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Hi everyone, New to this hobby & I'm in need of some clarification from those experienced with the P4 & how RTH actually plays out.
Just wondering if I am flying above the return to home height I have pre programmed before I take off & RTH is triggered or activated, will the P4 descend & then RTH or will it maintain it's current altitude until it is above ''Home'' & then descend?
Also during a flight & I become concerned the RTH I have preset before the flight may be too low can this height be altered & re-set mid flight?
Also can I throttle forward to raise it's elevation during RTH & will it maintain it's new elevation?
Lot's of questions I know, but really don't want to find out the hard way!!!
Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Chris

1973bro, 52 minutes ago
 
msinger can correct me if I am wrong but If you are above the altitude set in RTH it will RTH at its current altitude, during RTH you can push up and it will rise but when you release the stick it will return to the set RTH. To be safe, always set height to more than you think you need.
 
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It will return home at the current hight unless it's lower than the one set. Yes you can alter it mid flight the same way you would if on the ground. And yes you can throttle up all you like.

Sent from my SM-G930F using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
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It will return home at the current hight unless it's lower than the one set. Yes you can alter it mid flight the same way you would if on the ground. And yes you can throttle up all you like.

Sent from my SM-G930F using PhantomPilots mobile app

^This

And I'd like to add that I still have a mini heart attack every time I get an unexpected disconnect, but at the same time I gain confidence every time I reconnect and see that she's buzzing her way back home exactly as she should, at the correct altitude etc.
 
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Thanks for the heads up guy's, always better to have a clear understanding before trying of course.
Cheers,
Chris
 
Thanks for the heads up guy's, always better to have a clear understanding before trying of course.
RTH is one of the most important systems to understand.
When you know how it works and how to initiate and cancel you can use it confidently.
But there are plenty of cases of crashes caused by flyers not understanding RTH and what it does.
Take your Phantom to a clear, open area and experiment but remember that if you initiate RTH when the Phantom is closer than 20 metres, it will land where it is rather than return.
 
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RTH is one of the most important systems to understand.
When you know how it works and how to initiate and cancel you can use it confidently.
But there are plenty of cases of crashes caused by flyers not understanding RTH and what it does.
Take your Phantom to a clear, open area and experiment but remember that if you initiate RTH when the Phantom is closer than 20 metres, it will land where it is rather than return.

I have been intending to do that. I have read it all and fairly confident that I have a clear understanding of it. I haven't seen it in action yet.

I live in a heavily wooded area. I sent the drone up until the camera had a clear view above the trees and noted the altitude. I set the RTH altitude a little above that. I always launch in an open area. My theory is that it shouldn't hit anything on the way back. The link that alokbhargava posted above has a great explanation of it.
 
I have been intending to do that. I have read it all and fairly confident that I have a clear understanding of it. I haven't seen it in action yet.

I live in a heavily wooded area. I sent the drone up until the camera had a clear view above the trees and noted the altitude. I set the RTH altitude a little above that. I always launch in an open area. My theory is that it shouldn't hit anything on the way back. The link that alokbhargava posted above has a great explanation of it.

Tree's in my area average 75/100', my RTH is set to 200', Never a worry coming home over them. Wait until it has returned and is hovering overhead, Cancel RTH and bring it down thru the tree's :)
 
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I totally avoid RTH, and I fully understand it. There are some strange programming rules that kick in within 20 meters that could cause unexpected behavior, resulting in panic, resulting in unnecessary crash. Learn to fly the bird home manually. Too many fliers use it as the "magic button". If you don't believe me, just read all the crash threads that started with "I pushed RTH..."

Stay away from it, unless an absolute emergency.
 
There are some strange programming rules that kick in within 20 meters that could cause unexpected behavior, resulting in panic, resulting in unnecessary crash.
The Phantom will auto land at its current location if RTH is initiated when it's within 20 meters of the home point. That's as designed and it should not be unexpected if the pilot took the time to read the Phantom manual.
 
"As expected if the pilot took the time to read the manual" and "intuitive" are not always the same thing.

If the RTH rules were intuitive, there wouldn't be so much confusion continually expressed on these forums, I suspect.
 
Not much above drones is really intuitive.
 
The Phantom will auto land at its current location if RTH is initiated when it's within 20 meters of the home point. That's as designed and it should not be unexpected if the pilot took the time to read the Phantom manual.
O.K., That is only ONE of the RTH intricacies, one of the easier ones to remember. How about if you are above 20 meters, but below Failsafe altitude; if you move the Left stick, it will stop climbing at current altitude and RTH. Sorry, but that is screwed up....if somebody gets an unexpected reaction. The FIRST thing most will do is start moving sticks..a defensive response. Not speaking for others, but I have read the manual, watched the videos, and am THOROUGHLY familiar with the aircraft...still say it is NOT intuitive.

And....YES, it is the MOST misunderstood function, and a lot of DJIs programming wasn't well thought out.
 
.still say it is NOT intuitive
I agree with you 100%. That's why it's important for pilots to read and understand the entire Phantom manual before their first flight. Phantoms are like nothing else most people have ever used.
 
Agree....and I also agree a lot of operators don't see the need to read and learn the equipment before flying.....thus, all the crash threads.

Happy droning!
 
The RTH is an emergency-only function (when the signal is lost).

The RTH function should not be used as if it was a sort of auto-land.

Even in a waypoints navigation taking-off and landing should be always manual.
 
Maybe it´s already mentioned, but anyway, the RTH (on the P4) will avoid obstacles on the return path given the setting is selected, light conditions is good, and you are in P mode. Not saying that you shouldn't´set a proper RTH height based on your surroundings. This is always important, especially since the function is deactivated on RTH if you are in S mode (kinda strange actually...). Also like mentioned, use for emergency only! When i find myself disorientated about heading or whereabouts, looking or switching to map will always get me on the right path.
 
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The RTH is an emergency-only function (when the signal is lost).

The RTH function should not be used as if it was a sort of auto-land.

Even in a waypoints navigation taking-off and landing should be always manual.

Is that some kind of truism, or just your opinion? I've not seen that written anywhere.

In MY humble opinion, RTH is as valid a way of "returning to home" as a waypoint or tap-to-fly mission is of flying your drone, or as an orbit mission is of circling a point of interest.
 

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