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Found!!! M2Z Sonoma Ca. Coast

Steve LaBranche

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Joined
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Age
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Cazadero California
My friends son, Aaron, was flying his Mavic Pro along the Sonoma county California Coast near Gleason beach off Hiway 1. Aaron came to a high flat top rock formation and descended for look and noticed a familiar shape and investigated. It appears to be a Mavic 2 Zoom on it's back with left arm folded. Other than bird poop
it appears to be salvageable. Aaron did a great job finding and documenting but didn't get close enough to see serial #. He's also a very good pilot as you will observe. A kayak or short swim will get you there, but looks like a steep climb. I think we need bigger drone.

I hope this video helps reunite it's owner. It was taken about a month ago. Good chance it's still there.

IMG_0862.mov

Screenshot_20200116-133414_Maps.jpg
 
Left rear motor looks badly corroded, might not be salvageable if other parts are like that
 
Still a cool video and interesting find. Notice in opening all the vacant lots where homes were on cliff.

Yes , still a cool video, time for the coat hanger recovery
This would be a bit of a risk for a mavic, but it could just do it
 
Last edited:
Sweet video, Aaron! Great eye!
I'm just wondering the circumstances that would cause that damage. I'm guessing it must have fallen a good distance to break an arm. What luck that it fell on this "rock" and not into the water. Someone must have been hovering over the "rock" and lost power? Hit a bird? Hit another drone? Thoughts?
 
Sweet video, Aaron! Great eye!
I'm just wondering the circumstances that would cause that damage. I'm guessing it must have fallen a good distance to break an arm. What luck that it fell on this "rock" and not into the water. Someone must have been hovering over the "rock" and lost power? Hit a bird? Hit another drone? Thoughts?
You can speculate all you want on how it got there. Tragic loss to the owner. My guess, is inexperience, was hovering like Aaron was but a coastal gust hit him.

I was just hoping to find its owner and show off how good a pilot Aaron is. He was in manual sport mode.
 
Time to bring in Seal Team 6. :)
 
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That is a GREAT video!! AWESOME . . . maybe a high powered magnet and lanyard?
 
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If the drone could be retrieved, and the owner located, it might be that the owner has a DJI Care policy.

He’d want the carcass back to get a replacement.
 
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If the drone could be retrieved, and the owner located, it might be that the owner has a DJI Care policy.

He’d want the carcass back to get a replacement.

That was the purpose I posted this. In hope it would reunite the owner. For all I know the owner may think it's in the ocean. It's in a precarious location but recovery is possible. Although on its back with left arm folded. The Serial number is is right arm. Sad Aaron didn't get a shot of it.
 
UPDATE: Went to crash site location today, launched a M2Z. The crashed remains are still on that rock. Been there since November, rather that when it was first discovered. The M2Z pilot thinks his vids and stills got the ser # off right leg. He was flying with goggles and forgot tablet for review. Will update later when I get pics.

In the mean time, the goal is to get that junk recovered and out of eco system. Possibly reunite owner. I've heard from another local Phantom 4 pilot, his buddy just built a heavy lift drone with a grapple on it.

The rescue will be documented by a M2P, M2Z & Phantom 4.
 
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