Mini Mavic blow out over the ocean in Delaware, a mile out.

[atsphenomenon]

A little help on where to find this log, lol.

Sure, visit Airdata.com
It'll sync all logs automatically. Lemme know if you need more help, I'll find and paste the link of a step by step guide.

 

[atsphenomenon]

Sure, visit Airdata.com
It'll sync all logs automatically. Lemme know if you need more help, I'll find and paste the link of a step by step guide.

Here it is Flight log retrieval and analysis guide

 

[RickinWaST]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the mini.

Amazing the number of folks (Especially new drone owners.) reporting their drone being lost due to under estimating the influence of wind.

 

[hiflyer201]

"Model rockets are allowed to go higher than 400 feet"

Pilots are warned by ATC of rocket flights and the location vocally and by NOTAM

Best thing that could have happened for all of us is you losing your drone.

 

[Allezdada]

There's something that doesn't feel right about the thread.

From the first few posts from the OP he goes the Mini because he thought it wouldn't be subject to the 400 ft ceiling, but then in a later post wanted it so he wouldn't have to register it in case it crashed while he was doing something illegal.

This seems like it would invite more and more regulation, including a requirement to register drones under 250g.

 

[maverickRKJ]

So, my new mini mavic is gone. ?. And I'm posting this to help others.

I'm a mavic pro pilot and have been flying it for around 3 years now in many conditions.

So, I think that actually "hurt" me, cause I was use to the heavier UAV. And also a past experience with my Pro where the military took over control in the past, also messed up my judgement. (but that's another story).

The mini was new to me, only 25 flights, 4.21 hours total and 150,000 feet of distance. In that time, I've seen high wind warning come up often, but never had a problem changing elevation and continuing to fly and get back home.

Well we went to Ocean City, MD for new years and had a great time filming the waves and my family, sunsets, etc. It is winter and the off season, so no one to bother and it worked out great.

I was eager to get back home and see the good footage on our big screen.

Driving home we stopped at Indian River inlet in Delaware, a public beach area with huge parking lots and basically deserted, maybe 4 cars.

The ground air was calm and the bridge there is beautiful. So i thought, cool ! Let me get some more footage.

I took off from the beach, quickly rose to about 500 ft in sport mode so i didn't irritate the few people walking on the beach. Flew towards the ocean, still over the beach, turned around, flew towards the West and got a high wind warning (which happens a lot with this mini) and did notice it was slow going West.

I wanted the footage of the bridge too much too.

Flew to get a far view of the bridge and noticed it wasn't acting normal and wondered if there was some weird jamming or controlling frequency going on.

Descended coming back and flew around a rock jetty at low elevation. Then ascended again to get one more view of bridge. It would not fly west toward the bridge, so I flew South to try and get back to home and while doing so I did not pay attention to the Distance in feet away. I was looking across water mostly and high elevation and did not notice i was blown far out over the ocean.

I tried to fly back, but was loosing ground and it was creeping away. I checked several times that it was in sport mode, and it was. I thought some frequency was taking over the drone and flying it out to sea to destroy it. I then figured there might be some no fly zone due to the bridge that I didn't know about.

So, I would hit the return-to-home at times and it would loose significant distance (get further away) when I did.

I did think then, maybe it was wind and descended as I flew south west just to maybe get back to anywhere on the beach, finally I was getting slightly closer to home as I did this, but only creeping and I was now below 50% battery and worried about making it back.

I was making it back as long as I descended and full throttle forward. I stopped descending at around 20 feet off the water and once again was going farther out to sea.

I tried descending some more, but now was getting blown out to sea REALLY HARD. Tried to fly South, losing ground, tried North losing ground, 31% battery. Feeling the panic inside. Really felt someone was controlling it. Started ascending again, losing ground.

Sucked ! Tried flying south west again and descending fast like before where I gained distance back home, not working this time.

Pushed over a MILE OUT over the ocean.

Battery got low. It had to land in the water. Like 5,300 feet out at sea. This is how I remembered it, I could be slightly off here and there. I looked at my flight log a bit to write this too.

What I learned:
1. Mavic Mini can be blown off course quickly. Don't underestimate what the wind might be above you, even though the ground wind is near nothing. Pay attention to the wind warnings on the screen, don't shrug them off.
I should have landed when I was still over the beach when I got the first wind warning when I tried to fly West into the wind.
2 . Don't think everything is a conspiracy. ?
3. Pay CLOSE ATTENTION TO the distance numbers on the screen, especially if you get a wind warning. Even though you might not be flying pointed away, you might be getting blown away quickly and it's hard to notice when over water and not looking at land.
4. If over water and you are getting blown away. Try to come back at an angle to the wind like it did, while dropping in elevation; if you can. I think I stopped at around 20 feet elevation. When I was losing distance once I leveled out at 20 feet, I should have gone to a 2 feet over the water if I had too, to maybe get away from the wind. Your going to lose it anyway, go ahead and risk skimming the waves.

Hopefully this helps someone.

Oh ! and I have a question. Does anyone know if I can buy a mini; just the mini that matches my controller that I already have? Because I had bought the "fly more" kit, I should, therefore, get another mini if possible, to go with these extra batteries, etc.

I like the mini cause it's less noticeable. I don't have to have the FAA number on it or stay below 400 feet like I do with my Mavic pro. Plus I've flown at night, etc, due to it's lightweight not being a danger to aircraft.

Also, my Mavic pro might become illegal soon if the new FAA law goes into effect that says my pro needs an identification emitting software. I got an email from the FAA a few weeks ago. (going to see if there is forum talk on this subject next).

sorry for your loss and after reading about all these Mavic minis flying away glad i bought the bigger Mavic pro, it could happen to me

 

[MaxE1955!]

Just my humble opinion, but you openly admitted to doing what 95% of drone operators do or have done. Flying over the 400ft limit (not me of course, I have NEVER flown above the legal limit!) is a temptation we all experience ( not me lol). Most just don’t openly talk about doing it. Just like driving on the roadway, we all break the law when driving. It just depends on how diligent or critical an police officer wants to be. I have had officers tell me if they really wanted to be sticklers, they could pull ANYONE over after following someone just 2 city blocks. Everyone breaks the rules even if unintentionally. And yes, an aircraft is more susceptible to damage and less likely to recover from a strike, but rolling through an intersection into the path of a vehicle can be life threatening also. Don’t make any hasty decisions right now regarding selling your Mini flymore package while your bummed out about your Mini, those who push the limits, reap the cinematic rewards. Better your $300.00 Mini descending into the briny brink than a $3000.00 Inspire. Every flight is a lesson, and when you have an experience like this, while it can really suck, it is a learning experience. I’d say flying 3 years prior and this being your only major mishap you’re way ahead of the curve. Hang in there and keep flying. A car crash generally has an insurance deductible of $500.00 or more. Chalk it up to a life lesson and keep at it. The enjoyment far out ways the loss after the initial shock. Thanks for helping us all learn from your unfortunate experience.

 

[hiflyer201]

There's something that doesn't feel right about the thread.

From the first few posts from the OP he goes the Mini because he thought it wouldn't be subject to the 400 ft ceiling, but then in a later post wanted it so he wouldn't have to register it in case it crashed while he was doing something illegal.

This seems like it would invite more and more regulation, including a requirement to register drones under 250g.

I almost sounds like a joke doesn't it.... as the official letter that the FAA sends always says "anything you say can be held against you"

 

[Harro]

I frankly cannot understand this obsession by some to constantly break the rules regarding height and distance. Fly for the enjoyment not some doubtful bragging rights!

 

[hiflyer201]

I always thought it would be so nice to get lower and slower

 

[bumper]

Mr. Bumper, I was in a bad mood last night. I thought about how I was acting like last night while at work today and want to apologize.

Accepted . . . Sorry about losing your drone. Piling one up is about as bad, I can relate to that X 2 over the years.

 

[TheXmanJDD]

To be honest, I don't believe it was the wind, I have had this happen three times in only four flight, forward on joystick does not work and when activated drone seems to lose power and descend. I have found threads stating new blades help, also I updated firmware via phone and read that updating via fly assistant on PC could help. Did that yesterday and fly assistant stayed there were some problems with firmware, I compatible or something. Updated with PC and now says good, going to change the blades and if weather is good rest this weekend. The o e flight this happen to when I would push forward stick drone would drop to ground, letting off the stick drone would ascend until I activated forward again. Had to bounce it back to me. Up down, up down. Getting very frustrated with my mini so far, hoping this weekend proves different.

Yours sounds like a real problem. Looking at my flight log, looks it was totally like strong wind to me.

 

[Thomas B]

I wouldn’t want an anemometer on my drone. There are already apps to give anyone that info as discussed elsewhere on the forum.

 

[TheXmanJDD]

I wouldn’t want an anemometer on my drone. The rare already apps to give anyone that info as discussed elsewhere on the forum.

oh, I wasn't thinking an actual anemometer on the drone, but software that would analyze the difficulty flying in a certain direction and compile it, pointing it out to the stupid pilot.

 

[Allezdada]

My wording wasn't real clear perhaps. I went back and read it.

1. I thought the mavic mini was a weight that could NOT damage aircraft and THAT'S WHY they picked that weight and that was why the FAA said they choose 449.5 grams and lower does not need registered. And therefor it could fly higher than 400 feet.

2. Another reason i liked the mini was because it was hard to see and if I filmed someone or company doing what I felt was illegal activity and got my drone, they wouldn't know who i was and cause me trouble. Example, if i witnessed a huge company doing a multi-million dollar environmental project and I'm filming to do a documentary and be a whistle blower, it might be nice to have a drone that they can't trace back to me if they knock it down or I crash on their work site. NOT ME doing the illegal activity. I didn't make that real clear.

Ahh, thanks for the clarification.

 

[TheXmanJDD]

Flight log analysis guide

Thank you !

I will likely purchase the "in-house" Flight Reader program, it looks great and I'd like to support the creator; I sent them an email to ask 2 questions: 1. Does it show the no fly zones on the map? 2. Can I share logs with this forum or do I have to use the Phantom Help link to generate a URL?

Anyway. Here is the blow away flight record of my mavic mini if anyone wants to see for themselves if it was a blow away or not:

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

One odd thing. When it was getting blown away, and you can clearly see the distance from home is getting further away and I'm pointed at home and "full throttle", it shows a positive mph.

Why is that? I would think it would show negative mph. Does it show mph backwards as positive in this program? I don't recall the live readout showing it this way during the flight, I thought my mph during the blowback was usually 0 or a negative.

 

[TheXmanJDD]

Also, I had a strong wind warning many times, each time I headed directly West. But this log viewer link above doesn't show any of those messages that I can see. Yet, my DJI Fly app flight log, sure shows it. Maybe this phantom help doesn't do well with the mini flight records?

 

[Keule]

Here is the blow away flight record of my mavic mini if anyone wants to see for themselves if it was a blow away or not:

The wind profile of your flight:
Strong wind from W.

 

[Meta4]

Why is that? I would think it would show negative mph. Does it show mph backwards as positive in this program? I don't recall the live readout showing it this way during the flight, I thought my mph during the blowback was usually 0 or a negative.

What would it show if the drone was being blown to one side then?
Speed is never shown as anything but positive.
The flight data also shows the heading of the drone and you can see the direction of the flight easily in the data.

 

[sar104]

Thank you !

I will likely purchase the "in-house" Flight Reader program, it looks great and I'd like to support the creator; I sent them an email to ask 2 questions: 1. Does it show the no fly zones on the map? 2. Can I share logs with this forum or do I have to use the Phantom Help link to generate a URL?

Anyway. Here is the blow away flight record of my mavic mini if anyone wants to see for themselves if it was a blow away or not:

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

One odd thing. When it was getting blown away, and you can clearly see the distance from home is getting further away and I'm pointed at home and "full throttle", it shows a positive mph.

Why is that? I would think it would show negative mph. Does it show mph backwards as positive in this program? I don't recall the live readout showing it this way during the flight, I thought my mph during the blowback was usually 0 or a negative.

As I mentioned in the guide, you can either post the logs here directly or upload them to PhantomHelp or AirData and then post the link.

Speed is a scalar quantity, not a vector quantity. Unlike velocity, which is speed in a particular direction (in the logs, velocity is given in the orthogonal north and east directions) and can be positive or negative, speed is always positive.

As pointed out by @Keule, in the flight that you linked to the wind was out of the west and too strong for the Mini.