Video froze at high attitude, still had control but video never came back

[Maverick23]

Anybody have this happen before or know what caused it? I took my Mavic 2 pro straight up above my head and all of a sudden the video froze (maybe it was at about 1300 feet high), but my stats in the app were still working. Like all the numbers on the screen were still telling me accurate information but even as I yawed the drone, looked down, and started to descend, the video feed stayed "paused" at that same frame it initially froze at. Thought maybe I was just too high, but the live video never came back, even after I landed and took the drone inside. Only when I restarted the app on my phone did it refresh. I should have done this in the air for a better test, but was too afraid. It's hard for me to say if it was the drone or the phone/app that was the problem, because the stats showing in the app were always working fine. Any thoughts?

 

[Johnmcl7]

What phone were you using?

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Anybody have this happen before or know what caused it? I took my Mavic 2 pro straight up above my head and all of a sudden the video froze (maybe it was at about 1300 feet high), but my stats in the app were still working. Like all the numbers on the screen were still telling me accurate information but even as I yawed the drone, looked down, and started to descend, the video feed stayed "paused" at that same frame it initially froze at. Thought maybe I was just too high, but the live video never came back, even after I landed and took the drone inside. Only when I restarted the app on my phone did it refresh. I should have done this in the air for a better test, but was too afraid. It's hard for me to say if it was the drone or the phone/app that was the problem, because the stats showing in the app were always working fine. Any thoughts?

Nice 1300 ft , so that is pretty high to be straight overhead, most likely should have been slightly in front of you to keep the attenas pointed in the right direction..

Also depends on how fast your climbing , but 1300 ft is pretty high, are you able post any of the video ?

 

[Maverick23]

What phone were you using?

What phone were you using?

iPhone 6s

 

[Thomas B]

It is possible, as mentioned above, that you needed to tilt the controller to point the antenna output at your bird. Then again it could just be a software hang.

 

[Maverick23]

Nice 1300 ft , so that is pretty high to be straight overhead, most likely should have been slightly in front of you to keep the attenas pointed in the right direction..

Also depends on how fast your climbing , but 1300 ft is pretty high, are you able post any of the video ?

I had the two antennas pointed perpendicular to the drone. Nothing crazy in the 4k video, it was not affected.

 

[Maverick23]

It is possible, as mentioned above, that you needed to tilt the controller to point the antenna output at your bird. Then again it could just be a software hang.

I always have the two antennas pointed perpendicular to the drone so I don't think it was that. Hopefully something with the software at the time where the video signal was being received but not integrated into the display. I really hope it was an outlying one-time occurrence.

 

[Ciotog]

I had it happen to me the other day, but everything froze. None of the information was updating. I had to visually fly it home. I think the app froze when I accidentally hit the "center gimble" button on the controller. I restarted the app and all was fine, but still scary.

 

[deleted member 877]

I always have the two antennas pointed perpendicular to the drone so I don't think it was that. Hopefully something with the software at the time where the video signal was being received but not integrated into the display. I really hope it was an outlying one-time occurrence.

Is it legal to fly a drone higher than 400' where you were operating?

 

[Mr. Salty]

I always have the two antennas pointed perpendicular to the drone so I don't think it was that. Hopefully something with the software at the time where the video signal was being received but not integrated into the display. I really hope it was an outlying one-time occurrence.

However, the orientation of the antenna on the drone that transmits back to you was in its normal, fixed orientation. Directly overhead is not ideal for signal strength.

 

[rfc]

Is it legal to fly a drone higher than 400' where you were operating?

I'm curious to know how the answer to that question would impact troubleshooting the issue at hand.

 

[deleted member 877]

I'm curious to know how the answer to that question would impact troubleshooting the issue at hand.

The answer to my question is indeed totally irrelevant but I would still like to know why the OP was flying at more than three times the legal maximum altitude.

I’m suggesting that there may have been a legitimate reason for doing so.

 

[Mr. Salty]

The answer to my question is indeed totally irrelevant but I would still like to know why the OP was flying at more than three times the legal maximum altitude.

First you asked whether it was legal, now you’re assuming it wasn’t. Sounds like your mind was already made up.

If the OP is in the U.S. there currently is no legal altitude limit for hobbyists.

 

[deleted member 877]

• First you asked whether it was legal, now you’re assuming it wasn’t. Sounds like your mind was already made up.
  
  If the OP is in the U.S. there currently is no legal altitude limit for hobbyists.

  
  Ok then let's assume the OP was operating in the U.S. but let us also look at this from another perspective. There was no way that, with the drone at 1,300 feet, the VLOS rule was not being broken. You would need to have super-hero vision to be able to see a Mavic 2 at that altitude.
  
  An excerpt from the FAA site under the heading, "Recreational Fliers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations" follows:-
  
  Step 2: Review the Rules
  It is important to review the rules for flying your drone, prior to your first flight.
  • Fly only for fun or recreation
  • Follow the safety guidelines of a model aircraft community-based organization
  • Fly at or below 400 feet when in uncontrolled airspace (Class G)
  • Fly within visual line-of-sight, meaning you as the drone operator use your own eyes and needed contacts or glasses (without binoculars), to ensure you can see your drone at all times.
  • Never fly near other aircraft.
  • Never fly over groups of people, public events, or stadiums full of people.
  • Never fly near or over emergency response efforts.
  I know there is contention as to what is a Guideline versus Rule versus Law etc but the above does state "Rules", not "Guidelines".

 

[DanMan32]

Airmap is already following 101E. They no longer supply 5 mile circles but instead the airspace class if not G. They do admit FAA hasn't stipulated rules for authorization though.

They really messed up the app. It used to show ceilings near me because of runway glide slope.

I wish they would show a legend for their colors.

 

[rfc]

I know there is contention as to what is a Guideline versus Rule versus Law

Did you know that it's very rude to hijack another poster's thread? Think of it as a Guideline, not a Rule.

 

[dirkclod]

• 
  
  Ok then let's assume the OP was operating in the U.S. but let us also look at this from another perspective. There was no way that, with the drone at 1,300 feet, the VLOS rule was not being broken. You would need to have super-hero vision to be able to see a Mavic 2 at that altitude.
  
  An excerpt from the FAA site under the heading, "Recreational Fliers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations" follows:-
  
  Step 2: Review the Rules
  It is important to review the rules for flying your drone, prior to your first flight.
  • Fly only for fun or recreation
  • Follow the safety guidelines of a model aircraft community-based organization
  • Fly at or below 400 feet when in uncontrolled airspace (Class G)
  • Fly within visual line-of-sight, meaning you as the drone operator use your own eyes and needed contacts or glasses (without binoculars), to ensure you can see your drone at all times.
  • Never fly near other aircraft.
  • Never fly over groups of people, public events, or stadiums full of people.
  • Never fly near or over emergency response efforts.
• I know there is contention as to what is a Guideline versus Rule versus Law etc but the above does state "Rules", not "Guidelines".

Please do not hyjack threads & this

• 15. The Forum Owners strongly encourage users to obey all federal and local laws and regulations when flying. It is a helpful service to the community when members guide others in understanding and following the regulations. Meanwhile, fully understanding all international rules and regulations is complex and it is not the responsibility of the forum owners, moderators or community members to police and enforce these rules and regulations. Any violation of another community rule, even if in the context of attempting to help enforce flying laws and regulations, is prohibited.

 

[diverdave]

I had this problem with iPhone 6 and my Mavic. Restarting the app in flight worked but was not a good solution. I eventually cleared the cache on the app. Pull down the gear icon then find the clear cache option. That solved my problem. Now I clear the cache on a semi-regular basis.

 

[Mr. Salty]

I found this illustration on the interwebs and it kind of illustrates what I think the problem is. Imagine a similar field of transmission coming off the drone.

I can't find a link to where I read a caution about flying directly overhead, but orienting the transmitter's antenna toward the drone is the right move, and it does ensure you keep control of the aircraft. The problem is that the antennas in the drone that transmit video back to the controller can't change their orientation. They're aimed out, not down. And 1,300 feet straight up is likely far enough to result in a weak video signal coming from the drone, even though you have a strong signal in the opposite direction to control it. Video dropouts are the first thing to happen when the signal gets weak.

There was no way that, with the drone at 1,300 feet, the VLOS rule was not being broken. You would need to have super-hero vision to be able to see a Mavic 2 at that altitude.

I've watched a friend of mine shoot video of an antenna tower that was 1,200 feet tall. His Mavic Pro was higher than the top of the tower. I'm in my mid-50s, wear contacts and have astigmatism and I could see the dark gray Mavic against the blue sky with no problem whatsoever.

 

[Buddy PR]

Please do not hyjack threads & this

• 15. The Forum Owners strongly encourage users to obey all federal and local laws and regulations when flying. It is a helpful service to the community when members guide others in understanding and following the regulations. Meanwhile, fully understanding all international rules and regulations is complex and it is not the responsibility of the forum owners, moderators or community members to police and enforce these rules and regulations. Any violation of another community rule, even if in the context of attempting to help enforce flying laws and regulations, is prohibited.

Thanks!