What to expect during loss of GPS

[HoosierFlyer]

Hi, has anyone here ever lost GPS signal mid-flight with their Mavic Air 2 yet? I'm not asking because it has happened to me, but upon seeing some crash footage from other drones, their behavior was that the drone would just drift around without being able to control it all.
Does this same behavior happen with the MA2? What has been your experience?

 

[Brockrock]

If you lose GPS, your copter will go into ATTI Mode which maintains only altitude and attitude, but not position. This means that if there is wind, the copter will drift with the wind, and if you manually move it forward/backward/side to side, it will then coast without breaking when you go neutral on the controls. ATTI Mode used to be a mode that was user selectable on prior DJI systems which allowed for practicing in this mode if loss of GPS occurred, but for some reason, DJI took this Mode away.

 

[rene010]

So there is no OPTI mode on the MA2

If you lose GPS, your copter will go into ATTI Mode which maintains only altitude and attitude, but not position. This means that if there is wind, the copter will drift with the wind, and if you manually move it forward/backward/side to side, it will then coast without breaking when you go neutral on the controls. ATTI Mode used to be a mode that was user selectable on prior DJI systems which allowed for practicing in this mode if loss of GPS occurred, but for some reason, DJI took this Mode away.

 

[Ars3nal3432]

If GPS is lost couldn't the drone RTH via the log? Just backtrack the user input to the point of take off?

 

[HoosierFlyer]

If GPS is lost couldn't the drone RTH via the log? Just backtrack the user input to the point of take off?

In a world without environmental factors such as wind, this would in theory work. But, if the drone had a tail wind or head wind, it would undershoot or overshoot a lot of the movements while "back tracking" to it's home position.

 

[HoosierFlyer]

If you lose GPS, your copter will go into ATTI Mode which maintains only altitude and attitude, but not position. This means that if there is wind, the copter will drift with the wind, and if you manually move it forward/backward/side to side, it will then coast without breaking when you go neutral on the controls. ATTI Mode used to be a mode that was user selectable on prior DJI systems which allowed for practicing in this mode if loss of GPS occurred, but for some reason, DJI took this Mode away.

Ah, so all those flight hours from flying a cheap drone without GPS will really help is what you're saying lol.
Thanks for the clarification on the topic.

 

[Brockrock]

So there is no OPTI mode on the MA2

This mode is not selectable by the pilot, but unfortunately, the copter will auto switch into it if GPS is lost..

 

[Brockrock]

Ah, so all those flight hours from flying a cheap drone without GPS will really help is what you're saying lol.
Thanks for the clarification on the topic.

For sure. It’s a must skill to have for any UAV pilot IMO.

 

[rene010]

This mode is not selectable by the pilot, but unfortunately, the copter will auto switch into it if GPS is lost..

Okay, so it works just like the MA1, when GPS signal loss it goes in OPTI (if enough daylight), if not it goes to ATTI and all this modes are not able select manually

 

[DavidT_ NZ]

If the GPS fix is lost, I would assume that line of sight and/or the RC/drone position indicator on screen become the only way to bring the drone home. With the drone lowering and with gimbal down, to centre the cross hairs over the landing pad target, maybe the visual positioning at launch will then take over to assist the landing - with manual control into Tripod Mode, for the final stage adjustments.

 

[Meta4]

Hi, has anyone here ever lost GPS signal mid-flight with their Mavic Air 2 yet? I'm not asking because it has happened to me, but upon seeing some crash footage from other drones, their behavior was that the drone would just drift around without being able to control it all.
Does this same behavior happen with the MA2? What has been your experience?

If you are flying out in the open, loss of GPS is very rare.
It's so rare I wouldn't consider it anything to worry about at all.

If GPS is lost couldn't the drone RTH via the log? Just backtrack the user input to the point of take off?

For RTH to work the drone has to know where it is, where home is, how it is progressing towards home and know when it has arrived at home.
None of that is possible without GPS.

 

[SpitFire]

A lot of very good answers, that is way its important to have a list of what to
do in a Emergency. And, to always have VLOS of your drone, you can bring it home manually. Be able to pick a spot to land at your discretion. If you have a Low aircraft battery, Critical error, lost satelite connection, compass error,
abort RTH, weak control signal. I have been flying only 3 years, put have picked up on Emergency procedure, and VLOS.