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Fell out of sky, now stuck in tree.

Talkenrain

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Messages
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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I would first determine on whose property the tree is located and get their permission to retrieve the drone. When you get permission I would then phone a local arborist to find one who is willing to climb the tree.

The arborist will have insurance and so you are protected should they injure themselves.
 
Being that you’re in Oregon, there are probably lots of forestry people in your area that can help. The safest way to climb any tree is with using tree climbing ladders, or by roping in while doing it. Try this website to get local help- some of these guys will also rescue drones. You are also in luck, there’s a guy listed on it at Lake Oswego named Bob Stewart:
 
I didn't even realize the OP was from the Portland area.

The OP hasn't replied to the thread so it's unlikely we will know more info but the bottom line is if one doesn't know which tree, or where in the tree, it's not going to be easy to get someone to get it down.

I used a tree service company but I knew exactly where the drone was. It was still almost the cost of the drone to get it down.
 

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