Airport lost my drone!!!

[rbhamilton]

If you want to track a bag you need something with an active signal or something that can tie in to the cell network. Those Tile things might work but I wouldn't count on them. Bluetooth is way too limited.

I have a little gizmo called a RF-V16. You can get them on Ebay for about $20. It's actually a mini cell phone about an inch square with 3 buttons. Chinese parents tuck these things in kids backpacks. You do need a Sim card and cell service for them. Tmobile was giving out free sim's as a 2nd line on Black Friday a few years ago so that's what I got. The guy at Tmo was a bit shocked when he saw it - never saw one before.

But they are real cell phones with an IMEI number and all the rest. You can pre-program them with 3 phone numbers so I put a "Push this button if found" sticker on mine. If anybody pushes the button it calls me. The speaker quality isn't great but you can have a normal chat with the person like a real cell phone. If you don't think you want to pay for the world's worst cell phone, a pre-paid data only card with a few GB's that don't expire is all you really need. You can bring up a map on your phone and see where your RF-V16 is.

I tried to just stick mine to my Mavic with velcro but it messed up the controls. I even got a 3D printed holder that clips to the legs and holds the RF-V16 away from the drone but it still caused a lot of interference and a fly-away. The one good thing about the fly-away - it eventually landed and I could track the drone to within a few feet because of the RF-V16 so I got the drone back. Anyway I gave up on that thing for a drone tracker. But you can sure stick one inside a bag.

 

[Maviac]

Actually, no. Tile has a short range, BUT it has a community as well, so you can mark it missing and others with the App can notify you when a lost item is found. A friend of mine got a camera back this way from hundreds of miles away. Just FYI.

I keep a tile in my drone bag, camera bag, briefcase, and I’m looking into having them attached to my kids. It’s nice peace of mind and on a couple of times it’s helped me confirm that I’d absentmindedly left my briefcase in the car or at the office.

 

[737MaxFlyer]

I have a problem and can anyone answer this question. Is there a way to track a drone that has been lost in transit?

I lost my bag at the airport on the 19th june and it had my mavic pro, go pro and all my filming gear inside with alot of recordings on about 5 sd cards. I feel sick

say someone finds it and powers it on is there a way to track it???

Did you lose it or did it get lost w the airline? If it did on the airline they should be able to track down the bag. First off I hope you didn’t check the batteries. You’re not allowed to. Second, I would have put it in my carryon baggage. The drone and batteries at least.

 

[firstbase]

1st Post DJ Pedro has left the building.....my bet is he had 2-3 batteries in his checked bag. Sniffer, detector, whatever found them and pulled the bag. My second bet is that they notified him later and told him about it. I bet he has all of it back in his possession after going through whatever one goes through when they get caught with batteries in a checked bag. Maybe not.... but that's what I think.

 

[JerseyBiker]

1st Post DJ Pedro has left the building.....my bet is he had 2-3 batteries in his checked bag. Sniffer, detector, whatever found them and pulled the bag. My second bet is that they notified him later and told him about it. I bet he has all of it back in his possession after going through whatever one goes through when they get caught with batteries in a checked bag. Maybe not.... but that's what I think.

It would of been nice of him to answer some of the questions and update his situation. I read a few post for assistance, and after people take time to help the OP you never hear another peep from them. It doesn't take much effort to say thanks.

 

[Dj pedro]

Actually, DJ Pedro never said he checked the luggage, or how the luggage was lost, only that he lost his bag at the airport and the drone was "lost in transit."

I have a trackimo which i use on the drone when i fly but it was in my hold luggage (dont ask why) The drone bag did not go in the hold. I had the drone in my rucksack and went through security and it didnt come out the other side. I had about 5 bags a pushchair and a toddler having a tantrum and didnt realise it was missing till i was walking on the plane! They wouldnt let me off the plane to find it so when i landed in london i rang lost and found and security and they hadnt found it. I rang each of them about 5 times and eventually security said they would take it to lost and found then about 3 hours later lost and found said they had it. Now trying to courier it home which is proving to be very difficult.

I hope everything is in there when i eventually get it back! Thanks for your advice

 

[Dj pedro]

1st Post DJ Pedro has left the building.....my bet is he had 2-3 batteries in his checked bag. Sniffer, detector, whatever found them and pulled the bag. My second bet is that they notified him later and told him about it. I bet he has all of it back in his possession after going through whatever one goes through when they get caught with batteries in a checked bag. Maybe not.... but that's what I think.

Wrong

 

[Dj pedro]

It would of been nice of him to answer some of the questions and update his situation. I read a few post for assistance, and after people take time to help the OP you never hear another peep from them. It doesn't take much effort to say thanks.

Sorry i been busy since i have been back from croatia. Just read all the comments

 

[JerseyBiker]

Sorry i been busy since i have been back from croatia. Just read all the comments

I guess better late than never.

 

[rbhamilton]

Sorry i been busy since i have been back from croatia. Just read all the comments

Almost as if posting on a drone forum while you are jetting around the world is a low priority! . Thanks for letting us know.

 

[firstbase]

Ha! Yes, give us the details so I can apologize!

 

[Clipper707]

Great news. I hope you get everything back, Pedro!

 

[kensteele]

sounds like the tile would have been the perfect application for pedro.

 

[Aussie Oldtimer]

I have a problem and can anyone answer this question. Is there a way to track a drone that has been lost in transit?

I lost my bag at the airport on the 19th june and it had my mavic pro, go pro and all my filming gear inside with alot of recordings on about 5 sd cards. I feel sick

say someone finds it and powers it on is there a way to track it???

Im finding it hard to understand how you lost your carry on luggage.
Surely you didn't put a lithium battery in the hold?
whenever ive flown, i get a baggage receipt to prove my bags were given to the airline to store as checked bags in the hold
love to hear the background story in full

 

[Alky1229]

I personally would never let anyone else but myself handle a bag with all my expensive equipment in it. When I go away with drone, gopros, osmo pocket and such it stays with me at all times

 

[AMann]

Dj pedro - sounds like some still think you should have left the tantrum child behind and taken better care of your bag!
Glad you are getting it back!

 

[firstbase]

Dj pedro - sounds like some still think you should have left the tantrum child behind and taken better care of your bag!
Glad you are getting it back!

I don't think there has been any news about him getting anything back. Hopefully. PS Always better to baggage check the child and carry the Mavic onboard. They are fine down there. A little dark maybe but...you know, they nap.

 

[AMann]

I don't think there has been any news about him getting anything back. Hopefully. PS Always better to baggage check the child and carry the Mavic onboard. They are fine down there. A little dark maybe but...you know, they nap.

I believe he mentioned it was found and is in the process of getting it back... but you are right, that’s not having it yet
I like your parenting skills too, but natural selection is working against it

 

[firstbase]

I believe he mentioned it was found and is in the process of getting it back... but you are right, that’s not having it yet
I like your parenting skills too, but natural selection is working against it

Sorry, my bad. Somehow I missed that post from DJ. Apologies for dissin' you DJ. Glad you are getting it back.

 

[Air Or]

Not a bad idea, IMO, to post your cell phone number on the top of your sUAS near your FAA Registration number.

For local retrieval from some nearby field, but for transport situations like this one, too.