Just for the record as I think it is important that pilots know...
Flying in a relatively remote area (Google Maps), very short flight at five or less minutes.
iPad Pro 9.7
Stock Phantom 4
Mode P
Takeoff Battery at 60%.
Received 1st low battery warning while bird was ~90 meters from takeoff location (default 30% low bat setting).
Pressed RTH button immediately.
Telemetry showed RTH engaged and bird returning directly home.
Once over takeoff location, bird came down vertically, never slowing and BAM!
Broken Camera protective lens. Broken inner strut housing. Saw smoke, don't know where from. Shut down routine unresponsive so quickly yanked the battery. While damage seem minor, it will no longer connect.
WTF?! I've read enough Phantom 4 crash posts to know that many are pilot error. I've also seen many where the bird has been replaced by DJI suggesting hardware/software issues/bugs. My telemetry, when last glanced showed the drone to be around 300 feet up while its RTH safe altitude was set at 125'. I've noticed previously the app was reporting an altitude that seem higher my senses. Who you gonna' trust? My sensors or the bird's?
Thoughts :: Drone didn’t know where the ground was, irrespective of GPS and sensors. Thought I had seen this previously at this same location. One time the drone was showing it was at 150’ when it was in fact soft landing exactly where it took off from.
Purchased via Amazon (Beach Camera).
Contacted DJI and they issued a RMA. The support fellow warned me they would invoice me for repairs and that I would then have to contest the invoice in order to get the techs to investigate the Phantom 4's black box. Interesting, makes sense from a business point of view.
Flying in a relatively remote area (Google Maps), very short flight at five or less minutes.
iPad Pro 9.7
Stock Phantom 4
Mode P
Takeoff Battery at 60%.
Received 1st low battery warning while bird was ~90 meters from takeoff location (default 30% low bat setting).
Pressed RTH button immediately.
Telemetry showed RTH engaged and bird returning directly home.
Once over takeoff location, bird came down vertically, never slowing and BAM!
Broken Camera protective lens. Broken inner strut housing. Saw smoke, don't know where from. Shut down routine unresponsive so quickly yanked the battery. While damage seem minor, it will no longer connect.
WTF?! I've read enough Phantom 4 crash posts to know that many are pilot error. I've also seen many where the bird has been replaced by DJI suggesting hardware/software issues/bugs. My telemetry, when last glanced showed the drone to be around 300 feet up while its RTH safe altitude was set at 125'. I've noticed previously the app was reporting an altitude that seem higher my senses. Who you gonna' trust? My sensors or the bird's?
Thoughts :: Drone didn’t know where the ground was, irrespective of GPS and sensors. Thought I had seen this previously at this same location. One time the drone was showing it was at 150’ when it was in fact soft landing exactly where it took off from.
Purchased via Amazon (Beach Camera).
Contacted DJI and they issued a RMA. The support fellow warned me they would invoice me for repairs and that I would then have to contest the invoice in order to get the techs to investigate the Phantom 4's black box. Interesting, makes sense from a business point of view.
