Take extra cautions when flying drone from moving objects.

[felyciano]

I just bought Mavic Air. This is my first DJI drone. Did my research and making savings for a while. Me and my wife planned to go on vacation to Vietnam, visiting Halong Bay and the big Jesus Statue. I was telling myself this is the perfect time to buy the drone. Bought the drone a week ago and getting all excited. Should have read all manual before flying, I didn't. I thought watching all videos would be sufficient. I flew the drone few times and used some of the great features. Until we went on vacation and traveling on a cruise in Halong Bay. I was so excited to fly the drone and have imagined what kind of amazing footage I will get from this trip. Went to the Cruise top deck, getting the drone all setup and I got the drone took off. Soon as it took off, (I thought) the drone start shifting fast and suddenly hit the lamp pole of the deck, and it went to the water never be seen again. My wife tried to calm me down. I couldn't believe there is something wrong with the drone because I flew the drone two days earlier at the beach, and flew nicely during quite strong wind. After getting myself calmed down, I just realized the feature of the drone during taking off is to hover and stay on its position. What I didn't realize, the cruise is moving! It broke my heart even more that the cruise actually stopped 10 minutes later and another family came up to the sun deck and start using their drone nicely and safely.
My drone only last for 11 days. Now I only have the remote, few batteries and other accessories. I guess it will take a while before I fly (or buy) another drone. I hope anyone reading this can take extra cautions that it will not happen again to anyone. Fly safe everyone!

 

[Ten8HBO]

That's a pricy "duh" moment. Sorry bud.

 

[AMann]

Your experience will help others. It’s a good idea to read the manual, but you learned by the same means many others here learned as well.

 

[Hummingbird.UAV]

Sorry to hear of your loss. Ah yes take-off from a moving object is a challenge. Did a 21 day river cruise through Europe last summer and flew at every stop. Hand launching because the metal deck gave compass problems on the Mavic Air. Because a cruise like this is a once in a lifetime experience and expensive at $25K I brought 3 drones along just in case one got lost.

 

[Thomas B]

Sorry to hear you lost your bird. Glad you understand now and appreciate the hard learning experience. Here’s hoping you can get back in the air soon as a smarter pilot.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

I just bought Mavic Air. This is my first DJI drone. Did my research and making savings for a while. Me and my wife planned to go on vacation to Vietnam, visiting Halong Bay and the big Jesus Statue. I was telling myself this is the perfect time to buy the drone. Bought the drone a week ago and getting all excited. Should have read all manual before flying, I didn't. I thought watching all videos would be sufficient. I flew the drone few times and used some of the great features. Until we went on vacation and traveling on a cruise in Halong Bay. I was so excited to fly the drone and have imagined what kind of amazing footage I will get from this trip. Went to the Cruise top deck, getting the drone all setup and I got the drone took off. Soon as it took off, (I thought) the drone start shifting fast and suddenly hit the lamp pole of the deck, and it went to the water never be seen again. My wife tried to calm me down. I couldn't believe there is something wrong with the drone because I flew the drone two days earlier at the beach, and flew nicely during quite strong wind. After getting myself calmed down, I just realized the feature of the drone during taking off is to hover and stay on its position. What I didn't realize, the cruise is moving! It broke my heart even more that the cruise actually stopped 10 minutes later and another family came up to the sun deck and start using their drone nicely and safely.
My drone only last for 11 days. Now I only have the remote, few batteries and other accessories. I guess it will take a while before I fly (or buy) another drone. I hope anyone reading this can take extra cautions that it will not happen again to anyone. Fly safe everyone!

First off that could have happened to any one not familiar with a boat , you also had to contend with the Magnetic Interference which is a constant when taking off from a boat . There is also a good chance you might have had a good flight or a fly away or even crashed on the landing.

The fact is flying off a boat requires a different skill set , no book, manual or video can really give you that , but true awareness comes from the initial Pain. Know that most of us here have gone thru more than there fair share of heart ache. I seem to remember a hawk carring a snake taking my Phantom 4 down in my friends back yard in the city. Yep it was my very first flight straight up.. anyway

Tell DJI what happened , they may offer you some kind of coupon for when your ready for your next go.

Phantomrain.org
Designer of the Lunar Landing Pad for the Mavic
Coal

 

[Radpuppy]

I just bought Mavic Air. This is my first DJI drone. Did my research and making savings for a while. Me and my wife planned to go on vacation to Vietnam, visiting Halong Bay and the big Jesus Statue. I was telling myself this is the perfect time to buy the drone. Bought the drone a week ago and getting all excited. Should have read all manual before flying, I didn't. I thought watching all videos would be sufficient. I flew the drone few times and used some of the great features. Until we went on vacation and traveling on a cruise in Halong Bay. I was so excited to fly the drone and have imagined what kind of amazing footage I will get from this trip. Went to the Cruise top deck, getting the drone all setup and I got the drone took off. Soon as it took off, (I thought) the drone start shifting fast and suddenly hit the lamp pole of the deck, and it went to the water never be seen again. My wife tried to calm me down. I couldn't believe there is something wrong with the drone because I flew the drone two days earlier at the beach, and flew nicely during quite strong wind. After getting myself calmed down, I just realized the feature of the drone during taking off is to hover and stay on its position. What I didn't realize, the cruise is moving! It broke my heart even more that the cruise actually stopped 10 minutes later and another family came up to the sun deck and start using their drone nicely and safely.
My drone only last for 11 days. Now I only have the remote, few batteries and other accessories. I guess it will take a while before I fly (or buy) another drone. I hope anyone reading this can take extra cautions that it will not happen again to anyone. Fly safe everyone!

Dang that sounds like my luck sometimes ?

 

[Thomas B]

I just bought Mavic Air. This is my first DJI drone. Did my research and making savings for a while. Me and my wife planned to go on vacation to Vietnam, visiting Halong Bay and the big Jesus Statue. I was telling myself this is the perfect time to buy the drone. Bought the drone a week ago and getting all excited. Should have read all manual before flying, I didn't. I thought watching all videos would be sufficient. I flew the drone few times and used some of the great features. Until we went on vacation and traveling on a cruise in Halong Bay. I was so excited to fly the drone and have imagined what kind of amazing footage I will get from this trip. Went to the Cruise top deck, getting the drone all setup and I got the drone took off. Soon as it took off, (I thought) the drone start shifting fast and suddenly hit the lamp pole of the deck, and it went to the water never be seen again. My wife tried to calm me down. I couldn't believe there is something wrong with the drone because I flew the drone two days earlier at the beach, and flew nicely during quite strong wind. After getting myself calmed down, I just realized the feature of the drone during taking off is to hover and stay on its position. What I didn't realize, the cruise is moving! It broke my heart even more that the cruise actually stopped 10 minutes later and another family came up to the sun deck and start using their drone nicely and safely.
My drone only last for 11 days. Now I only have the remote, few batteries and other accessories. I guess it will take a while before I fly (or buy) another drone. I hope anyone reading this can take extra cautions that it will not happen again to anyone. Fly safe everyone!

Agree with the problem assessment. I think it’s a common one when considering where to launch... and read the full 60+ page manual, not just the abbreviated version that comes in the box with the drone.

 

[jimlips]

Ken Heron did a similar test of flying a drone from inside a moving van. I'm sure the same principals apply (except his drone did this without GPS, so maybe not). But watch the video and you'll get the idea:

 

[mov_pilot]

Thank you for sharing, perhaps you can console in the fact you probably saved others from a similar fate.

 

[conchman]

What cruise line allows you to take off and land a drone on a cruise ship, and a moving cruise ship to boost?

When I was on a Mediterranean cruise last summer, I had to sneak my drone on and off the ship to fly onshore, as it was even forbidden to bring one on the ship.

 

[SAC89]

Are the batteries for sale?

 

[Deleted member 3792]

Many cruisers have those signs on the ship just because....

 

[felyciano]

Sorry to hear you lost your bird. Glad you understand now and appreciate the hard learning experience. Here’s hoping you can get back in the air soon as a smarter pilot.

Thanks. I guess I will be on the ground for now.

 

[felyciano]

Are the batteries for sale?

sorry, no. Considering to buy another one, not so soon.

 

[felyciano]

What cruise line allows you to take off and land a drone on a cruise ship, and a moving cruise ship to boost?

When I was on a Mediterranean cruise last summer, I had to sneak my drone on and off the ship to fly onshore, as it was even forbidden to bring one on the ship.

It was a small one in Halong Bay in Vietnam. There is no restriction to bring drone on board.

 

[felyciano]

Thanks, will remember that.

 

[felyciano]

First off that could have happened to any one not familiar with a boat , you also had to contend with the Magnetic Interference which is a constant when taking off from a boat . There is also a good chance you might have had a good flight or a fly away or even crashed on the landing.

The fact is flying off a boat requires a different skill set , no book, manual or video can really give you that , but true awareness comes from the initial Pain. Know that most of us here have gone thru more than there fair share of heart ache. I seem to remember a hawk carring a snake taking my Phantom 4 down in my friends back yard in the city. Yep it was my very first flight straight up.. anyway

Tell DJI what happened , they may offer you some kind of coupon for when your ready for your next go.

Phantomrain.org
Designer of the Lunar Landing Pad for the Mavic
Coal

I did tell DJI on what happened. They offered me drone only without remote and charger. Not much different compared with non-combo package. I guess it will be a while until I can afford to buy new one.

 

[Dakarenduro]

Yes, sorry for your loss.
I try to tell all new pilots that they really need to practice and put a lot of flight hours under their belt in wide, open fields with no obstructions. Test the failsafes, learn how it works, etc. Before attempting a flight more advanced. I suggest they go out and buy a Syma X5 drone for like $50 and learn to fly that. It is virtually indestructible, super fun. Very few listen.

The problem is these drones now with non-stop full GPS are so easy to fly. Some of us who started flying R/C years and years ago, then moved up to drones what 5 or 8 years ago had to learn on non-gps units. The best thing at the time was the barometer sensor that could at least keep them somewhat at the same height. But we flew completely non-gps, learning how to react, how little control inputs are better than big ones, etc. Now flying a gps controlled one like the Mavics is a breeze. And when the gps fails we instinctively know how to fly the aircraft.

Anyway, sorry again. Buy another one, they are fantastic. You will be happy you did.