Mavic mini lost to strong winds

[Shah.MJ]

Hi all,
Newbee to this forum guys, so do pardon if i make a mistake, just posting my drone loss story to see if flight data can help narrow down the search area, if possible.
So i was trying to capture some sunset pictures the other evening. Barely 3 min into the flight and i was caught up in a sudden unexpected dust-storm. Was flying fairly high (~150m) when the first wind warning came. Tried to lower the craft and land but was too late, and within seconds the drone started to drift with the strong wind. I attempted RTH with no avail, then tried manually in sports mode but the wind and dust got stronger. Ultimately lost connection to the craft at around 8 min of flight time, but pretty sure it drifted quite some distance in the air. Some kids did see the drone hovering around a 100 meters away from the last location in flight log but no witness to crash. I did search the possible crash/landing area but its a bloody wide fields. I am uploading the flight data in case any member can help me narrow down the search area.
Mods, if i have made a mistaken post in the wrong section, kindly move to the appropriate thread, with forgiveness. Peace.

 

[Meta4]

Hi all,
Newbee to this forum guys, so do pardon if i make a mistake, just posting my drone loss story to see if flight data can help narrow down the search area, if possible.

It will be easier if you can post the .txt file.
Go to DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help
Follow the instructions there to upload your flight record from your phone or tablet.
That will give you a detailed report of the flight.
Come back and post a link to the report it gives you.
Or .. just post the txt file here.

 

[Shah.MJ]

It will be easier if you can post the .txt file.
Go to DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help
Follow the instructions there to upload your flight record from your phone or tablet.
That will give you a detailed report of the flight.
Come back and post a link to the report it gives you.
Or .. just post the txt file here.

Thanks for the guidance Meta4. Attaching the text file for the last flight here. Again with a bundle of thanks.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

The phantomhelp report . . .

DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

Hopefully that scenario will enable the flight projection analysts here to give you a search area.

Still having 46% battery and trying to RTH, reasonably stable wind direction, steady (slow) progress resisting the wind (but still getting blown downwind), I'm thinking it might be possible to get something close enough to give you a chance at recovering the mini.

It would have been chewing battery like crazy, losing a % about every 10 seconds, so not too long before it would have gone into auto land.

Luckily you held down the left stick too and brought it lower as it tried RTH, that will mean it can be more accurately estimated where it may have (tried) landing.
Hopefully a decent spot and not trees or water.

I think it will end up somewhere in those farming fields before the road.

Good luck.

 

[Shah.MJ]

The phantomhelp report . . .

DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

Hopefully that scenario will enable the flight projection analysts here to give you a search area.

Still having 46% battery and trying to RTH, reasonably stable wind direction, steady (slow) progress resisting the wind (but still getting blown downwind), I'm thinking it might be possible to get something close enough to give you a chance at recovering the mini.

It would have been chewing battery like crazy, losing a % about every 10 seconds, so not too long before it would have gone into auto land.

Luckily you held down the left stick too and brought it lower as it tried RTH, that will mean it can be more accurately estimated where it may have (tried) landing.
Hopefully a decent spot and not trees or water.

I think it will end up somewhere in those farming fields before the road.

Good luck.

Thanks mate. Did look around in the direction of wind for 2 days, but unfortunately the grass is too tall. Luckily it does not rain much in this part of the country, but there are a few irrigation drains around. Keeping my fingers crossed about not having crashed onto the ground.
Thanks again for the kind help.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Thanks mate. Did look around in the direction of wind for 2 days, but unfortunately the grass is too tall. Luckily it does not rain much in this part of the country, but there are a few irrigation drains around. Keeping my fingers crossed about not having crashed onto the ground.
Thanks again for the kind help.

@Meta4 might do the crash search projections . . . he might give an opinion.

Others here that are really good at this are @sar104 @slup and sometimes @BudWalker pops by.
There have been some really good success stories finding drones here.

Tagging those members, they should get a heads up and come by so hopefully you'll get some feedback soon . . .
Keep in mind it is Easter, so some might be doing family stuff.

Sounds like it might have had a soft landing if it tried and got caught up in grasses, so all is not lost.
Might be a tough search though, no Cobras ?

 

[Shah.MJ]

Thanks again mate. Will try my luck in the tall grass and pray it did not land in one of the irrigation drains

 

[Shah.MJ]

@Meta4 might do the crash search projections . . . he might give an opinion.

Others here that are really good at this are @sar104 @slup and sometimes @BudWalker pops by.
There have been some really good success stories finding drones here.

Tagging those members, they should get a heads up and come by so hopefully you'll get some feedback soon . . .
Keep in mind it is Easter, so some might be doing family stuff.

Sounds like it might have had a soft landing if it tried and got caught up in grasses, so all is not lost.
Might be a tough search though, no Cobras ?

Luckily no cobras. Mostly bugs, occasional visits by rattlesnakes though.

 

[Meta4]

Thanks for the guidance Meta4. Attaching the text file for the last flight here. Again with a bundle of thanks.

Of DJI drones, the original Mini is has the weakest performance fighting strong winds.
When caught by the wind, you made the mistake of taking it higher, which exposed it to stronger wind and made it less likely to get home.

To see if we can narrow down the search area, one problem was the wind speed was gusting and variable which makes the calcualtions only approximate.
It was blowing the drone further away at approx 2-7 mph while the drone was trying to get back to home.
The battery was running down at about 1% each 7.8 seconds.
If we consider a speed midway between 2-7 mph, that would give the drone about 280 seconds before it reached Critical Low Voltage and started to descend and the drone would have travelled an additional 1840 ft and still been blown something like 80 ft further during the descent.

From the last known position, that would put a good search area centre at 31.79946N 70.90805E.
I've marked this on the map, it's in fields east of Indus View Road.
The drone could be closer or further along and a little either side of the (approximate) line of drift.

Good Luck searching

 

[Shah.MJ]

Of DJI drones, the original Mini is has the weakest performance fighting strong winds.
When caught by the wind, you made the mistake of taking it higher, which exposed it to stronger wind and made it less likely to get home.

To see if we can narrow down the search area, one problem was the wind speed was gusting and variable which makes the calcualtions only approximate.
It was blowing the drone further away at approx 2-7 mph while the drone was trying to get back to home.
The battery was running down at about 1% each 7.8 seconds.
If we consider a speed midway between 2-7 mph, that would give the drone about 280 seconds before it reached Critical Low Voltage and started to descend and the drone would have travelled an additional 1840 ft and still been blown something like 80 ft further during the descent.

From the last known position, that would put a good search area centre at 31.79946N 70.90805E.
I've marked this on the map, it's in fields east of Indus View Road.
The drone could be closer or further along and a little either side of the (approximate) line of drift.

Good Luck searching

Great, i never searched that area across the road. Will look there as well today. Have talked to a few residents in the houses in this projected flight path but they did not see the craft.

 

[Shah.MJ]

Great, i never searched that area across the road. Will look there as well today. Have talked to a few residents in the houses in this projected flight path but they did not see the craft.

About the attempted ascent midflight, i have observed a better headwind performance when the craft is either ascending or descending in addition to the horizontal speed. I've previously managed to recover ground against some pretty strong gusts with this trick. Its just my observation though, might be mistaken.

 

[Meta4]

About the attempted ascent midflight, i have observed a better headwind performance when the craft is either ascending or descending in addition to the horizontal speed. I've previously managed to recover ground against some pretty strong gusts with this trick. Its just my observation though, might be mistaken.

You probably were mistaken ... vertical movement of the drone has no influence on it's horizontal speed.
But going higher will almost always put the drone in higher speed winds.has

 

[Shah.MJ]

I'll keep a mental note of this advice when flying again. Hopefully the same mini for a while before i upgrade. Fingers crossed. You have been really helpful and considerate. Obliged.

 

[Shah.MJ]

Agree, it did not do me any good this time.

 

[BudWalker]

Hi all,
Newbee to this forum guys, so do pardon if i make a mistake, just posting my drone loss story to see if flight data can help narrow down the search area, if possible.
So i was trying to capture some sunset pictures the other evening. Barely 3 min into the flight and i was caught up in a sudden unexpected dust-storm. Was flying fairly high (~150m) when the first wind warning came. Tried to lower the craft and land but was too late, and within seconds the drone started to drift with the strong wind. I attempted RTH with no avail, then tried manually in sports mode but the wind and dust got stronger. Ultimately lost connection to the craft at around 8 min of flight time, but pretty sure it drifted quite some distance in the air. Some kids did see the drone hovering around a 100 meters away from the last location in flight log but no witness to crash. I did search the possible crash/landing area but its a bloody wide fields. I am uploading the flight data in case any member can help me narrow down the search area.
Mods, if i have made a mistaken post in the wrong section, kindly move to the appropriate thread, with forgiveness. Peace.

By any chance is there a FLY075.DAT? Occasionally, the AC will reconnect to the controller after landing which creates a subsequent .DAT but no .txt. Seems unlikely in this case but worth checking.

 

[Shah.MJ]

By any chance is there a FLY075.DAT? Occasionally, the AC will reconnect to the controller after landing which creates a subsequent .DAT but no .txt. Seems unlikely in this case but worth checking.

Apologies for the late reply, time zone limitations. I have already uploaded the FLY075.DAT file and the .txt files above. Got some good guidance. Gonna a have a look at the suggested places today and update if any luck or otherwise.

 

[BudWalker]

Apologies for the late reply, time zone limitations. I have already uploaded the FLY075.DAT file and the .txt files above. Got some good guidance. Gonna a have a look at the suggested places today and update if any luck or otherwise.

Actually you uploaded FLY074.DAT. Is there a FLY075.DAT?

 

[Shah.MJ]

Actually you uploaded FLY074.DAT. Is there a FLY075.DAT?

Oops, my bad. Let me check

 

[Shah.MJ]

Oops, my bad. Let me check

Unfortunately, i don't have the FLY075.DAT for this flight on my device. There are a few files but they are from older flights. Attaching a screenshot of the files found on device. Will upload if it helps

 

[Shah.MJ]

Screenshot of FLY075.DAT files found on my phone attached