Crashed.....Rookie Mistake

[SteelWarrior]

After reading stories of crashes I have been so careful...till last night...just before sunset the neighbors were shooting fireworks and I though what a awesome idea...shoot some video of the fireworks.
So I take off and fly around a bit then start heading to the area where the fireworks were going off...decided to fly sideways to capture a different angle. Things went well although the video wasn't that great but did capture some fireworks going off. Then all went bad fast...lost video feed due to lower altitude than I normally fly in this area..I didn't realize I still had control of AC and in my attempt to regain AC and move away from fireworks area I backed into a tree on the side of the hill...lost connection for real then.
To dark to go into woods by the time I figured out where it was...was able to find it this morning after climbing down a 200 foot hillside and then a long climb back up.
The picture is as I found it...flew it this afternoon...no damage...not even a broken prop...guessing battery popping loose saved the AC..
So as a Rookie...I have learned several lessons here...watch altitude..watch distance..and keep,level,head at all times..at always let go of controls and use RTH...
VERY RELIEVED ROOKIE...wife no longer chewing [EXPLETIVE REMOVED] and I think i get some sleep tonight..
STEELWARRIOR

 

[DavidW63]

After reading stories of crashes I have been so careful...till last night...just before sunset the neighbors were shooting fireworks and I though what a awesome idea...shoot some video of the fireworks.
So I take off and fly around a bit then start heading to the area where the fireworks were going off...decided to fly sideways to capture a different angle. Things went well although the video wasn't that great but did capture some fireworks going off. Then all went bad fast...lost video feed due to lower altitude than I normally fly in this area..I didn't realize I still had control of AC and in my attempt to regain AC and move away from fireworks area I backed into a tree on the side of the hill...lost connection for real then.
To dark to go into woods by the time I figured out where it was...was able to find it this morning after climbing down a 200 foot hillside and then a long climb back up.
The picture is as I found it...flew it this afternoon...no damage...not even a broken prop...guessing battery popping loose saved the AC..
So as a Rookie...I have learned several lessons here...watch altitude..watch distance..and keep,level,head at all times..at always let go of controls and use RTH...
VERY RELIEVED ROOKIE...wife no longer chewing *** and I think i get some sleep tonight..
STEELWARRIOR

Here is what happened to me in my backyard with the P3 Pro. Close call, first time after 300 flights. Even seasoned pilots almost screw up.
YouTube

 

[Rob-Duran]

After reading stories of crashes I have been so careful...till last night...just before sunset the neighbors were shooting fireworks and I though what a awesome idea...shoot some video of the fireworks.
So I take off and fly around a bit then start heading to the area where the fireworks were going off...decided to fly sideways to capture a different angle. Things went well although the video wasn't that great but did capture some fireworks going off. Then all went bad fast...lost video feed due to lower altitude than I normally fly in this area..I didn't realize I still had control of AC and in my attempt to regain AC and move away from fireworks area I backed into a tree on the side of the hill...lost connection for real then.
To dark to go into woods by the time I figured out where it was...was able to find it this morning after climbing down a 200 foot hillside and then a long climb back up.
The picture is as I found it...flew it this afternoon...no damage...not even a broken prop...guessing battery popping loose saved the AC..
So as a Rookie...I have learned several lessons here...watch altitude..watch distance..and keep,level,head at all times..at always let go of controls and use RTH...
VERY RELIEVED ROOKIE...wife no longer chewing *** and I think i get some sleep tonight..
STEELWARRIOR

I feel for you. Took my P3S to Okauchee Lake in Wisconsin (visiting friends). I'm pretty good at flying on the wide-open Florida golf course by my house, but this was overly ambitious - take off from a small dock surrounded by trees. Thought I had successfully calibrated the compass but evidently did not. First flight over the lake lost the signal at 1000' distance midway over the lake. Fortunately it RTH successfully. BTW, I planned the mission in Litchi - all looked well until I tried to load it and was told I had only one way point (I had 9), so was flying P-mode. Then tried a less ambitious flight to video my friends floating in the lake. Again, I thought the compass was properly calibrated. P3S took off, would not hold position, clipped a shrub, headed for trees then veered into the 2nd story side of a neighbor's house. I had virtually no control over it in P-mode. Luckily it did not fly into a window, hit anyone on the ground or careen into the water. Scary 17 seconds of video! I thought it was a "fatal" accident with the aircraft totaled. I looked the aircraft over carefully but could find only one prop broken. Flew home to Florida today, switched out my props, carefully (and successfully) calibrated the compass and launched. Was very cautious at first but ended up running a couple of my WP missions with absolutely no issues. Lessons learned - make sure the compass is calibrated and fly within your capabilities!!!

 

[SteelWarrior]

Here is what happened to me in my backyard with the P3 Pro. Close call, first time after 300 flights. Even seasoned pilots almost screw up.
YouTube

Gives error loading video

 

[SteelWarrior]

Was a scary feeling not knowing where it went at first..collected my thoughts and went to my tracking on the app and realized I had a chance of finding the pieces at least..MY WIFE WASNT CONVINCED...but..after several hours of no sleep...all ends well and a lesson or two learned..

 

[solentlife]

I feel for you. Took my P3S to Okauchee Lake in Wisconsin (visiting friends). I'm pretty good at flying on the wide-open Florida golf course by my house, but this was overly ambitious - take off from a small dock surrounded by trees. Thought I had successfully calibrated the compass but evidently did not. First flight over the lake lost the signal at 1000' distance midway over the lake. Fortunately it RTH successfully. BTW, I planned the mission in Litchi - all looked well until I tried to load it and was told I had only one way point (I had 9), so was flying P-mode. Then tried a less ambitious flight to video my friends floating in the lake. Again, I thought the compass was properly calibrated. P3S took off, would not hold position, clipped a shrub, headed for trees then veered into the 2nd story side of a neighbor's house. I had virtually no control over it in P-mode. Luckily it did not fly into a window, hit anyone on the ground or careen into the water. Scary 17 seconds of video! I thought it was a "fatal" accident with the aircraft totaled. I looked the aircraft over carefully but could find only one prop broken. Flew home to Florida today, switched out my props, carefully (and successfully) calibrated the compass and launched. Was very cautious at first but ended up running a couple of my WP missions with absolutely no issues. Lessons learned - make sure the compass is calibrated and fly within your capabilities!!!

If you calibrated on the dock - that is most likely the problem. Docks usually have quite a bit of metal in them and your calibration would have only been relevant while still within 'effects' of the dock. Once the AC moves away - it will then interpret the difference as error and you lose compass / directional data.

Losing signal is nothing do with compass on that first incident .... that's just range.

But second incident is likely because of what I describe ... bad location for calibration.

Nigel

 

[Rob-Duran]

Thanks, Nigel. I hadn't considered the dock as the problem, but you undoubtedly are right. I've only had the P3S about two months and, until the lake incident, had been very deliberate in gradually increasing range and planning more elaborate missions. Compass was correctly calibrated for the (only) home point I used. Friends talked me into taking the drone to the lake, which was a totally new area, much tighter take off/landing area than my golf course and generally way out of my comfort zone; I should have trusted my instincts and said no. A learning experience, fortunately nowhere near as painful as it could have been. One good outcome: when the P3S hit the house, I told my friends that I was sure it was totaled; my wife, surprisingly, said "well, you did want a new drone (Mavic Pro)," which I'm taking as clearance to get one in a couple of months! Again, thanks for your comments.

 

[solentlife]

This calibration of Compass is actually generally not necessary unless you move a large significant distance from previous location.

I move 100 ... 200kms and never re-calibrate. If I find a warning - I switch off .. move a bit ... switch on and see what I get. If I still have warning ... then I look around - try to determine if safe place to calibrate. I do not just blindly calibrate because APP says so.

There's nothing wrong with taking the model to your friends and the lake ... just take care to check out where you calibrate IF you do. There's nothing to stop calibrating a short distance away from actual take off point ...
But personally - I do not calibrate unless good reason to. I go to new location and power up ... if all shows good - I fly.

I'm sure someone will now argue with me - but that's my view after reasonable time with a P3 ... (sadly due to my own error and flying too far / too long - I lost mine in the river and when I got back - its not flyable .. ... )

Nigel

 

[Rob-Duran]

Interesting! The lake is about 1400 miles from home but maybe i'd have been better off leaving the compass alone. Thanks for your comments.

 

[solentlife]

Navigation is my primary Career ... and later I moved to Oil business ...

Magnetic Compass has 3 basic factors affect it :

Variation : This is the offset of the Magnetic Pole from true North Pole. It is actually moving slowly away from North Pole and presently lies in far north above Alaska. This then means as you move on earths surface - the angle between True and Magnetic North changes. You can buy charts for this and on standard marine navigation charts you will have notation of the Variation correction to be applied to the compass. It will also give you the annual change to apply.
Therefore you can understand why I say you need to be significant distance moved to see enough change in that correction.

Deviation : This is the effect of the mounting, equipment permanently next to the compass that creates an error. For example a ship. As the ship rotates - the magnetic lines of flux alter and the error usually forms a sine curve of + and - degrees correction.

Local Anomaly : This can be anything from volcanic areas, iron ore deposits, pipes, cables, DOCK fittings, your wrist watch ... anything that is not permanently next to the compass and purely local / momentary. Once you move away from it - compass will then lose influence from it.

Lets look at calibration then. I would be fairly confident that like most electronic magnetic compasses - the Deviation is basically programmed in as an average of the models construction.

The two variables are then Variation and Anomaly. Variation you cannot avoid and the calibration dance will determine the calibration to counter this.
The anomaly is the one that is the killer. It is something we should take care to avoid as far as possible.

That's just a rough guide to it ...

Nigel

 

[dchao]

Hi Rob,
Yep, the AC doesn't change to P-GPS mode until 1 meter above the take off point. So a lot of compass errors won't show up before take off.
It is important to check you have the control of the AC after take-off. If you lost control, either land the AC immediately or not do a CSC and stop the motors, crashing from a height of 1m is still better than hitting a building or injure a person.
Even if you didn't performed a compass calibration before take-off, you still can't rule out a compass failure.

 

[solentlife]

Hi Rob,
Yep, the AC doesn't change to P-GPS mode until 1 meter above the take off point. So a lot of compass errors won't show up before take off.

????????

Please watch this video and particularly BEFORE take-off ... P-GPS with Litchi

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P-GPS mode operates in AC from moment you change to that mode regardless of on or off ground.

It is important to check you have the control of the AC after take-off. If you lost control, either land the AC immediately or not do a CSC and stop the motors, crashing from a height of 1m is still better than hitting a building or injure a person.
Even if you didn't performed a compass calibration before take-off, you still can't rule out a compass failure.

Second part of your post ... fair comment.

 

[dchao]

Before take-off, your drone is sitting on the ground, and not "moving", if there is any magnetic field anomaly or compass malfunctioning, it is very unlikely the drone will be able to detect it.

 

[solentlife]

Before take-off, your drone is sitting on the ground, and not "moving", if there is any magnetic field anomaly or compass malfunctioning, it is very unlikely the drone will be able to detect it.

I'm sorry "dchao" but you are totally wrong again ..... Where do you get this wrong info from ?

Try this experiment ....

Find a location with steel and various ... sit the model there and power up. OH what a surprise ... Compass Error !! Or if really bad a Serious Interference warning.

OR another experiment ...

pick a good area with no problem and power up. Your map will have YOU and the Model Arrow on the map. Now zoom in on the map so you can see both clearly. Now rotate the model where it is - you don't need to even fly. Oh Wow .. the arrow turns pointing in direction model faces ... Oh Mama Mia !!

If what you said was true ... neither of those two would happen ... thousands of posts about Compass Error on start up would never be posted ...

Let us look at it :

Compass is an instrument mechanical or electronic that provides direction in static and dynamic situations.
GPS is an instrument that calculates position of GPS receiver. It repeats the calculation to be able to determine speed and direction. If GPS receiver remains static - then it is not able to accurately determine heading of unit.

When you are hovering / on ground / at any time powered up - the compass provides heading of the model. GPS provides position of the model at that instant. If the model is to RTH - the compass then indicates which direction, GPS keeps calculating positions and gives speed, it will now that model is moving be able to compare direction with compass. But should model stop - then compass again is the only direction instrument.

Seems "dchao" - you and I are destined never to agree !!

Nigel

 

[dchao]

If you don't get the "magnetic interference" message on the ground, it doesn't mean you won't get it once you are airborne.
If you move the drone a few feet away from your steel object, bingo there is no more magnetic interference. But as soon as you are airborne, the AC can still goes out of control. Why? because on the ground, the compass offsets might just be not enough to trigger the "magnetic interference" message. A few feet above ground, the interference could be stronger.
Or it could be that you've incorrectly calibrated your compass on the ground, so the offsets are no longer accurate, once you're airborne, the compass can't maintain the heading and your AC becomes out of control.

 

[solentlife]

If you don't get the "magnetic interference" message on the ground, it doesn't mean you won't get it once you are airborne.
If you move the drone a few feet away from your steel object, bingo there is no more magnetic interference. But as soon as you are airborne, the AC can still goes out of control. Why? because on the ground, the compass offsets might just be not enough to trigger the "magnetic interference" message. A few feet above ground, the interference could be stronger.
Or it could be that you've incorrectly calibrated your compass on the ground, so the offsets are no longer accurate, once you're airborne, the compass can't maintain the heading and your AC becomes out of control.

We know all that ... seems you've just woken up to it - judging by your previous wrong statements....

"Before take-off, your drone is sitting on the ground, and not "moving", if there is any magnetic field anomaly or compass malfunctioning, it is very unlikely the drone will be able to detect it."

Nigel

 

[dchao]

Compass readings are just sets of offset (numbers), your drone's heading is computed from the reference offset, to your current reading. If your reference offset is wrong, put your drone on the ground is not going to give you anything meaningful, until you take-off and your drone starts to drift. It's like this, if you do a compass calibration on a dock that is full of metal brackets and nails, and you put the drone back on the dock, the GO app may or may not show you a "compass error".

 

[solentlife]

Compass readings are just sets of offset (numbers), your drone's heading is computed from the reference offset, to your current reading. If your reference offset is wrong, put your drone on the ground is not going to give you anything meaningful, until you take-off and your drone starts to drift. It's like this, if you do a compass calibration on a dock that is full of metal brackets and nails, and you put the drone back on the dock, the GO app may or may not show you a "compass error".

Sorry 'dchao' ........... what a load of twaddle !! You really do not know what you are talking about do you.

The OP has been given a plausible explanation for his incidents, and he will take greater care next time when picking a take-off OR calibration spot.

That's it ... QED ... no need for piffle twaddle ... (I'm trying to be nice ...)

Nigel