DJI Mavic, Air and Mini Drones
Friendly, Helpful & Knowledgeable Community
Join Us Now

Fell out of sky, now stuck in tree.

Talkenrain

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Messages
49
Reactions
68
Location
Lake Oswego, Or 97035
Was on a pretty routine flight returning when the drone (Mavic air 2) literally fell out of the sky (last recorded at 230 feet). I noted at takeoff. The battery didn’t seem to seat completely. I pressed on it and it seemed firm in place but apparently it lost contact during flight. At 230 feet above ground there was nothing blocking the path but when I check the flight history it literally disappeared at only 300 feet away from me. I could hear it and then all of a sudden silence and I lost contact and it was gone. I used “find my drone” to locate it. I found the battery on the ground almost exactly where the transmission ended. There was several pine trees nearby. I suspect the battery lost contact and transmission stopped. The drone fell out of the sky hit a pine tree, and the battery popped off the chassis, leaving the drone in the tree only to find the battery still active.. it still has 2/3 charge. The trees are only about 40 to 50 feet tall. Any ideas on retreating the drone or at this point is it even worth trying to recover it versus replacing with a new drone?
 
These threads might give you some ideas:


 
If you don't know which pine tree, it's tough.
If you do know which pine tree, find some kid who doesn't play video games 24/7 (hard to find) and offer them $50 to climb up and get it. Or find a pole that can reach.
Pine trees are climbable. Just need to get to the first branch.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Beet
If you do know which pine tree, find some kid who doesn't play video games 24/7 (hard to find) and offer them $50 to climb up and get it.
Extremely bad advice! To encourage someone else's child to risk falling out of a tree and breaking a bone or worse is very careless.

You want to risk someone's safety, climb the tree yourself!
 
I would check all of your batteries if you find the drone. They are known to pop out and cause this exact scenario. It doesn't take much swelling for them to lose contact. I have a few that are relegated to non-flying duty.
 
  • Like
Reactions: maggior
I would check all of your batteries if you find the drone. They are known to pop out and cause this exact scenario. It doesn't take much swelling for them to lose contact. I have a few that are relegated to non-flying duty.

I also put a few of these batteries out of service when I saw the bottom bulging a bit and it felt a little harder to get the battery secure in the drone. They are cheap enough (at the time at least) that it was just not worth the risk of them popping out.

I used to put them on the charger shortly after using them and I think this caused premature swelling. I now let them totally cool before charging them and the batteries have been lasting noticeably longer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MavicAir2Marc

DJI Drone Deals

New Threads

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
137,040
Messages
1,623,794
Members
165,672
Latest member
pernatius
Want to Remove this Ad? Simply login or create a free account