First flight - RIP

The Phantom 4 pro is said to be able to find its way home via the exact route it flies out (as opposed to a straight line). So obstacles in the way is not a problem. But the new problem is whether you have enough battery to go back via the same route you fly out.
 
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Interesting thread and a good reminder that it's not just the flight path but the surrounding area you need to take into consideration for you RTH alt.
 
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Here's what your flight log tells me:
  • When you took the photo at the end of your flight, you can see your Phantom was well above the palm trees at 96 feet.

  • The connection was lost shortly after taking that final photo.

  • Since the RTH altitude was set to 98 feet, your Phantom ascended from 95 feet to 98 feet and started returning home.

  • At that time, the battery was at 49% and had about 9.2 minutes of flight time remaining. The RTH time was estimated to take 53 seconds. So, your Phantom had plenty of time to make it back to the home point.

  • On the way back, your Phantom had to fly over at least two tall buildings. Those buildings and or the structures on top of the roofs could have been 98+ feet over the takeoff point.

  • I'm guessing your Phantom either crashed into the side of one of the buildings and fell to the ground, crashed onto one of the balconies, or hit one of the structures on top of one of the buildings and crashed on the roof.
Note: It's not uncommon for the altitude reported by your Phantom to be up to 20 feet off.

Note: The red line in the image below shows the path your Phantom would have taken when it returned back to the home point. The blue circles are the locations where I believe it crashed.

View attachment 68593

"Phantom to be up to 20 feet off" Very True! Discovered this on my first flight... Making a mission where the end point is close to home has kept me out of trouble. P4 Pro may have fixed this return safely. Great pic of what most likely happened. Hope the owner recovers his drone. Sad it was a first run crash. You can bet Walmart buyers of P3 will be having allot of these crashes. OMG hit Return Home and by default 96 feet be done... My first flight encountering tall tree.. Mission Hub - Litchi
 
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Fisher Island condos and launched from south point park very familiar with the location , bottom line fly higher than the buildings , sorry for your loss...
 
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really really appreciate all your helpful input. you guys are great !

I found the drone on one of the balconies and now replaced all the damaged parts. only issue :

after I 'fixed' my drone I only hear the typical starting beep when I turn on the drone but no continuously beeps like in the past. Also, the LEDs aren't flashing at all. My dji go app tells me the gimbal is disconnected therefore I can' t access the camera. I am able to start the drone via app.

Any ideas what could be wrong ? I made sure all the wires were replaced with new ones and re-connected.

the drone looks brand new as well and i have even replaced the gimbal with a new one (friends) to test - same thing.
 
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im sorry but why most "pilots" set low RTH altitude?? basic logic tells me to set higher than any building tree etc. did i miss something?
 
You didn't miss anything, experience & hindsight makes these matters seem obvious, but no-doubt OP didn't consider Phantom would take that path (into building), hence valuable shared lesson


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots
 
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im sorry but why most "pilots" set low RTH altitude?? basic logic tells me to set higher than any building tree etc. did i miss something?
I didn't have the experience.

Does anyone has an idea what could be the reason why the drone flies but the gimbal is disconnected according to my app?
Since it's a new camera now (replaced the old one) should I update it like a driver and that could cause the drone not to 'recognize' the gimbal or does anyone has a better idea?

Current problems :
1) LEDs don't blink/flash
2) No beep at all besides the short beep when I turn on the drone
3) gimbal is disconnected even though the two wires a new which are also connected to the mainboard and camera
 
I didn't have the experience.

Does anyone has an idea what could be the reason why the drone flies but the gimbal is disconnected according to my app?
Since it's a new camera now (replaced the old one) should I update it like a driver and that could cause the drone not to 'recognize' the gimbal or does anyone has a better idea?

Current problems :
1) LEDs don't blink/flash
2) No beep at all besides the short beep when I turn on the drone
3) gimbal is disconnected even though the two wires a new which are also connected to the mainboard and camera
That leaves the ribbon cable or the main board. But it sounds like you installed a complete new camera and housing so it's either a bad camera, one of the new ribbon cables is bad, or you have board problems.
Does the camera turn and align on start up? Then just has no picture? Have you tried turning it on to see if it films normally but with no preview? Or is the camera just dead? You should talk with hunch or send him a message :)
 
That leaves the ribbon cable or the main board. But it sounds like you installed a complete new camera and housing so it's either a bad camera, one of the new ribbon cables is bad, or you have board problems.
Does the camera turn and align on start up? Then just has no picture? Have you tried turning it on to see if it films normally but with no preview? Or is the camera just dead? You should talk with hunch or send him a message :)
thanks for your prompt response. the camera does not even move when I turn the drone on... I pretty much replaced everything besides the board
 
This has to be at least the 5 or 6 th lost phantom in exactly same scenario

flying at dock/port
take a route out and over the water all- LOS.

for some reason they then run the phantom behind very tall condo/office blds. along waters edge.

Lose site (LOS), lose Video contact,
and wonder why! what happened?

after sitting 3 seconds without RC signal it begins RTH.
Phantom then rth's into building taller than RTH setting.

Then blame DJI.

Side note to OP :
were you talking on the same device you were using for the GO APP?

Good luck!
Important to keep V-LOS
 
Here's what your flight log tells me:
  • When you took the photo at the end of your flight, you can see your Phantom was well above the palm trees at 96 feet.

  • The connection was lost shortly after taking that final photo.

  • Since the RTH altitude was set to 98 feet, your Phantom ascended from 95 feet to 98 feet and started returning home.

  • At that time, the battery was at 49% and had about 9.2 minutes of flight time remaining. The RTH time was estimated to take 53 seconds. So, your Phantom had plenty of time to make it back to the home point.

  • On the way back, your Phantom had to fly over at least two tall buildings. Those buildings and or the structures on top of the roofs could have been 98+ feet over the takeoff point.

  • I'm guessing your Phantom either crashed into the side of one of the buildings and fell to the ground, crashed onto one of the balconies, or hit one of the structures on top of one of the buildings and crashed on the roof.
Note: It's not uncommon for the altitude reported by your Phantom to be up to 20 feet off.

Note: The red line in the image below shows the path your Phantom would have taken when it returned back to the home point. The blue circles are the locations where I believe it crashed.

View attachment 68593
Well done!!
 

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