Mavic Pro crashes after RTH

[virasMavic]

Good morning to everyone!! Yesterday, I had this unpleasant incident of my Mavic Pro's crash!!!
There was a sudden lack of GPS and the failsafe RTH procedure, started. Unfortunately, there was more than 3,0m deflection from the recorded home point. As a result, the drone ended up down the cliff!!!
I would really appreciate, a short of guidance...what am I supposed to do? How is it possible to know if the accident has happened because of a system's failure or my mistake? Thank you,

 

[53-63-6f-74-74]

Lack of GPS does not initiate RTH, it initiates ATTI mode. Unless you are using the precision landing feature (properly), GPS landings are only reliable for a few meters on average. You'll need to upload flight logs for anyone here to help you.

 

[AeroJ]

Oh dear :/ If you upload the flight logs someone here can take a look for you...

 

[Meta4]

There was a sudden lack of GPS and the failsafe RTH procedure, started. Unfortunately, there was more than 3,0m deflection from the recorded home point. As a result, the drone ended up down the cliff!!!
I would really appreciate, a short of guidance...what am I supposed to do? How is it possible to know if the accident has happened because of a system's failure or my mistake?

Go to DJI Flight Log Viewer - Phantom Help
Follow the instructions there to upload your flight record from your phone or tablet.
Come back and post a link to the report it gives you and someone should be able to analyse the data and answer your questions.

 

[MiniPalourde]

Good morning to everyone!! Yesterday, I had this unpleasant incident of my Mavic Pro's crash!!!
There was a sudden lack of GPS and the failsafe RTH procedure, started. Unfortunately, there was more than 3,0m deflection from the recorded home point. As a result, the drone ended up down the cliff!!!
I would really appreciate, a short of guidance...what am I supposed to do? How is it possible to know if the accident has happened because of a system's failure or my mistake? Thank you,

I'm sorry for your loss, but you need to upload your flight logs if you want us to help you. You can upload the logs on PhantomHelp as another user mentioned above.

A 3 meters deviation from the home point is normal for an automated landing. This wasn't caused by a system failure, GPS is simply not 100% accurate.

Also, RTH only initiates if you lose signal or press the RTH button. The RTH feature does not work without GPS, so I can assure you that a loss of GPS will absolutely not initiate the RTH feature.

 

[virasMavic]

I'm sorry for your loss, but you need to upload your flight logs if you want us to help you. You can upload the logs on PhantomHelp as another user mentioned above.

A 3 meters deviation from the home point is normal for an automated landing. This wasn't caused by a system failure, GPS is simply not 100% accurate.

Also, RTH only initiates if you lose signal or press the RTH button. The RTH feature does not work without GPS, so I can assure you that a loss of GPS will absolutely not initiate the RTH feature.

Thank you so much for your answer and your guidance to PhantomHelp. I did found the file and downloaded to PhantomHelp app. It doesn't note the "home point recorded" although I did listen to it, it seems that I had at least 10 to 11 sats, it notes the lack of communication with my phone but not the lost RC communication. And it mentions "Auto Landing" in Flight Mode....
I am posting the file, because I do not have the least experience on these readings.

 

[virasMavic]

Thank you all for your help!!!

 

[Meta4]

There was a sudden lack of GPS and the failsafe RTH procedure, started. Unfortunately, there was more than 3,0m deflection from the recorded home point. As a result, the drone ended up down the cliff!!!
I would really appreciate, a short of guidance...what am I supposed to do? How is it possible to know if the accident has happened because of a system's failure or my mistake? Thank you,

Here's what the flight data looks like: DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com
Your flight data shows that you lost signal at 3:36.2 when the Mavic was 80 metres from home and 15 metres up.
On losing signal, the Mavic initiated Failsafe RTH as it is programmed to.
The flight data shows no loss of GPS.
When the connection returned at 4:55.9, the Mavic was 7.7 metres above home point and autolanding.
At 5:05 with the Mavic 4.9 metres above the ground, it appears to have hit something which caused sudden changes in the pitch, roll and yaw values.

It appears that you were flying in or close to a forest area.
If you do that, you need to be very careful and use a clear space for launching with no trees or obstacles for at least 5 metres around.
You could have cancelled the autolanding and taken control to land where you wanted to if you were not happy with where the Mavic was autolanding.

 

[virasMavic]

Here's what the flight data looks like: DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com
Your flight data shows that you lost signal at 3:36.2 when the Mavic was 80 metres from home and 15 metres up.
On losing signal, the Mavic initiated Failsafe RTH as it is programmed to.
The flight data shows no loss of GPS.
When the connection returned at 4:55.9, the Mavic was 7.7 metres above home point and autolanding.
At 5:05 with the Mavic 4.9 metres above the ground, it appears to have hit something which caused sudden changes in the pitch, roll and yaw values.

It appears that you were flying in or close to a forest area.
If you do that, you need to be very careful and use a clear space for launching with no trees or obstacles for at least 5 metres around.
You could have cancelled the autolanding and taken control to land where you wanted to if you were not happy with where the Mavic was autolanding.

Good morning,
First of all, I really have to thank you for your help. Really appreciate it.
Now, about the facts:
1- According to the flight record and as you mentioned of course, I had almost 9sec to alter RTH, since the reconnection of the RC which I can tell you, that it did not respond. But, there is always the factor of mistake during the state of despair!!!
The difference between IMU and VPS altitude readings, is I guess because the drone was already 8,5ft away from the landing position, flying over the cliff where it crashed.
2- Do you find any mistake-fault from DJI's side, so, I could ask for a repair through warranty (bought it 3 months ago) or not?
3- Do I have to notify DJI in any case about this crash? I have a short of plastic covers deformation (not broken) on the left front corner next to the sensor, as the exterior plastic body of the sensor, a very tiny, hairlike crack on the base (under the motor) the left front leg and two broken props.
I have run some check to the drone and seems to work fine. There is also, no failure message.
I hope that I will have the chance sometime, to return the favor. If you ever visit Greece, www.viraggas.gr is my place!!! Thank you,

 

[Meta4]

2- Do you find any mistake-fault from DJI's side, so, I could ask for a repair through warranty (bought it 3 months ago) or not?

No .. it looks to have done just as it is programmed.

 

[virasMavic]

Ok then..thanks a lot. Have a nice day!!!

 

[Flynz]

First a big ups to you guys who help others understand their logs and problem solve.

On any RTH I have my finger over the cancel, watch closely and have the camera pointing down to check the landing.

 

[athonas]

If you ever visit Greece, www.viraggas.gr is my place!!!

Yasou Viras.
Deeply sorry to read about your loss which I hope you’d be able to recover from at a minimum, so you can go back to flying.
No matter how disturbing this incident might have been, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that you are located in my favorite area in Greece, where I come from (Arnea area) and spend a great deal of time every year in Ouranoupoli. As a fellow mavic pro owner also for over a year now, I’d love to keep in touch for our common hobby and perhaps meet in the future as well. PM when you are interested.

 

[virasMavic]

Yasou Viras.
Deeply sorry to read about your loss which I hope you’d be able to recover from at a minimum, so you can go back to flying.
No matter how disturbing this incident might have been, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that you are located in my favorite area in Greece, where I come from (Arnea area) and spend a great deal of time every year in Ouranoupoli. As a fellow mavic pro owner also for over a year now, I’d love to keep in touch for our common hobby and perhaps meet in the future as well. PM when you are interested.

Yasou Athonas,
This is really a surprise for me too. Thank you for your quote. You live permanently in Greece or USA? I myself, lived and worked most of my life in Thessaloniki but the past ten years, I moved to a small village, Vrastama, where I have made a small hotel www.viraggas.gr. It would be nice to meet some time, if you are in the area.
About my drone, everything works fine, I have tested it thoroughly!! The deformation I had on the front left corner, is almost gone without even opening the cover. I used a technique I had developed when I was very young by using an old type iron.
Anyway, we will be in touch I guess through here. I wish you to have great nice holidays and a Merry Christmas.
Vasilis,

 

[bob.Ness]

I live in southern Virginia. I routinely show 16/18 sats reception (or maybe I'm reading it wrong) if I let it sit for about a minute before takeoff. I've flown a great many flights within 300 yds. and a mile or so out several times and RTH always lands within a couple of inches of the registration point.
I found if I rush things RTH is maybe within 10 ft.

 

[virasMavic]

The truth is that I had tested RTH many times, and it was really accurate. A few cm perhaps away but never 300cm. I follow it as a rule, to take off gradually. The crash happened, luckily not a serious one. I got perhaps wiser!!!

 

[Bebopperoo]

What i still don't get, is why such a supposedly reliable drone lost contact while still so close? Also, isn't rth supposed to cancel for a minute if signal is regained? Also, dude, don't stand so close to cliff edges when playing with drones!

 

[Bebopperoo]

Also, why did it take 1.20 minutes to reconnect?

 

[Meta4]

Also, isn't rth supposed to cancel for a minute if signal is regained?

No .. it's not.
RTH won't cancel unless you cancel it.