Mavic Pro 2 Just Dropped Out of The Sky

[Kai12]

Hi

I was in South Dakota yesterday near the Badlands. I flew my drone for 8 mins. Seemed kinda of hot when it came down (It was 65 degrees outside). I have flown 100's of times for years and never had a problem. The next flight less than 30 mins later. I went to fly the drone low to the ground and then go over a "cliff" and expose a canyon. The drone flew out over the ledge, then about 30 feet off the ledge, the RC2 read "Aircraft Disconnected" and it plummeted down to the canyon floor (I would say it was at least an 80-foot drop). No way to get down the canyon and the drone was lost. But I am really trying to figure out why it happened. I see the logs in my RC2, it shows the flight but not familiar with if I can see the motors stopped or what happened. I have had a drone lose signal before and usually it just stops and lets me reestablish a connection. Someone near me who was watching (as I was looking at the controller) said it just stopped and dropped like a rock. I really appreciate any feedback or guidance anyone has.

Thanks
Bob

 

[mavic3usa]

Sounds like your battery just suddenly crapped out on you.....

 

[RodPad]

@Kai12
These members are great.

They are going to need the flight data.

The quickest

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

Lot of detailed information.

Mavic Flight Log Retrieval and Analysis Guide

Dec 25, 2019

With the introduction of the Mavic Mini there has been a noticeable uptick in the number of posts requesting help with lost or crashed aircraft. While there is plenty of help and advice available on this forum, and detailed guidance and options on several other websites, I thought that perhaps a single summary of the subject might be useful. If it does prove useful then I'll try to keep it updated, either in this post or followup posts, and perhaps other forum members will contribute additional thoughts on the subject to address errors and omissions.

If you are not interested in...

• sar104
• Replies: 159
• Forum: Crash & Flyaway Assistance

• 
• 
• 

Rod ..

 

[Meta4]

I have had a drone lose signal before and usually it just stops and lets me reestablish a connection.

The drone didn't lose signal and drop, it lost power and dropped.
When there is a sudden power loss, two things happen.
1. The drone drops
2. You are left looking at a controller that says Connection Lost.

Either the battery wasn't locked in or the battery was swelling and eased out of the connection just enough to break the circuit.

 

[Starz]

Some information on the battery that was in use could help with some form of answers. The M2 series battery doesn’t take much swelling to create a disconnect.

 

[HozroHorizons]

The drone didn't lose signal and drop, it lost power and dropped.
When there is a sudden power loss, two things happen.
1. The drone drops
2. You are left looking at a controller that says Connection Lost.

Either the battery wasn't locked in or the battery was swelling and eased out of the connection just enough to break the circuit.

Hi

I was in South Dakota yesterday near the Badlands. I flew my drone for 8 mins. Seemed kinda of hot when it came down (It was 65 degrees outside). I have flown 100's of times for years and never had a problem. The next flight less than 30 mins later. I went to fly the drone low to the ground and then go over a "cliff" and expose a canyon. The drone flew out over the ledge, then about 30 feet off the ledge, the RC2 read "Aircraft Disconnected" and it plummeted down to the canyon floor (I would say it was at least an 80-foot drop). No way to get down the canyon and the drone was lost. But I am really trying to figure out why it happened. I see the logs in my RC2, it shows the flight but not familiar with if I can see the motors stopped or what happened. I have had a drone lose signal before and usually it just stops and lets me reestablish a connection. Someone near me who was watching (as I was looking at the controller) said it just stopped and dropped like a rock. I really appreciate any feedback or guidance anyone has.

Thanks
Bob

The battery swelling in heat can indeed cause the battery to pop upward and lose a connection on the Mavic 2. I was warned by a pilot with just such an experience. I have a velcro strap tight around my Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom every time I fly, just to ensure the battery stays where it should!

 

[Felix le Chat]

Hi

I was in South Dakota yesterday near the Badlands. I flew my drone for 8 mins. Seemed kinda of hot when it came down (It was 65 degrees outside). I have flown 100's of times for years and never had a problem. The next flight less than 30 mins later. I went to fly the drone low to the ground and then go over a "cliff" and expose a canyon. The drone flew out over the ledge, then about 30 feet off the ledge, the RC2 read "Aircraft Disconnected" and it plummeted down to the canyon floor (I would say it was at least an 80-foot drop). No way to get down the canyon and the drone was lost. But I am really trying to figure out why it happened. I see the logs in my RC2, it shows the flight but not familiar with if I can see the motors stopped or what happened. I have had a drone lose signal before and usually it just stops and lets me reestablish a connection. Someone near me who was watching (as I was looking at the controller) said it just stopped and dropped like a rock. I really appreciate any feedback or guidance anyone has.

Thanks
Bob

65°?... Yes, that was hot for a drone rated between -10° and +40°. On top of that external heat, you had the internal heat generated by the drone battery and electronics. If it wasn't the battery suffering a catastrophic failure: it's odds-on it heat-bloated enough to deform the sidewalls, pop it's retaining clips and disconnect.

All too common with the top-loaders (Mavic Pro: Mavic 2: Mavic Air/2/2s).

If you do replace your drone with another top-loader: use a velcro battery retention strap.

 

[KB9Radio]

Most likely the battery swelled and popped loose, instant power loss. At least that's my first thought. There's folks on here that could look over the flight data file and give you a better explanation I'm sure.

 

[Kai12]

65°?... Yes, that was hot for a drone rated between -10° and +40°. On top of that external heat, you had the internal heat generated by the drone battery and electronics. If it wasn't the battery suffering a catastrophic failure: it's odds-on it heat-bloated enough to deform the sidewalls, pop it's retaining clips and disconnect.

All too common with the top-loaders (Mavic Pro: Mavic 2: Mavic Air/2/2s).

If you do replace your drone with another top-loader: use a velcro battery retention strap.

Im sorry maybe Im miscommunicating I meant it was 65 degrees outside, kinda cool, the drone was hot to touch on the bottom. To the point where I noticed it, Normally I fly in 80 degrees plus weather. Never an issue. I have maybe 8 batteries for it, I think your probably right on with the battery popping out, just never happened to me before. I also have to mention I was having issues getting proper exposure during the prior flight. Not sure if they are all related but it being noticeably hot, the exposure problem I will upload my flight logs ASAP and maybe someone can verify it.

Some information on the battery that was in use could help with some form of answers. The M2 series battery doesn’t take much swelling to create a disconnect.

Batteries are all "Authentic DJI" batteries. I am not 100% sure of the use as I bought 4 of them used. They have seemed to all perform ok prior to this outing, I did inspect the one battery that was used in both flight pror to flying the first time and it looked good. It flew fine except the exposure issue, looking back I should have just removed the battery when I noticed the bottom was hot. Im racking my brain trying to figure out what I might have done. The Battery the drone was flying with had just previously flown for about 8 mins, I hadnt removed it prior to the 2nd flight. I do confess I didnt double check prior to the 2nd flight as I had just flown it down the road.

 

[Kai12]

Excuse my ignorance, where are my flight logs? I dont see the FlightRecord folder?? I have never needed to get to them before.

 

[Meta4]

65°?... Yes, that was hot for a drone rated between -10° and +40°.

65° in the USA is 65°F or 18.3°C which comfortably fits in the range of -10°C to +40°C

 

[EricJT]

Im sorry maybe Im miscommunicating I meant it was 65 degrees outside, kinda cool, the drone was hot to touch on the bottom. To the point where I noticed it.....

That might mean the battery was swelling and not making good contact with the power pins and possibly higher resistance, hence the heat. Just my uneducated guess.

 

[Felix le Chat]

65°?... Yes, that was hot for a drone rated between -10° and +40°. On top of that external heat, you had the internal heat generated by the drone battery and electronics. If it wasn't the battery suffering a catastrophic failure: it's odds-on it heat-bloated enough to deform the sidewalls, pop it's retaining clips and disconnect.

All too common with the top-loaders (Mavic Pro: Mavic 2: Mavic Air/2/2s).

If you do replace your drone with another top-loader: use a velcro battery retention strap.

Ah! You meant Fahrenheit and not centigrade (which is what Celsius used to be.... before some smart-arse decides to nit-pick... which is inevitable).

It's Celsius by default in the UK, hence the misapprehension (no small 'f' after your 'degrees').

 

[Meta4]

I was having issues getting proper exposure during the prior flight. Not sure if they are all related but it being noticeably hot, the exposure problem

The exposure issue won't be related to the heat or battery issue.
But if you upload an original jpg to Google drive and post a link, someone might be able to check to see what might have happened there.

Excuse my ignorance, where are my flight logs? I dont see the FlightRecord folder??
View attachment 183832

It looks like you've almost gone to the correct file address: Android\data\dji.go.v5\files\FlightRecord

 

[Starz]

They have seemed to all perform ok

The swelling on the M2 batteries is normally visible by setting them on a flat surface.
If they don’t sit perfectly flat against that flat surface, there can be future issues.

 

[Kai12]

The exposure issue won't be related to the heat or battery issue.
But if you upload an original jpg to Google drive and post a link, someone might be able to check to see what might have happened there.

It looks like you've almost gone to the correct file address: Android\data\dji.go.v5\files\FlightRecord

I must be nuts I dont see a FlightRecord File or Folder. Here is what is in the MiPushLog.

 

[Meta4]

I must be nuts I dont see a FlightRecord File or Folder. Here is what is in the MiPushLog.

What's in MiPushLog doesn't matter.
Is that the only folder you have in Android\data\dji.go.v5\files ??

You should be seeing something like this ....

Inside the FlightRecord folder, there should be all your flight records.