On June 26th, my mavic 3 pro never returned from a out of signal range waypoint mission. I immediately flagged down a motorcycle taxi and went looking for it. While riding, I hear a beep on my rc, then another one. I got off the taxi, and used find my drone to locate it. It took my a long time, but I finally found it right next to the Pattaya Thailand city hall. I used the flash and beep, and we saw it flashing in a tree right by city hall. They called in a lift, but it couldn't go high enough. Then they got a bigger lift, which was able to retrieve it, heavily damaged of course. I highly suspect I lost my mavic 3 at the same location 6 weeks earlier, but it was never found.
My mavic 3 pro crash
- Thread starter shb
- Start date
What a shame. All that free wide open space all around and a powerful camera that can get a close as you need to get and the drone has to hug the tree tops and buildings like it's a plane trying to avoid radar or enemy fire. What a waste. Sorry, if that's the drone incident you are referring to. So much carelessness. 
Sorry for your loss-- But glad you didn't hit somebody 
and what Mavic3usa said.
and what Mavic3usa said.
Suren
Well-Known Member
Sorry about the damages buddy. Those wires were too thin for the OA to see. Hopefully you took out Dji care as well
Cool video, but you have to carefully watch for and avoid those guy wires on any tall antennas. The Mavic 3 Pro OA cannot detect them. I would highly recommend ground based reconnaissance missions along the planned flight route prior to engaging in such beyond signal range waypoint missions, looking for all hazards to avoid in the waypoint mission. It will save your drone!
If you can hire a motorcycle taxi to drive you there to recover it, you can certainly hire one beforehand for reconnaissance, looking for any such low antenna guy wires before flying such a risky mission, especially since you already lost your Mavic 3 in the same area 6 weeks earlier. Measure twice and cut once!
If nothing else, first fly a reconnaissance waypoint mission at 400 feet, specifically looking for all potential hazards that you will encounter at a much lower altitude, "over the rooftops" flight!
I understand wanting to fly from far away and potentially beyond signal range, but please do your homework first. Waypoint missions are 99% preparation and 1% execution! This was completely avoidable, with proper preparation!
Remember the six P's: "Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance!"
If you can hire a motorcycle taxi to drive you there to recover it, you can certainly hire one beforehand for reconnaissance, looking for any such low antenna guy wires before flying such a risky mission, especially since you already lost your Mavic 3 in the same area 6 weeks earlier. Measure twice and cut once!
If nothing else, first fly a reconnaissance waypoint mission at 400 feet, specifically looking for all potential hazards that you will encounter at a much lower altitude, "over the rooftops" flight!
I understand wanting to fly from far away and potentially beyond signal range, but please do your homework first. Waypoint missions are 99% preparation and 1% execution! This was completely avoidable, with proper preparation!
Remember the six P's: "Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance!"
Last edited:
I did fly a reconnicense mission but I was so high I didn't notice that tower. You don't expect guy wires to be that high. At least I found the drone and can learn from this.
That's the benefit of Waypoint missions. Once you have created a Waypoint mission, you can successively refine it, flying it say 25 feet lower each time, so the final mission, very low over the rooftops, is modified to avoid any radio tower guy wires. Glad you recovered it, and have been able to learn from the experience. The drone is only tool, and the best work product from it may require some sacrificial drones along the way! Don't fly it if you can't afford to replace it! DJI Care certainly helps!
Here's the reconnaissance mission. It retrospect, I guess I should of seen the antenna and moved my waypoints. Too late now. Here's also I picture of the google map of the antenna that I see when planning the mission. As you can see, the antenna was barely visible.
I hit one of those wires before and even though it cost me some cash to get her fixed I learned a valuable lesson about being complacent. Now I check the site and then I check it again I don't know the laws where you are so im not even gonna start that BUT after this I can promise you -you will be checking every square inch of your area. Good luck and GOOD Flying.
Joey Yambor
Member
Man so so sorry about your luck, that's devastating, It almost happened to me once also with my Mavic Air 2...
Joey Yambor
Member
Here's the scenario I learned, basically this happened to me four times, It flies into a geozone or geofencing what have you or restricted zone and it will just stop The thing will not come back, You hit return to home it will not come back neither. I found you have to descend pretty far down then you can come back and just use your camera and make sure you just you can raise your elevation after you come back about 20 ft.
And presumably some sacrificial property damage and human bodily injury along the way?
There's seems to be no limit on how dumb DJI service people are. I just got this email from them:
"Dear Customer,
Thanks for getting back to us.
Since the aircraft was sold in Thailand, please contact the local repair center in Thailand and let them know about the analysis result for further assistance. Here below please find their contact information."
I took the drone into DJI Bangkok while I was still in Thailand, and they told me NOT to have it repaired in Thailand, because the shipping to the Philippines would be so expensive. I told DJI this when it happened, but they're so stupid they're still telling me to get it repaired in Thailand. They seem to constantly forget what I've told them in the past. Maybe they should go back and reread all the emails I've sent them on this subject!
"Dear Customer,
Thanks for getting back to us.
Since the aircraft was sold in Thailand, please contact the local repair center in Thailand and let them know about the analysis result for further assistance. Here below please find their contact information."
I took the drone into DJI Bangkok while I was still in Thailand, and they told me NOT to have it repaired in Thailand, because the shipping to the Philippines would be so expensive. I told DJI this when it happened, but they're so stupid they're still telling me to get it repaired in Thailand. They seem to constantly forget what I've told them in the past. Maybe they should go back and reread all the emails I've sent them on this subject!
Here's the email DJI sent me informing me that the crash was my fault and I will have to pay the repair costs.
This is Daphne from the data analysis team, and I will be assisting you on this case from now on for related inquiries about data analysis.
For your case CAS-13504471-Z4G3P1, we have finished the data analysis, and the result is as follows:
1. The aircraft was piloted under WayPoint mode.
2. Flight Time T=01:04, Relative Height H=74.9m, Distance to the home point D=283.3m, Battery 97%, the app record disconnected when the aircraft was flying forwards in 12.4m/s in WayPoint mode.
3. According to the video, the aircraft crashed into the wire when flying forwards.
4. T=01:48, H=0.0m, D=806.6m, battery 97%, the app record reconnected and ended meanwhile. The aircraft had crashed.
5. Tree branches, wires, cables, light poles, and other small surface area objects, cannot be well detected by the vision system.
6. Incident Point: 12.9488133, 100.8929967
According to the analysis, the incident was caused by improper operation. We are sorry to tell you that this will be a paid service based on the analysis result. Please contact the local repair center and let them know about the analysis result for further assistance. Here below please find their contact information.
This is Daphne from the data analysis team, and I will be assisting you on this case from now on for related inquiries about data analysis.
For your case CAS-13504471-Z4G3P1, we have finished the data analysis, and the result is as follows:
1. The aircraft was piloted under WayPoint mode.
2. Flight Time T=01:04, Relative Height H=74.9m, Distance to the home point D=283.3m, Battery 97%, the app record disconnected when the aircraft was flying forwards in 12.4m/s in WayPoint mode.
3. According to the video, the aircraft crashed into the wire when flying forwards.
4. T=01:48, H=0.0m, D=806.6m, battery 97%, the app record reconnected and ended meanwhile. The aircraft had crashed.
5. Tree branches, wires, cables, light poles, and other small surface area objects, cannot be well detected by the vision system.
6. Incident Point: 12.9488133, 100.8929967
According to the analysis, the incident was caused by improper operation. We are sorry to tell you that this will be a paid service based on the analysis result. Please contact the local repair center and let them know about the analysis result for further assistance. Here below please find their contact information.
Might want to dial that back a bit. One can only speculate what they're saying about the fellow who programmed his drone to fly into a wire rather than over it.
"Here's the email DJI sent me informing me that the crash was my fault and I will have to pay the repair costs."
Once again- Sorry about your drone but, The crash was your fault.
I am not sure why you think DJI would repair your drone for free after you didn't pre-flight the area, causing you to hit a wire. After all Even if those sensors could see the wires, They still are not a substitute for your piloting skills.
Its an EXPENSIVE lesson.
I would pay the repair and Hope you don't get discussed at the DJI watercooler that day
or at your drone clubs hangout if you have one.
Once again- Sorry about your drone but, The crash was your fault.
I am not sure why you think DJI would repair your drone for free after you didn't pre-flight the area, causing you to hit a wire. After all Even if those sensors could see the wires, They still are not a substitute for your piloting skills.
Its an EXPENSIVE lesson.
I would pay the repair and Hope you don't get discussed at the DJI watercooler that day
or at your drone clubs hangout if you have one.
Last edited:
I obviously did not intentionally fly into a wire. You don't expect a wire at 240 feet. It was totally accidental.
Similar threads
