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Need a little help with crash analysis

BillC

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First off it was my pilot error that caused the crash. I was flying low looking for a lost fixed wing airplane and I drove the Mav into a hill side, sideways.
I looked where it should be but no avail.
The csv files shows the last lat/lon and an altitude of about 12 feet. Is this AGL or measured from the take off point?
I was videoing when this happened and is there any chance that the video was saved on the controller/iPad?
No internet - rural area.
Thanks, this should be a simple case. Should be. Attached is the csv file.
Bill C
 

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  • DJIFlightRecord_2022-10-05_[09-09-27].txt
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The log on PH

If you think the crash ended the log or if it crashed shortly there after surely the place to look is at the end of the flight track on Phantomhelp and then around the area and perhaps downslope of the end of the track. Or am I missing something?
The drone appears to have been flying level with the indicated VPS decreasing which suggests to me that the drone was flying towards a slope. Unfortunately google's street view does not seem to cover what may be the adjacent road.
 
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I was videoing when this happened and is there any chance that the video was saved on the controller/iPad?

If you left the default cache enabled in settings, you should have a DJI file with the low res video on the device.
Have a google on how to find it if necessary, should be something on YouTube to make it simple to download and view.

Combined with some help from the analytical types here, you stand a good chance of getting a narrow search field and finding it.

12' last recorded alt, there are trees through there ?
I see a couple of obvious ones on the map.

Also the low signal / adjust antenna message at the end . . . the drone might have lost signal and done a RTH (if set to that for failsafe), did you head off fast to find the drone and maybe missed that ?
If the controller was left on it might have picked up signal again, not sure if that should / should show up on the same log, or create a new one (nothing after the one posted ?).
 
First off it was my pilot error that caused the crash. I was flying low looking for a lost fixed wing airplane and I drove the Mav into a hill side, sideways.
I looked where it should be but no avail.
The csv files shows the last lat/lon and an altitude of about 12 feet. Is this AGL or measured from the take off point?
Crash location was 40.23208939 -110.8409834
Flight data shows this was (approximately) 52 ft higher than launch point, but VPS height (height above the ground or an obstacle) was 11 feet. and quite close to the road.

The data shows a gentle impact despite a speed of 17 mph.It might have hit trees or shrubs rather than the side of the hill.
This shows the location of the crash.
i-L2LbrcM.jpg



If this is where you searched, Mavics have an ability to hide in vegetation.
 
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...The data shows a gentle impact despite a speed of 17 mph.It might have hit trees or shrubs rather than the side of the hill.
Nothing in the data shows an impact of any sort... the only craft movement that happens is a roll attitude change (yellow graph) from approx. +10 degrees right to -16 degrees left at 670,1sec into the flight. The reason for the roll change is that the Aileron stick command (dashed green graph) is changed at 670sec from full right to neutral... meaning that the AC will brake by rolling.

Last 10 seconds.png


@BillC ...
But as the craft had good positional data, a failsafe action set to RTH, a HP properly recorded, a set RTH height that should clear anything between the last location & HP... & the battery was sufficient to get it back... but it didn't return... a crash most likely occurred & the craft should be found very close to the last known GPS position depending on the low height above ground according to the VPS height.

Below some guidance, either the craft got caught in a bush/tree pretty immediately after you lost the connection or it could have continued the few feet that was left to the slope... in either case the drone should be easy to find, remember to look up in the trees & into the bushes on the location also.

1665392539060.png
 
Found it. Thanks to all. I used the Google Earth Pro map and it took me to the spot. Mav was about 12 foot up in elevation, from the side of the road nestled into a bush. Soft landing for sure. Pro map far better than iMap or Google phone map. I will look for the low res video as mentioned.
If I had this info my my fixed wing RC plane then I would not have been looking with the Mav. I'm sure that technology is coming.
Took the Mav home and recharged the battery and it works! Camera , gimble and all.
Thanks again. Bill C
 
Found it. Thanks to all. I used the Google Earth Pro map and it took me to the spot. Mav was about 12 foot up in elevation, from the side of the road nestled into a bush. Soft landing for sure. Pro map far better than iMap or Google phone map. I will look for the low res video as mentioned.
If I had this info my my fixed wing RC plane then I would not have been looking with the Mav. I'm sure that technology is coming.
Took the Mav home and recharged the battery and it works! Camera , gimble and all.
Thanks again. Bill C
Glad it all worked out for you!
 
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