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MA2: Gator ate my drone or I had a catastrophic loss of power...

Just post your logs from your phone/tablet. Someone will be able to figure out exactly where it's at.
 
Just post your logs from your phone/tablet. Someone will be able to figure out exactly where it's at.

The logs were in the first post, and I don't think there is any mystery about where it is. It hit the middle cable head on at 24 mph heading NE, 37 ft above the ground, so it will be pretty much directly below the last recorded point:

1616812026576.png
 
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I so wish it was stuck the wires!! They look like they were designed to catch one. I do wonder if it bounced backwards on impact, rolled forward over or went straight down.

I also imagine the battery may have separated on impact the way it lost signal instantly.

I really hope I can find it down there and answer some of these questions...and use my refresh!Img_8801.jpg
 
I know I saw the wires at the end of your flight, but I was really hoping for a Bermuda Triangle ending. Oh well, maybe next time.
 
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Well an air search today has proven to be unsuccessful, I so hoped I would find it sitting pretty, up high and dry on some sawgrass. It does not seem to be. :(

I sure wish I could mark a waypoint on the map in DJI FLY to make a search like this a little easier. I have looked for a way and not found it?

Looks like I am wading in next.


 
I sure wish I could mark a waypoint on the map in DJI FLY to make a search like this a little easier. I have looked for a way and not found it?
Borrow a handheld GPS from someone?
Or a GPS waypoint app on your phone.
 
Borrow a handheld GPS from someone?
Or a GPS waypoint app on your phone.
The GPS from the tablet shows you as a dot on the flight log map.

I am talking about when I am flying. I have no way to put in GPS numbers and have a pin on the flying map in the FLY APP.

It looks dry but it is all 4' deep Everglades swamp. I can't just walk to the spot.
 
Well an air search today has proven to be unsuccessful, I so hoped I would find it sitting pretty, up high and dry on some sawgrass. It does not seem to be. :(

I sure wish I could mark a waypoint on the map in DJI FLY to make a search like this a little easier. I have looked for a way and not found it?

Looks like I am wading in next.



Based on the original video it's likely in this patch of open(ish) water, so your video seemed to indicate that you were searching a bit too far to the NW.

1617077010067.png
 
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Based on the original video it's likely in this patch of open(ish) water, so your video seemed to indicate that you were searching a bit too far to the NW.

View attachment 126478


Sadly my flight log confirms I searched a whole lot in the wrong spot. I did manage to pass over the crash spot directly two times and think it is reasonable to conclude it is under water and not magically sitting high and dry on some sawgrass.

On the plus side, the water has receded almost a foot since the crash. If it doesn't rain I will be able to walk out there without using a canoe or jon boat by the end of the week which should make searching a little easier.

Today I am going to try flying from the pad the wires come from so I can have better perspective on the drone while searching and possibly find a better path to the crash site.
 
So I have not given up on this! It took until now to dry out!!! I actually reached the crash site on foot today. Sadly it appears the drone is still under water despite most of the Everglades being nearly bone dry! This freakin thing was sitting right where the drone should have been as wading birds are picking off the fish trapped in the last of the water. Fish bones and skulls everywhere!

WP_20210608_14_07_11_Pro.jpg


Here is some video that shows the challenge I am facing. Without getting on my hands and knees and crawling through this to find it I have decided going back with a metal detector is probably best...lol. I am reasonably confident I will be able to find it but time is running out. It will start raining any minute in the Everglades and it will be 5 feet deep again!!






I suppose thinking I was just going to walk out there and casually grab it was a bit delusional on my part. haha

WP_20210608_13_58_37_Pro.jpg
 
Oh my god that sucks! I wish you good luck at finding it. No way of putting rubber boots and just walking around dragging and feeling around with your feet?
 
Oh my god that sucks! I wish you good luck at finding it. No way of putting rubber boots and just walking around dragging and feeling around with your feet?

I didn't let the lack of boots stop me! There is so much debris under the water it is proving to be impossible to find it so far!
 
So I am really starting to think I won't be able to retrieve it... Sadly I believe airboat traffic may have smashed it into the muck and it is now covered with pushed down sawgrass or was blown it really far from the search area.

I think my metal detector may be junk and am going to get a better one with a huge coil for one last search. It it is raining every day now and filling up quick out there, though my OCD may have me dragging nets out there before long though since I have until late October on the Refresh.. haha

 
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That’s really sad. I didn’t realize how attached I was to mine until I crashed it. I’m not really sure what had happened but it was the first flight after I put new blades on. I’m sure it was a mistake I made. I live on the lake and as I watched on my screen while it came down from 200 ft I just knew it would land in the lake and be gone. Such a helpless feeling. I was lucky. It was 10 feet from waters edge. One month later and she’s back up and a good as ever.
52913eef8fb9511edd26350c7b2855c8.jpg

I hope you find yours.
 
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That’s really sad. I didn’t realize how attached I was to mine until I crashed it. I’m not really sure what had happened but it was the first flight after I put new blades on. I’m sure it was a mistake I made. I live on the lake and as I watched on my screen while it came down from 200 ft I just knew it would land in the lake and be gone. Such a helpless feeling. I was lucky. It was 10 feet from waters edge. One month later and she’s back up and a good as ever.
52913eef8fb9511edd26350c7b2855c8.jpg

I hope you find yours.


Thanks!! Beautiful place you ave there.

I have flown it hundreds of miles over the ocean and never had the first problem. I didn't realize how attached to it I was either. I feel so stupid for hitting the wires and I actually deserve to lose it. I really want the footage on the card more than anything!!
 

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