How did this happen? Crashed under a bridge

[F6Rider]

Do you have a lot of time FPV? in the video I'm noticing you drifting left towards the bank, like you were flying at an angle under the bridge, you had much more clearance in the center. You can see the bridge is curved with less clearance to the water on the ends. Looks like the ceiling came down to meet you, and not you gaining altitude. You are one lucky dude, it could easily bounced off of the bridge and directly into the drink.

 

[SteveMann]

Oh, How did this happen?
Your Phantom lost control link for three seconds and was trying to climb to the RTH height. As the prop hubs contacted the underside of the bridge they tractored the Phantom to the ledge.

Just remarkable luck.

 

[acherman]

Oh, How did this happen?
Your Phantom lost control link for three seconds and was trying to climb to the RTH height. As the prop hubs contacted the underside of the bridge they tractored the Phantom to the ledge.

Just remarkable luck.

I don't think it lost signal and was trying to RTH - it didn't stop in place for 3 seconds. He just drifted into the slop of the bridge, and I would assume, with no GPS, it was just trying to stay level while rubbing against the lowering slope.

 

[SteveMann]

I don't think it lost signal and was trying to RTH - it didn't stop in place for 3 seconds. He just drifted into the slop of the bridge, and I would assume, with no GPS, it was just trying to stay level while rubbing against the lowering slope.

That's another possibility, lose GPS and it could have drifted into the sloping ceiling, then as I suggested it tractored down to the ledge. It doesn't have to stop in place for three seconds, just three seconds of no control link. But the more I think of it, your theory is more likely.

 

[acherman]

That's another possibility, lose GPS and it could have drifted into the sloping ceiling, then as I suggested it tractored down to the ledge. It doesn't have to stop in place for three seconds, just three seconds of no control link. But the more I think of it, your theory is more likely.

Although with no GPS, and drift, one wouldn't notice it stop and wait the 3 seconds, so who knows.

 

[TAZ]

Although with no GPS, and drift, one wouldn't notice it stop and wait the 3 seconds, so who knows.

You can replay your Flight Record...and see if loss of GPS. Flight Mode changes will show on screen like this:

Or if RTH was activated it'll show like this:

Probably didn't need loss of any of those though. If one side of the bird is pressed down...considering you still had lift (thankfull) it'd just be natural for it to fly toward the down side. It'd be interesting if your nose was spinning on the map showing possible compass interference.

 

[Nsrwholesale]

I have been flying for quite some time now... I think what happened was I lost video link on my iPad (no FPV, and I've noticed this happening more and more recently) and looked up to see what was going on and by then I tried to lift up because I thought it was in water (heard a bunch of loud noise; the scraping of drone under bridge) then went over to find the bird on the concrete ledge AMAZED it was not it water.

 

[tasso]

metal in the bridge and i see some sort of camera when you get under the bridge and at the end so electricity is also under the bridge i think that's you problem. Don't think about it and fly under another bridge i do it so mant times and never had problems.

 

[ImJim]

That topic is a collector. Congrats dude The video is awesome, you should soon be in best drone videos compilations The police was SOO nice with you, I guess in most other countries they would just have verbalized you and laugh their *** off about your fate

 

[Serpent]

HAHA Looking back now the whole process was luck and hilarious! It ended out costing nothing! They just said "ok, have nice day sir" .... I was like foooooookkkkk yeah, you guys are ROWDY!!

I would have given them a tip for taking their time to support your misadventure. Lucky you got her back!

 

[Nsrwholesale]

I would have given them a tip for taking their time to support your misadventure. Lucky you got her back!

I tried to give them some tip, but the funny part is they wouldn't take it and instead were more excited (skiddish) to be able to practice English with me while waiting for the boat to arrive than actually helping me get the drone back!!

 

[Bryce]

Good thing that bridge was slopped... it guided the bird to the shelfed landing spot. The motor under that ground rotor was probably working overtime!

 

[Daniel Nelson]

Thanks for sharing. Great story.

 

[izzydrone]

Epic

 

[witold]

Great story to read.

Lucky escape!

This proves that even in CHINA the police are nicer than in the US. If I had gotten my phantom stuck under a bridge, all hell would have broken loose when the cops showed up.

That is so true. In the US, they might even send you a gigantic recovery bill for using city resources.

 

[tommybear]

When you flew under the bridge, GPS was lost so RTH was activated and it tried to rise to the preset height.

 

[acherman]

When you flew under the bridge, GPS was lost so RTH was activated and it tried to rise to the preset height.

RTH isn't activated upon loss of GPS signal.

 

[Nsrwholesale]

RTH isn't activated upon loss of GPS signal.

Indeed RTH was not activated. Those where all my commands, and VERY lucky to have steered the bird to where it landed 100% unintentionally. I thought I was passed the bridge and commanded for the drone to fly up. I am now in Switzerland so I have no bridges to worry about. Here is a pic I got.