"maximum flight distance reached", for drone only 5 meters away

[Aviatur]

Hi, I'm a beginning drone flyer with the Mini 2. Until 2 days ago, the remote commands worked perfectly. But, while filming 2 walking friends of mine for about 10 minutes, the drone didn't react to the "forward" command of the left joystick. Only sideways was possible. I heard the app say: "maximum flight distance reached", but the drone was on 5 meters distance! The settings were: max altitude 62 m, max distance 150 m.
Drone landed, put it off, put in on again, and all was OK...
But after 5 minutes the same error occurred, and after the same procedure a third time. The "locked" movements changed sometimes: I could for instance not fly sideward to the left, only to the right. Or fly backward was possible, and next time not. But flying forward was always blocked.

Two days later, today, the same error again, after 15 minutes happy flying without problems.
Well loaded batteries, remote and phone
latest (firmware) updates

No difference make:
compass and imu calibration,
phone in "aircraft" modus, or with internet connection.

For quickly connecting to GPS I start with activating the Waze-app. Then I start the DJI-app. Not tested my problem without Waze, but could this influence the outcomes?? I read too much "maximum flight distance reached" errors here....

Tomorrow I'll phone with the DJI helpdesk here in the Netherlands. Very, very curious....
I'll tell you what came out.

 

[EyesWideShut]

You say "walking friends". The maximum distance is measured from the takeoff position when the Home Point is established not from the Flight Controller to Aircraft distance. So if you've "walked" away from the HP you may have reached the Max Distance.

A couple of options, you can land, shut down and restart the AC to set a new HP or go and reset a new Home Point in the app.

 

[Aviatur]

Oooo, I didn't think about this option, could be the reason indeed! Thank you for this hint!
I'll check this, and widen my max distance (now 150 m). But I'm always bound to this last HP I think, even when I walk 2 km away from it (and had set my max distance to 5 km or so).

 

[Aviatur]

Yes, EyesWideShut, the drone works perfect now
It's a tricky thing to become aware of: not the distance drone-remote counts, but the distance drone-homepoint. Now also clear, why the shown distance INcreases whn the drone flies in my direction, standing some 100m away from this HP. TOP

 

[Yeunglings]

Oooo, I didn't think about this option, could be the reason indeed! Thank you for this hint!
I'll check this, and widen my max distance (now 150 m). But I'm always bound to this last HP I think, even when I walk 2 km away from it (and had set my max distance to 5 km or so).

You can reset your homepoint in the app while flying and if you're walking any distance from it that would be preferred. Why have a 'signal lost' or battery low forced RTH send your bird to where you aren't anymore? A lot of people have lost their drones on boats because when they initiated RTH to where they weren't actually there to catch it.

 

[Repaid1]

Yes, EyesWideShut, the drone works perfect now
It's a tricky thing to become aware of: not the distance drone-remote counts, but the distance drone-homepoint. Now also clear, why the shown distance INcreases whn the drone flies in my direction, standing some 100m away from this HP. TOP

Concur above, Just reset your homepoint as you fly, no need to land. But if you are "Filming" someone walking away from you this may not be optimum. You would then need to go to that location to retrieve your drone. You would also need to insure that when you set your homepoint that the landing is clear around and down to have a safe landing. You would do better to take restrictions off on distance, be very mindful of your distance and battery left, and engage auto RTH if you haven't. You can also if your device is GPS equipped, set home point to you/controller/device rather than aircraft position.

You would do well to go back and read your owners manual, highlight things in the manual you don't fully grasp and go to a wide open field and test them for practicality and understanding. RTH is a powerful tool that needs to be understood and trusted

If you haven't read the manual, I would highly suggest you do so and for me I print it out and highlight areas of topic that I need to work on...kinda like a study guide for a test...a test you hope never comes, but one that you are prepared for. ?️‍

 

[Aviatur]

Thanks a lot again for all your hints!
And - I feel your thoughts about the manual - the very first thing I did before the maiden flight of my Mini2 was studying the manual, printing it out, and highlighting things indeed. Then trying and practicing these in an open field.
It's only now for me the 'translation' from theory to praxis in issues like these.
I keep on learning ?