Lost my other drone, my Mini 3 Pro

[hank970]

The log shows that the controls were neutral during the last seven seconds of the flight.

More like an ascent by the wave than a descent by the drone.

More likely both. The OP says the drone was descending and that the altimeter readout on the display had begun to show red (a value below launch elevation) when the drone crashed.

 

[MS Coast]

More likely both. The OP says the drone was descending and that the altimeter readout on the display had begun to show red (a value below launch elevation) when the drone crashed.

Here are the last few seconds of the log. The VPS altitude is more relevant, but neither shows negative values.

 

[Tower669]

Maybe it was killed by a seagull. Those boogers don't care about drones.

 

[jwilson]

Do you really need an expert? or will "Just someone with common sense" suffice?

What common sense are you talking about, given what the mini did?

 

[jwilson]

I'm not an expert, but I can tell you that the reason you crashed into the ocean is because you were flying too low and the waves were higher than you anticipated. In addition, you may have panicked when you determined that a crash was imminent and pulled your left control stick back instead of pushing it forward. That would explain the rapid descent. Either way, you lost your drone due to pilot error.

Again, just look at the mini video. I was clearly not too low, and it flew down to the ocean. Was that pilot error?

 

[jwilson]

The log shows that the controls were neutral during the last seven seconds of the flight.

More like an ascent by the wave than a descent by the drone.

But again, in the case of the mini, there was no ascent by the wave. It was clearly a decent by the drone not initiated by me.

 

[Meta4]

The OP says the drone was descending and that the altimeter readout on the display had begun to show red (a value below launch elevation) when the drone crashed.

Nothing was showing red.

As the drone was lost the barometric sensor was not showing a height lower than that of the launch point.
But it's not unusual as the barometric sensor can drift during a flight and end up +/- 10 metres or more.

The VPS sensor is accurate and shows the height of the drone above whatever is below it.
Most of the flight was carried out 20 feet (or more) higher than the water.
But a minute before the end of the flight that eased down to 15 ft and later to 9-10 ft above the water.
After about 7 seconds at <10 ft the flyer gave a touch of left stick to take it back up to 20 ft.
Then, although the barometric height continues to show around numbers around 30 ft, the VPS height shows changing height above the water from 20 ft to 10 ft, 14 ft, 19 ft ... then 17, 14, 9, 8, 7, 5 .... kerplunk.

If you are flying too far away to see the drone's height above the water, you need to be aware that the view from the main camera's wideangle lens makes things appear further away than they actually are.
That means the drone is closer to the water than you think it is.

 

[MS Coast]

But again, in the case of the mini, there was no ascent by the wave. It was clearly a decent by the drone not initiated by me.

Are you saying that the water was flat calm, with no waves? You were more than 1100 yards from the drone at the time it got wet. That's not a situation that provides a clear assessment of the drone's motion. And it obviously didn't provide a good assessment of the waves.

 

[Cafguy]

I was clearly not too low, and it flew down to the ocean. Was that pilot error?

Your answer is Post Number 27. The experienced member states:
"But a minute before the end of the flight that eased down to 15 ft and later to 9-10 ft above the water.
After about 7 seconds at <10 ft the flyer go 20 ft abve a touch of left stick to take it back up to 20 ft.
Then, although the barometric height continues to show around numbers around 30 ft, the VPS height shows changing height above the water from 20 ft to 10 ft, 14 ft, 19 ft ... then 17, 14, 9, 8, 7, 5 .... kerplunk."

Oceans have waves and spray...You were too low..I am sorry you feel differently But I saw it on TV.

 

[Droning on and on...]

To state it directly, the sea rose up to your drone during to a large swell.

 

[Chip]

To state it directly, the sea rose up to your drone during to a large swell.

Yes, the sea rose and the drone fell. There is something to be learned from it I am sure. ​

“For whatever we lose (whether a you, me, or a DJI Mini Pro 3), it’s always ourselves we find in the sea.”​

E.E. Cummings​

 

[FLDave]

For the OP, perhaps you could explain what you visually saw as to the drone's performance at the time, the conditions of the waves, and the actual height of the drone above the water, all without looking the controller or information from the controller. After all, that is required for VLOS flying.

 

[jwilson]

Nothing was showing red.

As the drone was lost the barometric sensor was not showing a height lower than that of the launch point.
But it's not unusual as the barometric sensor can drift during a flight and end up +/- 10 metres or more.

The VPS sensor is accurate and shows the height of the drone above whatever is below it.
Most of the flight was carried out 20 feet (or more) higher than the water.
But a minute before the end of the flight that eased down to 15 ft and later to 9-10 ft above the water.
After about 7 seconds at <10 ft the flyer gave a touch of left stick to take it back up to 20 ft.
Then, although the barometric height continues to show around numbers around 30 ft, the VPS height shows changing height above the water from 20 ft to 10 ft, 14 ft, 19 ft ... then 17, 14, 9, 8, 7, 5 .... kerplunk.

If you are flying too far away to see the drone's height above the water, you need to be aware that the view from the main camera's wideangle lens makes things appear further away than they actually are.
That means the drone is closer to the water than you think it is.

I though the mini doesn't have a wide angle lens. I thought it was what you see is what you get. I definitely saw red. I have a better screen capture now that I will post later.

 

[jwilson]

Are you saying that the water was flat calm, with no waves? You were more than 1100 yards from the drone at the time it got wet. That's not a situation that provides a clear assessment of the drone's motion. And it obviously didn't provide a good assessment of the waves.

No I'm not saying the sea was flat. That's why I was flying there. To get shots of the waves. But you can clearly see the waves maximum heights was below the horizon, indicating the drone was above the highest waves. I don't have to see the drone when I can see it's video.

 

[jwilson]

Your answer is Post Number 27. The experienced member states:
"But a minute before the end of the flight that eased down to 15 ft and later to 9-10 ft above the water.
After about 7 seconds at <10 ft the flyer go 20 ft abve a touch of left stick to take it back up to 20 ft.
Then, although the barometric height continues to show around numbers around 30 ft, the VPS height shows changing height above the water from 20 ft to 10 ft, 14 ft, 19 ft ... then 17, 14, 9, 8, 7, 5 .... kerplunk."

Oceans have waves and spray...You were too low..I am sorry you feel differently But I saw it on TV.

I know it got hit by spray. But another member pointed out that it looked like a controlled landing, rather than a sudden loss of lift.

 

[Meta4]

I though the mini doesn't have a wide angle lens.

Your Mini 3 had a wideangle lens like all DJI main cameras.
Yours field of view equivalent (in 35mm terms) of a 24 mm lens , so it was quite wide and makes things look further away than they actually are.

I thought it was what you see is what you get.

I have no idea what you think that means.

I definitely saw red.

The red you saw was the VPS warning that the water was just a few feet below the drone.
That matches what the VPS data showed ... that the water level below the drone was rising.

I know it got hit by spray. But another member pointed out that it looked like a controlled landing, rather than a sudden loss of lift.

That was me, commenting on your screen recording before you provided data.
The data shows that the drone did not land or descend, but the water level rose up and because you trusted the screen view, you did not realise how close the drone was to the water below it.

 

[sarahb]

No I'm not saying the sea was flat. That's why I was flying there. To get shots of the waves. But you can clearly see the waves maximum heights was below the horizon, indicating the drone was above the highest waves. I don't have to see the drone when I can see it's video.

Doesn't Japan require a drone pilot to fly with visual line of sight?

 

[jwilson]

Your Mini 3 had a wideangle lens like all DJI main cameras.
Yours field of view equivalent (in 35mm terms) of a 24 mm lens , so it was quite wide and makes things look further away than they actually are.

I have no idea what you think that means.

The red you saw was the VPS warning that the water was just a few feet below the drone.
That matches what the VPS data showed ... that the water level below the drone was rising.


That was me, commenting on your screen recording before you provided data.
The data shows that the drone did not land or descend, but the water level rose up and because you trusted the screen view, you did not realise how close the drone was to the water below it.

It definitely did not get hit by the wave. You can see it was above the wave and only got hit by the spray.

 

[jwilson]

Many countries do but that's not very practical.

Doesn't Japan require a drone pilot to fly with visual line of sight?

 

[Meta4]

It definitely did not get hit by the wave. You can see it was above the wave and only got hit by the spray.

It's very hard to ignore the VPS data that indicates the water level rising toward your drone.