Please help - Lost Mavic

[xetown]

I know I'm new and I'll call this a learning experience, but I'm hopeful some can give me some tips on finding my Mavic.

Here is my log: DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

I tried to do the right things when I planned to capture a sunrise shot. I was in a mostly clear area and kept line of sight. But I underestimated the low wind at street level versus 200+ ft up. I noticed the Mavic drifting away in the tailwind...wasn't worried at first but then got the wind warning. I quickly tried RTH but it only turned around at me but kept following the wind. I tried manual control to lower it but that didn't work either. Then I got interference warning. I went back and forth between RTH and manual but no luck. I ran after it as long as I could but eventually lost signal.

Can someone give me clues on where to look? I went to the last coordinates but didn't find it. And I kept going along the trajectory for another 1000'. I'm thinking with 46% battery life it still had a long way to go, especially with the wind assisting.

So here are my questions:

Do you think the wind was too much for RTH and manual control?
Even with wind against it, shouldn't I be able to lower altitude manually? Isn't altitude reduction just the process of reducing propeller speed? It seems odd that the wind would lift it more but then maintain it's new altitude for awhile.
At critical battery, it tries to automatically RTH correct? But at some point, or what point does it say 'forget it' and tries to autoland where ever it is? Or does it fall out of the sky upon a depleted battery?
It's FAA registered, so I'm hoping I'd be notified if someone tries to register it again???
I read that DJI always stores our logs so if someone else flies it, they'd know? But it's hard to get them to release that info?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Xtreme Drone Pilot]

At critical battery, it tries to automatically RTH correct? But at some point, or what point does it say 'forget it' and tries to autoland where ever it is? Or does it fall out of the sky upon a depleted battery?

Did you... RTFM at all?

 

[xetown]

Did you... RTFM at all?

Silly me, I must've missed that page. From prior experience, it did RTH to my home point at very low battery and hovered in place. I guess this is normal mode.

 

[Xtreme Drone Pilot]

Silly me, I must've missed that page. From prior experience, it did RTH to my home point at very low battery and hovered in place. I guess this is normal mode.

The manual has at least 4 full pages dedicated to RTH. The cost of NOT reading them is $1000+.

 

[Duse]

Xtreme Drone Pilot decided to put up the lecture maybe he could have also put up the page where it shows you how to find your drone before the lecture

Did you use the "Find My Drone" button ?go to Go4 app,Before you press "Enter Device" on the upper right corner theres 3 bars.Press that and a few things come up,you want flight records and find my drone.Find my drone will show you where it was last,The flight records will show you the exact flight
Unless you had major winds 25-30 ??mph I doubt the wind was the issue.
Its not going to fall out of the air it will land itself.
your app stores your logs not DJI
If someone found it and keeps it they wouldent register it.
By any chance are you useing the stock usb to micro usb that connects the controller to the phone,tablet,ipad (whatever) that came with the Mavic ?

 

[GreggC]

RTH in "P Mode" is 22mph, obviously if the wind is above 22mph she aint coming home.
In the future if you find yourself in a high wind situation, and it has happened to me,
What I did was, put it in "Sport Mode" and then initiate RTH, "Sport Mode" will give
you 40mph+, then push the right stick forward and she'll come home.

 

[Deleted member 43289]

This is scary. Sorry to hear bro. Don’t fly in bad conditions next time. You can set what happens when the controller loses signal manually but if it’s that windy, who knows where she went. You couldn’t get in your car or something and follow it in the map? I’m sure the gps was still connected even with a low battery.

 

[xetown]

Did you use the "Find My Drone" button ?go to Go4 app,Before you press "Enter Device" on the upper right corner theres 3 bars.Press that and a few things come up,you want flight records and find my drone.Find my drone will show you where it was last,The flight records will show you the exact flight Unless you had major winds 25-30 ??mph I doubt the wind was the issue.
Its not going to fall out of the air it will land itself. your app stores your logs not DJI
If someone found it and keeps it they wouldent register it.
By any chance are you useing the stock usb to micro usb that connects the controller to the phone,tablet,ipad (whatever) that came with the Mavic ?

Yes. I've been checking the flight records and Find my Drone. And I viewed the video cache. But the last "downlink" data says it was 360' height, 8600' distance and 3.6mph horizontal speed during RTH. I'm still puzzled why right stick down didn't lower it when I cancelled RTH.

Winds were strong. If my horizontal speed is 10mph during RTH but the Mavic is still going further way, would that suggest wind speed is about 30mph if it's trying to go 20mph during RTH?

Yes I used to the stock USB cable to my iphone.

 

[GreggC]

If your using Mode 2 on the Remote the right stick down is reverse !!
The drone will fly backward if you moved the right stick down.

 

[xetown]

This is scary. Sorry to hear bro. Don’t fly in bad conditions next time. You can set what happens when the controller loses signal manually but if it’s that windy, who knows where she went. You couldn’t get in your car or something and follow it in the map? I’m sure the gps was still connected even with a low battery.

I was on my skateboard and ran across cow field until I lost sight and signal. In hindsight, my mountain bike would've been better. And get a tracker. I'll be sure to follow this forum more for advice.

 

[Deleted member 43289]

If your using Mode 2 on the Remote the right stick down is reverse !!
The drone will fly backward if you moved the right stick down.

Lets hope this was learned first and foremost lol

 

[xetown]

If your using Mode 2 on the Remote the right stick down is reverse !!
The drone will fly backward if you moved the right stick down.

Sorry I meant left stick down. It's odd because during manual, it maintained fairly steady horizontal speed and altitude. It's like stick control didn't work at work.

 

[xetown]

hoping someone like MSINGER can guesstimate area to search based on my log

 

[GreggC]

Sorry I meant left stick down. It's odd because during manual, it maintained fairly steady horizontal speed and altitude. It's like stick control didn't work at work.

Understood,
Good to know you are familiar with Mode 2.
Did you see my post #6,
RTH is only 22mph.
If your caught in heavy wind you'll need "Sport Mode" to get home.

 

[xetown]

Understood,
Good to know you are familiar with Mode 2.
Did you see my post #6,
RTH is only 22mph.
If your caught in heavy wind you'll need "Sport Mode" to get home.

Yep, thanks, I've learned Sport Mode would've saved me.

 

[GreggC]

Yes Sport Mode would have prevented this incident,
Remember to put it in Sport Mode first then RTH,
If you initiate RTH then flip the switch to sport mode RTH will be canceled.

 

[msinger]

I went to the last coordinates but didn't find it.

It's not going to be anywhere near the last recorded coordinates since it was flying at an altitude of 362 feet and an average speed of 9.57 MPH.

Do you think the wind was too much for RTH

Yes. The wind was pushing it away from the home point at an average speed of 9.57 MPH.

Even with wind against it, shouldn't I be able to lower altitude manually?

Yes. Your flight log shows your Mavic was ascending/descending each time you moved the throttle still forward/backward.

It seems odd that the wind would lift it more but then maintain it's new altitude for awhile.

The wind did not lift your Mavic when the remote controller sticks were in the center position. It maintained its altitude as it drifted away while attempting to return to the home point.

At critical battery, it tries to automatically RTH correct?

When the battery reaches the critically low level, the Mavic will auto land at its current location.

Or does it fall out of the sky upon a depleted battery?

If the Mavic is currently at a location that has a ground level that is much lower than the takeoff point or you hold the throttle stick up while the Mavic is attempting to auto land, the battery could reach the point where it shuts off before the Mavic is able to land.

It's FAA registered, so I'm hoping I'd be notified if someone tries to register it again?

Unless you're flying commercially, the FAA does not currently have a record of your Mavic serial number.

I read that DJI always stores our logs so if someone else flies it, they'd know?

DJI only has a record of your flight logs if you sync them in DJI GO. If someone else flies your Mavic and syncs the flight logs in DJI GO, DJI would be able to see another DJI account is flying the same Mavic.

Based on the data in your flight log, I think your Mavic landed around here. That of course assumes your Mavic continued to drift away from the home point at the same speed and in the same direction.

Start your search in the yellow box below. If you don't find it there, then start looking above/below that yellow box.

 

[xetown]

Based on the data in your flight log, I think your Mavic landed around here. That of course assumes your Mavic continued to drift away from the home point at the same speed and in the same direction.

Start your search in the yellow box below. If you don't find it there, then start looking above/below that yellow box.

Thanks MSINGER. That was close to my estimate, too.

 

[msinger]

That was close to my estimate, too.

Nice. So, what are you doing here then? Get out there

 

[xetown]

Nice. So, what are you doing here then? Get out there

Still dark here in California