Woops!

[rbhamilton]

I just had a close call. The drone was quite a distance away (but within sight). I didn't see anything on my phone screen because the sun was so bright but my poor little guy was heading towards some power lines that were in a very unexpected place. And were nearly invisible. The power lines have an incredibly long span from one hill over a stream to the top of another stream without much in the way of poles for support. Although there are some marker balls here and there honestly there aren't very many, they are widely spaced and are very tough to spot. Regulations are a bit slack in rural Canada I guess. I just noticed the power lines as my little guy passed over the first one and missed it by inches. I pulled up and narrowly avoided more lines above. Very close call that could have gone badly. Definitely a place I'll avoid in future. But all's well that ends well I guess.

 

[Porky]

Glad you had a happy ending but good practice is to check the area for hazards first before you fly. No doubt you’d done that but must of missed the power lines.

When I fly back to my home point, my “little guy”.... is always at a decent height just in case.

You learn by your mistakes as they say.

 

[RZR12]

Unfortunately I didn’t have a happy ending, I was bringing my pro zoom in for a landing about 15’ off the ground and saw some little birds off the left corner of my monitor about 100’ away and the next time I looked my drone was doing flips and landed on the ground, it hit my chain link fence and that’s where the damage accoured, probably would have been alright if it hadn’t hit the fence? Anyway it’s on it’s way to DGI for repair. First drone, first accident, was feeling pretty confident with flying after purchasing a mini5 and being able to see where I was at, things can happen pretty fast when you least expect it...Chalk it up to a learning experance.?

 

[Rowder]

I just had a close call. The drone was quite a distance away (but within sight). I didn't see anything on my phone screen because the sun was so bright but my poor little guy was heading towards some power lines that were in a very unexpected place. And were nearly invisible. The power lines have an incredibly long span from one hill over a stream to the top of another stream without much in the way of poles for support. Although there are some marker balls here and there honestly there aren't very many, they are widely spaced and are very tough to spot. Regulations are a bit slack in rural Canada I guess. I just noticed the power lines as my little guy passed over the first one and missed it by inches. I pulled up and narrowly avoided more lines above. Very close call that could have gone badly. Definitely a place I'll avoid in future. But all's well that ends well I guess.

That's why I always carry binoculars and scout around unfamiliar areas.