Need help finding my P3P

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My P3P disappeared on me this evening. I was about 1200 ft out with a clear line of sight when my signal dropped. I was flying at 210 ft which means i would clear any obstacles between the P3P and the Home point. I was hoping for RTH to do its thing but no such luck.

I read a thread recently where someone explained how to access the GPS coordinates from DJI GO / the controller. I can't find it so I'm looking for help on where i might access GO or RC log files that might help me in my search.

Thoughts or suggestions welcome.
 
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So...to make a long story short, I found my P3P. I was able to access the flight record data and locate the spot where it went down. It was not where I thought it would be. The flight record indicated that i was flying further north than i thought and i literally hit a mountain. The good news is that it ran into some brush so the only damage was some scratched propellers. My lucky day.

It took me a while to find the flight record information and figure out how to access the information contained in the record. For those trying to do the same, the following is how to find your flight record and how to convert them into a readable format.

The flight record is stored on the device hosting your DJI GO app. In my case, a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. To find them: launch DJI GO. On GO's home page, click the icon in the upper left hand corner. It looks like an arrowhead with arch above it. This will take you to your flight record logs. If you have not signed into DJI's website then you will be asked to login before you are redirected to the flight record page.

The flight record log displays basic information such as date/time, location, mileage, time, max altitude, photos, video and footage. Select the location tab to see a satellite image of your aircraft's last known location. You can also replay the entire flight as well as view your stick movement during the flight.

The satellite image was helpful but I wanted the GPS coordinates so that i could plug them into Google Maps and navigate to the last known location. To access the GPS coordinates, you need to access the flight record file stored on your device. In my case, I plugged my phone into my lapyop via USB and accessed the flight records thru the file manager. Flight records are .TXT files and were stored in the Galaxy S6 Edge\Phone\DJI\dji.pilot\FlightRecord directory.

These are not your normal .TXT files so to read the information you need to convert them to .CSV files. djilogs.com has an easy to use utility to convert these logs to .CSV. First, you go to djilogs.com with your web browser. You use the "upload" button to upload your .TXT file. The file is then automatically converted to .CSV. You then select the "Download Comprehensive CSV" link to download the file to your PC. Once downloaded, you can open the file using Excel.

The file contains a lot of information....including the last known GPS coordinates (i.e., OSD.longitude and OSD.latitude). Plug these latitude and longitude numbers into Google Maps, separated by a comma and you will have a location to start your search.

I hope this information helps the next person who loses their aircraft. It took me a while to figure out all of the steps as i was unable to find a single source for the information using basic Google search requests.

Good luck!
 
I somehow missed this original posting... Glad you found your bird! You did exactly what you should have done. No other avenue really. That flight log is your best friend!
 
I totally agree about the flight record being a person's best friend. I was amazed by the amount of information. It is really a shame that DJI does not make it easier for pilots to access the details.

The crazy part about my whole search and rescue attempt was that I was not the one who found my aircraft. The whole episode took place in the evening. I was trying to get some silhouette pictures of the local mountains just after sunset. Note to self: do not fly after dark as it is really hard to see.

It took me a couple of hours to figure out how to find the flight records and access their information. It was after midnight when I made my first search attempt using the GPS coordinates. No luck. I tried again this morning and did a thorough search within a couple hundred yards of the location. Again no luck.

I came home and just began the process of re-reading the flight logs, thinking that perhaps the aircraft kept moving once the signal was lost, when the door bell rings and 2 guys are standing outside holding my P3P. It turns out that they saw a red light flashing on the mountain side and decided to hike up and check it out. They found it in the exact location indicated by the flight record. They just beat me to the site by about an hour. Lucky for me, they found the SD card and used the stored video to locate my house.

I just flew the aircraft and all is good. :)

Thanks to the two good Samaritans!!!
 
With the various safe gaurds built into the Phantom 3, I think it would be difficult to lose her. Understanding how they work, and when to utilize them, is part of the learning experience. It's quite high tech, for the money we spend. Be a shame to let it fly away...

RedHotPoker
 
http://healthydrones.com is another site where you can view your flight logs. Thanks to jimcloud74 for that information!

I lost mine a couple of nights ago, just 30 minutes before dusk AND a fairly large thunderstorm. I had actually travelled about 2.5 miles before losing signal, with 45% battery. All I found on flight records was the last transmitted "signal lost" message. I also read my distance out and had the last image as the phantom was landing. With that information, I was able to find mine the next morning within a couple of minutes.

BTW ... the RTH function could use some updating. Jim and a few others told me that the flight speed in the RTH function isn't at full capacity, which is why mine landed about 1/2 mile short of home. The flight speed can be controlled manually even in the RTH mode. I'll definitely remember that the next time I lose signal.
 
My P3P disappeared on me this evening. I was about 1200 ft out with a clear line of sight when my signal dropped. I was flying at 210 ft which means i would clear any obstacles between the P3P and the Home point. I was hoping for RTH to do its thing but no such luck.

I read a thread recently where someone explained how to access the GPS coordinates from DJI GO / the controller. I can't find it so I'm looking for help on where i might access GO or RC log files that might help me in my search.

Thoughts or suggestions welcome.

Wow. Sorry for your loss. The DJI website may contribute some information for you. For future flights may I suggest you use the Marco Polo tracker on your birds. Well worth the investment. I lost a phantom under similiar circumstances and have been using the MC tracker ever since.
 

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