Lost mavic...and found!!

[parkerbund]

I was flying at around 5:00 at night in my home town. It was over a gravel pit. My buddy also had his mavic out there. He decided to take a long distance run with about 45% battery. He got out to 2,500 meters and decided to come back. While he started to come back I headed out with about 45% battery at that time also. Oh his way back and when I got to about 3,500 meters, he was getting very stressed about how his mavic was dying so I decided to come back with about 30% battery. He barely made it back and my battery was dropping FAST. Must have been fighting a head wind or something. When I got to about 10% 2,000 meters out I started to get the drone as high in the air as possible knowing it will try to come home and eventually do a landing where it was, and at this point I was about 200 meters from the gravel pit. At 7% the controller disconnected. I sat there, and sat there, then we drove as close as we could get. I went back on my flying records and looked at the coordinates of where it was at the end of the flight and it put me right on the edge of trees and the gravel pit so I was starting to feel better. We went in a straight line from where those coordinates were to where "home" was and surprisingly found it on the ground in perfect shape. For some reason I did not get the video, but I did get my drone back! Close call!!!!

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[telecam]

Aside from bragging about it, you broke quite a few common and basic FAA flying rules. Did I say reckless? Some may go as far as saying you deserved losing your Mavic

 

[Alex_S]

And the broken rules are ?

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[telecam]

Fact Sheet – Small Unmanned Aircraft Regulations (Part 107)

 

[joet]

And the broken rules are ?

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In the US (where the OP is located), you must be able to see your aircraft visually at all times. Quite difficult to do at the stated distances.

 

[parkerbund]

Thank you for bringing this to my attention, I will be sure to keep it closer, but i do believe I had control of the drone, it was a complete open field all the way until where my drone was and I was just above the trees


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[telecam]

You are welcome. Education is better than lambasting people. Also, "going for a long run with 45% battery..." is not a wise thing to do. This falls under common basic flying rules.

 

[joet]

Having control isn't the issue; having situational awareness around your aircraft is the main concern.

Personally speaking, given the Mavic's seemingly greater penchant for attracting bird attacks versus other drones, it would seem to be particularly important for Mavic pilots to know what is going on all around the aircraft. Obviously the further out you go, the more risk you take, as you've learned.

Regardless, recreational fliers are required by law in the US to maintain visual contact at all times.

 

[Fido]

but i do believe I had control of the drone.


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That must be why you posted a lost and then found thread about it. Obviously you didn't have control did you.

I m not the drone police I couldn't care less tbh however what a daft statement given the context.

 

[dewster]

I guess after 10% battery your aircraft descended out of radio range and you received the disconnect on the controller. The failsafes on DJI's aircraft are pretty good when they function as intended.

I always worry about the recoverability of the aircraft when flying over terrain. Inaccessible areas and bodies of water increase risk of total loss.

But the shots are so nice...


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[Alex_S]

In the US (where the OP is located), you must be able to see your aircraft visually at all times. Quite difficult to do at the stated distances.

Thanks,
that is important to know if you fly in the US. I can see the day coming fast that the controlling software will limit the altitude and distance from the RC in the US to enforce these rules. That will be a couple of 100ft high and 1500 ft distance. Reading through this forum that will make a large percentage of users look for a new hobby.

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[Gernby]

In the US (where the OP is located), you must be able to see your aircraft visually at all times. Quite difficult to do at the stated distances.

My understanding about the rule is that you have to maintain "line of sight" with the drone, not necessarily be able to actually see it. Basically, it seems that if it could technically be seen with a telescope, then it is still within line of sight.

 

[Kawboy12R]

That's my interpretation. Straight from you to the drone so that if there's an airplane/helicopter/whatever around the drone you can land and get out of the way but not necessarily be able to pick out the drone in the sky 100% of the time. That's vague and unenforceable (I could see it glinting in the distance, honest!) whereas a direct LOS is provable. If it was over a hill and behind a bunch of trees, you definitely couldn't see it OR the location of any possible nearby aircraft.

 

[joet]

That's not the FAA's interpretation.

https://www.faa.gov/uas/media/model_aircraft_spec_rule.pdf

By definition, a model aircraft must be “flown within visual line of sight of the person operating the aircraft.” P.L. 112-95, section 336(c)(2).1 Based on the plain language of the statute, the FAA interprets this requirement to mean that: (1) the aircraft must be visible at all times to the operator; (2) that the operator must use his or her own natural vision (which includes vision corrected by standard eyeglasses or contact lenses) to observe the aircraft; and (3) people other than the operator may not be used in lieu of the operator for maintaining visual line of sight. Under the criteria above, visual line of sight would mean that the operator has an unobstructed view of the model aircraft. To ensure that the operator has the best view of the aircraft, the statutory requirement would preclude the use of vision-enhancing devices, such as binoculars, night vision goggles, powered vision magnifying devices, and goggles designed to provide a “first-person view” from the model.2 Such devices would limit the operator’s field of view thereby
reducing his or her ability to see-and-avoid other aircraft in the area. Additionally, some of these devices could dramatically increase the distance at which an operator could see the aircraft, rendering the statutory visual-line-of-sight requirements meaningless. Finally, based on the plain language of the statute, which says that aircraft must be “flown within the visual line of sight of the person operating the aircraft,” an operator could not rely on another person to satisfy the visual line of sight requirement. See id. (emphasis added). While the statute would not preclude using an observer to augment the safety of the operation, the operator must be able to view the aircraft at all times.

 

[Kawboy12R]

Good thing I don't fly in the States then.

 

[Robbyg]

While all of this is technically correct, I would love to meet the person that in the daytime can fly a Mavic 350ft up in the air and 800ft away then look at their screen, fly for a bit and then look back and visually find the Mavic.

I did some tests on the weekend in a very lovely Mountainous area that is a complete jungle. I had 5 people in the group and while everyone could hear the Mavic at 350ft they were all endlessly searching the skies to find it when I was returning. My wife was the first one to spot it. Even with her pointing and showing the others it ended up that I had to do some side to side movements before the rest of them could see it.

I did confirm that on the beach the Mavic is almost impossible to hear at 150 ft high and about 100ft away but in the quiet mountains I could hear it up to 500 ft up and about 400 ft away.

 

[rydfree]

add some strobe lights and you can SEE it a lot further away

 

[MavicMikeGA]

Fly at night and you can see that blinking tail light for quite a distance.

 

[TxTroy]

Fly at night and you can see that blinking tail light for quite a distance.

Only trouble with that is flying at night is also forbidden by the FAA

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[KiterTodd]

Thanks for sharing this @parkerbund !

I'd hate for folks to not share their footage and experiences for fear of getting lambasted for breaking rules. It is a good opportunity to remind everyone of the rules as tighter restrictions will affect all of us. Nice to keep it friendly on the forum, though, as was done here.