind wise.

You're making up stuff with absolutely no evidence whatsoever. You're overcomplicating what appears to be a very simple situation.

The drone lost power and dropped to the ground. That's it.

 

[scott492010]

You're making up stuff with absolutely no evidence whatsoever. You're overcomplicating what appears to be a very simple situation.

The drone lost power and dropped to the ground. That's it.

I have a ton of flight time under my belt with two different DJI AIR 2s drones. Never has it just lost power and dropped o the ground.

the props have chunks tore out of them and multiple cracks on individual props. That would not happen from a simple 300ft drop.

I had my tripod setup with my other camera between the take off point and were the drone was found. Thats approx. 15ft away. I would of heard or seen it. There is a security light on the building. Being late winter early spring and no wind there were no other sounds. I was there for approx. 5-10 minutes before i decided to start walking around to see if i could find it.

Once again i reference my many many hours of flying DJI AIR 2s drones... I have infact witnessed/experienced one of these drones loose calibration and/or sensor data and begin making uncontrolled maneuvers.

HERE is an example of a total loss of control due to night flight calibration and/or sensor data loss.

​

 

[Meta4]

I have a ton of flight time under my belt with two different DJI AIR 2s drones. Never has it just lost power and dropped o the ground.

If it never happened to you before, I guess it won't ever happen.
But what do you say about the folks who do have it happen?

the props have chunks tore out of them and multiple cracks on individual props. That would not happen from a simple 300ft drop.

And you know this how?

I had my tripod setup with my other camera between the take off point and were the drone was found. Thats approx. 15ft away. I would of heard or seen it. There is a security light on the building. Being late winter early spring and no wind there were no other sounds. I was there for approx. 5-10 minutes before i decided to start walking around to see if i could find it.

Once again i reference my many many hours of flying DJI AIR 2s drones... I have infact witnessed/experienced one of these drones loose calibration and/or sensor data and begin making uncontrolled maneuvers.

HERE is an example of a total loss of control due to night flight calibration and/or sensor data loss.

I've been analysing the flight data from incidents since 2015 and I can assure you that drones don't "lose calibration and/or sensor data".
Did you have the recorded flight data analysed to confirm what actually happened in those incidents?
Or did you just make unfounded assumptions like you have in your own incident?

Your drone did not "lose calibration or do any of the other things you've assumed.
It lost power and fell from 317 ft to the ground.
You just didn't hear it crash when it hit the grass with a thud and bounced a little.

 

[MS Coast]

the props have chunks tore out of them and multiple cracks on individual props. That would not happen from a simple 300ft drop.

Given the damage to the battery and the drone, it just may have been run over by a lawn mower.

 

[Feek]

Given the damage to the battery and the drone, it just may have been run over by a lawn mower.

Considering it was found by "The gentlemen who mows", I think that's very likely!

 

[LoudThunder]

i think i am gna get a airtag for my other drone.

Sure, go ahead, but do you know it is limited in range... And your drone was lost at night when you could not see it, so if you had an Airtag on it, you wuld still be walking all over the place trying to figure where it was, luckily the battery in an airtag lasts about a year, but your drone out in the "cold" will not...

The Airtag uses Bluetooth technology to connect to nearby Apple devices (you do have an apple device???) This means that its range is limited to about 10 meters indoors and about 30 meters outdoors.

 

[icecoldgin]

Personally, I put a small battery operated strobe light on the arm of my drone.

This way and in the event of a crash or some similar catastrophe, I could, at least, rely on the strobe to keep on blinking and help me locate the drone. This will be an advantage especially at night.

 

[scott492010]

Sure, go ahead, but do you know it is limited in range... And your drone was lost at night when you could not see it, so if you had an Airtag on it, you wuld still be walking all over the place trying to figure where it was, luckily the battery in an airtag lasts about a year, but your drone out in the "cold" will not...

The Airtag uses Bluetooth technology to connect to nearby Apple devices (you do have an apple device???) This means that its range is limited to about 10 meters indoors and about 30 meters outdoors.

mini gps tracker/locator

 

[scott492010]

Personally, I put a small battery operated strobe light on the arm of my drone.

This way and in the event of a crash or some similar catastrophe, I could, at least, rely on the strobe to keep on blinking and help me locate the drone. This will be an advantage especially at night.

there was one on the drone but i had not intended to fly in the dark more than 5 to 10 minutes. It was a last minute decision to try an capture the comet which only last a few minutes after sunset....

 

[scott492010]

If it never happened to you before, I guess it won't ever happen.
But what do you say about the folks who do have it happen?

And you know this how?

I've been analysing the flight data from incidents since 2015 and I can assure you that drones don't "lose calibration and/or sensor data".
Did you have the recorded flight data analysed to confirm what actually happened in those incidents?
Or did you just make unfounded assumptions like you have in your own incident?

Your drone did not "lose calibration or do any of the other things you've assumed.
It lost power and fell from 317 ft to the ground.
You just didn't hear it crash when it hit the grass with a thud and bounced a little.

my god you all like to argue a lot. i am not going to continue arguing about the obviousness of it all. nor am i going to take the time to point out your plot holes. I think if anybody took the time to read thru all these comments they would easily see how wrong you are about many of our opinions. my god....yes when i have lost control of the device and it makes uncontrolled maneuvers it is logged as a calibration and or sensor issue. I did not make that up out of thin air.

 

[scott492010]

Considering it was found by "The gentlemen who mows", I think that's very likely!

maybe...but i seriously doubt the drone itself was mowed over... i talked to the gentlemen and he was pretty sure he did not mow the drone itself. Maybe the battery although he did not hear the battery get hit or flung. The drone itself has absolutely no damage except for the props themselves and the foot where the antenna goes which looks like a pressure break. i do not see how a commercial mower with three blades could hit only the props and not the drone with the drown laying upside down. if the blades hit the drone it would of left blade scrapes on the plastic of the drone.

I have mowed with the same mower for years.... if he hit that battery its a 95% chance he would of known it.

 

[Meta4]

my god you all like to argue a lot. i am not going to continue arguing about the obviousness of it all. nor am i going to take the time to point out your plot holes. I think if anybody took the time to read thru all these comments they would easily see how wrong you are about many of our opinions. my god...

And I'm tired of giving you facts, when you prefer completely unfounded fantasy.

.yes when i have lost control of the device and it makes uncontrolled maneuvers it is logged as a calibration and or sensor issue. I did not make that up out of thin air.

But did you have anyone analyse the recorded flight data to find out what actually caused the incidents?
Going by what you've said and your unjustified confidence in your understanding of how DJI drones work it's a pretty safe assumption that's a negative.

 

[KBF]

Just to throw a random thought into this discussion .... you live on a farm, it was night time, could it not have been an Owl attacking it and knocking the battery out? Just a thought

 

[Meta4]

Just to throw a random thought into this discussion .... you live on a farm, it was night time, could it not have been an Owl attacking it and knocking the battery out? Just a thought

Probably not .... If that happened, it would have shown in the flight data.

 

[scott492010]

And I'm tired of giving you facts, when you prefer completely unfounded fantasy.


But did you have anyone analyse the recorded flight data to find out what actually caused the incidents?
Going by what you've said and your unjustified confidence in your understanding of how DJI drones work it's a pretty safe assumption that's a negative.

what is there to analyze? if the log says calibration failure or sensor failure.....then would it not be calibration failure or sensor failure?

 

[scott492010]

Probably not .... If that happened, it would have shown in the flight data.

are you kidding? What is this? The star ship Enterprise? it would say a Owl attacked it in the log?

Let me guess it was the Areore wasn't it? ornithoid humanoid species