Help request for missing Mavic

[inca]

I have been in touch with DJI regarding my lost Mavic. I hoped DJI would provide me tips to locate drone, but the info provided did not add too much to what I could see on my screen.
Perhaps this forum could help me.

My log is here:
Airdata UAV - Flight Data Analysis for Drones

Here is what happened:
I was flying the drone over the buildings recording light from the setting sun on the town. In mid-flight, the GO 4 app started freezing and giving me choppy visuals with a lag on visuals.
The drone flew out of my sight behind a building which was followed with a ‘no signal’ warning on the remote. I kept walking toward it for the signal to reconnect and at the same time I stopped using the controls to wait for the drone to return Home or just hover. It had returned Home just a couple minutes earlier when I lost the signal and had to walk to a place where I could have better line of sight. If it makes any difference, i didn't let the drone land during this RTH or when I walked further.
After half a minute without the drone showing up nor the signal reconnecting, my friend and I walked toward the spot where we last saw the drone, checking the sky to see if it was returning Home where another friend was waiting. We hoped to find the drone hovering there since I was not giving any movement controls. When we reached to the location, we couldn’t see the Mavic there either. We walked around the area until dark, trying to see if it landed somewhere in the streets, on driveways, etc. We climbed to as many rooftops as we could get access too, with no sign of the drone.

I am suspecting that the drone was either hovering on top of the large building seen on the map, right near where I have the last log entry, and it didn't see the remote in my hand and eventually landed there with low battery, or it tried to go home and hit the building for some reason. I would imagine the sensors are capable of seeing a building. If it didn't, would this not be a unit not functioning as advertised?
I'm waiting for a permit to go to the roof of that building to check that roof and also to look down to other lower roofs to see if the bird has been waiting somewhere there.
I also read that there is a case called Flyaway Drone, but I cannot fathom where the drone would fly and why.

After analyzing my log, DJI told me this "With the record ended without any sign of abnormality, we could not verify what happened afterwards. As such, we could not provide warranty service".
That's pretty awkward that a 2-month old drone is not under warranty in this case. Firstly, I would like to find my drone, then appeal to DJI for a review of the warranty if it's damaged or lost all together, or at least understand my mistakes and share it with other pilots to save them from the same trouble.

Any constructive feedback is appreciated.

 

[msinger]

Please upload your TXT flight log here and post a link back here. You'll find instructions for locating your TXT flight log at that link.

 

[inca]

thanks msinger.
Here is the link:
Phantom Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

 

[msinger]

I would imagine the sensors are capable of seeing a building. If it didn't, would this not be a unit not functioning as advertised?

If the "RTH Obstacle Check" setting is enabled, the Mavic will try to ascend to avoid obstacles. Obstacle avoidance is not perfect though, so there is no guarantee this will always work. It's best to always set the proper RTH altitude prior to taking off.

The drone flew out of my sight behind a building which was followed with a ‘no signal’ warning on the remote.

The RTH altitude was set to 50 meters (164 feet). Since your Mavic did not return home, that building was most likely taller than 164 feet. It's tough to tell since the Google Earth satellite images are not clear and there is no elevation data. Here's where I'd start looking for it:

 

[inca]

Thanks for taking the time to make this detailed response, msinger.
The 'RTH Obstacle Check' was enabled since day 1.
I agree with your conclusions and already had checked the lower section of the building that you marked. We just didn't have permits to check the roof, so hopefully I'll find it there.

It's very unfortunate that 'there is no guarantee it will always work'. That makes it a very expensive lesson to learn.

 

[Malavic]

Looking at the Merit Hotel Lefkosa, it appears to have 14 guest floors and probably another 2 floors worth of signs and HVAC. At 13 feet per story, that's around 208 feet, clearly above its RTH height. If there is fencing on the top of that building,The obstacle avoidance probably let it rise high enough to miss the building and ran into something less dense. It's probably on the very top of the building.

I've been watching these lost birds threads for a bit...MOST of them would have been saves with a high enough RTH height. It's a shame, but I suspect that hotel won't let you up on the roof.

 

[Malavic]

There's all sort of stuff at the top of that building, railings, antennae, signage...it could also be in that corner balcony. Flew in, rose up...lights out.

 

[inca]

Found it on top of that building, it hit the wall of the building during RTH, the battery came off and it just stayed there. Photos attached for the damage.
Here is a second mistake: I should have scrutinized the place for any broken parts. Once down, I reconnected to the drone and found out that a piece from the gimbal is broken and the camera won't stabilize. More photos attached.

I will have to go up again to search for the piece to understand what it is, but as I read it's a piece that's welded on the body and finding it won't help me reattach it. Just a guess, and I hope to be wrong.

Any advice on how to proceed?

 

[Malavic]

That's going to have to get repaired. You don't need that part as it's broken anyway. It's probably going to have to go back unless you can find somewhere that repairs them although these drones are new enough that it is pretty unlikely.

I'm glad you found it at least. How close was it to where msinger pointed out?

 

[inca]

How close was it to where msinger pointed out?

it was exactly where msinger pointed out; on top of the building. Under the E of the MERIT sign.
Thanks again, @msinger.

I don't know what to do if it needs to have it shipped. I live on eastern mediterranean, far from LA and shipping would be doable through traveling friends which would also mean I don't see the drone for months.

 

[Malavic]

it was exactly where msinger pointed out; on top of the building. Under the E of the MERIT sign.
Thanks again, @msinger.

I don't know what to do if it needs to have it shipped. I live on eastern mediterranean, far from LA and shipping would be doable through traveling friends which would also mean I don't see the drone for months.

There is an office repair place in Greece. Appears there's also a place in Israel. Recommended Service Centers - DJI

At least try those before sending it back to the US.

 

[inca]

Thanks @Malavic, that information will come in handy.
While waiting to hear from DJI, I am checking this forum first to see whether it's possible to replace that L-shaped bracket. A user named Thunder-Drones seems to have the piece. I am just double-checking that we are talking the right piece and that I can fix it on my own.