RTH

[JDUB_54]

It states in the manual two kinds of home points. One, where the drone took off from, and two, the remote controllers position. My question is if I have my RTH position set as the remote controller, does the drone locate the remote controller or the phone when returning to home?

 

[msinger]

My question is if I have my RTH position set as the remote controller, does the drone locate the remote controller or the phone when returning to home?

There is no way to return the drone to the remote controller. The drone is only able to return to the last set home point. The "H" marker on the map in DJI GO shows the current location of the home point.

When resetting the home point to your current location, the home point will be set to the GPS location reported by your mobile device (if it has a GPS receiver). If you move away from that location, you'll need to reset the home point again.

 

[Tbase]

Another newbie question: is the RTH altitude fixed from the home point, or does the drone follow the terrain at that altitude? Just asking because I fly in mostly hilly areas.

 

[msinger]

is the RTH altitude fixed from the home point

See #9 here.

 

[PhantomFandom]

Another newbie question: is the RTH altitude fixed from the home point, or does the drone follow the terrain at that altitude? Just asking because I fly in mostly hilly areas.

The drone measures altitude by using barometric pressure. As such, the altitude is always based on AGL (Above Ground Level) in reference to the home point. Therefore it will not follow terrain. Always be careful and set the RTH altitude high enough to clear any obstacles between you and the craft, again in reference to altitude above your home point.

 

[JDUB_54]

There is no way to return the drone to the remote controller. The drone is only able to return to the last set home point. The "H" marker on the map in DJI GO shows the current location of the home point.

When resetting the home point to your current location, the home point will be set to the GPS location reported by your mobile device (if it has a GPS receiver). If you move away from that location, you'll need to reset the home point again.

Sounds logical to me. Thanks for the info. I assume then that the follow me feature also doesn't follow the remote controller but uses constantly updated GPS points?

 

[Tbase]

See #9 here.

OK thanx, I'm clear now. RTH is based on "Altitude" and not "VPS Altitude". I've been (correctly) setting RTH altitude based on the tallest obstacles on the tallest nearby hills.

 

[FoxhallGH]

It states in the manual two kinds of home points. One, where the drone took off from, and two, the remote controllers position. My question is if I have my RTH position set as the remote controller, does the drone locate the remote controller or the phone when returning to home?

There seems to be some confusion here, because - YES - it is possible to have the Home Point follow the RC Controller (well it is on my Mav' Pro anyway). The aircraft will ask if you want to use the controller's new position when you engage RTH. The only thing to be aware of is that once the RTH is started in this mode, then the home point becomes static i.e. the drone doesn't just track the controller right back to landing. That means e.g. don't expect the Mavic to come to you on a moving boat!
This is a good video that explores this feature pretty fully:

 

[FoxhallGH]

The drone measures altitude by using barometric pressure. As such, the altitude is always based on AGL (Above Ground Level) in reference to the home point. Therefore it will not follow terrain. Always be careful and set the RTH altitude high enough to clear any obstacles between you and the craft, again in reference to altitude above your home point.

If you have dynamically updated the home point, the Mavic will fly to it at the pre-set altitude (above your original take off point remember!), then descend untill the sensors on the bottom of the drone tell it is about a metre above ground ... It stops there and waits for you to confirm landing by pulling down the stick and holding it 'till it lands and motors stop.

 

[msinger]

There seems to be some confusion here, because - YES - it is possible to have the Home Point follow the RC Controller (well it is on my Mav' Pro anyway)

Your Mavic Pro doesn't follow the remote controller either. You're just manually resetting the home point to the current location reported by your mobile device.

The closest thing to following the remote controller (commonly known as a "Dynamic Home Point") is the "Enable Dynamic Home Point" feature. That is only used with ActiveTrack. It will automatically and continuously reset the home point to the current location reported by the mobile device at some undocumented interval.

 

[Inspirephil]

Your Mavic Pro doesn't follow the remote controller either. You're just manually resetting the home point to the current location reported by your mobile device.

The closest thing to following the remote controller (commonly known as a "Dynamic Home Point") is the "Enable Dynamic Home Point" feature. That is only used with ActiveTrack. It will automatically and continuously reset the home point to the current location reported by the mobile device at some undocumented interval.

View attachment 62753

And don’t you have to use the DJI GPS remote control module along with dynamic home point? And what I read is that the home point is updated every 20 seconds according to DJI.
When I am using it with my Inspire 2 there’s a small spinning cartwheel looking icon below the camera settings icon that shows you the current status of dynamic home point. Hope I made some sense describing it?

 

[msinger]

And don’t you have to use the DJI GPS remote control module along with dynamic home point?

You just need to be using a mobile device that contains a GPS receiver.

 

[FoxhallGH]

Your Mavic Pro doesn't follow the remote controller either. You're just manually resetting the home point to the current location reported by your mobile device.

The closest thing to following the remote controller (commonly known as a "Dynamic Home Point") is the "Enable Dynamic Home Point" feature. That is only used with ActiveTrack. It will automatically and continuously reset the home point to the current location reported by the mobile device at some undocumented interval.

View attachment 62753

OK ... I didn't make the destinction because I'd not leave the mobile behind and wander off with just the RC controller - but point taken & understood - thanks.

 

[Live LA]

If you have dynamically updated the home point, the Mavic will fly to it at the pre-set altitude (above your original take off point remember!), then descend untill the sensors on the bottom of the drone tell it is about a metre above ground ... It stops there and waits for you to confirm landing by pulling down the stick and holding it 'till it lands and motors stop.

My wuestion is (like this pilot) I live in hilly areas, if I am at a top of a hill and I send my bird down into a canyon, if I hit RTH and it begins gaining altitude, isnt it a posibility it hit something on the way up on a RTH (I ask because I have had my MP2 disconect mid flight in a canyon about 1,200 m away, w/ vlos i still couldnt determine if it was going to go up into the trees or wires above it and crash, or it will kick in obstacle avoid till it gets home (which I dont have a lot of trust in obstacle avoidance especially when it comes to branches or overhead wires) anyway this would help especially if you are in close quarters for a safe RTH. Thanks (also sorry for the rookie question)

 

[FoxhallGH]

My wuestion is (like this pilot) I live in hilly areas, if I am at a top of a hill and I send my bird down into a canyon, if I hit RTH and it begins gaining altitude, isnt it a posibility it hit something on the way up on a RTH (I ask because I have had my MP2 disconect mid flight in a canyon about 1,200 m away, w/ vlos i still couldnt determine if it was going to go up into the trees or wires above it and crash, or it will kick in obstacle avoid till it gets home (which I dont have a lot of trust in obstacle avoidance especially when it comes to branches or overhead wires) anyway this would help especially if you are in close quarters for a safe RTH. Thanks (also sorry for the rookie question)

You are correct in assuming that RTH is not something that works as a 'get-out-of-jail-free-card' for all situations. Setting up RTH should be done as part of your pre-takeoff checks and should always take your location into account. When you start the Mavic and take-off, the Mavic will record its home point, and will also have recorded the take-off point as altitude 'zero'. If you then fly down into the canyon, then you are flying 'negative altitude' below your starting point. If you select RTH when the Mavic is down in the canyon, it will rise up through the zero point to the altitude above zero, that you selected as the RTH height. e.g. RTH set to 50 metres - you are 30 metres down in the Canyon and you select RTH ... The Mavic will rise 80 Metres then come back to you. If there is something that's between you and where your Mavic may end up, that is higher than 50 metres, then you need to set the RTH height accordingly. Same if you have flown the Mavic under something (canyon overhang etc.), you need to be aware that it may rise into the obstacle! ... Bearing in mind of course, that if you value your Mavic, you'll keep it line of sight and know where it is ...
You are lucky with the Mavic 2 pro in that it is bristling with sensors in all directions including top and sides - but don't rely on them! Hopefully they will get you out of trouble in the worst of it, but try to be disciplined about looking around (with the drone) to see where you are and keeping a mental map of where you are flying.
RTH is a very useful facility, so get out in the open on a small hill or something, and just try it out. And while you try it, use the 'Pause' button on your controller so you get familiar with it and what it does, as that may be your salvation if you do realise that the Mavic is not where it should be, or doing what you expect it to do - when you hit RTH!!!

 

[Live LA]

You are correct in assuming that RTH is not something that works as a 'get-out-of-jail-free-card' for all situations. Setting up RTH should be done as part of your pre-takeoff checks and should always take your location into account. When you start the Mavic and take-off, the Mavic will record its home point, and will also have recorded the take-off point as altitude 'zero'. If you then fly down into the canyon, then you are flying 'negative altitude' below your starting point. If you select RTH when the Mavic is down in the canyon, it will rise up through the zero point to the altitude above zero, that you selected as the RTH height. e.g. RTH set to 50 metres - you are 30 metres down in the Canyon and you select RTH ... The Mavic will rise 80 Metres then come back to you. If there is something that's between you and where your Mavic may end up, that is higher than 50 metres, then you need to set the RTH height accordingly. Same if you have flown the Mavic under something (canyon overhang etc.), you need to be aware that it may rise into the obstacle! ... Bearing in mind of course, that if you value your Mavic, you'll keep it line of sight and know where it is ...
You are lucky with the Mavic 2 pro in that it is bristling with sensors in all directions including top and sides - but don't rely on them! Hopefully they will get you out of trouble in the worst of it, but try to be disciplined about looking around (with the drone) to see where you are and keeping a mental map of where you are flying.
RTH is a very useful facility, so get out in the open on a small hill or something, and just try it out. And while you try it, use the 'Pause' button on your controller so you get familiar with it and what it does, as that may be your salvation if you do realise that the Mavic is not where it should be, or doing what you expect it to do - when you hit RTH!!!

I knew I would get a complete and thorough answer from you, I have seen your other posts and answers. Thanks for your humility and patience, that was a great clear description. Much appriciated, it actually answered a few questions.

 

[FoxhallGH]

Thanks ...

 

[Grantt]

RTH is a very useful facility, so get out in the open on a small hill or something, and just try it out. And while you try it, use the 'Pause' button on your controller so you get familiar with it and what it does, as that may be your salvation if you do realise that the Mavic is not where it should be, or doing what you expect it to do - when you hit RTH!!!

Pause button??!! I didn't realize that it would pause a RTH. That is great to know! I'll have to test that out. Thanks for the info. Took off one time surrounded by a bunch of tall coconut trees, and as I was close to landing, the battery was so low that RTH kicked in and the mavic started to ascend. I started to panic on how to stop the RTH feature. Wasn't any real danger of a crash but the potential was there. The hardest thing about flying these is understanding what it can do under different scenarios and know how to QUICKLY resolve it when it does things unexpected. Sometimes couple seconds can be the difference between a save and a recovery.

 

[Moose1967]

I will throw this other example out there - if I set my RTH to 50m and I am flying at 150m meters and I hit RTH - will the Mavic fly back to above the home point at 150 meters and then descend to the 50m then to the ground - or will it descend to 50m and then fly back - I think it is the first, it will stay at the 150m and fly to the spot above the home point and then descend - think of it a a minimum RTH !!

 

[msinger]

Flying down into a canyon could make getting a good GPS signal a challenge. Without GPS, your Mavic won't be able to return home. Instead, it'll land straight down into the canyon.