RTH mistake

[stujol]

Ok being a proud 1 month old owner of a P3P I decided Sunday afternoon was a great time to show the wife how easy it is to fly. So we are out in yard and she is flying it around pretty good. We are rural so she went out about 1500 ft. and back no problems. I thought I should have her fly it around until the battery hit 30% and show her how the return to home works. Well She ends flying about 20 feet over a tree in yard so I start getting nervous because I have already discovered how treacherous trees are. About that time the thirty percent warning came on and I told her to hit the RTH button. Some of you have probably guessed what happened. Apparently said tree is within 20 meters of the home point so the drone immediately started descending and by the time I realize what is happening it is too late. A nasty 50 foot tumble. But the sturdy little bird lives to fly another day. The prop guards and props were trashed but everything else is fine.

replacing prop guards and props ahh not so bad

accepting yet another blow to pride ahh not so bad

The really bad thing "Honey it was not your fault, It was really my fault"

 

[Dounin Front]

I thought I should have her fly it around until the battery hit 30% and show her how the return to home works. Well She ends flying about 20 feet over a tree in yard so I start getting nervous because I have already discovered how treacherous trees are. Apparently said tree is within 20 meters of the home point so the drone immediately started descending and by the time I realize what is happening it is too late. A nasty 50 foot tumble. But the sturdy little bird lives to fly another day. The prop guards and props were trashed but everything else is fine.
The really bad thing "Honey it was not your fault, It was really my fault"

Been there and had the feeling. Now I leave lots of margin in battery usage. You do not want to run it down to far. I swear the last half goes faster.
And usually RTH is really your friend!

 

[snerd]

A lesson learned the hard way is a lesson oft remembered. (snerd, circa 2015)

 

[0000edgar0000]

Before attempting to fly it people should really get to know and adjust all the settings in the DJI app. Amazed how many people take the drone out of the box and go fly it.

 

[snerd]

Before attempting to fly it people should really get to know and adjust all the settings in the DJI app. Amazed how many people take the drone out of the box and go fly it.

I think what he was saying was that he did indeed know all of that. It was an in-the-moment brain-fart, but that it all turned out good.

 

[mirrorimage]

Before attempting to fly it people should really get to know and adjust all the settings in the DJI app. Amazed how many people take the drone out of the box and go fly it.

DJI could do a lot just by making the app have a better UI. There are tons of hidden menus and options. Even after playing with it for months, I often can't find the option I just hit. Bad UI kills birds.

 

[tcope]

I may not be in the majority here but I stand by this.... I never recommend RTH unless there is _no_ other way to get the Phantom back home. Turning over the flight to an automated process is never a good idea in my book. Always better to manually fly it back home. Just too many things can go wrong. Case in point... RTH cannot see a tree in the flight path while you could.

 

[mirrorimage]

I may not be in the majority here but I stand by this.... I never recommend RTH unless there is _no_ other way to get the Phantom back home. Turning over the flight to an automated process is never a good idea in my book. Always better to manually fly it back home. Just too many things can go wrong. Case in point... RTH cannot see a tree in the flight path while you could.

So far I agree. The behavior could be fixed by telling the user they are within 20meters of the home point and confirm with a countdown that they want it to land immediately.

 

[0000edgar0000]

I may not be in the majority here but I stand by this.... I never recommend RTH unless there is _no_ other way to get the Phantom back home. Turning over the flight to an automated process is never a good idea in my book. Always better to manually fly it back home. Just too many things can go wrong. Case in point... RTH cannot see a tree in the flight path while you could.

There nothing wrong with RTH as long as you set up your drone to account for trees, cell towers, power lines, etc... Guessing over 350ft to avoid a typical cell tower.

 

[tcope]

There nothing wrong with RTH as long as you set up your drone to account for trees, cell towers, power lines, etc... Guessing over 350ft to avoid a typical cell tower.

That you are not within 20' of home point, that your home point was set correctly... yeah other then all of those things... golden.

I think RTH does pretty well. I am just preaching that it's better not to create that door of possible things going wrong when you don't need to. I just choose to leave RTH until I cannot fly it back home myself. Then I don't need to worry about <see everything listed above>.

 

[Reed L]

The really bad thing "Honey it was not your fault, It was really my fault"

A lesson learned the hard way is a lesson oft remembered. (snerd, circa 2015)

lol, Now that's funny because I'm with snerd on this one A happy wife makes for a happy life.
So take the test... Wand Essentials Nub Tip
Being a professional husband is another one of my hobbies

 

[GadgetGuy]

There is another alternative. Change the low battery warning from 30% to 20% in the app, and change critical Autoland from 20% to 10%, and then you'll have a lot more time to bring the bird back safely, without all the bugaboos. Just monitor the remaining flight time, to have an accurate idea of when to bring it in for a landing.

 

[KMD1984]

Before attempting to fly it people should really get to know and adjust all the settings in the DJI app. Amazed how many people take the drone out of the box and go fly it.

You are making it sounds like you can change that behavior!? Is that true? Can you disable immediate landing within the 20 feet?

DJI could do a lot just by making the app have a better UI. There are tons of hidden menus and options. Even after playing with it for months, I often can't find the option I just hit. Bad UI kills birds.

Totally agree. I had zero issues flying my Solo without reading the manual. Didn't have to remember a single thing, not to mention annoying led patterns... Can't say that about the P3P. Only hovered it for a minute indoors. Would like to take it outside but who wants to read all that crap, ha ha.

I may not be in the majority here but I stand by this.... I never recommend RTH unless there is _no_ other way to get the Phantom back home. Turning over the flight to an automated process is never a good idea in my book. Always better to manually fly it back home. Just too many things can go wrong. Case in point... RTH cannot see a tree in the flight path while you could.

Agreed. On my Solo, I use RTL (return to launch) only when I am far out and just want it to come back. Once closer I get out of RTL and fly myself again.

Speaking of getting out of RTH. How does one do so for the Phantom?

Thanks,

Kmd

 

[GadgetGuy]

You are making it sounds like you can change that behavior!? Is that true? Can you disable immediate landing within the 20 feet?

Totally agree. I had zero issues flying my Solo without reading the manual. Didn't have to remember a single thing, not to mention annoying led patterns... Can't say that about the P3P. Only hovered it for a minute indoors. Would like to take it outside but who wants to read all that crap, ha ha.

Agreed. On my Solo, I use RTL (return to launch) only when I am far out and just want it to come back. Once closer I get out of RTL and fly myself again.

Speaking of getting out of RTH. How does one do so for the Phantom?

Thanks,

Kmd

Cancel RTH by pressing and releasing the RTH button on the transmitter. To manually activate RTH, you press and hold the same button for 3 seconds. Both assume you still have, or have recovered transmitter control, verified by the colored LED on top of the transmitter being green. If the transmitter has lost all control, the green LED turns red, in which case the P3 takes over, and initiates the Failsafe RTH. Once back within signal range, your transmitter LED light will go from red to green, and you can cancel the RTH as specified above, and take over manual control again.

 

[RoyVa]

The RTH is just another function and as with any they have to be set up and properly executed. Myself and many of the other pilots use it all the time especially in area where a lot of trees and other objects can interfere with flying visually. It's just like fail safe and can be your saving grace to get your quad back. Not so necessary in wide open rural areas but for some it's FANTASTIC !

 

[stujol]

Before attempting to fly it people should really get to know and adjust all the settings in the DJI app. Amazed how many people take the drone out of the box and go fly it.

I have read the manual, watched 100's of videos and did adjust my return to home altitude before ever flying the drone. I am amazed that you are amazed at something you could not possibly know. And it is 20 meters away from home point not 20 feet. Which I knew but actually did not realize It was with in 65 feet of home point. If I would have been the one at the controller I would not have initiated RTH so it would not have happened. I was just telling a funny story about how easy it is to look foolish in front of your wife. Yes it was a stupid mistake. Will I make make more stupid mistakes in my life ? Undoubtedly.

 

[Solar Deity]

I may not be in the majority here but I stand by this.... I never recommend RTH unless there is _no_ other way to get the Phantom back home. Turning over the flight to an automated process is never a good idea in my book. Always better to manually fly it back home. Just too many things can go wrong. Case in point... RTH cannot see a tree in the flight path while you could.

Your leaving out a useful tool while Returning To Home. What is not being mentioned is RTH is like Home Lock in IOC flight. I send the P3 out just past it's intended subject. After RTH is initiated, you can yaw and pan the camera and hold the subject in frame while it flies forward-sideways-backward, all while keeping the shot on target. The P3 comes home on a straight line no matter its orientation. You can also speed up or slow down the RTH speed with the right stick. This is extremely useful, and cool as hell when video taping your subject. On longer RTH flights, its awesome to be able to pan around and record things you normally wouldn't get flying straight ahead.

My $0.02.

SD

 

[KMD1984]

Cancel RTH by pressing and releasing the RTH button on the transmitter. To manually activate RTH, you press and hold the same button for 3 seconds. Both assume you still have, or have recovered transmitter control, verified by the colored LED on top of the transmitter being green. If the transmitter has lost all control, the green LED turns red, in which case the P3 takes over, and initiates the Failsafe RTH. Once back within signal range, your transmitter LED light will go from red to green, and you can cancel the RTH as specified above, and take over manual control again.

Thank you so much!

 

[KMD1984]

I have read the manual, watched 100's of videos and did adjust my return to home altitude before ever flying the drone. I am amazed that you are amazed at something you could not possibly know. And it is 20 meters away from home point not 20 feet. Which I knew but actually did not realize It was with in 65 feet of home point. If I would have been the one at the controller I would not have initiated RTH so it would not have happened. I was just telling a funny story about how easy it is to look foolish in front of your wife. Yes it was a stupid mistake. Will I make make more stupid mistakes in my life ? Undoubtedly.

You're fine. I do the same. Tell stories about something stupid I did, and done take it the wrong way. I like your story and out already taught me a lesson, so thank you for that.

Your leaving out a useful tool while Returning To Home. What is not being mentioned is RTH is like Home Lock in IOC flight. I send the P3 out just past it's intended subject. After RTH is initiated, you can yaw and pan the camera and hold the subject in frame while it flies forward-sideways-backward, all while keeping the shot on target. The P3 comes home on a straight line no matter its orientation. You can also speed up or slow down the RTH speed with the right stick. This is extremely useful, and cool as hell when video taping your subject. On longer RTH flights, its awesome to be able to pan around and record things you normally wouldn't get flying straight ahead.

My $0.02.

SD

Good to know!

 

[tcope]

Your leaving out a useful tool while Returning To Home. What is not being mentioned is RTH is like Home Lock in IOC flight. I send the P3 out just past it's intended subject. After RTH is initiated, you can yaw and pan the camera and hold the subject in frame while it flies forward-sideways-backward, all while keeping the shot on target. The P3 comes home on a straight line no matter its orientation. You can also speed up or slow down the RTH speed with the right stick. This is extremely useful, and cool as hell when video taping your subject. On longer RTH flights, its awesome to be able to pan around and record things you normally wouldn't get flying straight ahead.

Very good point. I think I'd try to do that with waypoints more then RTH, though. Use Litchi if needed. But this is just me always trying to avoid RTH. I can't say waypoints is any more safe then RTH.