There and Back Again - an AMAZING tale of a lost Mavic, must read!!

[flynsign]

that's a great story. And a real testament to the "find my drone" functionality.

It would be interesting to see the video on the Mavic - to see what it saw as it waited for you.

Congratulations.... and thanks for the story!

I would like to but I'm trying to figure out how to take a clip from a very long video through the Go4 cached files and copy or email it once done - not my strong-suit, ha!

 

[geigy]

I can't see that option

And this is the first I've read about it am I missing something

Here's a video.

 

[Gary cato]

I can't see that option

And this is the first I've read about it am I missing something

Maybe you need to update your app it is on the new DJI go 4 app and i think started on 0600. basically it pinpoints the last location the Mavic recieved a signal and takes you there. Problem is if the Mavic lost gps and drifted away in atti mode it could be a long way from your last signal. If you happen to crash it or turn it into a duck it should take you to where it was.

 

[ddimkin]

A fenomenal story.. and a fenomenal product the Mavic!!! Reading through the forums I am more and more happy I bought one

Thanks for sharing that!

 

[thecaliblog]

Awesome story and glad you found it. I'll definitely think of that find my drone feature if i'm ever in that type of situation.

 

[DomoDan]

I've thought about exactly this...flying backwards and essentially flying blind! Interesting to hear that the sensors worked when moving backward...I didn't think they would.

My thought for this type of shot would be to get the drone out for away, and fly IN...where you can see where you're going and have the protection of the sensors, then just play the video backward. Of course, I'm new to both drones and video editing, so I don't know if this actually works well or not.

 

[ddimkin]

I've thought about exactly this...flying backwards and essentially flying blind! Interesting to hear that the sensors worked when moving backward...I didn't think they would.

My thought for this type of shot would be to get the drone out for away, and fly IN...where you can see where you're going and have the protection of the sensors, then just play the video backward. Of course, I'm new to both drones and video editing, so I don't know if this actually works well or not.

Sure, it works

 

[ddimkin]

But still.. the temptation to do it right from takin off is too high

 

[flynsign]

Here's the video I promised at the beginning of this post. I have ZERO experience with uploading and editing until a few hours ago when I discovered Filmora, so don't expect a lot - next vid will be more 'professional'!

 

[Clinton1]

Awesome, this must be one of the best recoveries i have ever seen. You are one lucky guy

 

[Nikon1]

Flynsign - Congratulations on your outcome! It's always great to hear that the Mavic is sometimes smarter than we are. Thank you for posting the video - it's a great look at just how the Mavic reacted to the shift in terrain.

Keep Flying!

 

[Someone Else]

I've thought about exactly this...flying backwards and essentially flying blind! Interesting to hear that the sensors worked when moving backward...I didn't think they would.

My thought for this type of shot would be to get the drone out for away, and fly IN...where you can see where you're going and have the protection of the sensors, then just play the video backward. Of course, I'm new to both drones and video editing, so I don't know if this actually works well or not.

My backyard has a steep slope at one corner so I tested this out. When flying backwards it picked up the slope on the underbelly sensors and slowed itself but I stopped because I wasn't willing to risk a set of props or more on it stopping itself. It definitely slowed though.

I would say it's going to depend on how steep the slope is as to if it makes contact before stopping or not.

 

[newnan3]

I just noticed the "Find My Drone" feature on the app as well. Glad to hear it worked well in your situation.

Now wondering how come we dont have more stories of people using it to find their lost bird....Does it not work in certain situations? Sometimes unreliable?

 

[flynsign]

I just noticed the "Find My Drone" feature on the app as well. Glad to hear it worked well in your situation.

Now wondering how come we dont have more stories of people using it to find their lost bird....Does it not work in certain situations? Sometimes unreliable?

It works flawlessly, even without a cell signal or sim card (according to the Verizon guy who lost a SIM card sale but preferred to be honest), the app will cache the data immediately upon a crash onto your device, so that with nothing more than a charged cell phone / tablet (no cell signal, no card), and a dead drone battery, the Find my Drone app will STILL navigate you to the exact location working from the cached data - at least it did for me....

 

[rydfree]

I've thought about exactly this...flying backwards and essentially flying blind! Interesting to hear that the sensors worked when moving backward...I didn't think they would.

The sun was in front of the Mavic so I'm wondering if it simply didn't reach a point on the slope that the front sensors picked up the glare off the hill as it went under it ?

 

[flynsign]

The sun was in front of the Mavic so I'm wondering if it simply didn't reach a point on the slope that the front sensors picked up the glare off the hill as it went under it ?

It was the wrong time of day for the sun to be a factor and the video would be washed out / over exposed if that was the case. I'm almost certain it was the bottom sensors that kicked in.

 

[Pablo]

Fantastic story.

I know that sickening feeling of losing it and having to drive away all too well!

I'm really glad you got it back and in full working order. It's a pretty tough little drone!

 

[Hobienut]

Here's another success story...albeit not as successful as the OP.

Flying in Sport mode (not always smart) low over the salt water at nearly 40mph. Wanted to swoop up at the end of my 100 yard run like I've done hundreds of times before. In a moment of distraction, not concentrating, etc, I did what ACTUAL PILOTS do with their left hand when they want to climb. (I fly big airplanes for a major airline) I pulled back on the left stick...and immediately caused a spectacular splash. Stood there stunned.

The water was a canal system in a residential area, about 15' deep. The water although clean, is heavily colored with tannin from the mangroves and suffers from typical visibility around 6 inches. Although almost sick to my stomach (I'd only had the Mavic for a month), I grabbed my scuba gear, jumped in and swam near where I thought it crashed. I went to the bottom near where I though it went down, and groped along the bottom, mask in the muck, with my arms outstretched hovering over the bottom, hoping to brush against the Mavic with my wingspan. I knew that stirring up the muck would spell disaster, and a permanently lost drone...so for the first time that day, I was trying to be careful.

I would swim for about 10 feet or so in the direction that I thought it was, trying to set up a grid search pattern. When I would surface to check out my position and heading (I didn't have my compass), I often found myself facing 180 degrees from my desired heading. The visibility was so poor, I literally could not navigate in a straight line underwater. After trying this for about an hour, I decided to change strategy. I swam to shore, and was amazed to find that my phone had recorded the moments just before impact, and even had the GPS coordinates at impact. I grabbed a handheld GPS, and jumped in my Grady White. Motored 100 yards to the last reported coordinates, and dropped the hook. (hopefully not on top of my drowned bird) Dove in again, and tied a 20 foot line around the anchor, and the other end to me. I figured I would swim concentric circles, and after each 360 loop, would shorten the line by 2 feet. By the end I will have searched over 1000 ft/sq. If I hadn't found it, I would move the anchor.

I found it on my third loop. Swam right over it...nearly bumped into it with my mask. Despite a 40mph impact with water, the Mavic was completely intact with no discernible physical damage. Returned to shore, and dropped the bird and battery into a 5 gallon bucket of de-ionized water for 24 hours. Then followed it with 48 hours in rice. Powered it up. Nothing. No lights, nothing. Even tried another battery...nothing.

I bought the DJI Care Refresh (dumb name but a lifesaver). I knew that to get the insurance to pay off, you had to recover the drone. (for obvious reasons). But, I was also under the assumption that water damage was NOT covered. So I started posting to this forum to buy another Mavic without the RC. Someone asked me if I bought the Care Refresh, and I said yes. He said "you're covered" as long as you have the drone in your possession, and sent me the link to the policy. I was exuberant...and my wife's mood went from dour to neutral when she realized I might not have wasted $1000.

Anyway, after sending it in, paying 79$, and being droneless for 6 weeks. I now have a new Mavic, a getter-back, and a new mindset that almost never flys in sport mode.

Furthermore, if I find myself distracted in any way, I let it hover, regain my concentration, and resume. Pulling back with your left hand to climb is NOT a long term sustainable solution with this remote control like it is from the captain's seat of a Boeing 777.

And I credit this forum for reminding me that the $99 insurance I paid for covers nearly everything, even water damage...as long as you find the drone.

 

[erkme73]

Here's another success story...albeit not as successful as the OP.

Flying in Sport mode (not always smart) low over the salt water at nearly 40mph. Wanted to swoop up at the end of my 100 yard run like I've done hundreds of times before. In a moment of distraction, not concentrating, etc, I did what ACTUAL PILOTS do with their left hand when they want to climb. (I fly big airplanes for a major airline) I pulled back on the left stick...and immediately caused a spectacular splash. Stood there stunned.

The water was a canal system in a residential area, about 15' deep. The water although clean, is heavily colored with tannin from the mangroves and suffers from typical visibility around 6 inches. Although almost sick to my stomach (I'd only had the Mavic for a month), I grabbed my scuba gear, jumped in and swam near where I thought it crashed. I went to the bottom near where I though it went down, and groped along the bottom, mask in the muck, with my arms outstretched hovering over the bottom, hoping to brush against the Mavic with my wingspan. I knew that stirring up the muck would spell disaster, and a permanently lost drone...so for the first time that day, I was trying to be careful.

I would swim for about 10 feet or so in the direction that I thought it was, trying to set up a grid search pattern. When I would surface to check out my position and heading (I didn't have my compass), I often found myself facing 180 degrees from my desired heading. The visibility was so poor, I literally could not navigate in a straight line underwater. After trying this for about an hour, I decided to change strategy. I swam to shore, and was amazed to find that my phone had recorded the moments just before impact, and even had the GPS coordinates at impact. I grabbed a handheld GPS, and jumped in my Grady White. Motored 100 yards to the last reported coordinates, and dropped the hook. (hopefully not on top of my drowned bird) Dove in again, and tied a 20 foot line around the anchor, and the other end to me. I figured I would swim concentric circles, and after each 360 loop, would shorten the line by 2 feet. By the end I will have searched over 1000 ft/sq. If I hadn't found it, I would move the anchor.

I found it on my third loop. Swam right over it...nearly bumped into it with my mask. Despite a 40mph impact with water, the Mavic was completely intact with no discernible physical damage. Returned to shore, and dropped the bird and battery into a 5 gallon bucket of de-ionized water for 24 hours. Then followed it with 48 hours in rice. Powered it up. Nothing. No lights, nothing. Even tried another battery...nothing.

I bought the DJI Care Refresh (dumb name but a lifesaver). I knew that to get the insurance to pay off, you had to recover the drone. (for obvious reasons). But, I was also under the assumption that water damage was NOT covered. So I started posting to this forum to buy another Mavic without the RC. Someone asked me if I bought the Care Refresh, and I said yes. He said "you're covered" as long as you have the drone in your possession, and sent me the link to the policy. I was exuberant...and my wife's mood went from dour to neutral when she realized I might not have wasted $1000.

Anyway, after sending it in, paying 79$, and being droneless for 6 weeks. I now have a new Mavic, a getter-back, and a new mindset that almost never flys in sport mode.

Furthermore, if I find myself distracted in any way, I let it hover, regain my concentration, and resume. Pulling back with your left hand to climb is NOT a long term sustainable solution with this remote control like it is from the captain's seat of a Boeing 777.

And I credit this forum for reminding me that the $99 insurance I paid for covers nearly everything, even water damage...as long as you find the drone.

Usually when I see a post that long, I skim it to get the gist, and move along. Not this time. Hooked me in the first 3 sentences. Great writing style, and wonderful outcome. Congrats, and thanks for posting your mea culpa

 

[maviccoder]

I did what ACTUAL PILOTS do with their left hand when they want to climb. (I fly big airplanes for a major airline) I pulled back on the left stick...and immediately caused a spectacular splash. Stood there stunned.

When the day comes I crash mine, I'll remember this awesome story. Even skilled, experienced, commercial pilots with tons of training can make mistakes. Hopefully I won't need scuba gear when my time comes as I know nothing about that world. Lol