Death of a Drone

Chaosrider · Dec 10, 2022

Here's the crash vid from my Mini-1. I edited it to run about 15 seconds of normal flight before the...anomaly...begins.

I have the flight synced into Airdata. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could take a look at the data, and help me figure out what happened. My theory is that a prop and/or motor iced up.

What's the process for doing that?

Thoughts appreciated.

22-12-09 Death of a Drone.mp4

drive.google.com

Thx.,

Meta4 · Dec 10, 2022

Chaosrider said:
I have the flight synced into Airdata. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could take a look at the data, and help me figure out what happened. ....
What's the process for doing that?

Post a link to the Airdata report .... make sure you tick the share box.

Chaosrider · Dec 10, 2022

Meta4 said:
Post a link to the Airdata report .... make sure you tick the share box.

Will that box stay checked when I log out?

Thx!

Chaosrider · Dec 10, 2022

Fortunately there are a bazillion Mini-1s on eBay, so getting a replacement will be easy. I guess Mini-1 prices finally dropped in response to the existence of the Mini-SE.

Lot's of drone-only listings in the $150 range, full Fly Mores for around $200.

If anyone here has either of those that you're willing to sell, I'd prefer to "keep it in the family" with this purchase. Send me a private message if interested.

Thx,

0Kajuna0 · Dec 10, 2022

I synced the video with the data in case that helps with the analysis. The logs report a collision and then a motor/ESC failure, but I'm not sure what could be causing that.

SkyeHigh · Dec 11, 2022

It looks like a prop issue looking at the severe shaking. An imbalance caused by a failed prop would put more load on that motor as the flight controller tries to maintain position/counteract the rotation.

Was there any damage at all?

lookout · Dec 11, 2022

Can see in the video that it is no longer positive climb and going negative. Possibly caught a mountain wave. Logs indicate a motor failure and esc is not producing enough. Not sure about the traveling while flat spinning. That would be a death spiral by one motor going out while the others are still operating seemingly. At one point it is up at 900 ft while having a problem. And a high altitude flight to start with.

Meta4 · Dec 11, 2022

Chaosrider said:
Will that box stay checked when I log out?

That's fine
Things were going well until 6:41.03 when the drone started to gradually lose height without any throttle input.
Shortly afterward the descent rate increasedand in less than 10 seconds the drone was freefalling at terminal velocity with the rate of descent varying between 15-20 metres/sec as it spun in a clockwide direction.
The drone was staying more or less level as it fell, but was rocking and rolling to some degree.

As it fell, the data indicates a fairly fast (but varying) horizontal speed, but I'm not sure where this came from as there was no joystick input.
There were three Motor error. Check propellers and fly with caution warnings on the way down and the data stops at 7:16.4 sec, without any data indicating a crash, but that would have happened very shortly after as the ground level was quite close by that time.

The spin indicates that one propeller (or motor) was lost or significantly damaged.
There was no indication of icing before 6:41.
If icing was the main issue, the drone would not have spun and wouldn't have fallen as fast.
It would have become obvious with a gradual loss of lift from the props.

Meta4 · Dec 11, 2022

If you wanted to search, it should be just slightly southeast of 39.11387 -119.81675.

-MavicMiniPilot · Dec 11, 2022

Chaosrider said:
Here's the crash vid from my Mini-1. I edited it to run about 15 seconds of normal flight before the...anomaly...begins.

I have the flight synced into Airdata. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could take a look at the data, and help me figure out what happened. My theory is that a prop and/or motor iced up.

What's the process for doing that?

Thoughts appreciated.

22-12-09 Death of a Drone.mp4

drive.google.com

Thx.,

As other people have mentioned I am guessing that a prop came off. I’ve had one fly of on my mm1 after not tight ending the screws for several months. Overtime if there is any vibration on the drone it can cause the screws to loosen overtime.