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Mavic Pro 'Aircraft Disconnected' Lost Control - Stuck in Tree

buddy5582

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While flying my drone today, I got the dreaded 'Aircraft Disconnected' message. This happened to me two flights ago and I attributed it to me not turning on USB Debugging on my Pixel 2XL. Well, today I had USB Debugging turned on and the same thing happened; I got the 'Aircraft Disconnected' message and my drone shot straight up and I had no control, it ended up stuck in a tree about 35' off the ground. I got it out of the tree by hurling water bottles at it and catching it when it fell. I'm pasting the last part of the flight record and uploading. This is the first time I'm posting so I'm not entirely sure on etiquette/info needed.

I don't believe that the flight info from when it became disconnected was recorded because I was definitely higher than 7'.

I'm terribly scared to fly now and would appreciate any and all info/advice.

1m 36.5s P-GPS 17satellites 6.9ft 6.2ft 2.0mph 60.3ft 89% 12.139V 4.043V 4.046V 4.05V 0.007V
1m 36.6s P-GPS 17satellites 6.9ft 6.2ft 2.5mph 60.5ft 89% 12.139V 4.043V 4.046V 4.05V 0.007V
1m 36.7s P-GPS 15satellites 6.9ft 6.2ft 2.7mph 60.8ft 89% 12.139V 4.043V 4.046V 4.05V 0.007V
1m 36.8s P-GPS 15satellites 6.9ft 6.2ft 2.9mph 61.1ft 89% 12.139V 4.043V 4.046V 4.05V 0.007V
1m 36.9s P-GPS 16satellites 6.9ft 6.2ft 3.1mph 61.5ft 89% 12.139V 4.043V 4.046V 4.05V 0.007V
1m 37.1s P-GPS 16satellites 6.9ft 6.2ft 3.4mph 62.3ft 89% 12.139V 4.043V 4.046V 4.05V 0.007V
1m 37.3s P-GPS 16satellites 6.9ft 6.2ft 2.7mph 63.0ft 89% 12.129V 4.04V 4.042V 4.047V 0.007V
1m 37.4s P-GPS 16satellites 6.9ft 6.2ft 2.0mph 63.3ft 89% 12.129V 4.04V 4.042V 4.047V 0.007V
1m 37.5s P-GPS 16satellites 6.9ft 6.2ft 1.3mph 63.5ft 89% 12.129V 4.04V 4.042V 4.047V 0.007V
1m 37.7s P-GPS 15satellites 6.9ft 6.2ft 0.7mph 63.6ft 89% 12.129V 4.04V 4.042V 4.047V 0.007V
1m 38.3s P-GPS 18satellites 6.9ft 5.9ft 1.1mph 63.8ft 89% 12.115V 4.036V 4.037V 4.042V 0.006V
1m 38.5s P-GPS 17satellites 6.9ft 5.9ft 1.1mph 64.1ft 89% 12.115V 4.036V 4.037V 4.042V 0.006V
1m 38.6s P-GPS 17satellites 6.9ft 5.9ft 0.9mph 64.2ft 89% 12.115V 4.036V 4.037V 4.042V 0.006V
 

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There is no obvious reason for the disconnect, so that's likely an equipment issue as you mentioned. The reason it ascended into the tree is because it was more than 20 m from the home point and so the loss of connection triggered RTH (rather than just landing at that location). The RTH altitude was set to the default of 30 m (98 ft) and so it attempted first to climb to that level.
 
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There is no obvious reason for the disconnect, so that's likely an equipment issue as you mentioned. The reason it ascended into the tree is because it was more than 20 m from the home point and so the loss of connection triggered RTH (rather than just landing at that location). The RTH altitude was set to the default of 30 m (98 ft) and so it attempted first to climb to that level.

Thank you. Is there anything I should do about the equipment issue? Contact DJI? Any way to check to make sure this doesn't happen again?
 
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Thank you. Is there anything I should do about the equipment issue? Contact DJI? Any way to check to make sure this doesn't happen again?

I'm not familiar with the USB debugging mode causing issues, but you could do a search or wait to see if anyone responds on that to this thread.
 
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Any damage to the drone? Are you still under warranty? Any DJI Refresh?

I haven't done a full assessment for damage. I know that there are some propellers damaged. My purchase date is 7/22/17 so, I'm barely under a year. No DJI Refresh.
 
It doesn't appear to have any damage; I did have to place the gimbal tabs back in the proper position but besides that and two broken propellers, I lucked out. Best catch of my life was catching this thing as it fell 35' from a tree.

I flew it again twice last night with the Pixel 2XL with no issues. I'm think it was potentially a cable issue? Maybe it had come loose mid-flight?

I appreciate all the help & info I received here.
 
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It doesn't appear to have any damage; I did have to place the gimbal tabs back in the proper position but besides that and two broken propellers, I lucked out. Best catch of my life was catching this thing as it fell 35' from a tree.

I flew it again twice last night with the Pixel 2XL with no issues. I'm think it was potentially a cable issue? Maybe it had come loose mid-flight?

I appreciate all the help & info I received here.
Consider this one a mulligan. [emoji6]
 
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A bad cable will only disconnect your phone from the controller. Your controller would still have control of the AC and you wouldn't have gone RTH. For whatever reason, it seems your AC lost connection to the controller.
 
A bad cable will only disconnect your phone from the controller. Your controller would still have control of the AC and you wouldn't have gone RTH. For whatever reason, it seems your AC lost connection to the controller.

It happened again just a bit ago, when it lost connection, the controller showed a RC Disconnected message. In the app it went from Aircraft Disconnected to Disconnected. Luckily I was still testing and was hovering just above the ground. I guess I will try a different phone and if it continues I really am not sure on what to do from there.
 
It happened again just a bit ago, when it lost connection, the controller showed a RC Disconnected message. In the app it went from Aircraft Disconnected to Disconnected. Luckily I was still testing and was hovering just above the ground. I guess I will try a different phone and if it continues I really am not sure on what to do from there.

Do you have a warranty? I wouldnt fly it if the controller is disconnecting from the drone during flight.
 
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It happened again just a bit ago, when it lost connection, the controller showed a RC Disconnected message. In the app it went from Aircraft Disconnected to Disconnected. Luckily I was still testing and was hovering just above the ground. I guess I will try a different phone and if it continues I really am not sure on what to do from there.
If you have oreo 8.1 will not work constant get a phone with no higher than 7.1 bought a Lenovo tab 4 because i was having same problem
 
Oh man! I feel it for you... flew into a tree couple weeks ago but luckily (somehow) it made it through
All properllas needed replacing but could have been a lot worse.
 
Same happened to me yesterday but I got a few warnings of disconnection (showing the red disconnect in the top left) then it went altogether. It was within VLOS between houses roofs. Luckily I still had control and brought it home safely. I think it was due to signal between houses/aerials.
I was a little over 500m away at 120m alt' (heart in mouth moment)
My pic shows the edited out half of the screen that wasn't a pixelated garbled mess when it went/lost connection. There was no picture (obviously) when bringing home it had stuck on 50/50 greyed image.
The sdcard still recorded the flight home though:) as I was recording before it went out/off
 

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Same happened to me yesterday but I got a few warnings of disconnection (showing the red disconnect in the top left) then it went altogether. It was within VLOS between houses roofs. Luckily I still had control and brought it home safely. I think it was due to signal between houses/aerials.
I was a little over 500m away at 120m alt' (heart in mouth moment)
My pic shows the edited out half of the screen that wasn't a pixelated garbled mess when it went/lost connection. There was no picture (obviously) when bringing home it had stuck on 50/50 greyed image.
The sdcard still recorded the flight home though:) as I was recording before it went out/off
im cornfused
you say you were between 2 houses but then said you were 120m high???
 
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