I've sink my drone last week end ... leason learned !

[MartyPilot]

I everybody,

This week end I've crashed / sink my drone into a lake because:
- Since we where moving, I've lost orientation while flying and had forgot to designate a watcher so nobody warned me that I was flying directly toward water and heard a "sploush" ... **** ! I've lost of the bird.

What's hurting me the most is the lost of the memory card that was containing all the recorings of that particular day; a nice sailing rendez-vous featuring around 15 sailboats at the same time, same place. There were nice shots but the only thing that remains from that day are the Low Resolution and compressed DjiGo Cache Files...

The leasons I've learned that day:

1) Using DJI GO and beeing moving operator involves a different approach about "home point" ... I've learned that after not managing it and at some point lost connection and the bird initiate a return to the home point ... 1.5 miles beind the boat that I've been able to cancel and retake control but freaky .. so be aware if you are moving operator

2) Flying while looking to the screen of a iPad Mini, without sunshade, on a fast moving boat that is doing maneuvers is "not" a good way to keep control and that "will" lead to disaster ... I'll never do that again... I will stay in a "steady" state while operating, I swear.

3) Flying over water is probably the safest place to fly because the signal is good and there is usualy not much peoples around but it's really risky about the fact that if it fails into water, the drone is probably good for trash except if you are really quick and lucky.

Luckily, I've bouth 2 of them so I have one left so let's hope I don't loose that one too

 

[RedHotPoker]

Sorry about your drone taking a dive. Please take more care flying with drone number 2. ;-)

RedHotPoket

 

[Dirty Bird]

Install a GetterBack when flying over water & you have a chance of recovery in water up to 100' deep should you have a mishap.

I everybody,

This week end I've crashed / sink my drone into a lake because:
- Since we where moving, I've lost orientation while flying and had forgot to designate a watcher so nobody warned me that I was flying directly toward water and heard a "sploush" ... **** ! I've lost of the bird.

What's hurting me the most is the lost of the memory card that was containing all the recorings of that particular day; a nice sailing rendez-vous featuring around 15 sailboats at the same time, same place. There were nice shots but the only thing that remains from that day are the Low Resolution and compressed DjiGo Cache Files...

The leasons I've learned that day:

1) Using DJI GO and beeing moving operator involves a different approach about "home point" ... I've learned that after not managing it and at some point lost connection and the bird initiate a return to the home point ... 1.5 miles beind the boat that I've been able to cancel and retake control but freaky .. so be aware if you are moving operator

2) Flying while looking to the screen of a iPad Mini, without sunshade, on a fast moving boat that is doing maneuvers is "not" a good way to keep control and that "will" lead to disaster ... I'll never do that again... I will stay in a "steady" state while operating, I swear.

3) Flying over water is probably the safest place to fly because the signal is good and there is usualy not much peoples around but it's really risky about the fact that if it fails into water, the drone is probably good for trash except if you are really quick and lucky.

Luckily, I've bouth 2 of them so I have one left so let's hope I don't loose that one too

 

[Sonic Fusion]

Great gadget, I never heard of this, just ordered one on Amazon....


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[joet]

Install a GetterBack when flying over water & you have a chance of recovery in water up to 100' deep should you have a mishap.

Seems like there is some concern around the Getterback not always deploying. Have you tested it? I think it's a great idea, but am leery to depend on it without more positive feedback.

 

[rene van der meer]

Sorry for the loss. Is it impossible to salvage the drone? Otherwise you might save the SD-card.

 

[Sonic Fusion]

For $15 I am willing to giveratry


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[Sonic Fusion]

Plus they don't save your drone, they only allow to recover it if it falls into a lake less than 100' deep. It can take several minutes to deploy but once it hits the water it is likely toady anyway. You will at least get the opportunity to maybe fix your drone or at minimal be able to part it out.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[dirkclod]

Seems like there is some concern around the Getterback not always deploying. Have you tested it? I think it's a great idea, but am leery to depend on it without more positive feedback.

Lot's here in MS use them as well as I have on high end rod's and have never heard of one not working though anything is possible.
Have had one rod go down from my boat and it worked great .Been using them since I started with phantoms and have them on all my birds .
I put mine here .Only issue I have had are they slip around a little on long runs so I put a drop of Super Glue right under it where it touch's the skid and it stays in place .

 

[phantomi]

If you're moving the RC (like in a boat) you are better with a dynamic home point. Then if you lost sight of the A/C and its orientation you can stop moving and RTH.

 

[joet]

Also keep in mind that the DJI Go app has a little radar-like section at the bottom with the Phantom's orientation and direction from you, so you should be able to turn towards and fly towards you. The distance and altitude are also displayed; which in conjunction with the orientation info should help you narrow down where to look if you lose sight of it.

 

[Trinimon]

Ouch, sorry to hear about that @MartyPilot. That's one of my fears ie losing the drone over water.

Thanks for the tip about that GetterBack @Dirty Bird, I'll have to order one before my next water flight.

Talking about water ditching, if you live in Hawaii and lost your P3P, this was recovered about two months ago at the bottom of the sea.

 

[WetDog]

Ouch, sorry to hear about that @MartyPilot. That's one of my fears ie losing the drone over water.

Thanks for the tip about that GetterBack @Dirty Bird, I'll have to order one before my next water flight.

Talking about water ditching, if you live in Hawaii and lost your P3P, this was recovered about two months ago at the bottom of the sea.

That picture is interesting. No prop....

Likely not going to get much out of a ditching like that although you might be able to get the video off the card so long as it has not been submerged long enough to let electrolysis mess it up. I wash my SD cards all of the time. No problemo!

 

[Sonic Fusion]

That is what I was thinking......what happens when you forget to tighten them well.....will be interesting to see how many people claim it [emoji2]


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[Viper989]

Seems like there is some concern around the Getterback not always deploying. Have you tested it? I think it's a great idea, but am leery to depend on it without more positive feedback.

I have one and i'm hoping not to test it

 

[Trinimon]

That picture is interesting. No prop....

Likely not going to get much out of a ditching like that although you might be able to get the video off the card so long as it has not been submerged long enough to let electrolysis mess it up. I wash my SD cards all of the time. No problemo!

Ya, I'm guessing it wasn't tightened down properly and came loose that caused the ditch. If the prop was on tightly and sheared off from hitting the water, you'd think the hub would still be attached? The remaining three props all look intact.

 

[MartyPilot]

Install a GetterBack when flying over water & you have a chance of recovery in water up to 100' deep should you have a mishap.

Thank you for the advice, I'll look at it because I'll be flying over water a lot.

 

[MartyPilot]

Sorry for the loss. Is it impossible to salvage the drone? Otherwise you might save the SD-card.

Here where I live it's a river that you can't see thru and where I lost it it's 20 feet deep so without seeing anything, not knowing where it sinks exactly because we where going pretty fast while the accident occur.. I just don't tried because it just seem worthless

 

[MartyPilot]

If you're moving the RC (like in a boat) you are better with a dynamic home point. Then if you lost sight of the A/C and its orientation you can stop moving and RTH.

Yeah, I've used another app while the accident occur that is Autopilot that has a "Moving operator" mode that allow that .... but you must continue to fly the bird anyway ... just forgot that part LOL

 

[Sonic Fusion]

Might take 13 minutes but it does work.....no matter how dirty the water is......of course in a river it could be a mile away before this thing works!

I still bought one today....better safe than sorry for $15