Controller lost connection

djifish · Mar 25, 2023

Hi pilots.. today I lost connection with my mav pro it was only about 50 ft above and I couldn't do anything with it.. pretty scary it said something like connection or signal lost. After a bit I think it recconnected and I bought it down..then after a while I got the courage to give it another fly was going ok at around same height as previously until a joystick error come on the controller screen and once again had no control and I think it auto returned to point of take of which was only mtrs away thank god..any advice because I'm a bit put off atm..

Lykus · Mar 25, 2023

Welcome to the forum! It depends on the environment you were flying in. Was there signal interference?

djifish · Mar 25, 2023

At a stretch of beach with no-one else around and not near a town.. what is your thoughts on the joystick error also

Lykus · Mar 25, 2023

djifish said:
At a stretch of beach with no-one else around and not near a town.. what is your thoughts on the joystick error also

Never had that issue before. Is your Mavic Pro a new one or pre-owned?

MAvic_South_Oz · Mar 25, 2023

The aircraft antennas are in the front legs, so dead above or close to directly above can lead to poor signal.
Maybe try a controller calibration, try taking off and flying out a ways and see if the same issue(s) occur.
Maybe do it somewhere like a local parkland, rather than ocean side.
Ensure RTH settings are best for the test (not crazy high), and to fly out more than needed to have RTH behave normally . . . too close and it will just land, can’t recall how far, refer manual.

Deleted member 170899 · Mar 25, 2023

Drone and controller batteries charged sufficiently?

Kendallfordguy · Mar 25, 2023

Welcome from Wisconsin!

Ralph thompson · Mar 25, 2023

Had the same problem, almost certainly the antenna position as said above. If yr going straight up above u the the antenna must be horizontal.

Laborous · Mar 25, 2023

Welcome to the forum from the beautiful woods of Maine! Never had that problem close to the ground.

Chetk7677 · Mar 25, 2023

Welcome from Florida, USA.

Yorkshire_Pud · Mar 25, 2023

With regards to the joystick error, I'd be inclined to try a controller calibration.

It might also be an idea to install a screen capture app on the phone, they are handy for checking out what warnings flash up.
I think you can replay the log of flight in the App possibly including the warnings.

wjkrysak · Mar 25, 2023

Welcome to the forum. We look forward to your participation and your view of the world You will find plenty of helpful advice in the forums.

GFields · Mar 25, 2023

Greetings from Birmingham Alabama USA, welcome to the forum! We look forward to hearing from you!

mereflyer · Mar 25, 2023

I too have had similar drop outs - quite a few times. Yes it is scary! Most times, mine simply does RTH.
I will also try the above advice about a controller calibration. Can anyone advise us the procedure!

Yorkshire_Pud · Mar 25, 2023

mereflyer said:
I will also try the above advice about a controller calibration. Can anyone advise us the procedure!

I am not sure if it is up to date but

LoudThunder · Mar 26, 2023

You wrote that your drone was only 50' away and I do not own your model so it is incumbent on you to do the research on the various modes for Return to Home (RTH) for your Mavic Pro. Some of the modes are "Smart RTH", (your initiated it...)"low Battery", "FailSafe" (Signal Loss), and in "abnormal situations...) (like video loss, etc...). However, there is a distance factor, 20-meters, and you were not outside that "circle of safety..." so if you had not regained signal, your drone might have just hovered until it's battery ran out and then it would have landed, where is, as is… even over water…

Below is the link to all of the downloads offered by DJI for the Mavic Pro, including the User Manual.

After you read the Manual, read it again, you will be surprised what you missed the first time and you will be better prepared for the next "scary moment…"

Mavic Pro - Download Center - DJI

Learn and download Mavic Pro related apps, software, and manuals at the DJI Download Center

www.dji.com

LoudThunder · Mar 26, 2023

Ralph thompson said:
If yr going straight up above u the the antenna must be horizontal.

At only 50-feet, antenna directions should not be a factor. Even with my mini 2, I've tested the RTH and Control and signal strength, over some significate distances by turning controller so it was not pointing at my drone... Obviously something went wrong but this short distance was not the single factor...