Mavic out of control

[Bubby]

I have often taken off from my balcony with a low satellite lock, however today after the drone took off and flew over the balcony I couldn’t properly control it until it managed to obtain a GPS lock and home point.

Surely the Opti mode should suffice to fly the drone without it losing control (which until now it has done)?

 

[Porky]

I never fly until I’ve got a GPS lock & home point has been activated. This might have something to do with you losing control.

That’s just my opinion.

 

[Robert Granata]

What was your altitude above ground? While the downward vision system technically works at altitudes between 0.5m and 50m the manual says that the downward vision system may be affected if the aircraft's altitude is above 11m (33ft).

 

[Bubby]

What was your altitude above ground? While the downward vision system technically works at altitudes between 0.5m and 50m the manual says that the downward vision system may be affected if the aircraft's altitude is above 11m (33ft).

It was about 30m above ground (water), but just strange that this has never happened before, wondering if it has anything to do with the latest update.

 

[Robert Granata]

It was about 30m above ground (water), but just strange that this has never happened before, wondering if it has anything to do with the latest update.

Maybe there was some chop in the water the other times that gave it some definition for the downward vision system, but there are more warnings in the manual about using the downward vision system over water than anything else. You had no gps lock, you were relying on opti mode above 33 ft, and you were flying over water. Seems you have done nearly everything the manual says will cause the aircraft to be unstable.

 

[sar104]

Maybe there was some chop in the water the other times that gave it some definition for the downward vision system, but there are more warnings in the manual about using the downward vision system over water than anything else. You had no gps lock, you were relying on opti mode above 33 ft, and you were flying over water. Seems you have done nearly everything the manual says will cause the aircraft to be unstable.

Manual? There's a manual? Why would anyone read a manual¡

 

[Meta4]

I have often taken off from my balcony with a low satellite lock, however today after the drone took off and flew over the balcony I couldn’t properly control it until it managed to obtain a GPS lock and home point.

It sounds like your drone was not out of control at all but just did not have the horizontal position holding that GPS gives.
It would have been fully controllable but like driving on ice without brakes.
It would also have drifted with any breeze.
That's what happens when you fly without GPS - it's called Atti mode.

Surely the Opti mode should suffice to fly the drone without it losing control (which until now it has done)?

The downward facing sensors are only good for about 10 metres, but only with good lighting and a surface with a good texture or pattern for it to recognise.

 

[DanMan32]

He did mention it was in opti mode, which means it was relying on downward sensors. I'm not sure if that holds well in wind. But being over water, now the waves/ripples, if it even catches them and overrides winds, are thought to be stationary patterns which they are not. Think of the AC tracking a pattern on a moving treadmill or people mover. The AC would follow the movement of the treadmill/peoplemover belt. Same thing over rippling water. And again, that's if it doesn't get overtaken by winds.

I was flying about 30ft or so above water. Several 100ft out, my M2 seems to drift like crazy, even doing a toilet bowl dance. I thought my IMU or something else was starting to fail so I reeled it in via RTH which worked perfectly.
A few days later it occurred to me that the VPS in Mavics is very good, particularly compared to a P3 and it was the VPS that was overtaking the GPS at least to some extent.
I bet the toilet bowl effect was VPS tracking water currents causing drift, and GPS correction taking affect when the VPS was found to be excessive.

 

[Meta4]

He did mention it was in opti mode, which means it was relying on downward sensors.

He also said he was 30 metres up.
You can be 30 metres up or you can have Opti Mode.
But you can't have both.

 

[Bubby]

There are some rocks and texture before you hit the water, albeit maybe too high for the VPS to pick them up.

It is unusual that it has never acted like this before, I am wondering if maybe it is interference coming from the building itself.

Also there was no real wind to contend with.

 

[nash97778]

I faced also same issue, it was indoor with low light. Later on i figured out that without a proper GPS signal and in low light it wont hover properly.

 

[DanMan32]

He also said he was 30 metres up.
You can be 30 metres up or you can have Opti Mode.
But you can't have both.

I think I mentally registered 30ft.

 

[BJR981S]

Hmmm, Does anyone think that people should learn to fly their drones. I mean actually fly them rather than operate them based on the automation?

Try flying in Atti Mode. Put a aluminium foil over your GPS. and try that.

Only kidding please don't try. Buy a cheap FPV type racing drone and learn to fly.