Drone did not RTH!

[bcs2k]

Used the "take off" and checked "precision landing" on the DJI Go 4 app. The app confirmed "home point has been updated", the aircraft launched as normal. I was flying in a new area but took off from my orange landing pad. I had forgotten to change out the battery so after just a few minutes I got the "battery level low" warning so I engaged RTH. I got a message I have never seen before after some 2 1/2 years of piloting both my Phantom 3 Advanced and the Mavic Pro. The message said "Return to "current" location or "original" location. Without really thinking it out, I chose "current" location. Aircraft took off and did not return home. Using the log and latitude and longitude coordinates, located the Mavic via Google Earth but it was not reachable. Anyone ever have this message appear? Plan on calling DJI

This just happened to me!!! On August 9th I successfully tested RTH. I even made a recording with my cousin as I stated proudly that it will return to the takeoff spot. It did. Things were different the next day.


I was at a location approx 10 miles away. I decided to fly the drone to various altitudes to determine a good location and perspective to film the total eclipse totality impact on my hometown (ground, river and skyline shot). It was supposed to be a brief task -- go up to 200 or 300 feet and see what type of shots could be framed. The battery was fully charged butt I didn't intend to use much because my take-out breakfast was waiting in the car). I decided to show my brother that the Mavic Pro could automatically return to where it took off from. I pressed the appropriate button and saw a screen with the bizarre choice of "current" or "original". Bewildered, I chose "current". BIG MISTAKE! My drone flew elsewhere (the map implied that it was headed to the location where I tested it the previous day). By the time I noticed that it was going elsewhere, I turned it towards me and tried to bring it manually. I received a low battery warning and I could not cancel or do anything. It said it was only able to return home. It would not return to where it took off from. It eventually landed and reported last known elevation of 19 feet. I worked my way through a jungle of brush to the last known location but I could not find it.


Like you, I will contact DJI about this. I can't trust them now. Sad.

 

[sar104]

This just happened to me!!! On August 9th I successfully tested RTH. I even made a recording with my cousin as I stated proudly that it will return to the takeoff spot. It did. Things were different the next day.


I was at a location approx 10 miles away. I decided to fly the drone to various altitudes to determine a good location and perspective to film the total eclipse totality impact on my hometown (ground, river and skyline shot). It was supposed to be a brief task -- go up to 200 or 300 feet and see what type of shots could be framed. The battery was fully charged butt I didn't intend to use much because my take-out breakfast was waiting in the car). I decided to show my brother that the Mavic Pro could automatically return to where it took off from. I pressed the appropriate button and saw a screen with the bizarre choice of "current" or "original". Bewildered, I chose "current". BIG MISTAKE! My drone flew elsewhere (the map implied that it was headed to the location where I tested it the previous day). By the time I noticed that it was going elsewhere, I turned it towards me and tried to bring it manually. I received a low battery warning and I could not cancel or do anything. It said it was only able to return home. It would not return to where it took off from. It eventually landed and reported last known elevation of 19 feet. I worked my way through a jungle of brush to the last known location but I could not find it.


Like you, I will contact DJI about this. I can't trust them now. Sad.

I'm just really not sure how a mistake (your admission) due, presumably, to not learning how RTH works, is DJI's fault, or why they would accept liability for your error. Worth a try though.

 

[go fast]

I don't understand how this happens are you guys checking homepoint on the map before you fly ?

 

[JeepDSL]

I worked my way through a jungle of brush to the last known location but I could not find it.

So, are you going to try again to find it or give it up as lost?

If you make your flight log file available, there are people here who can help determine the most likely location of your drone.

 

[msinger]

I don't understand how this happens are you guys checking homepoint on the map before you fly ?

The mobile device reports an old/incorrect location. Unfortunately, there is no way to check the map since the Mavic starts returning to the home point immediately. RTH can be easily canceled though.

 

[go fast]

The mobile device reports an old/incorrect location. Unfortunately, there is no way to check the map since the Mavic starts returning to the home point immediately. RTH can be easily canceled though.

What I mean is before you takeoff , I always pull up the map screen just like it prompts you to make sure home point is where you currently are...

 

[msinger]

What I mean is before you takeoff , I always pull up the map screen just like it prompts you to make sure home point is where you currently are...

Right -- I'm following you. The problem is the home point was changed to the mobile device's current location right after choosing "current". The mobile device's current location does show up on the map too, so that would be something that's worth checking in addition to the home point.

 

[KONY]

so before take off the HOME point is materialised on the MAP by the H, and the mobile device "current location is materialised by the plane (arrow) symbol ? Is that correct ?

One thing i don't really understand is that the "current" location, suposedly the place where the aircraft is, can be another place than where it is currently flying

that's a very strange concept, and i understand why so many people got confused...the terminology is akward to say the least.

 

[msinger]

One thing i don't really understand is that the "current" location, suposedly the place where the aircraft is

It's supposed to be the mobile device's current location (it's assumed that's your location too).

 

[KONY]

oki i get it...so on the MAP, H refers to Home point (=recorded take off location)

And the plane symbol (arrow) refers to where the mobile device is ?
Or i'm mistaken...

 

[msinger]

And the plane symbol (arrow) refers to where the mobile device is ?

The plane symbol shows where your Mavic is located. The blue dot shows where you're mobile device is reporting it's located.

 

[KONY]

then upon take off, to make sure everything is allright, one should check that H sign, plane icon and blue dot are all at same position ?

 

[msinger]

Right, you should definitely check the location of the blue dot before manually resetting the home point to your current location (or using the Follow Me flight mode).

 

[KONY]

thank you Msinger for those extratips...they will surely avoid a few flyaways !!

 

[DengelPush]

then upon take off, to make sure everything is allright, one should check that H sign, plane icon and blue dot are all at same position ?

Blue dot = Your phone.
H sign = Drone's interpretation of where it's home point is.
Plane icon = Mavic's current location determined by its GPS.

So check that H is correct.

The problem here is that people see a message they've never seen before, which is, admittedly, somewhat confusingly worded. This message is asking them if they want to return the drone's original home point or their phone's current position as indicated by its sensors. In this case they hit current, which sends the drone to the phone/tablet. This would be fine if the phone/tablet correctly knew its location -- in the examples above it obviously doesn't.

 

[KONY]

great Dengel,

thank you for that input

 

[royster]

Sounds to me that if you ever get the message -"return to original or current location"- NEVER hit current location!
What I don't get is, if lets say you have moved, 100' or your in some kind of moving vehicle, You would want your bird to fly to "current location", & if I read these posts correctly, there is a good chance, if you get this choice, your bird may not know your current location & just , dare I say- flyaway?

 

[go fast]

then upon take off, to make sure everything is allright, one should check that H sign, plane icon and blue dot are all at same position ?

That's exactly what I do before I takeoff , better to be safe...

 

[go fast]

The blue circle I believe represents wifi signal...

 

[CamoGreg]

Sounds to me that if you ever get the message -"return to original or current location"- NEVER hit current location!
What I don't get is, if lets say you have moved, 100' or your in some kind of moving vehicle, You would want your bird to fly to "current location", & if I read these posts correctly, there is a good chance, if you get this choice, your bird may not know your current location & just , dare I say- flyaway?

Yeah better to reset the home point and check on the map that every points are at the place you want/are