lost my Mavic today. How do I find it?

[John Gowland]

One of my pre-flight checks is using the best app I have come across for my part of the world is Weather Forecast - Australia - WillyWeather. To date it has given me the best wind and other weather factors. At take-off, at a large open space, the wind was just below the 22 mph recommend. I kept the MP at around 50 meters height. When it started drifting the first thing I did was to drop the height. But it did not respond, and it has never done that before. There was a warning of high winds and after repeated attempts to guide it home I initiated a RTH. Then the aircraft’s behaviour continued its odd reactions. It responded then did not. I stopped the RTH and restarted whilst trying to lower the height.

This is the first time this amazing little thing has not responded. Had it stabilized its horizontal position or dropped in height on request I would have accepted the wind increased by a few factors, double or more and was the cause. From the moment it did not respond I knew there was something not right. The MP has been caught in higher winds than this and returned immediately at RTH initiation.

Just like driving your car. You know when something is very wrong. You have driven it so many times and for so many miles.

 

[Bergumbira]

"Call the police" ? For what??? What crime has been committed that the police should be involved?

In france: "Retention of property"... If something who is not your property fall into your lands you must give back Immediately or immediat access to it if you don't want personally help. Recovery cost as a lader can be claim to the applicant also but you cannot retain or delay the recovery or you start to be a thief.
Also Anything found any places private or public have to be gived back to the owner if identified or to Lost & Found office if unidentified, then after 1 year and 1 day is yours if nobody claim it. But keeping something you find is stealing. Even digging in a simple street garbage is forbiden and you can be procecuted for stealing from the city property.

 

[Neo]

I'm glad you got it back [emoji4]

 

[John Gowland]

Thanks Neo

 

[go fast]

Hopefully it dries out and works again without issues...

 

[John Gowland]

I assumed it was dead. So I was hoping to have it replaced. DJI, reading threads here are not always helpful with their care program? But I do have personal insurance.
Will let you know

 

[go fast]

Even better...

 

[gregw]

One of my pre-flight checks is using the best app I have come across for my part of the world is Weather Forecast - Australia - WillyWeather. To date it has given me the best wind and other weather factors. At take-off, at a large open space, the wind was just below the 22 mph recommend. I kept the MP at around 50 meters height. When it started drifting the first thing I did was to drop the height. But it did not respond, and it has never done that before. There was a warning of high winds and after repeated attempts to guide it home I initiated a RTH. Then the aircraft’s behaviour continued its odd reactions. It responded then did not. I stopped the RTH and restarted whilst trying to lower the height.

This is the first time this amazing little thing has not responded. Had it stabilized its horizontal position or dropped in height on request I would have accepted the wind increased by a few factors, double or more and was the cause. From the moment it did not respond I knew there was something not right. The MP has been caught in higher winds than this and returned immediately at RTH initiation.

Just like driving your car. You know when something is very wrong. You have driven it so many times and for so many miles.

Did you try manually flying it back to yourself in "Sports" mode?

What I would do in a situation like this is to put it in Sports mode, fly at a lower altitude and flying back manually.. Sports mode is more than capable of cutting through 30+ mph wind... RTH cannot cope with high winds...

 

[John Gowland]

Yes gregw, the first thing I did was just to bring in back. It did briefly. Then I tried to drop it and but the altitude remained the same. Then I did as you suggested put it in sports mode. It seemed to have no effect so I chickened out, thinking it could be going away faster. On reflection I should have left it longer in sports mode. So I just hoped the RTH would work. I have since looked at the logs and the flight path seemed to indicate that the MP did try to come home. It did eventually drop but seemed to stop returning.
There has been some unusual weather in Perth of late. About two weeks ago a tornado ripped through (link) a narrow channel from the sea to the inner suburbs. They have lasted just ten minutes! It looks as though although the wind on the ground was not high, 50- 70 meters up it was a very different story. But the MP did not lower its altitude and it stopped attempting to come home when it did drop and the wind was much lower.
So I do accept some responsibility but you cant always think I can't fly because the winds could be ten times higher up high. We would never fly if that were the case.
But its a good lesson. If the weather is particularly unpredictable think twice or be cautious taking careful note of what the aircraft is doing.
I have not come across reporting telling us how high the winds are way up. Is there such a thing?
But I still think the MP did not respond as well as it could have on at least two occasions.

 

[Lone Droner 10]

Lost my Mavic today. Whinds were high but it refused to come home. Kept starting to come home then went the other way, had 45% battery left. When it started to travel in the opposite direction I left it for a while then stopped it and started RTH again. Battery ran out and landed on a grey tiled roof facing a lake I know. Spent a few hours driving around the area with no luck. It had come home in even stronger winds before so I think it malfunctioned. Have the care thing but I read DJI need the aircraft. Spent hours looking for it with no luck. I have read you can find the coordinates from the logs. I have no idea how to do this. Can anyone direct me to an easy "How to find your Mavic" site?

My first advice is to make sure your homeowners insurance covers drones as part of the personal property coverage! Second, if you use the flight records that are saved on your IOS or Android device, follow the flight where you lost your drone and then use the latitude and longitude coordinates that appear at the end of the flight. Copy them down, then go to google earth and enter the flight records. You will be able to pin point the Mavic's location. Back to my number one suggestion; these aircraft are very expensive and the RTH does not always save you after a disconnect so at least if you have insurance coverage you are not out a lot of cash

 

[John Gowland]

My first advice is to make sure your homeowners insurance covers drones as part of the personal property coverage! Second, if you use the flight records that are saved on your IOS or Android device, follow the flight where you lost your drone and then use the latitude and longitude coordinates that appear at the end of the flight. Copy them down, then go to google earth and enter the flight records. You will be able to pin point the Mavic's location. Back to my number one suggestion; these aircraft are very expensive and the RTH does not always save you after a disconnect so at least if you have insurance coverage you are not out a lot of cash

 

[John Gowland]

Thanks Lone Droner. I was about to do that but #2Kilrah told me
"Find My Drone function in the app's top right menu?"
Then I just followed a blue line and blue arrow and it took me to within one meter! Yes one meter about a yard, from the MP. I shat myself.
I knocked on the guy's door and he said the drone had not landed on his roof, my phone said I was on top of it. I took a step back, looked up at his roof and there it was, staring at me. It was dead but it was there.
And yes I did exactly that with the home content insurance, making sure they covered electrical goods even if I am in another country. Always a good idea for all.
And awaiting DJI care reply. Its getting complicated. Now after almost a week, all I need is for the ******* thing to rise from the dead and I am in trouble.
#2Kilrah, Monday at 5:30 PM

 

[MavicPro76]

The last episode of the Game of Drones 4K
Coming home then going in GOD mode.
YouTube
A Mavic Pros last flight.

John
Waiting for the Phoenix
View attachment 19836

Just an FYI, you entered that url incorrectly. You entered it as the owner of the YouTibe video.

Here is the act link to watch the video for everyone else.... WATCH VIDEO HERE

 

[Lore]

The bird has returned!!! I got my Drone back!
Been through a storm, rain and high winds. When I got to the house the guy said it didn't land on his roof. The app told me different, and there it was all majestic like camera facing the lake as it was when I watched it land on my phone. Took the battery out and it came out wet so must be some damage as well as malfunctioning issues on the RTH. I am so curious as to whether it will still fly with a fresh battery. But being the good, sensible, responsible drone enthusiast I am not going to. The care thingi.
Thanks for all your help people.

John

I think I am missing the part of the episode between the evil house guy said that it didn't land on his roof and our hero getting the drone back? Did you go up on the roof to find it anyway? Or was it somewhere else?

 

[Lore]

LOL... nvm, xpost

 

[RenoBoy]

Pack it in a bag of ( uncooked) rice for a couple days and don't start it until you know it's components are dry to prevent any short circuits.
Better safe than sorry.

 

[MrsTreat]

Pack it in a bag of ( uncooked) rice for a couple days and don't start it until you know it's components are dry to prevent any short circuits.
Better safe than sorry.

Try kitty litter.

 

[Cessna pilot]

Ha ha, probably.

Take a 6 pack of coldies to smooth things over lol

 

[Az_jz]

Hi John,

Same thing happened to me, however I was flying in very good conditions roughly 60m high and 250m away can still see the drone when the RC disconnected, my screen went blank on my phone and the controller kept trying to reconnect.

I rang DJI Australia and raised a case with my main issue being that the setting when RC disconnection happens the drone should return home this failed and thus drone is lost now.
DJI responded with a 30% credit, I did not accept this and asked them to review my case again as there is clearly a fault as the drone did not RTH upon RC Disconnection. Send them an email raise a case and they will email you a doc to fill out.
Hope this helps.

 

[rcflyingaddict]

Hi John,

Same thing happened to me, however I was flying in very good conditions roughly 60m high and 250m away can still see the drone when the RC disconnected, my screen went blank on my phone and the controller kept trying to reconnect.

I rang DJI Australia and raised a case with my main issue being that the setting when RC disconnection happens the drone should return home this failed and thus drone is lost now.
DJI responded with a 30% credit, I did not accept this and asked them to review my case again as there is clearly a fault as the drone did not RTH upon RC Disconnection. Send them an email raise a case and they will email you a doc to fill out.
Hope this helps.

What was your end result with dji?