Crashed my drone today on a lake

Thank you for looking into this, I really appreciate it. When you get a chance, can you go more into depth why that's the case. thank you.

Manual says to not take off with a battery below 100%... Maybe that glitched it?
 
I can definitely understand that, but there have been instincts where i have taken off at 50-60% battery level without any problems. But again, i could be wrong obviously.
 
I thought there was a reported known issue with batteries if you shut the props down, then start up and take off again with a less than full battery.
Or am I mistaking that for an issue with the Inspires? Can't keep track now that I fly both.
 
I thought there was a reported known issue with batteries if you shut the props down, then start up and take off again with a less than full battery.
Or am I mistaking that for an issue with the Inspires? Can't keep track now that I fly both.

Nope. Not with mine anyway. I often do a series of short flights to record something like a series of boat races. Never an issue.
 
I thought there was a reported known issue with batteries if you shut the props down, then start up and take off again with a less than full battery.
Or am I mistaking that for an issue with the Inspires? Can't keep track now that I fly both.
I've done that 100 times with no issues, maybe I was just lucky. I fly around and test landing and take offs.
 
I think it is fine to fly the same day, 2 or 3 flights down to 30%.

Personally I would never take off with less than 50% even just for a short flight. And never less than 100% if the Lipo has been sitting for a few days and still indicates even 80%, I would charge that before flying again.
 
Nope. Not with mine anyway. I often do a series of short flights to record something like a series of boat races. Never an issue.

Ditto. Two short flights per battery is pretty normal for me, as is flying over water.
 
A few weeks ago I took off with 54% battery and within 30 seconds my P3P started going drop on critical low power, but it still had 51%. I learned my lesson, I will never fly without a full charge again
 
A few weeks ago I took off with 54% battery and within 30 seconds my P3P started going drop on critical low power, but it still had 51%. I learned my lesson, I will never fly without a full charge again

This is the exact issue I've seen mentioned and that it took a firmware update to address it. Batteries in the 50% area, the software think they're flatter than they are and they drop to critical levels really fast.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
This is the exact issue I've seen mentioned and that it took a firmware update to address it. Batteries in the 50% area, the software think they're flatter than they are and they drop to critical levels really fast.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Firmware update for what? Mine was on the latest everything ( still current ) when mine fell from the sky.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
 
Wow scary! I also experience it three times until now i couldnt figure it out. All flight calibrated and fully charge or updates before take. In diffrent occasion first half a mile sea flight my signal lost and alarm sounded. hit right away RTH. Then another under side of a bridge when auto take off it just move going right away without touchng the nav control so it crash in the bushes try flying it if no damage? After a 100ft it started driftng and if i move the sticks it just move to the same reverse directions as if somethings got control of p3p. It fly gettng farther that cant see it anymore what i did push altitude higher then hit RTH. Until it came to my site i drop altitude and run to it almost 1km. Because im afraid if touch the nav controls it will drift away again. So weird went home the clean the p3p from crash thank God! nothing broke. recalibrated again and test it over many times but there was no problem tsk,tsk? I just wonder of what happened?
 
Thank you for looking into this, I really appreciate it. When you get a chance, can you go more into depth why that's the case. thank you.

You mentioned calibrating the compass before hand. But the flight log does not show it taking place prior to flight. It shows you use Auto Flight. Do you use the Liftoff and Land function on the screen?

On the last 2 seconds of data the nose of the aircraft gets pulled or forced up to +20 degrees. The nose of the a/c went from east, to southeast, to northeast.The side of the a/c(aircraft) was tilted actually pretty far down to compensate for strong wind prior to the bird, and when the bird attacked, it took it down a little further and then raised it to almost level status before releasing the a/c. And finally, the bird actually lifted the a/c up 5ft higher in altitude before releasing.

I checked over 100 different forms of data stats available to me, and everything else checked out to be ok. The only thing I have a limited amount of data for is 100% of the R/C. I can see the activity of the stick movement, flight mode switch, and the RTH button. There was no what I call red flag warnings. Nothing pointing to the compass. Nothing pointing to bad gps signal.

Prior to spending time looking at the data I had doubts concerning the battery. But I did not see any red flags in battery data.

I hope this info helps.
 
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It was a bird attack ... little doubt about that. I fly over water often, and I keep the bird well within sight, and I always have a "spotter" with me to look out for the first sign of sea birds, which seem to be the most ferociously territorial of all I encounter.
 
You mentioned calibrating the compass before hand. But the flight log does not show it taking place prior to flight. It shows you use Auto Flight. Do you use the Liftoff and Land function on the screen?

On the last 2 seconds of data the nose of the aircraft gets pulled or forced up to +20 degrees. The nose of the a/c went from east, to southeast, to northeast.The side of the a/c(aircraft) was tilted actually pretty far down to compensate for strong wind prior to the bird, and when the bird attacked, it took it down a little further and then raised it to almost level status before releasing the a/c. And finally, the bird actually lifted the a/c up 5ft higher in altitude before releasing.

I checked over 100 different forms of data stats available to me, and everything else checked out to be ok. The only thing I have a limited amount of data for is 100% of the R/C. I can see the activity of the stick movement, flight mode switch, and the RTH button. There was no what I call red flag warnings. Nothing pointing to the compass. Nothing pointing to bad gps signal.

Prior to spending time looking at the data I had doubts concerning the battery. But I did not see any red flags in battery data.

I hope this info helps.


Thank you for the help. Yes, i took off the phantom using the liftoff and land function on the iPad screen.
 
Thank you for the help. Yes, i took off the phantom using the liftoff and land function on the iPad screen.

Ok that better explains the data I was running into on your situation. Those functions are commands that come from the app and I'm not so sure I trust them. I prefer to have as much control as possible in both situations with manual launch and land.
 
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It was a bird attack ... little doubt about that. I fly over water often, and I keep the bird well within sight, and I always have a "spotter" with me to look out for the first sign of sea birds, which seem to be the most ferociously territorial of all I encounter.
Agree with this statement... highly likely it was a bird attack. These things look just like prey to falcons, hawks, and eagles.
 
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They also see them as potential competition for food and mates. Looks like another strange bird to them, and they don't like strangers.

What can be done to keep the birds away from the quad? A loud beeper or something like that?
 
What can be done to keep the birds away from the quad? A loud beeper or something like that?
Best thing is to keep the MR in visual range at all times and keep an eye out for birds. If the birds show up back off, they are just defending territory, so if you back off they normally leave you alone, they may follow for a while, but as long as you are backing off you should be OK.

Early detection of birds is the key.

I have flown with birds quite a bit with sail plane models. I have shared thermal with buzzards and hawks. That never seems to be a problem. As a matter of fact they are one of the best indicators of thermals. You can tell right away if you bother them or if they accept you in their thermal. I have had them come from far away an join my thermals as well.

If you fly close to a nest with chicks, an attack is pretty much guaranteed. Crows will attack defending the colony. And even Bluejays will attack a really large bird near their nest, smaller birds do the same, they mob bigger birds.

So stay vigilant. If you can't see the MR and what is around it you are vulnerable, I think this is why a lot of them "just fall out of the sky" even a Chickadee can take out a P3P, and it will probably be badly hurt or killed as well.

Respect wildlife. Fly safe and smart, and have fun.
 
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