My first 'public' photo from my P4P...

[svjobeth]

My P4P has completed its first 'mission:' determining the exact position of my first drone, a Syma X5C-1, lost a couple of months back. Not only was it my first drone, it was my first 'lost' drone.

There it sits, 75' or so AGL, inverted and well nested in the long needles of a southern pine branch. Dead, no doubt, from the many soaking rainstorms it's endured over the weeks and months.

How did the little Syma get there? I flew it there, of course! Drone facing me, me facing the drone - the wind began to shove it towards the tree tops and I confused my left and right - and flew her sideways right into the branches. (For those who aren't familiar with these UAV's, the Syma is a very basic, very cheap, all manual control, quad-copter.)

This tree is part of a cluster of pines and oaks, and stands about 100' from my take-off position in the field where I was flying. While I was fairly certain the AC was in 'this' tree, I'd never been able to see it from the ground. It went into the tree at a higher point - the tree tops out at around 110' - and has dropped a few feet over time.

P4P and 'Tripod-Mode' to the rescue!

 

[svjobeth]

...and here's an upload of the correct file...

 

[WV. Rootman]

It was good to have practiced with a cheap drone. Now, to take some great pictures with your P4P on your next adventure.

I lived on Hilton Head Is. for two years. I know Savanna very well.

 

[kndll]

Been there , done that , sept. 2015 , fell down 106 days later , rain and snow storms , replaced one motor and battery and still flys .

 

[philjmj]

The Syma is a good starter drone.

 

[Loki007420]

nice job getting the pic, any rescue operation being planned?

 

[svjobeth]

View attachment 95425 View attachment 95426 Been there , done that , sept. 2015 , fell down 106 days later , rain and snow storms , replaced one motor and battery and still flys .

Hmmm...time will tell if I share your luck, I suppose...thanks for posting the pics.

 

[svjobeth]

nice job getting the pic, any rescue operation being planned?

Unfortunately, no. It's in a local nature preserve, so no tree service company could come in. I'm there frequently, if not to fly, for a daily walk. I always check the nearby ground and lower branches to see if it dropped, and if I'm flying the P4P, I do a run over the trees and look.

 

[kndll]

Mine came down after a wind storm , otherwise it would still be there .

 

[oconnb]

I have been there and done that also! My mavic Pro was lost for 5 months in a tree throughout the August heat and throughout most of the nasty fall weather here in the Northeast. It finally did come out of the tree and was found and I was able to clean it up charge the battery and is basically just as good as it was.

 

[svjobeth]

Mine came down after a wind storm , otherwise it would still be there .

We've had some breezy weather and lots of rain. Aside from dropping a few feet into lower branches, but still around 70 feet AGL, it doesn't seem to have moved anymore. It's not really visible from the ground. In the pictures I shot yesterday, it looks like the pine needles have grown through the prop guards. And, if it drops, there's a good chance it will get hung up again...still a lot of tree(s) to get through. Patience is in order...I ordered a replacement the same day I lost it, so I still have one with which I can play around. They are fun to fly!

 

[svjobeth]

I have been there and done that also! My mavic Pro was lost for 5 months in a tree throughout the August heat and throughout most of the nasty fall weather here in the Northeast. It finally did come out of the tree and was found and I was able to clean it up charge the battery and is basically just as good as it was.

That is fantastic!

 

[StanMI]

That was my first "outside" drone. (Had a mini that only flew inside first.)

Christmas morning out with the kids in the front yard getting braver and braver as we flew higher and farther out. Then came the wind, disorientation and the, "Where'd it go!". Spent most of the morning in the field next door with a long stick working it out of the trees. Really was as much fun as flying it!

 

[kndll]

We've had some breezy weather and lots of rain. Aside from dropping a few feet into lower branches, but still around 70 feet AGL, it doesn't seem to have moved anymore. It's not really visible from the ground. In the pictures I shot yesterday, it looks like the pine needles have grown through the prop guards. And, if it drops, there's a good chance it will get hung up again...still a lot of tree(s) to get through. Patience is in order...I ordered a replacement the same day I lost it, so I still have one with which I can play around. They are fun to fly!

That's my Syma X5C number 2 , of 3 , number 1 's board caught fire after long number of flights and crashes , ordered number 3 a month or so after number 2 got stuck and then a few weeks later got number 2 back , now they sit on the shelf with my other " toy grade " quadcopters as I focus on my P3S .

 

[BigDinNC]

I started with an X5C as well, and got it stuck due to wind and newby skill level just before Christmas (x2) about @ ~50 feet AGL (x2). I have a very sophisticated drone retrieval tool (DRT) that I may have to patent. The first time I was saved by strong overnight winds; the second time I had to use the DRT. I will post a pic later today.

 

[svjobeth]

That was my first "outside" drone. (Had a mini that only flew inside first.)

Christmas morning out with the kids in the front yard getting braver and braver as we flew higher and farther out. Then came the wind, disorientation and the, "Where'd it go!". Spent most of the morning in the field next door with a long stick working it out of the trees. Really was as much fun as flying it!

LOL, I did several flights indoors with the Syma. For a 'toy' drone, they're tough little buggers.

 

[Melvoid]

...and here's an upload of the correct file...

View attachment 95424

Before I got my Phantom, I bought a cheapie just to see. I had it for exactly 26 hours when the wind took it away. We live in the woods and a neighbor several hundred yards away found it 2 months later in pretty much the exact position/location as yours. I even had the black box. It had a little camera on it and was filming when it was lost. The last several minutes of video was just a closeup of the pine branches it was crashed in.

Here's video. P.S. I've now got a P3A (my second Phantom), and am much better with it.

 

[AnchorageAk]

I use a rifle to trim the trees at my cabin. Works well for the ones I can't reach. Maybe try that.

 

[JarrodF]

I use a rifle to trim the trees at my cabin. Works well for the ones I can't reach. Maybe try that.

Please don't try that. - your neighbors

 

[svjobeth]

Before I got my Phantom, I bought a cheapie just to see. I had it for exactly 26 hours when the wind took it away. We live in the woods and a neighbor several hundred yards away found it 2 months later in pretty much the exact position/location as yours. I even had the black box. It had a little camera on it and was filming when it was lost. The last several minutes of video was just a closeup of the pine branches it was crashed in.

Here's video. P.S. I've now got a P3A (my second Phantom), and am much better with it.

Glad you got her back!!