Nearly destroyed my Mavic Pro today.

[Bunraku]

Well nearly destroyed my pro not once today, but twice.

For a while I've been wanting to make a. Video of trees using my drone. The purpose is to make a music video.

So today I found what I believed was a suitable forest. Still got 12 satellites and in Tripod Mode. I also had prop guards on. So I think I've done everything right. However I didn't change the RTH to hover and that was my big mistake. So I am filming and literally within 3 feet of my drone and I lose connection. Of course my drone starts to rise and and I am desperately pushing down down down and it starts hitting overhead branches. It starts bouncing around and eventually crashes into the ground. 2 propellers broken and a bit of mud seems the only damage. So I replace the props and try again. I have to say I am going through some issues at the moment and my thought processes aren't great at the moment. So I change my RTH altitude to the lowest possible 20m, but should really have changed my settings from when loses connection to hover rather than come home.

Anyway the same thing happens again and the drone won't come down. It ping pongs through branches and eventually falls and is stuck in branches 10 ft up. All 4 props damaged and 1 of the guards. Also one of the black feet caps from the rear. However the drone itself seems to OK apart from that.

So I've been silly the first time and downright stupid the 2nd, but been very lucky it wasn't worse. Like I said earlier my thinking right now is a little bit below par. have the footage on on SD card, but don't wanna watch it.

Anyway.

What could cause those disconnects when just feet behind the drone?

Secondly I still want to film that location again. I now realise to change my lose connections to hover. But does anyone else have experience and recommendations for filming in forests?

And lastly what should/could I have done apart from just press down when the connection was lost?

Thanks

 

[ac0j]

When you say "disconnected" are you saying the phone/tablet disconnected? OR are you saying the remote control itself lost connection at 3 feet?

 

[Bunraku]

It all happened so quickly so I am not sure. I know the phone screen showed greyed out and there was no response to my down commands.

How do I see and understand the flight logs?

 

[ac0j]

There is a link somewhere. HELP. @msinger or @sar104 !

 

[charliesRig]

Welcome
Just two questions
What cables are you using .?

and we're do you plugged the cables into from your phone to your controller.?

Because you loose you app
Doesnt mean lost control.... also
Your RTH height would be tough if your under trees canopy even so
If I was shooting in trees I would
RTH (hover) and not let it go to far off the ground just incase bring a net
Still battery low would RTH hover
Good one ....and why some people lose there drone flying under bridges
LOS RTH..

I just learned wearing a watch could effect signal strength
Also trees them selves sick up a lot of signal strength
.
.

 

[Bunraku]

Welcome

Just two questions
What cables are you using .?
I use a Galaxy S8 so use a Micro USB to USB-C.

and we're do you plugged the cables into from your phone to your controller.?
Directly into the Micro USB port at the side of the controller.

Because you loose you app
Doesnt mean lost control....
The controller did nothing to fight the upwards flight despite me pressing down. I think I also tried to cut the motors with no effect. So I think the controller disconnected from the drone rather than the app from the controller.

.

 

[laurens23]

If the app disconnects from the remote the drone does not initiate RTH.
So it must have been a disconnect between the controller and the drone itself.

 

[BerndM]

Make sure your antenna's tips are not pointing at the drone. This will be your weakest signal.
You want to use the flat sides of the antenna facing the drone to get all your signal to work for you

 

[Canuk]

I fly mine in the bush just about every flight and have not had any disconnect problems .

 

[gerrymad]

OK, so now you have the RTH is set to hover. The drone is at 12 feet high and you lose connection. It goes into hover mode. You can't get it to respond. I have a mental picture of you running to get a tall step ladder to climb up and pluck your Mavic out of the air before the battery dies

 

[BossBob]

At critical low battery the drone will attempt to land. Setting loss of signal to hover gives you time to move to a spot where you can re-acquire signal without the drone rising to its RTH altitude and crashing into tree branches or other obstacles that might be above it.

 

[John MacAulay]

You mentioned that you were 'literally within 3' of the drone' when RTH was activated. Within 16' of the homepoint, RTH automatically causes the aircraft to descend and land. I guess we can assume you walked away from the homepoint to a distance greater than 16'?

 

[CD Lar]

You mentioned that you were 'literally within 3' of the drone' when RTH was activated. Within 16' of the homepoint, RTH automatically causes the aircraft to descend and land. I guess we can assume you walked away from the homepoint to a distance greater than 16'?

Thats good thinking, I had to jump back into the manual for that one. Thats an excellent call and somthing that I have not thought about in a long time.

 

[brettbrandon]

I wonder if this could be a radio thing. Every time I get my QX7 transmitter within a couple few feet of my fpv quads, I lose transmitter signal. This happens every time as long as I am within a couple few feet or so.