Mavic Stuck High Up Tree! How I Got It Down! Crazy...

[SoapyGolem]

I'm confused do you have to calibrate down sensor every time you fly? Would the sensor help with this crash, may of just lost connection

 

[HelloNasty1]

I'm confused do you have to calibrate down sensor every time you fly? Would the sensor help with this crash, may of just lost connection

No, I had a calibration warning for downward sensors for that I had ignored for this flight and previous. I noted that in first post, I own that.

It 100% lost connection, remote told me that. But it should have RTH back to me which is where I am not only very lucky but confused.


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[gingercookie]

I bet your right! After last update I think it defaulted me to 30M. I had set for 50M prior. I bet it was heading back and got hung up! Dang I'm an idiot....
It likely dropped altitude from 288 feet (last height) to 30M (RTH setting) and hit the tree branches, fell a bit further down and got snagged.
Man I am sooo lucky!


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I got mine default altitude set at 100m for RTH. that is the safe bet. After all when u see your bird during RTH, can take control and manually land or etc.

 

[HelloNasty1]

I got mine default altitude set at 100m for RTH. that is the safe bet. After all when u see your bird during RTH, can take control and manually land or etc.

True. But it was flying basically 85m up when lost connection. In theory because it was above RTH setting it should have headed back at current height, not drop down to RTH setting. Only goes up to RTH, not down. Learned this earlier in the thread.


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[jerryflah]

Well, first I will state this was my fault, not Mavic.
I have been lazy and not calibrated downward sensor warning for a few flights. I was 5200 feet away, 300 feet up, high wind warnings (I almost always get that). Then weak signal warning, then loss of connection. Remote would not reconnect, though tried.

I hopped in my truck and went to last known location. I was able to reconnect, but would not update GPS, needed calibration in addition to the downward sensor waning? The camera was working and had 66% battery. This is what confuses me, why did it not RTH? It has once before, so I know it works and had that turned on (double checked after retrieval)

Thankfully camera worked. I got very lucky was able to drive until I saw my truck come into view. I got outta my truck pointed my arm in the air like a compass until I was pointing directly at drone from my remote phone view. Distance did not move closer since needed calibration. Turns out it was about 75 up, next to a metal barn! Hence calibration issue. Crazy I was able to find. Had it not landed in tree with the view pictured below, likely would. It of found it. Only 5200 out, but many neighborhoods and woods away.

It spent the night there last night. Hired a professional tree climber for $100!!! Stoked about that. I had read all types of ways to get from tree, tried some for a few hours then it got dark. That is when tree climber came to mind.

My Mistakes:
- Not calibrating downward sensors as I should have
- Ignoring weak signal
- Ignoring high wind (though pretty typical)

Not My Mistake?
- Why no RTH as it had done once prior when I lost connection. Had plenty of battery, only 7ish min into flight.

I blame myself, I got a little over confident from prior Mavic flight experiences. I am one lucky dude to have her back. Just some broken propellers, have backups [emoji1360]

View of how high up.

Zoomed pic.

Tree Climber heading up!

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NOW COMES MY CONFESSION. Sunday afternoon April 9, 2017, a day that will live in my infamy chronicles.
Flying from my backyard, I've done it scores of times, MP is in sight. My neighbor strolls by walking her dogs. Jokingly she giggles "Ever get that stuck in a tree?". "Not yet", I confidently say. As she passes out of sight, I decide to follow her a short distance. After locating one of her dogs, "Kipper", a Yellow Lab, on the screen, I decide to bring Mavic home and back into my sight. 75 feet high 150 feet from my yard the White Pine had other ideas. It snagged her. 10 days later, after multiple attempts at retrieving her, alone and with my guilt ridden neighbor's help, casting fishing rods, shooting arrows with monofilament attached, throwing balls and sticks towards it all of which failed, the wind and wind driven rain eventually dropped it from the crown onto a branch 15 feet lower precariously dangling by one of the front landing gear extensions and no matter the velocity or direction of the wind, there she tenaciously clung. This same neighbor eventually says, "My nephew "Jed" climbs trees for a living. He often gets Cats out of trees." Needless to say "Jed" became my best friend and arrived on April 11 after work. With an audience of our immediate neighbors and their children, mouths agape, Jed scaled said tree and delicately retrieved my precious Mavic. I thought we'd agreed on a price, but I was surprised when he said " Oh $40 or $50 should be OK. cause drones are less dangerous than cats!" I said, "OH NO man that's worth $100" and happily shoved the money into his pocket.
So now comes the Mavic legend. Everything WORKS!!!! OK that battery was debilitated by draining it dry. It could not be recharged. But DJI stood behind their 6 month battery warranty and will replace it.
So did I learn a hard lesson? Don't be a show off! Keep my Mavic in view or at least maintain an altitude commensurate with my environment. Praise of superior product. Honor a company that engineers a marvel and stands behind it. Thanks to all you guys for your frankness and candid sharing. This Forum continues to be my go to source for pertinent information.