RTH Setup Checklist

[AlanTheBeast]

I find myself repeating variations of the checklist below on the site again and again. Now I'll just link to this.
(2017-05-07 - REV 0.5).

RTH Checklist. Adjust to your local conditions.

• Make sure your RTH settings take into account all obstacles in the area. Add 30 metres.
  • All heights are relative to your Home Point which is at 0.
  • I set them at the legal height limit. If need be, due to hills, towers, I'll set it higher.
• Within the RTH settings it may be very wise to disable obstacle avoidance.
  • Because the drone may freeze in place facing the sun late in the day (early morning), so if RTH is radio link related, you won't be able to regain control.
• Make sure your takeoff location has no obstacles overhead (branches, wires ...) for as wide a radius as possible.
  • Especially if Obstacle Avoidance is off in the RTH setting as recommended above as the drone will land directly below its current position if invoked within 20 m radius of the Home Point
  • If OA is on, then make sure there are no obstacles greater than 10 m height within 20 m radius of the Home Point.
  • If the drone is within 5 m radius of the Home Point, it will descend and land immediately

• Do not start the motors until GPS has 12 satellites (10 maybe).

• Fly straight up to 10m height. Wait 5 seconds there.
  • Good time to check gimbal pitch, exposure, focus and recording state.
  • Allows the cameras underneath to do their thing.
  • A good option is to use a landing pad. You probably own one:
    • A 70 x 70 cm piece of plywood is fine. Cut a handle into it too.

• Never fly under bridges or other structures or trees since the first thing that happens when RTH engages is that the Mavic will fly upwards

• You are more likely to have a radio link induced RTH if you fly
  • in cluttered areas (buildings - also a high WiFi "competition" area)
  • behind buildings, under bridges, into tunnels
  • You fly behind trees or rising terrain
  • You fly far (if you're far out you need to climb - be mindful of max height limits)

• Fly upwind of your takeoff point.
  • To make sure your Mavic can get home in stronger winds

• Cancelling RTH
  • Preferred: Depress and hold the RTH button - verify on screen that it has exited, or
  • On the GO App - hit the Red Cancel button and then confirm in the confirm dialog

Here is my Basic Preflight Checklist.

EDIT 0.5: Added basic checklist
EDIT 0.4: Correction to RTH within 20 m of Home Point; added "cancel RTH"
EDIT 0.3: added conditions that increase the likelihood of radio link failure
EDIT 0.2: Added obstacles in vicinity of the Home Point and flying under things.
EDIT 0.1: Clarity