Crashed my M2P... Can't figure out what happened

[Jwatts2344]

Hello all.

Yesterday I made a few flights and all went well, but one didn't go as expected.

I know I shouldn't be doing stunts that I'm about to show you but I've been flying for 4 years and I've done this many times.

Anyway, I was flying under a draw bridge and for some reason, after coming out the other side of the bridge, the bird took a flight path of it's own.

It just started flying sideways and flew into some trees.

I'm still amazed that it didn't fall into the river.

I tried to research how to DL .dat files but I haven't figured it out yet... maybe someone here can show me how.

Enough typing... here is the video...

 

[MaxHam]

I'm sure someone will help soon with the .dat files.
In the time being you may want to share the flight record. That would show compass/GPS error messages.
My guess is the compass got thrown off since you were so close to the bridge.

You can upload the flight record at the following site and share the link:
DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

 

[Bill combs]

I'm sure someone will help soon with the .dat files.
In the time being you may want to share the flight record. That would show compass/GPS error messages.
My guess is the compass got thrown off since you were so close to the bridge.

You can upload the flight record at the following site and share the link:
DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

i agree without looking at the logs i would almost guarantee the metal from that bridge completely freaked out the compass

 

[3:16]

I'm betting closer to the water you could have pulled this off. How close to the steel were you? my guess is 18" to 24"s

 

[Dave Maine]

GPS is likely to be lost if you were flying slowly. The bridge will probably block enough satellites to force the drone to Atti mode. This can also be affected by the precise alignment of the GPS Iin use at that particular moment.

 

[Meta4]

I tried to research how to DL .dat files but I haven't figured it out yet... maybe someone here can show me how.

It's pointless guessing what might have happened.
The recorded flight data will show exactly what really happened.
Go to DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help
Follow the instructions there to upload your flight record from your phone or tablet.
That will give you a detailed report on the flight data.
Come back and post a link to the report it gives you.

 

[3:16]

Yeah, definitely update us.

 

[Smokieflies]

Good thing you got caught up in the tree. How much damage did you due to the drone?

 

[DanMan32]

I thought compass interference too, but GPS loss is also a strong possibility.

 

[Jwatts2344]

I'm sure someone will help soon with the .dat files.
In the time being you may want to share the flight record. That would show compass/GPS error messages.
My guess is the compass got thrown off since you were so close to the bridge.

You can upload the flight record at the following site and share the link:
DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Oh, ok.

I thought that the .dat files were the flight record files lol.

I probably won't have time to grab the files for another day or two.

I will post them right away when I do!

Thanks for all of the replies!

 

[Jwatts2344]

I'm betting closer to the water you could have pulled this off. How close to the steel were you? my guess is 18" to 24"s

It looks closer than it actually was...

I was at least 24 to 36 inches from the bridge.

Also, if it was the metal from the bridge, shouldn't it have just went to my set altitude and return home, or is compass error a whole other ballgame?

Thanks.

 

[Meta4]

It's really pointless debating what people might guess as most are going to be quite wrong anyway.
You need to look at the actual data and then you can see what really happened.

Also, if it was the metal from the bridge, shouldn't it have just went to my set altitude and return home, or is compass error a whole other ballgame?

Your drone is only going to go to your set RTH altitude and RTH on loss of signal, not because of some magnetic interference.

 

[Jwatts2344]

Good thing you got caught up in the tree. How much damage did you due to the drone?

Well, the 2 front props were completely missing and a 3rd set had a small chip missing. The 4th prop looked good but I replaced all 4 anyway.

My Freewell variable ND filter was also missing and my quad had a few scratches.

I replaced the props and it flies like new.

 

[Jwatts2344]

It's really pointless debating what people might guess as most are going to be quite wrong anyway.
You need to look at the actual data and then you can see what really happened.

Your drone is only going to go to your set RTH altitude and RTH on loss of signal, not because of some magnetic interference.

Ahh... ok.

Thanks.

 

[DanMan32]

Compass error is a whole other ballgame. To exaggerate a bit, flight control isn't sure what's right and what's left. It tends to try and figure out the problem but that requires movement, mainly yaw. At best FC quits and puts you in atti mode but then all control is on you, including compensating for wind drift.

Personally I believe DJI can avoid these drastic issues by relying more heavily on GPS delta to determine heading when compass reading becomes compromised. If compass heading suddenly changed when gimbal/accelerometer doesn't show such a change, and GPS delta agrees more with what the IMU senses, then disregard the compass for the time being. Not really a fix for such a situation but certainly a fail safe.

By the way, when in fail safe atti mode, GPS is not used and so RTH capability is lost. At best GPS might passively be used to show AC's position on the map.

 

[DanMan32]

Being that close to a large overhead metal structure, you probably lost both compass and GPS.
In that case my thoughts about a better fail safe algorithm wouldn't work.

 

[Jwatts2344]

Ok.

I tried but can't seem to take this flight record from my smart controller and send it to my PC desktop or anywhere else.

I see the file and can play it on my SC but how do I save it and post it here?

Thanks.

 

[Meta4]

I tried but can't seem to take this flight record from my smart controller and send it to my PC desktop or anywhere else.
I see the file and can play it on my SC but how do I save it and post it here?

Post #6 has the instructions.
If you go to the link in post #6 it has details in the 2nd last para that apply to the SC.
Here's the link from the 2nd last para:

HOW TO: Transfer files from P4A+/P4P+ remote controller to your computer

Follow these instructions to transfer files from the P4A+/P4P+ remote controller to your computer: 1) Connect a USB cable between your computer and the micro USB port on the back of the remote controller. 2) Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the “USB connected” message. 3)...

forum.phantomhelp.com

 

[Jwatts2344]

Post #6 has the instructions.
If you go to the link in post #6 it has details in the 2nd last para that apply to the SC.
Here's the link from the 2nd last para:

HOW TO: Transfer files from P4A+/P4P+ remote controller to your computer

Follow these instructions to transfer files from the P4A+/P4P+ remote controller to your computer: 1) Connect a USB cable between your computer and the micro USB port on the back of the remote controller. 2) Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the “USB connected” message. 3)...

forum.phantomhelp.com

That link is not opening up for me for some reason.

I did spend the last hour fiddling around on the SC and I found the file on my Micro SD card.

I upped it to the site and here is the link...

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view DJI Phantom, Mavic, and Spark flight logs online

www.phantomhelp.com

 

[Jwatts2344]

Whoa!

Looks like it accelerated on it's own right before it crashed and it got up to 46.2 mph... going sideways!

Hey... that's a speed record for me! ?