Home Point (take-off point) question

[WJForrestall]

A friend of mine lost his P2V+ today ..... fly-away I guess. He had been flying for 10 mins with no problems. Then I suspect it got to far away as he lost contact. On previous flights he has tested the RTH feature by turning off the RC and it has always worked. This time he tried and it just continued on in the opposite direction.
My question is, if the home point for some reason is not set during take-off is the home point from a previous flight retained? Reason I asking is that is the direction it took off towards. (unfortunately there was a lot of water between him and the previous home point).

 

[Meta4]

Your guess seems like the most likely explanation. If the new home point hasn't ben recorded, it won't overwrite the last one used.
It is important to KNOW that home point has been recorded rather than assume it has and have your Phantom attempt to go back to a previous location.
It's a simple matter to confirm home point by resetting home in the air after you take off and much easier to check the fast flashing green then.

 

[rexster314]

Question 1 is did he calibrate the compass before taking off on this flight?

 

[WJForrestall]

Question 1 is did he calibrate the compass before taking off on this flight?

Yes, compass calibration was done prior to flight.

 

[hemorrhagic flyer]

Question 1 is did he calibrate the compass before taking off on this flight?

The number of clueless folks who do not understand what the compass does, what calibration does, and how it relates to "flyaways" continues to amaze me.

Compass calibration has absolutely nothing to do with this situation.

 

[erikgraham]

Question 1 is did he calibrate the compass before taking off on this flight?

The number of clueless folks who do not understand what the compass does, what calibration does, and how it relates to "flyaways" continues to amaze me.

Compass calibration has absolutely nothing to do with this situation.

Well why don't you clue us all in because DJI support itself seems to be as confused as the rest of us.

 

[Meta4]

HF isn't very tactful but he's right on this one.
Too many flyers don't understand what compass calibration does and when it's needed.
Too many perform it as a superstitious ritual and imagine that if they don't do it, their bird will fly away.

The most likely cause was discussed in the first two posts.
It had nothing to do with compass calibration.

 

[rbtNmke]

ok, total newb question..... so be nice! how do you determine if the correct home point is recorded (prior to flight)?
i just received my phantom and ive been reading countless posts, watching videos etc etc......i want to make sure my new machine returns if things get ugly.
TIA

 

[gunslinger]

I just deleted a post in this topic for language. I know the poster has been warned, but please allow me to reinforce that warning. I"m not sure what type of forum you're used to participating in... but you need to clean up your act if you're going to continue to participate in this one...

Thanks...
-slinger

 

[Meta4]

Get 6 or more satellites and take off.
Let your Phantom hover and check it's doing everything right.
Put it above where you want to RTH at a height that will have it coming home above any obstacles in the event of a RTH.
Flick the S2 switch 5 times and observe the fast flashing greens.
Bingo - you have confirmed home point is recorded.
Enjoy your flight

 

[rbtNmke]

ah ha..thank you! one question though. should the RTH activate (at some point after the new home point was set ) , will it still descend and land after it returns and hovers in this new home location? im assuming if you don't take over manually (via S1), it'll descend until it senses its on the ground???
tia
rbt

 

[WJForrestall]

Thank you all for your replies. As I have learned more from the gentleman who lost his P2V+, I believe he flew it to far, battery life was very low and the winds were gusting strong. As for the direction it appeared to have been heading (towards a previous home point) when he last saw it ..... doesn't really matter. I'm going to attribute the loss as bad judgement by the pilot.

 

[Meta4]

ah ha..thank you! one question though. should the RTH activate (at some point after the new home point was set ) , will it still descend and land after it returns and hovers in this new home location? im assuming if you don't take over manually (via S1), it'll descend until it senses its on the ground???

Yes ... When RTH activates, the Phantom will land properly. It keeps descending slowly until it feels the ground. But most of the time you would probably take control with S1 and land yourself - just using RTH to bring the Phantom back into range.

 

[Larry L]

Get 6 or more satellites and take off.
Let your Phantom hover and check it's doing everything right.
Put it above where you want to RTH at a height that will have it coming home above any obstacles in the event of a RTH.
Flick the S2 switch 5 times and observe the fast flashing greens.
Bingo - you have confirmed home point is recorded.
Enjoy your flight

Meta, isn't HP also supposed to be recorded on the 2nd set of quick flashing lights when powered up? Should you still reset the HP once in the air even if you get the 2nd quick flashing green?

 

[crash1sttime]

Get 6 or more satellites and take off.
Let your Phantom hover and check it's doing everything right.
Put it above where you want to RTH at a height that will have it coming home above any obstacles in the event of a RTH.
Flick the S2 switch 5 times and observe the fast flashing greens.
Bingo - you have confirmed home point is recorded.
Enjoy your flight

Meta, isn't HP also supposed to be recorded on the 2nd set of quick flashing lights when powered up? Should you still reset the HP once in the air even if you get the 2nd quick flashing green?

Sorry to butt in, but you said 2nd set of quick flashing greens ?. ive never seen that only the one set of rapid greens and the HP appears in the app, as for resetting in the air, why, isnt that what DHP is for ?

Gonna go and turn the drone on outside tomorrow without blades to see if i get 2 sets of rapid green lights

 

[msinger]

as for resetting in the air, why, isnt that what DHP is for

DHP should be used when you want to continuously update the home point as your location changes. Resetting while in the air is just a one time home point reset.

 

[Larry L]

Get 6 or more satellites and take off.
Let your Phantom hover and check it's doing everything right.
Put it above where you want to RTH at a height that will have it coming home above any obstacles in the event of a RTH.
Flick the S2 switch 5 times and observe the fast flashing greens.
Bingo - you have confirmed home point is recorded.
Enjoy your flight

Meta, isn't HP also supposed to be recorded on the 2nd set of quick flashing lights when powered up? Should you still reset the HP once in the air even if you get the 2nd quick flashing green?

Sorry to butt in, but you said 2nd set of quick flashing greens ?. ive never seen that only the one set of rapid greens and the HP appears in the app, as for resetting in the air, why, isnt that what DHP is for ?

Gonna go and turn the drone on outside tomorrow without blades to see if i get 2 sets of rapid green lights

You are not butting in. Yep, mine has one set of quick flashing green lights & then a second set. I was told by the dealer first set was informing you that everything is up to temp & it could fly but to wait for 2nd set.

 

[Meta4]

I find it's a lot easier to see the lights properly up in the air rather than down on the ground.
I want to KNOW it went to fast green rather than wondering or hoping.
Also resetting gives me a chance to set a RTH height appropriate to the site I'm flying.

 

[rickasaurus]

I always check for the fast green flashing lights before takeoff. They are not hard to see. You need to observe both sets of green flashing lights: After 6+ satellites have been locked on, then the first set of fast green flashing lights tells you that the heading of the Phantom has been recorded (for home lock), and the second set confirms that the home location has been set.

My PV2+ never leaves the ground until I have observed both these sets of fast green flashing lights, and I have a minimum 7 satellites (preferably 8, so that you will still have control if you lose a couple).

I was excited a few days ago to see 15 satellites recorded! First ever, and no mods!

 

[Larry L]

I always check for the fast green flashing lights before takeoff. They are not hard to see. You need to observe both sets of green flashing lights: After 6+ satellites have been locked on, then the first set of fast green flashing lights tells you that the heading of the Phantom has been recorded (for home lock), and the second set confirms that the home location has been set.

My PV2+ never leaves the ground until I have observed both these sets of fast green flashing lights, and I have a minimum 7 satellites (preferably 8, so that you will still have control if you lose a couple).

I was excited a few days ago to see 15 satellites recorded! First ever, and no mods!

Thank you Rick. I went out to record & make sure I had 2 sets of quick green. I am having trouble uploading it