Crash caught on video. What the hell was that?

[Stacyboy]

I crashed my P3 and retreived it from the ground of a lake. The drone was more than 1 meter underwater for more than 10 minutes. Here's the video, the crash starts approx at 00:00:15: for a very short time, there is something visible which seems to be the root cause of the crash, but no idea what it is? I was about to descend from 500 meter above ground, with max. down-speed, the incident started in approx. 250 meter. Even if it looks like someone was shooting down the drone, I think that on of the rotors/motors was torn out due to the high downspeed and because maybe the drone-body was defect fron another crash. What is your opinion?

Anyway, it looks like the drone surveived, at least partially!

Motor

• Stacyboy
• Apr 17, 2016

one motor is definetly defect, maybe twoof them. Now here's my question: whenever I try to start the motors (with only 3 motors attached), I'm getting an ESC status error. (please see picture below). Before I buy a new motor; do you think this error will disapear when 4 motors are attached/connected? I want to avoid buying new motors and having the same issue afterwards. Then i probably would better invest the money in a new the P4. COmments are welcome and appreciated.

ESC Error

• Stacyboy
• Apr 17, 2016

 

[flpholt]

that was weird wonder what happen did a bird crash into it

 

[Stacyboy]

Well, could be, there are hawks and buzzards in this area

 

[Sagebrush]

and because maybe the drone-body was defect fron another crash.

I'm suspicious of a structural failure in the air based on your short statement. Gut feelings are deeper than your gut and are usually based on something that was observed or actually happened.

SB

 

[WetDog]

There is a little white blob underneath the P3 just as the crash starts. ? bird.

Since you have the bird, so to speak, you can download the flight logs as described in innumerable posts. That might give you more info. Hard to say if replacing the known bad motor will help. But, they're about $20 USD so it might be the cheapest way to find out. Otherwise, you could send it to DJI and get an estimate, but then you would be out postage, at least.

 

[Stacyboy]

There is a little white blob underneath the P3 just as the crash starts. ? bird.

Since you have the bird, so to speak, you can download the flight logs as described in innumerable posts. That might give you more info. Hard to say if replacing the known bad motor will help. But, they're about $20 USD so it might be the cheapest way to find out. Otherwise, you could send it to DJI and get an estimate, but then you would be out postage, at least.

Unfortunately the sd-card was damaged too and its no longer recognized under windows, so I just have the cached video from the mobile phone. I will try to restore data from the sd card with a linux system and hopefully the hi-res video will show some more details.

 

[Numone]

Personally, for a $20 motor I'd say it's worth a purchase to test your aircraft.... I really would suggest you fully dismantle it and thoroughly dry it out if you've not already done so...

 

[Stacyboy]

Personally, for a $20 motor I'd say it's worth a purchase to test your aircraft.... I really would suggest you fully dismantle it and thoroughly dry it out if you've not already done so...

I forgot to mention that I need to replace the body. However, I think its worth to give it a try. Not sure if I should buy an original body for 80$ or a china-copy for 29$.

 

[Jason Porembski]

I would replace with original. My main concern is always these things dropping out of the sky. Sure both the knock off and the other may be of the same material and quality but we don't know that you know?


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[With The Birds]

Max decent + yawning, only one extra stick input = CSC.

 

[peterepeat69]

How many flights have you had before this happened?


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[N017RW]

Max decent + yawning, only one extra stick input = CSC.

No, still need full reverse pitch and full left roll.

 

[djtester]

There is a little white blob underneath the P3 just as the crash starts. ? bird.

I see it as a part of a broken propeller. When motor drops out of the arms, propeller hits arm and falls into smaller pieces.
Check do you have scratches on the arm of your aircraft?

 

[With The Birds]

No, still need full reverse pitch and full left roll.

Which is one extra stick movement.

Only a suggestion.

Post not so long ago, spiralled and tumbled to ground like that.

Was CSC.

Can be yes just as much as no.

 

[Imabiggles]

No, still need full reverse pitch and full left roll.

the flight recorder SD in the bird will have the control stick movements recorded. The OP can look at that.

 

[dg8882]

A new motor is not going to fix it. Your main board is toast.
The ESC failing is the whole reason that it fell out of the sky.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[With The Birds]

A new motor is not going to fix it. Your main board is toast.
The ESC failing is the whole reason that it fell out of the sky.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

May be an ESC failure. Not conclusive. If OP recovered .dat file for analysis by the guru's here we wouldn't need to speculate.

 

[dg8882]

May be an ESC failure. Not conclusive. If OP recovered .dat file for analysis by the guru's here we wouldn't need to speculate.

Yes there is a chance ESC fail is not the cause but the bird drops from the sky for no reason, falls in a spiral formation (normal when propulsion is lost in 1 motor) and the ESC unit is having problems afterwards, put the pieces together.

 

[With The Birds]

Yes there is a chance ESC fail is not the cause but the bird drops from the sky for no reason, falls in a spiral formation (normal when propulsion is lost in 1 motor) and the ESC unit is having problems afterwards, put the pieces together.

Powering up with a motor with open circuit on at least one phase (as depicted in the image) the return of an error to the flight controller by the ESC should be expected.

We need flight logs.

Its just as likely the motor sheared off its mounting points on impact.

 

[DroneDog]

Yeah, that white blob is not a bird, it looks like one of the landing legs. I could see the lil black bumper that's on them. Thought at first it was an eye but kept going back to frame by frame as much as possible shows its the leg bumper.
Its interesting why the drone was coming down then all of a sudden jerked, I'm not going to guess why as more experienced have already speculated on it.

Sorry to hear your drone dropped like that, hope you can fix it & find out why.