Best RTH advanced explanation I ever read

[raulmavic]

This are very good RTH advices, everyone must know:

From RCgroups forum: RC Groups - View Single Post - DJI Mavic Mini Drone

 

[scro]

Reading this and using the advice might just stop a few flyaways.

Personally I'm not a fan of RTH and have only used it a couple of times to see how it works. I'd much rather pilot the drone back to base.

 

[fificap]

Hi,
Even if your are not a fan of RTH (me too!), the point is that in case of transmission lost, the Mavic mini will automatically initiate a RTH (after 11 sec or something like that).
It can cause some unwanted situation, especially when your are in difficulty to return home manually or by RTH, because of the wind for exemple. If you decide to choose a safe place to land instead of an impossible or difficult RTH, but you lost the transmission (because of low height in big distance), the mini will abort the landind and initiate a RTH that can be risky or impossible!
If you have the time to change the home point to the new landing target, before initiate the landing, maybe it will do the trick even if you loose transmission.

It should be safer that the firmware do not interrupt a landing even in case of lost transmission.

 

[FoxhallGH]

Hi,
Even if your are not a fan of RTH (me too!), the point is that in case of transmission lost, the Mavic mini will automatically initiate a RTH (after 11 sec or something like that).
It can cause some unwanted situation, especially when your are in difficulty to return home manually or by RTH, because of the wind for exemple. If you decide to choose a safe place to land instead of an impossible or difficult RTH, but you lost the transmission (because of low height in big distance), the mini will abort the landind and initiate a RTH that can be risky or impossible!
If you have the time to change the home point to the new landing target, before initiate the landing, maybe it will do the trick even if you loose transmission.

It should be safer that the firmware do not interrupt a landing even in case of lost transmission.

I agree with this 100% ... It's like a seat-belt in a car. It's unlikely that you are going to have an accident, but you go through the process of making sure that the buckle is engaged and the straps aren't twisted or loose - every time you drive. Even if you don't intend to use RTH, it should be set to match local flying conditions so that if it is required, it's going to help and not make things worse!

 

[scro]

I like the seatbelt analogy. It might just make the difference in an emergency if set up right. Extending the analogy, a seatbelt won't help much if you don't know how to drive, drive too fast or drive dangerously.

 

[FoxhallGH]

I like the seatbelt analogy. It might just make the difference in an emergency if set up right. Extending the analogy, a seatbelt won't help much if you don't know how to drive, drive too fast or drive dangerously.

I don't know about that ... In those cases, you are probably more likely to need a seat-belt!
If - in your early days of flying your Mavic - you get so confused that you don't know which way the drone is pointing - RTH can be your 'get out of jail free card'.
I approached learning about my Mavic, in the same way that I did my Private Pilot training. The first things that I learned for that, was the pre-flight and pre-take-off checks.
Setting up RTH parameters - or at least confirming them - should be part of a pre-flight check, and should be done from day-one ...

 

[scro]

The line of thought I was taking is a seatbelt won't stop you getting into trouble, but might fool you into thinking you're safe.

 

[Nooguy]

I don't know about that ... In those cases, you are probably more likely to need a seat-belt!
If - in your early days of flying your Mavic - you get so confused that you don't know which way the drone is pointing - RTH can be your 'get out of jail free card'.
I approached learning about my Mavic, in the same way that I did my Private Pilot training. The first things that I learned for that, was the pre-flight and pre-take-off checks.
Setting up RTH parameters - or at least confirming them - should be part of a pre-flight check, and should be done from day-one ...

 

[Nooguy]

I AM in my early days of flying my Mini and do get confused about which way it's pointing. I lost two other (much cheaper) drones becuase of that. Yes, the camera images help but if I lose those I hope that RTH will save my drone -- and my sanity!

 

[Meta4]

I AM in my early days of flying my Mini and do get confused about which way it's pointing.

Look into the direction indicator, centre of the bottom of your screen and work out what it's showing you.

 

[DanMan32]

You can also look at your map and point the AC icon nose towards the line between you and it.

RTH can at least be used to quickly point you back in your direction, but you still have to watch out for ascent to an altitude that might not be ideal.

 

[fificap]

I AM in my early days of flying my Mini and do get confused about which way it's pointing. I lost two other (much cheaper) drones becuase of that. Yes, the camera images help but if I lose those I hope that RTH will save my drone -- and my sanity!

Hi,

I'm not really more experienced user of drone (I have it since november !) but i have a past experience of plane pilot and it's helpful.

If your problem is the wind, keep in mind the following:
- if the wind at flight altitude is too strong to bring back your mini at full speed, RTH will not be more efficient that manual control (even worst if the RTH height setup will push the Mini in stronger wind!).
- Your only reflex should be to use the short time you have with video feed back to lower the altitude and try to find less strong wind, if not find a safe place under the drone where to land and retreive it! If there is a risk to loose the connection, it is not enought as the drone will abort the landing and initiate the failsafe RTH (then put again the drone in stong wind and bye bye, or in an obstacle), so maybe changing the home point to the new landing location can be preventively safety.
- Try to keep some battery to use the "find your drone" feature that make it beep and blink !

If your issue is not the wind, but potential obstacles in the RTH route, using the video to find a safe place under the drone to land can be a better option too.

 

[Thomas B]

Fly out against the wind... if you can’t it’s too high. Then flying back either with or across the wind is ensured as long as you watch your battery life.

 

[Mac Man]

I agree with this 100% ... It's like a seat-belt in a car. It's unlikely that you are going to have an accident, but you go through the process of making sure that the buckle is engaged and the straps aren't twisted or loose - every time you drive. Even if you don't intend to use RTH, it should be set to match local flying conditions so that if it is required, it's going to help and not make things worse!

Good analogy. You set the RTH every time you go out like you would fasten your seatbelt each time you go out. Hoping you never have to use either.

 

[Mac Man]

This are very good RTH advices, everyone must know:

From RCgroups forum: RC Groups - View Single Post - DJI Mavic Mini Drone
[/QUOTE
After reading that I have to questions
1) “Failsafe RTH should be a non-event if you successfully updated the Home Point and reset the RTH altitude while ditching (as outlined above).”
When you reset the Home Point, is the new HP based on the position of the aircraft or the controller?

2) If you have reduced your max distance as suggested, what happens if the wind blows your Mini beyond the max distance and you still have a WiFi connection. Will the AC land, initiate a RTH, or just repeat a verbal warning?

 

[DanMan32]

HP can be set to AC current position or RC position specified by mobile's GPS, assuming mobile has GPS and app has permission to access it. You can't set RTH to just any point you want.
The point is moot though, since fail-safe RTH is the catch-22 due to rise in altitude. Setting fail-safe to land would be the better option in this case, but that's not currently an option for the mini.

I know reaching max altitude will cause a hover. Not sure what exceeding max distance due to outside influence will do, but I suspect it is either still attempt to hover, or return to the distance border. I doubt it will land.
It has been proven that ending up in an authorization zone will cause a landing. That happened to someone.

Best option is not put yourself in a no win situation in the first place. Cruise into the wind in the first half of the flight so Mini gets blown back or don't fly at all.

 

[xterior67]

I AM in my early days of flying my Mini and do get confused about which way it's pointing. I lost two other (much cheaper) drones becuase of that. Yes, the camera images help but if I lose those I hope that RTH will save my drone -- and my sanity!

Take off and fly directly away from youeself a few feet. Check make sure is pointed away from you, full deflection of left stick, mode 2, and begin to count 1,2,3, etc until pointed directly at you. Note count for future use in all 3 modes, C,P, and S modes. May be helpful in future if mini has disappeared from view.

 

[Mac Man]

Take off and fly directly away from youeself a few feet. Check make sure is pointed away from you, full deflection of left stick, mode 2, and begin to count 1,2,3, etc until pointed directly at you. Note count for future use in all 3 modes, C,P, and S modes. May be helpful in future if mini has disappeared from view.

That assumes when you get in trouble that the AC is pointed directly away from you. If you are flying to the left or right that will not work, and if the AC is being blown away it could be pointed in any direction.

 

[xterior67]

That assumes when you get in trouble that the AC is pointed directly away from you. If you are flying to the left or right that will not work, and if the AC is being blown away it could be pointed in any direction.

True, but if at last sighting it was going away and if I have lost sight of it, I will try this. Of course, the best option is probably RTH. I am very new, two flights and am just learning. Sometimes it is easy to lose sight of the MM even at short distances due to color. The first two flights I have set distance at 300 ft, but depending whether I am looking into the sun or against clouds in the background I sometimes momentarily lose sight. Just something I thought might be an additional tool in my toolbox. May not be very effective I acknowledge. Just getting started in this great hobby. Really appreciate the experienced contributors to this forum.

 

[old man mavic]

RTH should be something that is used sparingly,apart from times when it is triggered by loss of signal or remaining battery level, it is not something that you should just rely on to get back home, because the problem then arises that if the RTH is not going well you are not aware how to overcome the issue,and get home manually,if you do lose sight of your drone as others have said use the map and just yaw the drone till it faces back to the home point,and then fly it home and as you do so check the speed of the drone and if it appears to be struggling to make headway, try descending to a lower level if possible and you could also use sport mode to make better progress,but be aware that this will use more battery i know there are a lot of flyers who always use RTH to get home and that is fine if that is how they want to fly, i personally prefer manual RTH each to their own