Litchi issue when control link lost

[Rob Levine]

Sorry to start a second thread...have more clarity on this now after reading flight logs and viewing video...

I was running a Litchi mission and at some point I lost radio contact. No worry, I thought..drone would just continue on its way until it came within range. Two minutes later RC says "altitude 65 feet" - but the whole mission should have been at about 180'. Not only that, but during the lost period of about a minute and a half it had only moved 50'. Since I was over water I immediately terminated the mission - didn't want it to continue descending into the drink.

So...Litchi mission...lost contact...drone slowed moving at next waypoint and began descending. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Mark The Droner]

You sure it didn't say 65 meters?

 

[Rob Levine]

You sure it didn't say 65 meters?

No - I had it set in feet. The RC had been updating me on altitude -it was over 170'. Plus - I watched the video - it came to the waypoint, virtually stopped, and started descending.

 

[Mark The Droner]

What AC were you flying?

 

[Rob Levine]

What AC were you flying?

Phantom 4. Only thing I can think of is that I somehow hit something on the controller - but I don't think I did.

 

[Mark The Droner]

Let's see what @msinger says....

Otherwise we could ask a mod to move this to a P4 forum and get better exposure.....

 

[TheLightSpeedz]

You need to turn off "smart" RTH. In the go app. Litchi uses the presets for that in the GO app.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[TheLightSpeedz]

If you have it set correctly and the smart RTH shut off it will lose connection and finish the mission.

Also, as DB told me once... take small steps. Don't go gung ho on your first mission.

Make small missions and you can even lose signal and make sure it does what it's supposed to do


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[Rob Levine]

SOLVED: It flew into a no fly zone while I was out of contact with it. It must have entered Landing Mode - over a lake. I went back to the spot today and it wouldn't let me take off there. The top view on Litchi didn't show the no-fly zone. I can see no reason for this geo fence - I looked here and it's not on the map:

DJI - The World Leader in Camera Drones/Quadcopters for Aerial Photography

Furthermore the live sectional map shows nothing, nor does airmap.

 

[Rob Levine]

SOLVED: It flew into a no fly zone while I was out of contact with it. It must have entered Landing Mode - over a lake. I went back to the spot today and it wouldn't let me take off there. The top view on Litchi didn't show the no-fly zone. I can see no reason for this geo fence - I looked here and it's not on the map:

DJI - The World Leader in Camera Drones/Quadcopters for Aerial Photography

Furthermore the live sectional map shows nothing, nor does airmap.

Here's a picture of the no fly area - not present in the online version, airmap or iflightplanner.

 

[Mark The Droner]

I suggest you read this thread through - the OP had a similar experience: So this just happened......NFZ Forced Landing

 

[Rob Levine]

I suggest you read this thread through - the OP had a similar experience: So this just happened......NFZ Forced Landing

I bet I ran into a TNFZ that comes into effect tomorrow for the Gophers football game. None of the other maps - Airmap, iFlightPlanner have them up yet. Why would Litchi let me take off when one of my waypoints is in a NFZ?

 

[Rob Levine]

Here's the text of the stadium notam - seems to me the nfz is only from one hour before start of event to one hour after:

PURSUANT TO 14 CFR SECTION 99.7, SPECIAL SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS, COMMENCING ONE HOUR BEFORE THE SCHEDULED TIME OF THE EVENT UNTIL ONE HOUR AFTER THE END OF THE EVENT. ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS; INCLUDING PARACHUTE JUMPING, UNMANNED AIRCRAFT AND REMOTE CONTROLLED AIRCRAFT, ARE PROHIBITED WITHIN A 1410271420-PERM END PART 1 OF 3 FDC 4/3621 FDC PART 2 OF 3 SPECIAL 3NMR UP TO AND INCLUDING 3000FT AGL OF ANY STADIUM HAVING A SEATING CAPACITY OF 30,000 OR MORE PEOPLE WHERE EITHER A REGULAR OR POST SEASON MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, OR NCAA DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL GAME IS OCCURRING. THIS NOTAM ALSO APPLIES TO NASCAR SPRINT CUP, INDY CAR, AND CHAMP SERIES RACES EXCLUDING QUALIFYING AND PRE-RACE EVENTS.

4/3621 NOTAM Details

I know that's from 2014 - but it seems to still be the one in effect.

 

[Rob Levine]

Oh and as to those TNFZs that show up near downtown Minneapolis for sporting events? There are no sporting events in the Twin Cities that qualify this weekend. Both the Gophers & the Vikings are out of town. Yet the P4's Geo Fence - and the FAA B4UFLY app both show the TNFZs. Yet neither iFlightPlanner nor Airmap show them. And if you look here

Federal Aviation Administration - Graphic TFR's

For notams in the area you don't see any.

 

[With The Birds]

The AC dropped to 20m altitude and hovered (NFZ behaviour). Unfortunately, as detailed on the litchi facebook page, there is a current issue where NFZ are reported incorrectly and AC behaviour is unpredictable (said to be a litchi/ DJI SDK issue). I would refrain from LCMC missions until this is resolved to be on the safe side. This issue was confirmed by another user who had a couple of go's at the same mission with the same outcome.