Mini 2 Crash - New Pilot - Unsure of Cause

[tekgirl02]

Hi everyone...I've been trying to fly more and learn more...today I flew my mini 2 in an area with trees at one end and a raging river and dam at the other. I've been flying here, so am familiar with the terrain.

I was in a very large open area and wanted to try quickshots...the drone was hovering above me and at an altitude high above the trees. Next thing I knew, the drone went crazy and I lost sight of it.

Please be gentle - I'm a newbie, not sure what happened and just trying to understand and learn. This was likely my fault, although I'm not sure...

I synced my files to the air data site and I know where all the files on my iPhone are located - just not sure what is needed here for someone to help me understand what happened.

I found the drone, using Find my Drone and the only visible damage is to the right front arm.

Thanks for any help!

Paige

Link to air data:

 

[Meta4]

I synced my files to the air data site and I know where all the files on my iPhone are located - just not sure what is needed here for someone to help me understand what happened.

All that's needed is a link to the Airdata report for the flight.
Make sure you tick the share box.

 

[tekgirl02]

All that's needed is a link to the Airdata report for the flight.
Make sure you tick the share box.

Ok thanks! I'll add the link to my post.

 

[slup]

Pretty much looks like you actually flew your drone backwards into those trees there ... the drone lost then a lot of height but stayed airborne, then in the end with the drone nested in the trees you commanded RTH which made your drone trying to ascend but it again hit the trees & now it went down.

In below chart you have the important telemetry ...

This seems to be the last flights on the same power on out of several flights before ... that's why the time axis starts from 822sec.

-To the left the pink&green background means motor start & take-off
-The blue background is ordinary GPS mode
-The pink background to the right is quickshoot mode
-And the ending green background to the right is RC initiated RTH

-The red graph is height from the visual positioning sensors on the belly of the drone ... it's height above obstacles directly under the drone.
-The green graph is the heading speed
-The dashed blue graph is your elevator stick command (right stick ... value 1024 is neutral stick)

As seen in the chart you mainly hovered 30ft above ground at 856sec (red) (where the chart marker is placed). But there a full right stick backwards command is performed (dashed blue) ... the heading speed quickly went to approx 15mph (green) & the drone flew backwards... you didn't let go of the stick until the drone hit the trees at 863sec.

Either you grabbed the wrong stick & panicked and didn't let go ... or something from your clothing hooked the right stick without you noticing it. But this is clearly a commanded movement done with a right stick backwards command ... no mystery at all.

(Click on the chart to make it larger)

 

[tekgirl02]

Pretty much looks like you actually flew your drone backwards into those trees there ... the drone lost then a lot of height but stayed airborne, then in the end with the drone nested in the trees you commanded RTH which made your drone trying to ascend but it again hit the trees & now it went down.

In below chart you have the important telemetry ...

This seems to be the last flights on the same power on out of several flights before ... that's why the time axis starts from 822sec.

-To the left the pink&green background means motor start & take-off
-The blue background is ordinary GPS mode
-The pink background to the right is quickshoot mode
-And the ending green background to the right is RC initiated RTH

-The red graph is height from the visual positioning sensors on the belly of the drone ... it's height above obstacles directly under the drone.
-The green graph is the heading speed
-The dashed blue graph is your elevator stick command (right stick ... value 1024 is neutral stick)

As seen in the chart you mainly hovered 30ft above ground at 856sec (red) (where the chart marker is placed). But there a full right stick backwards command is performed (dashed blue) ... the heading speed quickly went to approx 15mph (green) & the drone flew backwards... you didn't let go of the stick until the drone hit the trees at 863sec.

Either you grabbed the wrong stick & panicked and didn't let go ... or something from your clothing hooked the right stick without you noticing it. But this is clearly a commanded movement done with a right stick backwards command ... no mystery at all.

(Click on the chart to make it larger)
View attachment 146698

Makes sense...I don't remember flying backwards, but I was having issues the entire time with forward and backward, so likely that is what happened. I didn't panic...just likely as you said, flew the wrong direction. I thought I was above the trees Live and learn....now to get it fixed...and not fly there again, until I get better at it!

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

The near new mini 2, oh no.
At least you got it back and only minor damage.
Hope the repair is simple and low cost for you, and you'll be back in the air soon.

or something from your clothing hooked the right stick without you noticing it.

Happened to me not all that long ago.
I had the ipad mount hooked up with lanyard, was mucking about with goggles while the M1P idled slightly away and above me, and didn't notice the tilt on the mount, lanyard hooked the right stick in full forward position.
So lucky the big eucalyptus tree in front had thick foliage, looked up to see my M1P gone, and soon saw it 20' towards the tree with OA stopping it flying into the big bunch of leaves !
Very glad I had OA turned on.

 

[tekgirl02]

Pretty much looks like you actually flew your drone backwards into those trees there ... the drone lost then a lot of height but stayed airborne, then in the end with the drone nested in the trees you commanded RTH which made your drone trying to ascend but it again hit the trees & now it went down.

In below chart you have the important telemetry ...

This seems to be the last flights on the same power on out of several flights before ... that's why the time axis starts from 822sec.

-To the left the pink&green background means motor start & take-off
-The blue background is ordinary GPS mode
-The pink background to the right is quickshoot mode
-And the ending green background to the right is RC initiated RTH

-The red graph is height from the visual positioning sensors on the belly of the drone ... it's height above obstacles directly under the drone.
-The green graph is the heading speed
-The dashed blue graph is your elevator stick command (right stick ... value 1024 is neutral stick)

As seen in the chart you mainly hovered 30ft above ground at 856sec (red) (where the chart marker is placed). But there a full right stick backwards command is performed (dashed blue) ... the heading speed quickly went to approx 15mph (green) & the drone flew backwards... you didn't let go of the stick until the drone hit the trees at 863sec.

Either you grabbed the wrong stick & panicked and didn't let go ... or something from your clothing hooked the right stick without you noticing it. But this is clearly a commanded movement done with a right stick backwards command ... no mystery at all.

(Click on the chart to make it larger)
View attachment 146698

Thank you for your help!

 

[tekgirl02]

The near new mini 2, oh no.
At least you got it back and only minor damage.
Hope the repair is simple and low cost for you, and you'll be back in the air soon.



Happened to me not all that long ago.
I had the ipad mount hooked up with lanyard, was mucking about with goggles while the M1P idled slightly away and above me, and didn't notice the tilt on the mount, lanyard hooked the right stick in full forward position.
So lucky the big eucalyptus tree in front had thick foliage, looked up to see my M1P gone, and soon saw it 20' towards the tree with OA stopping it flying into the big bunch of leaves !
Very glad I had OA turned on.

I do have the care refresh, by I'm glad I found it and will send it off today...hopefully it won't take too long or cost too much...I need to just keep flying after I get it back and get better at it

 

[test2000Anafi]

Crashing is part of how a lot of pilots on this board learn it. Not everybody can do 50+ hours airborne without a single crash. There are some that I know personally, but they are rare.

Next time; don’t panic and just let go of the sticks. You drone will stay in position and you can try and figure out how to move back to where you want it to without crashing into stuff obviously.

But great that you shared your experience as other beginner pilots might learn from it

 

[MS Coast]

Might this have been a case of the drone facing the pilot and controls being "reversed?"

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I do have the care refresh, by I'm glad I found it and will send it off today...hopefully it won't take too long or cost too much...I need to just keep flying after I get it back and get better at it

Just a point. If possible, it might be worth asking DJI to price the repair WITHOUT using the care refresh, apparently sometimes their quotes are very reasonable.
I am guessing it would be possible to switch it to a care refresh repair if the quote is more than the care refresh cost but check that before making a decision.
It might save you a care refresh usage just in case you have subsequent crashes.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Might this have been a case of the drone facing the pilot and controls being "reversed?"

Forward/backward are still forward/backward which ever way the drone is facing unless something like course/home lock is enabled and I am not sure if the mini 2 has that function in the FLY App. I think I have seen it in Litchi but not in the Fly App.

 

[Chaosrider]

I do have the care refresh, by I'm glad I found it and will send it off today...hopefully it won't take too long or cost too much...I need to just keep flying after I get it back and get better at it

Or, you could go crazy like I did when I dinged up my first Mini-2 last year.

You could just get another one to use while the first one is in the Drone Hospital, and then you'll have 2 when it gets back!

Vastly reduced probability of ever being droneless when you have two...



MM

 

[Chaosrider]

Just a point. If possible, it might be worth asking DJI to price the repair WITHOUT using the care refresh, apparently sometimes their quotes are very reasonable.
I am guessing it would be possible to switch it to a care refresh repair if the quote is more than the care refresh cost but check that before making a decision.
It might save you a care refresh usage just in case you have subsequent crashes.

I've done that, and yes, their costs are pretty reasonable.

MM

 

[tekgirl02]

Might this have been a case of the drone facing the pilot and controls being "reversed?"

Yes most likely...I was having trouble with that the entire time...

 

[tekgirl02]

Might this have been a case of the drone facing the pilot and controls being "reversed?"NJ.

I've done that, and yes, their costs are pretty reasonable.

MM

I'm actually going to get it repaired by an authorized dealer in NJ...i think it will be minor and if not, then I'll send it in. Thanks

 

[tekgirl02]

Forward/backward are still forward/backward which ever way the drone is facing unless something like, course/home lock is enabled and I am not sure if the mini 2 has that function in the FLY App. I think I have seen it in Litchi but not in the Fly App.

Yes but the mini 2 is so small, that even though I maintain a VLOS, sometimes I can't tell what direction it is facing. And yes, I am learning to fly in both directions, but it is only my 4th flight, so mistakes will be made. I just need to choose a better location with no trees close by.

 

[tekgirl02]

Crashing is part of how a lot of pilots on this board learn it. Not everybody can do 50+ hours airborne without a single crash. There are some that I know personally, but they are rare.

Next time; don’t panic and just let go of the sticks. You drone will stay in position and you can try and figure out how to move back to where you want it to without crashing into stuff obviously.

But great that you shared your experience as other beginner pilots might learn from it

You are right, if course. For some reason, I was just having issues seeing that drone yesterday and VLOS is very important to me.

 

[Meta4]

I just need to choose a better location with no trees close by.

Trees are the #1 enemy of drones.
It's hard to get into trouble if there is nothing to hit

 

[Skwirl]

You are right, if course. For some reason, I was just having issues seeing that drone yesterday for some reason and VLOS is very important to me.

Something like this might help.

https://www.amazon.com/STARTRC-Strobe-Signal-Headlight-Accessories/dp/B08QMKMFFV?ref_=ast_sto_dp