GS question about return to home

bald1eagle · Sep 24, 2014

Hi and thanks in advance.

What will my stock P2V+ do while on a GS mission if it looses control signal? I want to fly over a wooded area and will loose LOS almost immediately and I suspect will loose control signal pretty soon. Will the GS mission continue on without control signal using the GSP coordinates or will it abort and return to home?

Second question if the first one made sense is....after the mission goes to the last waypoint will the P2V+ then return to home or do I need to make the last waypoint at or near home?

Thanks...

Happy flying

Buckaye · Sep 25, 2014

bald1eagle said:
Hi and thanks in advance.

What will my stock P2V+ do while on a GS mission if it looses control signal? I want to fly over a wooded area and will loose LOS almost immediately and I suspect will loose control signal pretty soon. Will the GS mission continue on without control signal using the GSP coordinates or will it abort and return to home?

Second question if the first one made sense is....after the mission goes to the last waypoint will the P2V+ then return to home or do I need to make the last waypoint at or near home?

Thanks...

Happy flying

It will continue to fly the mission without controller signal (I use a non-vision - I assume yours will work the same, but wanted to add that caveat) - The Phantom get's loaded with the coordinates from the GS and therefore doesn't need controller signal to finish mission (it will "ping" for the controller just to be sure you aren't trying to take control)

You should always make a waypoint at a proper height near your homepoint. What I do is put a waypoint close to my home point - when it hits that waypoint, I hit the return to home button and start the landing sequence. Once it is in the landing sequence I take over and land the Phantom myself.

You CAN let it land automatically if your landing area is fairly large and flat because you need to remember the GPS can be off by a couple of meters. For example - I took off from a piece of plywood in my yard once - and when it attempted to land - it missed the plywood entirely. But if you're in a big parking lot or something - then it should be fine.

Have fun

bald1eagle · Sep 25, 2014

Thanks for your reply!

I've watched a lot of videos about GS but some things were not explained, hence my questions. So I will venture out for my first GS mission and worry the entire time I do not see or hear it....chanting please come home, please come home...lol

GearLoose · Sep 25, 2014

I really don't recommend flying beyond line of sight for your first GS missions. I use the GS a lot and really like it but my first missions had problems -- and if they had been BVR (beyond visual range) I would no longer have a Phantom!

Take the time to practice in a large open area, to verify that you have set up the mission correctly. Fly a mission that mimics the one you'd do BVR, but in plain view.

Cheap insurance against disaster!

bald1eagle said:
Thanks for your reply!

I've watched a lot of videos about GS but some things were not explained, hence my questions. So I will venture out for my first GS mission and worry the entire time I do not see or hear it....chanting please come home, please come home...lol

bald1eagle · Sep 25, 2014

I'm doing just that Gearloose. There is a large open park near by and I'm going out this afternoon to do 1 or 2 full visual missions. 1. I think it will be amazing to just watch it go with the touch of the "go" button and 2. I really like my Phantom and want it back.

About my 4th trip out with this wonderful flying machine I was in an open area big enough to fly within all the surrounding trees....Knowing the area beyond the trees I thought it would be a great idea to fly beyond my sight to get some downward looking video....all was well until the dreaded warning of loss of signal and no more control of craft.....this contributed to some extra grey hair.....moments seemed like hours until I got the message of returning to home.....all was very new to me yet and I knew this was a good message.....soon enough I was pleased to hear my friend coming back to me.....what a great sight to see....

Buckaye · Sep 25, 2014

bald1eagle said:
I'm doing just that Gearloose. There is a large open park near by and I'm going out this afternoon to do 1 or 2 full visual missions. 1. I think it will be amazing to just watch it go with the touch of the "go" button and 2. I really like my Phantom and want it back.

About my 4th trip out with this wonderful flying machine I was in an open area big enough to fly within all the surrounding trees....Knowing the area beyond the trees I thought it would be a great idea to fly beyond my sight to get some downward looking video....all was well until the dreaded warning of loss of signal and no more control of craft.....this contributed to some extra grey hair.....moments seemed like hours until I got the message of returning to home.....all was very new to me yet and I knew this was a good message.....soon enough I was pleased to hear my friend coming back to me.....what a great sight to see....

Yeah losing signal with the GS is typical. Remember it doesn't need a signal to finish its mission. This is why having the last waypoint near your launch point is important.

One last warning... Don't fly anything lower than 60 ft or so. The GS altitude can vary widely so getting it up at least 60 ft will help avoid flights that are too low

bald1eagle · Sep 26, 2014

Thanks Buckaye....I've been weather grounded, but I appreciate all the advice.

Suwaneeguy · Sep 26, 2014

My experience shows me that the bird will fly while you do nothing but watch it.
Point to point is automatic with no controller input.
First and last points should be within a short distance of your launch point.
That makes for easier manual landing if desired.

bald1eagle · Sep 29, 2014

Thanks for your input Suwaneeguy!

I haven't bitten the bullet yet and flown a GS mission. I get to a new open place to fly and I just find myself enjoying the pleasure of exploring with full control.....one day it will come over me and I will have a need for a mission and then look out!!

GDFB · Sep 29, 2014

How do you switch to manual landing is it the s1 one click down then back up? I have done my first auto flight today and all went well but the auto landing was a bit rough.
Cheers, Im new to this but loving it.

Buckaye · Sep 29, 2014

GDFB said:
How do you switch to manual landing is it the s1 one click down then back up? I have done my first auto flight today and all went well but the auto landing was a bit rough.
Cheers, Im new to this but loving it.

Yeah... click down into ATTI for a second or two and then click back into GPS - you should have control then.

bald1eagle · Sep 29, 2014

That is correct GDFB......Congrats on the first mission. How many waypoints did you set? Length and height of your flight? Just curious.

PetePerrim · Oct 4, 2014

GDFB said:
How do you switch to manual landing is it the s1 one click down then back up? I have done my first auto flight today and all went well but the auto landing was a bit rough.
Cheers, Im new to this but loving it.

Hitting the S1 switch down and then up will give you manual control straight away.if it's a P2 non vision it's the same switch, just called ATTI.

RCF - DRONE · Oct 25, 2014

No Longer a GS virgin. Completed my first and 2nd GS Mission over a quarry and beond LOS and Conrtrol.... I had set 12 waypoints.... while verifying the height of each which I hoped was set for 180', the thing just took off before I could complete (this was not a Unit problem, just fat fingers I guess :lol: ) Anyway, I had to get through it so I just let it go..... Weird and never-ending feeling when its gone and you just hope it will come Home.....

That's why my quads name is Dorothy.... She did come home.... A nice experience for sure....

???? With me being at ground level, which happens to be on an 80' cliff of a quarry; does anyone know if the GS waypoints will be relative to my ground level, or the ground level of the quarry which is 80' below my level? I was too nervous to pay attention to that, and didn't even consider it until after the fact... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

shadowband · Oct 25, 2014

RCF - DRONE said:
With me being at ground level, which happens to be on an 80' cliff of a quarry; does anyone know if the GS waypoints will be relative to my ground level, or the ground level of the quarry which is 80' below my level? I was too nervous to pay attention to that, and didn't even consider it until after the fact... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

The height is relative to the phantom's home point. BTW - great name for your drone. There's no place like home