Mavic pro lost (then stolen)

[caciuslove]

On the question of the wind, the data actually suggest that there was significant wind. The AirData analysis shows sustained 20+ mph winds at altitudes of above 300 ft (where the aircraft spent much of that flight) blowing the aircraft away from you, which was the primary reason that it made slow progress on the way back and ran out of battery power. DJI will have seen the same data, and hence their observation.

Airdata UAV - Flight Data Analysis for Drones

That's totally unlucky, because the craft was finally coming back to home, it was so close before it turns totally180° to go to the opposite direction.
Do you think wind made it take the opposite direction ?
Before the fly away i had a total control of the craft

 

[sar104]

That's totally unlucky, because the craft was finally coming back to home, it was so close before it turns totally180° to go to the opposite direction.
Do you think wind made it take the opposite direction ?
Before the fly away i had a total control of the craft

You didn't lose control - it simply could not make progress or even hold in RTH mode against that wind. It was still attempting to RTH - that is clear from the pitch and roll data towards the end of the flight.

 

[Pablo]

That's a harsh way to lose it, but it's easy to miscalculate the wind. Att ground level it can seem very calm, but a few hundred feet up it can be blowing a gale. I've been caught out like that before and seen the Mavic struggle to return in normal mode. Of course flip it to Sport mode and it's not an issue.

I really think it would be good if RTH could switch to Sport mode as a failsafe when it can't make it back through strong winds. It would stop some losses like this.

Feel really sorry for you. I know from personal experience what a sickener it is to lose your Mavic!

 

[Xtreme Drone Pilot]

The AirData analysis shows sustained 20+ mph winds at altitudes of above 300 ft

How does AirData figure out the wind? Is it supplied in DJI log, or it calculates the wind from the ground speed and IMU data?

 

[jljbtm]

I'm sooo tired of hearing about this bird flying away (i am sorry for your loss) but it seems likely mine will do that too, soo before it does i'm going to put it up for sale and go back to my yuneec 500+.
I have only fearfully flown it a couple times so it is absolutly like new

 

[CyberNate]

I'm sooo tired of hearing about this bird flying away (i am sorry for your loss) but it seems likely mine will do that too, soo before it does i'm going to put it up for sale and go back to my yuneec 500+.
I have only fearfully flown it a couple times so it is absolutly like new

I have flown 4 different Mavics over 1,950 miles and over 92hours flight time without a single fly away. I have flown over mountains, out over 10 miles away, high winds over 30 mph, heavy extra batteries over 1lbs extra weight, etc. I have lost 1 drone as a result of someone taking it after landing a distance away. That was my fault. These things are ROCK SOLID. There is a lot of user error going on and few isolated incidents of hardware failure which can happen on any device. The thing has GPS and Glonass, redundant compasses, barometric pressure, utrasonic sensors, stereoscopic vision... It is pretty difficult to lose this thing if you're following some basic rules to pay attention to wind, proper compass calibration, avoiding flying behind tall structures that get between you and drone, set RTH height above all nearby obstacles, and turn off obstacle avoidance on RTH mode to avoid having sun glare picked up as a false object alert.

 

[dport177]

How does AirData figure out the wind? Is it supplied in DJI log, or it calculates the wind from the ground speed and IMU data?

How is wind calculated?
Wind is calculated using the angle of the aircraft, the speed of the aircraft and the status of the remote control knobs.
In order to get a reading, all the following conditions must be met for at least 5 consecutive seconds:

1. The aircraft must be in GPS mode (P mode on the remote) - missions and other modes are currently not supported
2. The aircraft must fly at full speed and in a straight line - OR - hover at the same spot without moving
3. No direction change, right-left turns or altitude change should take place during these 5 seconds

 

[dport177]

I agree that wind was the culprit. I use Airdata religiously to investigate flight weather after the fact. The wind data is very accurate in my opinion. Anything sustained over 20mph is going to give you issues coming home outside of sport mode (especially given gusts would likely have been in the 30-35mph range).

Sport mode probably would have saved this one, but the wind profile in the log is aggressive.

P.S. not to mention this drone was being flown at almost 1000 feet above ground level. Pending the location and license of the pilot this is illegal. Regardless, winds at that altitude are rarely calm. Sorry for your loss though.

 

[sar104]

How does AirData figure out the wind? Is it supplied in DJI log, or it calculates the wind from the ground speed and IMU data?

It's calculated from the ground speed of the aircraft and the pitch/roll angles during steady flight. It's also calculated by the FC and logged in the DAT file, but not the txt file that AirData processes.

 

[rjanumpally]

how do u access airdata?

 

[FuzLogix]

That's a harsh way to lose it, but it's easy to miscalculate the wind. Att ground level it can seem very calm, but a few hundred feet up it can be blowing a gale. I've been caught out like that before and seen the Mavic struggle to return in normal mode. Of course flip it to Sport mode and it's not an issue.

I really think it would be good if RTH could switch to Sport mode as a failsafe when it can't make it back through strong winds. It would stop some losses like this.

Feel really sorry for you. I know from personal experience what a sickener it is to lose your Mavic!

Tip for others:
When switching to sports mode on a RTH it will cancel the RTH and the craft will just sit there until you again hit the RTH. Not sure if this is a bug or intentional but it certainly does need mentioning..

 

[Anthony]

Reducing hight often significantly reduces win speed and IMO while RTH works really well and i do use it ...... it is not the quickest way to get your drone back home as if you are already above your pre set RTH hight the mavic will just head home ..... it will not drop down to the RTH hight.

This is 100% pilot error as the correct action would have been to drop you hight and switch to sports mode and head home if you then run out of power point your camera at the ground and look for a safe place to land as close to your home point as possible then land the Mavic AND head off to pick it up.

Sorry you lost your Mavic as these things are not cheap but these are NOT fly always and people really need to stop saying they are.

 

[Marko9219]

You Tube and these forums are FULL of people claiming "flyaway!", when in fact it is almost always pilot errors: The home point was not set correctly and verified. Flying too far for the battery to get it back. Flying in too much wind. Assuming the wind at 1,000 ft AGL (why are you EVER flying that high anywhere in the USA) is light, as it was on the ground..