Reasons for Fail Safe?

[voodoo]

Guys,

Took the Phantom out for a spin today @ lunch. I work near an office park. There are several large buildings, and it is a very overcast like day. We attempted to launch @ one location, but could only get 4 satellites and no GPS lock. We shuffled over about 500 feet to another spot. Got GPS lock right away. I take off, bring the Phantom up to 300 feet, and see some yellow NAZA lights a few times, but pretty quickly the Phantom went right into fail safe mode. It landed properly (I caught it), but it was a scary moment for me. I haven't yet practiced initiating intentional fail safe and then taking over via manual control. I was hesitant to do that bc I never have in a controlled environment, but will do so now. Anyway, here is the question:

What happened today? I think I need to understand more about what interferes with the transmitter connection to the Phantom. Several tall (30 story) buildings around may mean there are cell towers on them. There was also a power-line and transformer about 100 feet away. What causes the bird to lose connection to the transmitter? Thanks!

 

[OI Photography]

Was it 300 feet directly above you? And if so, was the tip of your antenna pointed directly at it? That's where the signal emission is the weakest (by a large degree).

 

[voodoo]

Yes I launched vertically into the air. Yes I typically have the antenna pointed upwards towards the sky.

This seems like a mistake, from what you are saying? No? It seems that many people have them pointed laterally with the ground. Makes sense how that I think of it. If your quad is above you in the air, the antenna shouldn't be pointed directly upwards :/ has less area to attract the signal. Directly upwards only works well if something is a lateral distance away, not vertical. Confirm for me please. Cheers

this vid seems to be on the same page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzNBek5QcYY

 

[Meta4]

Straight up above you is always the trickiest place for connection and usually where you get the minimum distance before failsafe will trigger.

 

[voodoo]

Great yeah thanks. I'm going to be more careful about antenna placement. Cheers!