Avoiding obstacles along RTH if link is lost

[InDemandDrones]

What measures can be taken if the link between controller and bird is lost? RTH will initiate, ascend, and RT homepoint.If a plane, bird, or something unexpectedly appear in the flight path on its route back, and you have no connection, what can you do to avoid a hazard? For the sake of FAA airspace authorizations, how is this safely mitigated?

 

[Newbieguy]

Today I had a close call. I was up on a wooded ridge at 320ft in elevation. I was about 2000 ft out and I lost contact with my drone. I was recording video. After about 45 seconds I regained control. As soon as the video feed returned the first image I saw was my drone missing a radio tower by inches!! I almost had a heart attack!

 

[InDemandDrones]

Close one! You must have not seen the tower prior or you could have set your RTH altitude high enough to go above it before you started. Was that set?

 

[Newbieguy]

I have it set at 70 meters. I just swung far around it on the way up. It just happened to be almost directly behind it and a few hundred feet past it when I lost contact. I just didn’t take it into account on the flight. I got lucky!