Rule #1: Stay Calm

[dpsa]

Have had some good flights the last couple of days including a couple night flights in open field. Flight out tomorrow so I wanted to drain some battery. Head to the driveway (UAV app said wind was 15mph) and just planned on cruising around the house....at around 50ft....gusts of wind take it way east out of sight!

This is where rule 1 came in, no crazy stick moves. Noted connection was there, altitude was there so I throttled up in case there was something taller coming. Then switched to map and noted orientation position relative to me. Lined things up and pushed home. Minor stress as I pushed forward and she was making little progress. The the wind died down, she began advancing, and I could hear her. Once visible, got her to me and on the ground ASAP.

This is something all you experienced guys know, but for the newbs like me, you need to stay cool and gather your data first so you don't accidentally push the wrong button or joystick into something (remember, unless there is a malfunction, she should try to hover if you stop touching the sticks) . I thanked the Lord for having trained for a job where freaking out doesn't help.

J

 

[Slackware]

climbing higher usually climbs into stronger winds also. So counter productive most times.
Glad it worked for you.

 

[dpsa]

climbing higher usually climbs into stronger winds also. So counter productive most times.
Glad it worked for you.

Understood, but was concerned about getting pushed into neighbors Tree, so just elevated to 100ft, but definitely Good thing to remember as well. thx

 

[Slackware]

Understood, but was concerned about getting pushed into neighbors Tree, so just elevated to 100ft, but definitely Good thing to remember as well. thx

it's a balancing act. which is worse wood gods, or cloud gods. The quite ones are just as dangerous sometimes.

 

[Mark The Droner]

 

[Oso]

Have had some good flights the last couple of days including a couple night flights in open field. Flight out tomorrow so I wanted to drain some battery. Head to the driveway (UAV app said wind was 15mph) and just planned on cruising around the house....at around 50ft....gusts of wind take it way east out of sight!

This is where rule 1 came in, no crazy stick moves. Noted connection was there, altitude was there so I throttled up in case there was something taller coming. Then switched to map and noted orientation position relative to me. Lined things up and pushed home. Minor stress as I pushed forward and she was making little progress. The the wind died down, she began advancing, and I could hear her. Once visible, got her to me and on the ground ASAP.

This is something all you experienced guys know, but for the newbs like me, you need to stay cool and gather your data first so you don't accidentally push the wrong button or joystick into something (remember, unless there is a malfunction, she should try to hover if you stop touching the sticks) . I thanked the Lord for having trained for a job where freaking out doesn't help.

J

Nice save. Thanks for posting.

Were you flying in ATTI mode or were the gusts just super strong and sustained?

 

[dpsa]

Nice save. Thanks for posting.

Were you flying in ATTI mode or were the gusts just super strong and sustained?

Was in GPS.

In retrospect what I think happened: Took off with drone facing away, it got swept up by the gust, I likely advanced with the right stick which made it move away like a sci-fi UFO. That's when I got fingers off the sticks and re-evaluated the situation. There was certainly some good wind up there bcs she was slow on the return, but I likely pushed her away quicker.

 

[shockwave199]

Yeah, the bird getting caught up and just flying away suggests either a strong 30+ mph gust or you lost gps in that instant and went into atti mode. Possibly a compass error threw it into atti mode. These birds hang tight usually, in winds. But get a super strong one and of course they'll be overpowered. Glad it worked out.

 

[shockwave199]

Oh I see you posted above. Yeah, you probably ran it off with wrong stick movement. Practice, practice. Use the sim too- it can help.

 

[Ryan Hanscom]

I noticed you said you were in gps mode....I'm new but I think if you flip it in Atti it will fly faster and push better in the wind.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[Mako79]

Pucker factor = sphincter exercises.
Remeber kids, I'd stuck in wind gust then Get down low and blow blow blow. If else fail ATTI mode to get serious angle.

 

[dpsa]

Ahhh discovered the logs in the go app....these little black boxes are great to learn from...

once up at 75 ft altitude the bird was facing south and blown to the east 43 feet in 9 seconds with no stick input

turned her towards the west against the wind, throttled forward @ 30-40% for 10 seconds and made no progress west (except a slight north drift), was out of sight so I elevated to 100 ft

sticks neutral starts moving east again, as I am trying to re-orient using the map I throttle @15% for 1 sec in wrong direction
I move east 156 feet in 10 seconds until finally facing west again

throttle up to 22% and cont moving east another 35 ft, finally stops easterly drift at 75% throttle and keep it there until over me again

Good learning for sure. As others have mentioned, I should have switched to map and oriented more before increasing altitude which likely got me into stronger winds. Was in GPS the whole time, BTW

 

[crash1sttime]

Using ATTI is a good way to determine wind speed, get her up above and stick her in ATTI and see which way she moves and how fast, anymore than 15mph and its time to land and wait for the wind to die down

 

[Joenavy85]

yep, hold altitude and evaluate, I learned that with my little quadcopter, I was doing a night flight at it got away from me a ways, I had to hold altitude and carefully check which way I was facing and then get my bearings straight and bring it home. Good save, the first ones always a learning experience

Sent from my SM-G900T using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[royster]

I know I;m repeating this but, to me, its so important to know how to handle your bird in ATT mode & I mean before you suddenly see message- No GPS, switching to ATT mode!
I remember, maybe day # 3 of flying & I'd just read about different modes, put her up to about 20 meters, flipped to ATT mode & bird took off to the left at a very hi rate of speed, first thing I did?
I ran after my P3A yelling STOP, STOP!! Finally realizing voice commands aren't an option, yet, I manhandled her back towards me, but was very slow in coming, mostly at a standstill, now in a full sweat & thinking -Do a CSC ,at least save her from a flyaway. But, common sense came to me & I flipped to P mode, bird sat there, hardly moving, I brought her down to about 10 meters or less & flew her right to me. Since this I;ve spent a lot of time in ATT mode & found this to be a favorite way to fly, in the right conditions of course.

 

[dpsa]

I know I;m repeating this but, to me, its so important to know how to handle your bird ink ATT mode & I mean before you suddenly see message- No GPS, switching to ATT mode!
I remember, maybe day # 3 of flying & I'd just read about different modes, put her up to about 20 meters, flipped to ATT mode & bird took off to the left at a very hi rate of speed, first thing I did?
I ran after my P3A yelling STOP, STOP!! Finally realizing voice commands aren't an option, yet, I manhandled her back towards me, but was very slow in coming, mostly at a standstill, now in a full sweat & thinking -Do a CSC ,at least save her from a flyaway. But, common sense came to me & I flipped to P mode, bird sat there, hardly moving, I brought her down to about 10 meters or less & flew her right to me. Since this I;ve spent a lot of time in ATT mode & found this to be a favorite way to fly, in the right conditions of course.

Will definitely practice it.