Caution needed when setting RTH

[fclark]

The 30 meters default for RTH function is a problem. I think it would be much more better if the RTH climbed the quad to 30 m above the flying altitude. I explain: I was flying at 90 meters when a RTH ocurred. So the Phantom "climbed" to 30 meters... in other words it came down over a 12 stages building (40 m high) and fell down trying to reach the 30m altitude. OK that was my fault because I should have set a 120 m altitude for RTH. But always I will do this now. The problem is that "always" we need to configure this, for it returns to 30 m before each fly.

 

[msinger]

If you were flying at 90 meters, your Phantom should have started returning at that altitude. It does not lower itself to the RTH altitude if it's already above that.

 

[fclark]

If you were flying at 90 meters, your Phantom should have started returning at that altitude. It does not lower itself to the RTH altitude if it's already above that.

Yes. That was what I expected, but it didnt't keep the altitude and lowed to 30m, unfortunately.

 

[msinger]

Interesting. You're the first person I've ever seen mention this happening.

 

[yorlik]

I had a loss of rc signal as a newbie on like my 3rd flight. never changed rth height from default 30m(90ft)? height yet.... flew at 200ft over the 150ft trees and lost site and RC sig. drove around trying to find it... 15 min later phone pops up 'rth'. i hightailed it back to take off point and watched it come back - at 200ft height to home point, THEN begin to descend. proved to me the manual's description of rth will be at rth programmed height - OR HIGHER if flying higher at time of rth.

so, as msinger said, something in your description does not jive with the facts.

 

[RoyVa]

The Phantom will maintain its current altitude if it is above the set RTH and return at that altitude. The only reason it would decend would be if it hit critical battery level at 8% then it would auto land where ever it was. Do you know how much juice you had?

 

[msinger]

It would also descend if there were not 6+ satellites when RTH was initiated.

 

[fclark]

I had 8 sattelites in GPS before take off and the battery was over 90%. The camera continued the video capture after crash for 15 minutes.I saw it falling and staying "alive" until the battery charge ends. I still don't understand why it lower to 30 meters (90 ft) in its RTH procedure.

 

[msinger]

It would be helpful to see the video.

 

[fclark]

In my screen I saw: first - Connection Broken; second - Coming Home; third - a frozen image of the place of landing. When I rescued the drone I watched the full video ~ 20 minutes and the last 15 minutes shows the lowering, a crash near a wall of an apartment at the top of a building and the sky. The display of my mobile phone was static keeping the last image transmitted. I have now one propeller crashed and one motor burned. I'll fix this and check the RTH function in an open area later. I understand it should never lower before arrival at the home point at the altitude it was when connection breaks.