Clarifying

[Bad Santa]

It appears people didn't like my post before. I'll try to not add my quirky humor going further.

So, I was flying my DJI Mini, on Mt Hood, In Oregon.
I was at an elevation of approximately 4700 feet.
I flew the drone to 55m and about 200 feet away from me.
The area is relatively flat with sparse David Douglas Trees.
I was flying that elevation to do a test flight and to try recording a video and to test the RTH function.

At the furthest point I was able to rotate the drone 30 degrees. I was able to slide side to side. Etc. All movement functions appeared to work fine.

RTH button pressed and the drone didn't respond. About 30 seconds later a message appeared "RTH command not successful" or something to that effect. I almost panicked.

I turned the drone 180 degrees and commanded forward. The drone responded.

I stopped about 30 feet north of me and 55m up. The drone stopped responding to commands of:
camera zoom
Reverse
Side to side
Rotate

It would move forward.
I inched forward and started to bring it down. After it got to about 100 feet, it was able to turn and I maneuvered to land it within 12" of it's takeoff point.

So, questions were asked.

I did forget that the almost directly overhead, at 55m might need the controller antennae pointed at the drone. That would explain the non control and why it was reestablished at a lower elevation.

I don't know why the RTH function didn't work. That is the #1 reason I bought this particular drone. The #2 was obstacle avoidance.

A comment that was mentioned was that the controller should have recorded the video. Well, is that recorded on the controller memory or the memory card? The memory card is blank. I formatted it before inserting it. It's still blank.

Comments were made bout reading the manual. Ins a perfect world, everyone would learn the same way. For whatever reason, I can read a manual 10 times and still not absorb the knowledge. I also can't read for entertainment. My mind drifts after 2 sentences. Does that mean I'm dumb? No. I've found many ways to learn. Videos, for example, are very informative when done properly. Add in a ton of technical info unrelated to actual function and I'm, again, drifting off. I don't need to know the history of the gyroscope to know what a gyroscope is and what it does. I learned that 55 years ago, literally. The same goes for almost all aspects of my learning.

The point is I can read the manual 10 times and not learn what I learned in 10 minutes of flying. I put nobody in danger. The only possible harm would have been to myself and/or my bank account.

But when I do have issues, I can reference materials, including, but not limited to, the manual.

So, I actually listen to people when they give advice on things that help. Judgment, well, that's all with a grain of salt. I never really cared much that people dive 70 in a 55, for example.

Anyhow, I wonder some things. I wonder if I power up my drone in my front yard, if it comes on the radar with the transponder. I wonder if I do a quick hover, if it's illegal (I suspect it is even if it's legal to throw a ball in the same airspace) since I live within a restricted area (Max altitude at my house is 300'). I wonder why the RTH didn't work (which I'll probably have to reference somewhere). So much to wonder after my second flight.

 

[AeroJ]

That was much more informational version of your original post, and should attract help rather than criticism.

I did forget that the almost directly overhead, at 55m might need the controller antennae pointed at the drone. That would explain the non control and why it was reestablished at a lower elevation.

It's possible but unlikely with the craft that close to you. And with a 30 m offset from directly overhead even more unlikely.

What is confusing me is the selective loss of control. Control signal does not die incrementally IME. Either ALL the controls work, or if RC signal gets below a certain threshold (usually at vast distance, or when totally blocked from view) then NONE of them do. Not sure I have ever heard of a situation where only some controls stop working, so that is mysterious, and why we would like to see the flight log, which might be able to shed some light on this.

A comment that was mentioned was that the controller should have recorded the video. Well, is that recorded on the controller memory or the memory card? The memory card is blank. I formatted it before inserting it. It's still blank.

It's recorded on the controller, and is not the same file as you get if you manually turn on screen recording, which gives you the overlays as well. As I don't have your exact model of drone, and these things can vary with firmware version, I will have to leave it to others to advise which folder it will be in with your setup.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

What drone, what controller and, if applicable what phone?
Do you know anything about retrieving and posting the .txt flight log ?
You need to be careful of the videos you learn from, some video posters are not worth the ....... and some are simply outright wrong.

But when I do have issues, I can reference materials, including, but not limited to, the manual.

That's one reason for practise flights in a safe and open space, behaviours can be not-as-expected and you stand a chance of getting away with it.
You can then check the relevant section of the manual etc. and find out what was wrong with your understanding.

EVERY time that has happened to me it was my understanding that was at fault. The drone behaved as the manual said it should ....... though, with inexperienced/newbie pilots in mind, I DO NOT think the manuals are well written.

 

[mavic3usa]

Anyhow, I wonder some things. I wonder if I power up my drone in my front yard, if it comes on the radar with the transponder. I wonder if I do a quick hover, if it's illegal (I suspect it is even if it's legal to throw a ball in the same airspace) since I live within a restricted area (Max altitude at my house is 300'). I wonder why the RTH didn't work (which I'll probably have to reference somewhere). So much to wonder after my second flight.

The difference between a drone and a ball is if something were to go wrong, the ball will likely and eventually fall towards the ground and have no further impact on the airspace. However, with a drone, even though these drones are pretty good, you could still end up with a flyaway and that drone can drift and/or ascend to thousands of feet into the airspace. FAA is concerned with the aircraft and less so with the baseballs.

 

[Cafguy]

I wonder if I power up my drone in my front yard, if it comes on the radar with the transponder

NO there is no way for the controllers in the airports control tower to see your Drone.

I wonder if I do a quick hover, if it's illegal

If you live in restricted Airspace yes it is very illegal.

I wonder why the RTH didn't work

Could be alot of things really but Return to home is there as an emergency type of function and should never be relied upon to "save" your Drone. The same can be said for Obstacle Avoidance

 

[Bad Santa]

Digging through the memory on the controller, I found 3 video files.
1) From my living room the day I got it.
2) Sitting on the ground testing the camera movement
3) The video below. It's just a few seconds up at altitude.

I don't seem to have a record of the full flight, nor the landing, nor it's first flight into the tree.

Unless there's another place on the device where videos are temporarily stored?

I'm looking into how to download flight logs. I don't see a lot of data on the device but there's a LOT of folders.

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[Yorkshire_Pud]

Anyhow, I wonder some things. I wonder if I power up my drone in my front yard, if it comes on th

Mavic3usa, is correct, drones can flyaway and they can climb, uncontrollably, to dangerous heights.
In addition you drone may well be broadcasting its height, serial-number, postition, the controller's position and possibly the-take-off point, via RID, to anyone who has a suitable reciever.
In retricted space I would find it surprising if the area is NOW permanently monitored.

 

[Meta4]

Anyhow, I wonder some things. .....

Your drone is very reliable and simple to fly.
Getting some practice will make it all clear to you.

Do your early flights in a large open area, well away from trees, buildings and obstacles.
Be afraid, very afraid of trees, buildings etc. They are involved in most incidents.

RTH is quite simple and trying it a few times in a safe space will give you familiarity.

I don't seem to have a record of the full flight, nor the landing, nor it's first flight into the tree.

You will only have a video record if you were shooting video at the time.
It sounds like you accidentally turned the video off.
Watch for the red square and ticking time on screen to confirm that video is recording and not switched off.

 

[Cafguy]

Control towers in the U.S. do not have the ability to see RID. only FAA officials with receivers and Karens with cheap apps can see RID..

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Control towers in the U.S. do not have the ability to see RID. only FAA officials with receivers and Karens with cheap apps can see RID..

Really ?
That strikes me as very odd, I am pretty sure I have seen reports of airports being shut down and, perhaps flights rerouted, because a "drone was detected". To me that impies that the detection was not visual but by other means.
I would have thought it would have been "drone was seen" if the detecting was visual.

 

[MA2 317]

I'm looking into how to download flight logs. I don't see a lot of data on the device but there's a LOT of folders.

Follow the instructions from this site and post a link of the flight back here for the gurus to look at.

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

.

 

[Cafguy]

Only a select few Airports in the U.S. have such equipment and I don't think it is used much. These incidents occur following a visual report of someone flying a drone by a bystander or Pilot, not by the airport itself. Once an Airport receives such a report they will close the Airspace and investigate the area. IF the offender is found an FAA official will read the RID number from the Offenders Drone and that number will be placed in a database of offenders.
No longer are the days of free second chances.......... and that's what RID is all about..NOT Tracking Drones in air.

 

[Bad Santa]

I found the one for yesterday.

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

Let's see if that works.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I found the one for yesterday.

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

Let's see if that works.

It works but I wouldn't consider flying over a road a suitable area for practise/training flights.

 

[Bad Santa]

It works but I wouldn't consider flying over a road a suitable area for practise/training flights.

I understand that people would think that. I did check with someone I know that is a 8 year pilot, works with FAA inspectors, checked on the regulations, and had the following to say.
Paraphrasing: The regulation is that you can't fly over traffic. The regulation is not that you can't fly over roads. One must carefully watch for traffic.
I don't recall a single car driving down that road during my flying. While setting up there was one that drove past and as I was taking everything down there was someone that stopped nearby so a guy could jump over the guardrail and take a whiz.
Total time directly over the road was just a few seconds. About the same amount of time it took me to cross the road on foot, which I've done many times on different occasions. That area is where I used to go sledding a couple decades ago.

I was warned that people might give a little flack because the map shows a road there.

FWIW, I've seen many videos, from drones, flying over roads. I've seen a few where they were actively flying over traffic. No, it's not cool to fly over traffic. Or even near traffic. I get that.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I don't recall a single car driving down that road during my flying. While setting up there was one that drove past and as I was taking everything down there was someone that stopped nearby so a guy could jump over the guardrail and take a whiz.

fair enough but still I wouldn't practice over a road, my choice is a field or large grassed area.

I've seen many videos, from drones, flying over roads. I've seen a few where they were actively flying over traffic. No, it's not cool to fly over traffic. Or even near traffic.

My main concern in responses to you is keeping you from making mistakes and/or getting into trouble.
I don't give a hoot about what those idiots do it's their neck on the line and I don't know them

 

[AeroJ]

Yeah, lot of difference between flying along a road for an extended period of time, and briefly crossing it. But if it's an empty road, or one with hardly anything on it, that'll probably be fine. The important thing is that you gave it some thought and consideration and made sensible decisions based on the conditions at the time.

 

[Bad Santa]

Regarding where I was flying.
I had cause to be there. I didn't go there just to fly. I could have found a few places other than there but I HAD to be there. That exact spot.
And I plan on taking my drone with me for opportunistic flying anyhow. This was the first of (I hope) many opportunistic flights.

I know a wide open field would be great for practice flying, to make sure everything is working right. That will happen too.
I have a field by my work and an hour to kill every day. I might just do some flying there. I've seen a guy also flying there so it's not out of the question.

More to the point, I'm not going to fly it in a place I can't retrieve it, until I am FAR more comfortable with the reliability and controls.

In the particular spot I chose to fly, there's a trail right below where I was flying. It used to be a road, many decades ago. The drone would have been retrievable if it didn't catch in a tree. And the only way it would have landed in a tree would be if it malfunctioned since I was flying above the trees.

Either way, I have flown drones before. Cheap ones. Even in my living room. I've also flown a real plane, RC planes, String planes (I can't do that well as I get dizzy easy), RC cars, and an instrument only simulator.
Meaning, the mechanics of flying, or RC operations, are something I understand. My learning curve is the rules of flying and the specific craft.

One thing I really like about the Mini is the way it compensates when you release the controls in order to come to a complete stop. My cheap drones (I have 3) drift horribly and I've only crashed one of those.

 

[Droning on and on...]

The regulation is that you can't fly over traffic. The regulation is not that you can't fly over roads. One must carefully watch for traffic.

Precisely correct. The reg is about protecting people and their cars, not protecting roads.

In fact, roads can be a very useful feature for learning to fly a straight course with crosswinds. Just find one with no one on it. Easy if you get out of urban areas.

 

[Droning on and on...]

One thing I really like about the Mini is the way it compensates when you release the controls in order to come to a complete stop. My cheap drones (I have 3) drift horribly and I've only crashed one of those.

The beauty of GPS and VPS, making the drone aware of it's position relative to the ground