Mavic Enterprise goes swimming

[Spiritchaser]

Helping a friend..... Mavic crashed into water (still there) shortly after takeoff. Seeking help for possible cause. Thank you.

 

[Meta4]

Helping a friend..... Mavic crashed into water (still there) shortly after takeoff. Seeking help for possible cause. Thank you.

He was flying in a non-standard joystick mode with the right joystick operating the throttle.
It looks like he simply landed the drone in the water.

He was flying 3 metres above the water and pulled down on the right stick at 7:18 and held it down until 7:24.7.
Landing protection slowed the drone with its height at around 0.7 metres above the water.
But continuing to hold the right stick down initiated a forced landing and the drone continued into the water.

Here's the relevant part of the flight data.
The VPS height above the water surface is in blue
Right joystick pulled down is red-brown
Yellow is indication of the dunking

 

[Spiritchaser]

A tremendous help..thank you very much

 

[jaysmithtechtv]

A tremendous help..thank you very much

Was it the enterprise dual or zoom? And was he able to recover the drone?

 

[Spiritchaser]

It was the Zoom, it’s still in the Pacific Ocean somewhere!

 

[Spiritchaser]

At this stage it’s possible that an upgrade performed just before the flight may have defaulted to Mode 3 joystick control.

 

[Meta4]

At this stage it’s possible that an upgrade performed just before the flight may have defaulted to Mode 3 joystick control.

When settings change following a firmware update, it's always to factory default settings.
Mode 2 is the factory default joystick mode.

 

[Spiritchaser]

Agreed and understood but didn’t appear to be the case here. Similar problem with another drone nearby. But was able to recover it and land OK

 

[Meta4]

Agreed and understood but didn’t appear to be the case here. Similar problem with another drone nearby. But was able to recover it and land OK

A firmware update won't ever change settings to a non-factory default value like Mode 3.
It just doesn't happen.
And if it did, the flyer would have noticed immediately when he launched.
In this flight the flyer went straight for the correct joystick to launch without any fumbling with the wrong controls at the start.
He appears to have known what he was doing without any surprises.

 

[Spiritchaser]

Thanks, have spoken to the pilot and he certainly didn’t know what he was doing as he has limited experience. He certainly didn’t have the knowledge base to alter the control mode in the software. He said initially after the upgrade the drone “wouldn’t take off”. Seems to indicate he tried lifting off with the left stick as per normal but with controls reversed it obviously wouldn’t. I suspect by pure luck and coincidence he managed to get in the air. “Hands off” might have saved things but I think he continued to try and fly. He said he tried a RTH but this is not indicated and I think he didn’t hold down the control long enough to activate it. By then the drone was in the drink!
Appreciate your thoughts and thanks again.

 

[Meta4]

He certainly didn’t have the knowledge base to alter the control mode in the software.

It didn't happen by itself, someone has changed it (with or without knowing what they were doing).

He said initially after the upgrade the drone “wouldn’t take off”. Seems to indicate he tried lifting off with the left stick as per normal but with controls reversed it obviously wouldn’t.
I suspect by pure luck and coincidence he managed to get in the air.

The flight data starts at 4:56.6 with the battery at 82%, indicating a previous flight and the app not being closed before the second flight.
It would be interesting to see the flight data from the earlier flight, but the flight data for this flight shows no attempts to lift off with the left stick

he certainly didn’t know what he was doing as he has limited experience
“Hands off” might have saved things but I think he continued to try and fly.
He said he tried a RTH but this is not indicated and I think he didn’t hold down the control long enough to activate it. By then the drone was in the drink!

It's probably safe to guess that someone with this level of experience and situational awareness shouldn't have been flying over the ocean at all.
It's an unforgiving environment and a single mistake can easily be the last.

 

[Spiritchaser]

Point taken, again appreciated.

 

[test2000Anafi]

I love the "I'm asking for a friend"- angle. Sorry to hear about your loss and I hope you get another drone!

 

[Spiritchaser]

Really was a friend...a Volunteer organisation.