Lost my M2 Zoom and found it six months later

[Nanny Ogg]

Back in July, I accidentally flew my M2 Zoom into a tree about 75 feet above the beach where I fly. I could not see it, but it sounded like a swarm of bees until I stopped it. I came back with another drone and flew close to where it was, but it didn't show up in the video. Another trip in the fall after the leaves were gone, but still didn't see it. A few days ago, there was a severe windstorm so I made another trip to the beach. I spotted it about 50 feet into some waist high blackberry vines below the tree where it was stuck. I cut a trail to it and brought it home. After drying it in a warm place for a day and checking for moisture, moment of truth. The battery came back to life after a charge and the drone powered up. The only issues are a "vision system error". and the gimbal doesn't work consistently. Sending off to DJI tomorrow to see what they find.

 

[Drone Master]

Back in July, I accidentally flew my M2 Zoom into a tree about 75 feet above the beach where I fly. I could not see it, but it sounded like a swarm of bees until I stopped it. I came back with another drone and flew close to where it was, but it didn't show up in the video. Another trip in the fall after the leaves were gone, but still didn't see it. A few days ago, there was a severe windstorm so I made another trip to the beach. I spotted it about 50 feet into some waist high blackberry vines below the tree where it was stuck. I cut a trail to it and brought it home. After drying it in a warm place for a day and checking for moisture, moment of truth. The battery came back to life after a charge and the drone powered up. The only issues are a "vision system error". and the gimbal doesn't work consistently. Sending off to DJI tomorrow to see what they find.

A very interesting story but with a positive retrieval outcome. You must have had the luck of good weather during those months. Go's to show you how well built the M2 is.
Good luck and hope for your aircraft to be in the air once again after repairs and inspection.
Let us know the progress.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I don't envy you having to cut through brambles, they are vicious beep beeps. Congratulations on getting the drone back and its survival.
Try a calibration of the vision sensors, but if needed the front ones are quite easy to replace PROVIDING the screws holding them come out. There seems to be two sizes of cross head slots, one is small the other is microscopic and a nightmare.
The rear and sideways sensors are carried on a frame and I think the frame might have to come out and that's more complicated as there is a lot of clutter around there.
If you do open the drone do not let any tools penetrate deeply into the drone, keep them under 1/4", especially at the front. I 'lost' the front sensors in a crash that meant I had to open the shell and loosing the front sensors might have been caused by me nicking the ribbon cable with the spudger.
Check the front arms for symmetrical droop and the rear arms for any up and down slop when in the open position. Slop may indicate a broken of rotation stop on the inner end of the rear arm pivot. Unsymmetrical droop probably indicates a bent pin on the top of one or both front arm pivots.
If you find any unsymmetrical droop in the front arms or sloop in the rear arms "let us know".

 

[GFields]

Glad to hear you found your drone!

 

[LoudThunder]

 

[careless]

What a great story with a happy ending

 

[hiflyer201]

I'm happy for you!

 

[AlienDrone]

Back in July, I accidentally flew my M2 Zoom into a tree about 75 feet above the beach where I fly. I could not see it, but it sounded like a swarm of bees until I stopped it. I came back with another drone and flew close to where it was, but it didn't show up in the video. Another trip in the fall after the leaves were gone, but still didn't see it. A few days ago, there was a severe windstorm so I made another trip to the beach. I spotted it about 50 feet into some waist high blackberry vines below the tree where it was stuck. I cut a trail to it and brought it home. After drying it in a warm place for a day and checking for moisture, moment of truth. The battery came back to life after a charge and the drone powered up. The only issues are a "vision system error". and the gimbal doesn't work consistently. Sending off to DJI tomorrow to see what they find.

Wow. I'm amazed that it worked at all! Great that you were able to find it Good luck with the repairs!

 

[Nanny Ogg]

Followup to my earlier post. Today I received a quote from DJI for the repairs to my trusty M2 Zoom.

The total came to $173. for parts and labor. Considering that it was outside through the summer, wet fall, and one snowstorm it seemed reasonable. When it comes back I will do multiple low altitude, close in flights to see how everything is working. Hope everything behaves.

 

[LoudThunder]

Hope everything behaves.

Not to worry, it will be under warranty...