Scary experience tonight, Lesson learned?

[Mantrain]

Your flight data will be there.
Did you notice that DJI have changed the location of the flight data in recent versions of DJI Fly ?

In DJI Fly

DJI\dji.go.v5\FlightRecord (for older versions of DJI Fly)

or for newer versions ... Android\data\dji.go.v5\files\FlightRecord



You are assuming that things are OK, but since you haven't confirmed the cause of your incident, that assumption might not be correct.

That would not prevent a yaw error causing trouble, if a yaw error was the issue

I do not want to post where I live. i looked at the uploaded file and I do not see anything out of the ordinary other than a low number of satellites locked on during and right after take-off. Anything else to look for? thanks!

 

[Meta4]

I do not want to post where I live. i looked at the uploaded file and I do not see anything out of the ordinary other than a low number of satellites locked on during and right after take-off. Anything else to look for? thanks!

Yes ... plenty, but it's not so simple that it can be explained in a few words, or that you'd notice without flight data analysis experience.

 

[canadian drone videos]

Well this evening I decided to take off my drone from my balcony. I have done this several times before but this time the drone took off and behaved very erratically and uncontrollably. As it launched a few feet out, the drone swerved in severe direction and did not respond to my piloting commands appropriately. She swerved into a tree and got stuck about 15 feet up. I had to toss a broom at her and she fell out of the tree. I was quick to break the fall with my hands and it was painful but worth it. No damage. I was able to test the drone and flew around for 30 minutes everything working swell. I am sure this is from the poor choice of selecting bypass mode. I am thinking from now on to always either select brake, or off but never bypass. Bypass apparently has the possibility of causing the aircraft to behave very unpredictably. Also it was a lower light situation so that could be part of it. Not dark but not bright either.

I am wondering if bypass is just a poor choice in general and brake is the better option for drone safety.

I had the exact same experience 2 years ago with my Inspire 2, but wasn’t as fortunate as you, drone slammed itself into the house and fell 7 feet into concrete. I’d flown from the same location lots of times with various drones, I live in the forest so I know there was no interference from anything. Drone took off, went up and hovered then flew off into the side off the house nearly hitting me in the head on the way. Drone was 5 moths old had 11 hours on it and DJI refused to fix it under warranty, and wouldn’t even look at the flight log. It was a fly away in progress and it happens to any model drone DJI makes.

Be carful it can happen with no warning at all.

 

[canadian drone videos]

I do not want to post where I live. i looked at the uploaded file and I do not see anything out of the ordinary other than a low number of satellites locked on during and right after take-off. Anything else to look for? thanks!

Check your joystick positions on the flight log, unless I missed my guess the lg with show what appears to be a joystick stuck on a certain percentage, it flew itself into that tree at a constant speed with no joystick input from you, if the log doesn’t show this then your malfunction was different then mine.

 

[Meta4]

I had the exact same experience 2 years ago with my Inspire 2, but wasn’t as fortunate as you, drone slammed itself into the house and fell 7 feet into concrete. I’d flown from the same location lots of times with various drones, I live in the forest so I know there was no interference from anything. Drone took off, went up and hovered then flew off into the side off the house nearly hitting me in the head on the way. Drone was 5 moths old had 11 hours on it and DJI refused to fix it under warranty, and wouldn’t even look at the flight log. It was a fly away in progress and it happens to any model drone DJI makes.

Your description sounds like a classic yaw error incident.
Interference won't ever cause your drone to fly off like that.
You can still have the flight data looked at to confirm the cause and possibly learn from the incident and how to prevent similar from happening again.

 

[Meta4]

The title of this thread is misleading.
No data was analysed, the cause of the incident wasn't ,so no lesson was learned.

 

[Mantrain]

I am happy to post a beautiful image shot at night over the city lake.

The title of this thread is misleading.
No data was analysed, the cause of the incident was confirmed so no lesson was learned.

I learned that bypass is unstable under certain circumstances. you can take that info or leave it, it's up to you. Also there was the issue of low light. But taking off from said balcony with brake off on C mode is very reliable. There are other users reporting strange behavior with the all directional sensory system of the MA3. This is a system in its infancy and prone to possible catastrophe in certain circumstances. I would just advise other users that if taking off from close quarters to consider turning brakes off until you are clear in the air.

 

[Meta4]

I am happy to post a beautiful image shot at night over the city lake.

I learned that bypass is unstable under certain circumstances. you can take that info or leave it, it's up to you.

You've guessed that was the issue.
I wouldn't want my doctor or mechanic to work that way.
It's always a better practice to identify the actual cause of the incident rather than making a guess with no evidence to support it.
But hey ... it's your drone at risk, not mine.

 

[Phanfran]

I am happy to post a beautiful image shot at night over the city lake.

I learned that bypass is unstable under certain circumstances. you can take that info or leave it, it's up to you. Also there was the issue of low light. But taking off from said balcony with brake off on C mode is very reliable. There are other users reporting strange behavior with the all directional sensory system of the MA3. This is a system in its infancy and prone to possible catastrophe in certain circumstances. I would just advise other users that if taking off from close quarters to consider turning brakes off until you are clear in the air.

Maybe you should advise other users to not take off at all from close quarters.

 

[Mantrain]

Maybe you should advise other users to not take off at all from close quarters.

You can advise them all you want. Tell people how to fly their drones I am sure whey will listen to you. I have no issues turning off the sensors though and no other issues are showing up on the flight records I am not going to post it to prove that though.

 

[meeestermike]

That's all you needed to say.
You launched from a reinforced concrete balcony and the drone was uncontrollable.
You gave the drone a yaw error.
SImilar things are reported here every week,
Search for Yaw Error to find out what it's all about.
And don't launch from balconies or any reinforced concrete surface in future.

I had someone mention they thought that "stone" or in this case "concrete" cause some issues flying.
Is it rock or stone in general that causes this interference?
I live in the hills of West Virginia on the side of a hill. Our house is sitting on stone, and flying in close proximity to it causes all kind of weird things to happen. I figure I'm surrounded by rock and stone....

 

[slup]

I had someone mention they thought that "stone" or in this case "concrete" cause some issues flying.
Is it rock or stone in general that causes this interference?

In general, no ... it's what's inside the concrete that deflects the compass.

 

[Meta4]

no other issues are showing up on the flight records

It's easy to say that when you have no idea how to read flight data or what to even look for.
Post #11 was correct.

 

[Mantrain]

just to be sure I will spend more time learning how to interpret imbedded flight data in case I missed some info.

 

[slup]

...in case I missed some info.

Will give you one easy tip that without a doubt will reveal if you had a yaw error due to powering on your drone in close vicinity to something magnetic on that balcony you started your flight from ...

I imagine that you by now have tried to upload your flight log to Phantom Help Log Viewer ... if not, do so.

If you there look at the drone icon ... the red "arrow". If that icon there at take off, points in another direction than your drone actually was pointing ... you had a yaw error & that would have been the reason for your incident.

Below one of my own flights uploaded to PhantomHelp ... The red arrow is pointing in approx a south westerly direction, into the road bend seen there when it was ready for take off ... my drone did that in reality also, so all was OK as my drones IMU info about the pointing direction agreed with reality.



This check you can & should do before every take off ... check your drone icon's pointing direction on the map view in the Fly app instead ... if it agrees with reality all is good, if not ... power down your drone & move to another spot & repeat. And remember ... a yaw error is created when the drone is powered on (not at take off) when the compass is magnetically deflected.

 

[Point Zero]

Will give you one easy tip that without a doubt will reveal if you had a yaw error due to powering on your drone in close vicinity to something magnetic on that balcony you started your flight from ...

I imagine that you by now have tried to upload your flight log to Phantom Help Log Viewer ... if not, do so.

If you there look at the drone icon ... the red "arrow". If that icon there at take off, points in another direction than your drone actually was pointing ... you had a yaw error & that would have been the reason for your incident.

Below one of my own flights uploaded to PhantomHelp ... The red arrow is pointing in approx a south westerly direction, into the road bend seen there when it was ready for take off ... my drone did that in reality also, so all was OK as my drones IMU info about the pointing direction agreed with reality.

View attachment 140381

This check you can & should do before every take off ... check your drone icon's pointing direction on the map view in the Fly app instead ... if it agrees with reality all is good, if not ... power down your drone & move to another spot & repeat. And remember ... a yaw error is created when the drone is powered on (not at take off) when the compass is magnetically deflected.

Great post!

It makes you wonder if something could be done through whatever app you are using so Go4 or Fly that asked you to confirm that the direction your drone is facing matches the direction indicated on the map.

It sure would save a lot of incidents from occurring and save quite a few grey hairs from appearing on many a pilot lol.

Just a thought...

 

[Mantrain]

Will give you one easy tip that without a doubt will reveal if you had a yaw error due to powering on your drone in close vicinity to something magnetic on that balcony you started your flight from ...

I imagine that you by now have tried to upload your flight log to Phantom Help Log Viewer ... if not, do so.

If you there look at the drone icon ... the red "arrow". If that icon there at take off, points in another direction than your drone actually was pointing ... you had a yaw error & that would have been the reason for your incident.

Below one of my own flights uploaded to PhantomHelp ... The red arrow is pointing in approx a south westerly direction, into the road bend seen there when it was ready for take off ... my drone did that in reality also, so all was OK as my drones IMU info about the pointing direction agreed with reality.

View attachment 140381

This check you can & should do before every take off ... check your drone icon's pointing direction on the map view in the Fly app instead ... if it agrees with reality all is good, if not ... power down your drone & move to another spot & repeat. And remember ... a yaw error is created when the drone is powered on (not at take off) when the compass is magnetically deflected.

thank you for the helpful information. I am sure though the yaw could be off a few degrees and no one would be the wiser and that is because a visual observation of a screenshot would not be highly accurate. However, saying that, at least doing what you are suggesting I am not able to visually detect a discrepancy; and the red arrows are oriented in the expected direction.


I also wanted to share a beautiful screenshot taken a couple nights ago. I am a happy recipient of a Mavic 3 wet-suit.

This would be a different thread. I like the wetsuit but I am not sure how it protects the inner electronics since it adheres over the plastic body and of course leaves open the vents. But I did try it out an a very damp evening:

Microsoft OneDrive

1drv.ms

 

[meeestermike]

In general, no ... it's what's inside the concrete that deflects the compass.

View attachment 140372

Could you be a little more specific? Are you talking about electricity or some other substance???

 

[sar104]

Could you be a little more specific? Are you talking about electricity or some other substance???

The photo in post #32. Ferromagnetic iron in the steel rebar.

A short explanation of compass function, calibration and errors.

 

[MA2 317]

I do not want to post where I live.

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If you share a log, there's a big checklist of stuff that you can choose to share.

Your location doesn't have to be known.