Water Landing Survival

[Gobogo22]

I believe my "landing" into a river must have been pilot air. I was slowing cruising up a river over a beautiful swimming hole at approximately three feet above the water when for who knows why my MVP 2 informed me it was going to land and it did. It was in the crystal clear Scott River in far NW California for no more than 10 minutes. I dried it out in the sun and then the Hasselblad was left in rice for two days and everything seems perfectly normal. What took the most time was the lens clearing itself of the moisture.

I had gone into the forum and read many water stories so I do feel very fortunate. My question to everyone is why would the ship just decide to land? Fortunately I was only 50 yards from it when it went down but there had been times when it was either up river or down river over a 1000 feet. It is very rugged and I might not have been able to find it had it gone down when it was that far out.

 

[old man mavic]

it was more than likely that the downwards sensors were fooled by the reflections from the water also another reason would be very low battery and because it was close to the home point it decided to land instead of a RTH

 

[ZX14-R]

Water - Not a drones best friend

 

[msinger]

My question to everyone is why would the ship just decide to land?

Check out your TXT flight log to see if it explains what happened. You can upload and view it online here. If you'd like other people to review and comment on your flight log, then please post a link back here after you upload it.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Rice is not the best thing to use when trying to dry out something. It is commonly suggested but that is incorrect information. You would be far better off getting a load of silica get packets and do it that way for future info for anyone. Glad you managed to get it dried out though.

 

[Photo Hunter]

Rice is not the best thing to use when trying to dry out something. It is commonly suggested but that is incorrect information. You would be far better off getting a load of silica get packets and do it that way for future info for anyone. Glad you managed to get it dried out though.

This is a good point & I'll add that silica based cat litter is readily available and reasonably inexpensive. Would seem the perfect choice for tasks such as this.

 

[SmokingJoe]

I believe my "landing" into a river must have been pilot air. I was slowing cruising up a river over a beautiful swimming hole at approximately three feet above the water when for who knows why my MVP 2 informed me it was going to land and it did. It was in the crystal clear Scott River in far NW California for no more than 10 minutes. I dried it out in the sun and then the Hasselblad was left in rice for two days and everything seems perfectly normal. What took the most time was the lens clearing itself of the moisture.

I had gone into the forum and read many water stories so I do feel very fortunate. My question to everyone is why would the ship just decide to land? Fortunately I was only 50 yards from it when it went down but there had been times when it was either up river or down river over a 1000 feet. It is very rugged and I might not have been able to find it had it gone down when it was that far out.

If I fly over water I use the floatation balls installed on the legs. Mine are colored pink (red) and green so in accordance with standard aviation and nautical practice, the green are place on the right side and red on the left. The strut LEDs illuminate the floats too so it is easy to find the drone when the lighting is low. You might want to invest in a set before flying near water.

 

[Cymruflyer]

If I fly over water I use the floatation balls installed on the legs. Mine are colored pink (red) and green so in accordance with standard aviation and nautical practice, the green are place on the right side and red on the left. The strut LEDs illuminate the floats too so it is easy to find the drone when the lighting is low. You might want to invest in a set before flying near water.

That is why we don't use right and left in Aviation or boating because one person might assume you mean as they look at your craft but you might be meaning as you look at the craft from behind or while sitting in it. Therefore, always state starboard or Port because there is simply no mistaking what side that is when those terms are used.

 

[SpitFire]

I agree with old man Mavic. That, down ward sensors were fooled flying 3 feet above the water. Epically, if in tripod mode.
I always have my pontoons on the skids when flying that low and slow over water.
For that very reason, bird starts to descend
into the water. No, problem flying that low when moving faster. I would love to know the TXT flight log review on that one.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I believe my "landing" into a river must have been pilot air. I was slowing cruising up a river over a beautiful swimming hole at approximately three feet above the water when for who knows why my MVP 2 informed me it was going to land and it did. It was in the crystal clear Scott River in far NW California for no more than 10 minutes. I dried it out in the sun and then the Hasselblad was left in rice for two days and everything seems perfectly normal. What took the most time was the lens clearing itself of the moisture.

I had gone into the forum and read many water stories so I do feel very fortunate. My question to everyone is why would the ship just decide to land? Fortunately I was only 50 yards from it when it went down but there had been times when it was either up river or down river over a 1000 feet. It is very rugged and I might not have been able to find it had it gone down when it was that far out.

For future reference, you should still have been able to override the landing, if you were quick enough on the left stick, to counter the descent, after seeing the notification. The only truly uncancellable descent occurs when the lowest battery cell drops below 3.0V, which only happens well below 0% battery. At all other times, you still have full control, and can still ascend with full left stick, defeating the so called "forced" landing.

 

[wildwest450]

Damprid works exceptionally well on cell phones, so i'm assuming it would work on the MP2 as well. I just sprinkle some in a ziplock bag and lay the phone on top of it. You just have to be careful with the small pieces getting where they shouldn't be

 

[passedpawn]

Damprid works exceptionally well on cell phones, so i'm assuming it would work on the MP2 as well. I just sprinkle some in a ziplock bag and lay the phone on top of it. You just have to be careful with the small pieces getting where they shouldn't be

Right. BTW, Damprid is nothing more than calcium chloride, which is commonly sold for salting sidewalks and driveways for people who live in the cold areas. For us southerners, pool stores sell it also. I guess most people don't need that much, so perhaps useless trivia.

While damprid does work, an electric humidifier works faster, and they aren't much more $ than damprid. They use a thermo-electric cooling plate (peltier) to condense water vapor, which then goes into a little reservoir. I use one of these inside a compartment I use for cheese and salami making - works great. Many uses for such a thing.

Amazon.com - Afloia Portable Small Dehumidifier for Bathroom, Electic Mini Home dehumidifier for Home Deshumidificador Home Dehumidifier for Baby Room Bathroom Space Bedroom RV Basement, Caravan, Office (500ml) -

Amazon.com - Afloia Portable Small Dehumidifier for Bathroom, Electic Mini Home dehumidifier for Home Deshumidificador Home Dehumidifier for Baby Room Bathroom Space Bedroom RV Basement, Caravan, Office (500ml) -

www.amazon.com

 

[Mike4884]

So crazy because i used to fly all the time around water with mav pro 1 and 2 ....no problems..... although i did find if u are hard on it and u get a quick flash of "max motor speed" across screen sometimes it will announce it is landing if u dont get off controls....

 

[GadgetGuy]

So crazy because i used to fly all the time around water with mav pro 1 and 2 ....no problems..... although i did find if u are hard on it and u get a quick flash of "max motor speed" across screen sometimes it will announce it is landing if u dont get off controls....

I fly low over the surf all the time, with all my DJI aircraft and have never seen such a message, but would certainly immediately cancel the descent with full left stick, if I ever did see it! "Landing now" merely means if you don't take over control and override it.

 

[Spike151]

I believe that if you fly into a DJI nominated red no fly zone, your craft will also auto land ignoring all inputs from the sticks or sensors, but I stand to be corrected on this.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I believe that if you fly into a DJI nominated red no fly zone, your craft will also auto land ignoring all inputs from the sticks or sensors, but I stand to be corrected on this.

I believe you can, at the very least, hold your elevation while navigating out and away from the NFZ, but if not, that is the rare exception to the "Landing Now" being able to be overridden. The only time I am aware of that you cannot override it is when one of the battery cells drops below 3.0V. The descent thereafter cannot be stopped, but If properly anticipated, by climbing high enough before then, one can even effectively cancel it, and still fly farther, on a long glide path descent, as the descent is quite slow and controlled, still designed for a safe landing.

 

[lrsn]

Cymruflyer,
Regarding your post, my experience with over 50 years in Aviation since the 1950s, everyone in Aviation understands that right or left is from the pilot's view looking forward. I was taught back in the 50s that two "Rs" don't go together. For example "Right" Wing and "Right" Nav Light do not belong together! I have absolutely no idea of Port and Starboard directions. I was Air Force, not Navy, I'm not into boating, and I don't drink wine! The two "Rs" are also used in Aviation Maintenance.

 

[PhoebeSnow]

My first Mavic Pro bad experience was over a lake when the Mavic stopped on the RTH with a message obstacle avoidance? Say what - I'm over a lake for heavens sake. Turned out to be sun reflection fooling the drone. I was too new to know the various corrective options and didn't even know where the screen was to turn off the OA. I turned back flying back away from home and across the lake and then flew along the lake shoreline landing home with only 7% battery power left. A very close call. Where I read the forums as a newbie two years ago I never saw a single post re: water reflection at that time to be aware of the issue as all of my flights start over water as all of the action is across the lake.

 

[skiptv]

The Mavics will Auto land at about 2 feet off the ground. Flying over Water screws with the drones sensors, in some cases, most cases it thinks it is lower than it is and so as you find out it lands. Happens on boats all the time. So an answer to your question and not a lot of Word Salad BS

 

[MPPilot]

This is a good point & I'll add that silica based cat litter is readily available and reasonably inexpensive. Would seem the perfect choice for tasks such as this.

What you really want to watch out for is any dust from the rice or cat litter that could enter while drying out. Getting the dust off the lens and sensor could be a major undertaking. I usually (thankfully not that often) get as much water out as I can and set it in front of a table fan for a few days.