I thought the Avata 2 was supposed to be a bit tougher than this...

finity · 2025-02-09T14:07:56-0500

Unfortunately this is only my third flight out of beginner mode. And the very first crash.

It lasted only about a minute.

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That was the entire video. As soon as it hit the branch the transmission stopped instantly. I've seen videos of worse crashes than that and the video stays running all the way to the ground (and even under water for a few seconds) so I have no idea why this seemingly relatively minor crash instantly killed the drone signal.

I'm positive it's in the water but it's too murky to find it. Hopefully I'll be able to find it once the water flow slows a bit and the water clears up. I had to get the video from the goggles.

DJI Care Refresh Fly Away Service for the win.

The other lesson (besides not flying around trees over water) is that I 3D printed the new prop guards in bright pink instead of cool black.

Max Headroom · 2025-02-09T15:18:01-0500

I have never got the attraction of flying fast so low to the ground its always likely to end in tears especially when you are inexperienced, it also for me doesn't generate watchable footage ok if its just for yourself but you see lots like this on YouTube and i always wonder why they upload it.

mavic3usa · 2025-02-09T16:47:14-0500

My thoughts: When flying FPV low to the ground, it's really is fun and exciting and it appears your drone is moving a lot faster than it really is. You can't really understand how much fun it is until you're behind the goggles. In the OP video, I didn't see much speed at all. The only thing you really need to be worried about when flying super low to the ground is the uneven terrain that may sneak up on you. If you are below a foot then you need to stay alert. I don't think the Avatas have ground control but the FPV can't be forced into the ground if you go too low in mode on flat ground even if you held the sticks down, it has a sensor and it just won't go. But it will hit the side of an approaching hill meaning it won't automatically rise up and over it. Avata not so much. The Avata 1 is built like a tank and I've crashed thru the bare branches like at the end of the video and it kept flying; Avata 2 I dunno. Final thoughts to the OP, I know it's fun to fly crazy but IMO that was a bit much for your 3rd flight out of beginner mode. I would have done that at half speed still and I don't believe I was going under bridges especially those with water (and barely missing the top) for months....but I really took it super slow so YMMV. I agree, that crash should have been pickup and keep flying.

Droning on and on... · 2025-02-09T18:06:06-0500

Max Headroom said:
I have never got the attraction of flying fast so low to the ground its always likely to end in tears especially when you are inexperienced, it also for me doesn't generate watchable footage ok if its just for yourself but you see lots like this on YouTube and i always wonder why they upload it.

Maybe it's a taste thing, like some people like broccoli and some don't? I don't know.

However, I'm on the side of it's a thrill-a-minute side of the fence. Screaming a few feet above the lapping surf on a deserted beach at 60mph in manual with an Avata (2) has no comparison.

The mistake in this thread was flying over water with obstacles. Don't do that. Buzzing around low with trees should be confined to dry land.

Still likely gonna crash, but the Avata 1&2 and Neo really are pretty tough. I've crashed all 3 many times, haven't had to pull the string on CR yet.

This was my first FPV flight with the Neo after I got it. The Avata 2 is way way faster, but there's still plenty of thrills buzzing around grass and bushes with it.

And it's tough. At 2:09 it blows through several bush stalks that would kill a camera drone dead as that bouncing cat we hear about. Neo doesn't even know they're there.