So not really a crash as it just landed in a paddock when the battery ran low.
However, it did have a problem and I'm looking for an explanation.
I'm using all the latest up-to-date apps and firmware on a week-old Mavic with a brand new iPad Mini 4 on the controller.
Flying in open country and had been on the same battery for 15 minutes or so. I took it for one more circuit and lifted it to maximum height for a good look around. Flying at 118 metres I got the "Maximum altitude reached" message. Fair enough, I let go the left stick.
I flew forward a bit and then suddenly a beeping alarm and warning that it had avoided an obstacle and I should reset my flight. It was a clear sky and I could see the Mavic and there were definitely no obstructions 118 metres in the air.
The Mavic stopped and hovered and would not respond to any stick inputs. I could control the up/down of the gimbal so connection was not entirely lost.
I initiated RTH and the controller voiced it was returning to home, but it didn't move, and the avoidance alarm still sounded. The curved lines on the screen were all red.
Naturally, I was in panic mode. I turned the controller off/on and turned the app off/on but the Mavic just sat there, 118 metres up and 485 metres away from me.
After a couple of minutes, the battery got low and auto RTH initiated, but no movement. Eventually, the Mavic initiated landing and gently came down. It complained the landing area unacceptable, but would still not respond to any stick commands and just landed in the long grass.
Finding it was relatively easy as it still had some battery power and its position was showing on the map. I walked to it and it had the fans running and grass entangled in the props but otherwise OK.
The red circle is me and the blue is where it landed. Photo is a still from the video leading up to the incident.
I was late for an appointment, so I hurriedly put it away and left the area.
Later that day I got a chance to go flying again and it worked fine except for one small hiccup, again imagining it had avoided something in clear air when at high altitude - not max but up there - but this time it just stopped and then responded to stick commands as per normal.
Does anyone have any ideas on what may be the problem? Any ideas of what I could have done to get it back under control. I thought later, after I had calmed down, I could maybe have gone into the menus and switched off the avoidance mode, but I was in panic and not thinking straight. Could this have worked?
It makes me wary of flying the Mavic over water even though I've seen lots of video of over-water flying.
Welcoming any advice.
However, it did have a problem and I'm looking for an explanation.
I'm using all the latest up-to-date apps and firmware on a week-old Mavic with a brand new iPad Mini 4 on the controller.
Flying in open country and had been on the same battery for 15 minutes or so. I took it for one more circuit and lifted it to maximum height for a good look around. Flying at 118 metres I got the "Maximum altitude reached" message. Fair enough, I let go the left stick.
I flew forward a bit and then suddenly a beeping alarm and warning that it had avoided an obstacle and I should reset my flight. It was a clear sky and I could see the Mavic and there were definitely no obstructions 118 metres in the air.
The Mavic stopped and hovered and would not respond to any stick inputs. I could control the up/down of the gimbal so connection was not entirely lost.
I initiated RTH and the controller voiced it was returning to home, but it didn't move, and the avoidance alarm still sounded. The curved lines on the screen were all red.
Naturally, I was in panic mode. I turned the controller off/on and turned the app off/on but the Mavic just sat there, 118 metres up and 485 metres away from me.
After a couple of minutes, the battery got low and auto RTH initiated, but no movement. Eventually, the Mavic initiated landing and gently came down. It complained the landing area unacceptable, but would still not respond to any stick commands and just landed in the long grass.
Finding it was relatively easy as it still had some battery power and its position was showing on the map. I walked to it and it had the fans running and grass entangled in the props but otherwise OK.
The red circle is me and the blue is where it landed. Photo is a still from the video leading up to the incident.
I was late for an appointment, so I hurriedly put it away and left the area.
Later that day I got a chance to go flying again and it worked fine except for one small hiccup, again imagining it had avoided something in clear air when at high altitude - not max but up there - but this time it just stopped and then responded to stick commands as per normal.
Does anyone have any ideas on what may be the problem? Any ideas of what I could have done to get it back under control. I thought later, after I had calmed down, I could maybe have gone into the menus and switched off the avoidance mode, but I was in panic and not thinking straight. Could this have worked?
It makes me wary of flying the Mavic over water even though I've seen lots of video of over-water flying.
Welcoming any advice.
