Mavic Air2 versus Wave - it didn't go well

[DameEdnaBrown]

I'm kicking myself. My MA2 is now resting in Davy Jones locker due to my own foolishness. I was going for a low-altitude pullback shot of a large breaking wave. I misjudged the height of the drone and the wave clipped my poor MA2, disoriented it, and sent it plummeting. +1 for Pacific Ocean. Yeah, I'm an idiot. Here's the video from the cache.

Nearly made it

 

[Wreckhunter]

Throughout most of the video the drone seemed dangerously close to the water/waves.
Just sayin'

I agree with you 100%,way to close to the water.
Wet suit on or not would make no difference at all.

 

[Wreckhunter]

Thanks. Yes, that describes me. I've flown from this bluff many times and was running out of new filming ideas. Somehow the crazy idea of flying backwards, fast and very low, just ahead of a large crashing wave stuck in my head. I had to have THAT shot! Earlier in the video, I did achieve it somewhat, but it wasn't dramatic enough. I wanted to get even closer! I did, and I paid the price big time. But that shot....

I replaced the Air2 with a Mini2 so if I lose the Mini2 the sting won't be so bad. But it's no comparison. The Air2 is a much better performer in all ways. Better video, better gimbal, better speed, better cinema modes. Now I really feel bad about losing that little guy!

I have an air 2,and I get no closer than 30 feet above the water for photos.

 

[Wreckhunter]

After flying my M1X is some pretty horrible weather with a Wetsuit installed I wonder if a battery disconnect/short is what caused it to go down. It seemed like it was recovering and then the video stopped.

Mike

The wave took it down

 

[slozukimc]

The wave took it down

If you watch the end of the video the drone is still flying and trying to recover well after contact with the water. That leads one to believe that water ingress caused the drone to go down that MAY have been prevented with a Wetsuit. I fly my M1X in horrible weather just inches above the water on the lake and so close to waterfalls that the spray soaks my drone. Some of us like to play close to the water, some don’t. But for those of us that do I suggest wearing the proper attire. A Wetsuit.

Mike

 

[Wreckhunter]

If you watch the end of the video the drone is still flying and trying to recover well after contact with the water. That leads one to believe that water ingress caused the drone to go down that MAY have been prevented with a Wetsuit. I fly my M1X in horrible weather just inches above the water on the lake and so close to waterfalls that the spray soaks my drone. Some of us like to play close to the water, some don’t. But for those of us that do I suggest wearing the proper attire. A Wetsuit.

Mike

The water would have gotten in through the gimbel housing either way from the wave.
Wetsuit would not have saved it.Water is water it will find a way in no matter what.Put me in
the don't category with flying close to the water,i would like to keep my drone for a while yet.
Just sayin.

 

[MS Coast]

The wave took it down

I suppose that's another way of saying, "It was flown into the wave."

 

[Wreckhunter]

I suppose that's another way of saying, "It was flown into the wave."

Could be ,who knows.

 

[Mazdaman323lx]

Kudos , that was brave flying , hope you had care refresh and are back in the air soon. Lost my MA-2 to the sea recently so feel your pain .Like Epicflight said , there are few on here willing to risk their drone for such a such a shot.

 

[Adrian-Harris]

The City of Huntington Beach does not allow drone takeoffs/landings on the beach. So I launched from the bluffs which are about 30-feet above the beach. This makes judging the height of the drone above the water very difficult using VLOS alone. If I was allowed to control the drone from the beach level, it would have been much easier to judge the height above the waves.

Another factor contributing to my MA2's demise (besides my own carelessness) was that in my live view, the apparent drone height above sea level varied as the waves rolled in. Just before a large wave would come in, the sea level dropped making the drone appear higher than it actually was. Basically I learned that when flying close to the ocean's surface it's difficult to judge true height, using VLOS or FPV.

BTW, if anyone knows a good rule of thumb to ascertain (through the live camera view) if your drone is above or below an approaching obstacle, I'd love to hear it!

I saw the final oncoming wave rise above the horizon level, and that is the moment when I realised you were going to be in serious trouble. Sorry for your loss.

 

[4wd]

As they warm up during a flight the on board pressure sensor tends to read higher and the altitude drops slightly.
You often see it if you take off from a steep hill or other vantage point and don't actually ascend.
If you fly for a few minutes then come back it can be several feet lower than the on screen figures suggest.