DJI Phantom does not fly back to start position

[MrVegas]

Hi all,

I bought the DJI Phantom and tried to fly a bit. I watched the videos from the YouTube channel from DJI so I should know everything about it. It's currently on GPS mode and I started to fly from the end of the field (waited at least 8 seconds before take off) and I was flying to the other end of the field, waited there until the battery died, but it did not return to start position. It just let it drop (it was just about 2 meter height, so it didn't crash badly). But it should take off to at least 20 meters and return to start position right? At least, that's what I've heard.

Thanks,
MrVegas

 

[MRSpyder2U]

Here's a handy-dandy little booklet. http://download.dji-innovations.com/downloads/phantom/en/PHANTOM_Quick_Start_Manual_v1.5_en.pdf I think a hard copy might have arrived packaged with your new Phantom. Page 14 may shed some light on the strange behavior you witnessed.
Good luck and good flying.

 

[pwright]

Welcome!

I bought the DJI Phantom and tried to fly a bit. I watched the videos from the YouTube channel from DJI so I should know everything about it. It's currently on GPS mode and I started to fly from the end of the field (waited at least 8 seconds before take off)...

Not near long enough of a wait. Wait until you only have a single green flashing light before taking off. You need to wait long enough to make sure the GPS has got a home lock.

... and I was flying to the other end of the field, waited there until the battery died, but it did not return to start position.

Did you turn off the transmitter or in some other way tell the Phantom to return home?

It just let it drop (it was just about 2 meter height, so it didn't crash badly). But it should take off to at least 20 meters and return to start position right? At least, that's what I've heard.

When return to home is triggered it will rise to 10 meters above the starting position elevation and then fly home.

 

[auck]

THERE IS NO AUTOMATIC RTH.

RTH only engages if you 1)TURN OFF the tx, or 2) have it set up through NAZA so that you can activate RTH by switch.

 

[Darrell1]

THERE IS NO AUTOMATIC RTH.

Well, if you fly too far away and the Phantom loses the signal, it will "automatically" return to home. That's kinda an automatic RTH.

 

[auck]

unless it gets a cross signal and goes rogue, but if you want to risk it, it's up to you :twisted:

 

[Gizmo3000]

yes,. you definitely want to read up a bit about it.

what you experienced was "Battery Failsafe", which occurs when the battery starts running out of power.
in which case it will lose power, and then attempt to land itself.

then there's "Enhanced Failsafe", which (when depending on how it's enabled in the NAZA assistant), will either make the Phantom try to land itself, or fly back to home position and land itself.
Enhanced Failsafe only occurs if you turn off your transmitter, if the Phantom loses signal, OR if you enable the S1 switch in the Naza assistant.

 

[Darrell1]

unless it gets a cross signal and goes rogue, but if you want to risk it, it's up to you :twisted:

I don't know the answer to this, but are our transmitters analog or digital? I'll have to look it up. If digital, I think a rouge signal is about as likely as your garage door opening because of one.