So I took delivery of a Garmin GTU10 this morning. A doddle to set up and up and running in no time. I decided to attach it to the back of my GorPro 3 skeleton case via the velcro and it seems nice and secure.
Today's flight was being done as a favour to my Mother (a local historian) wanting an overview of a local Castle ruins. No drama at all until about 6 minutes in where we both lost visual on the Phantom behind a tree (The Phantom was about 250 meters away at the time. I pushed for more altitude to gain some safe air but neither of us could see it at all. Not a pleasant feeling as I'm sure many new flyers have experienced!
I think a 'medium panic' set in as opposed to 'good sense' (good sense would have been to put the IOC in Home Lock and pull back!) so I put my faith in Return to Home function (via a transmitter disconnect). Minutes passed like hours, the faint buzz of the props could be heard out there somewhere but no sign at all... ugg.
So I reached for the iPhone and booted up the GTU10 app knowing it was almost certainly over the river at the time I lost sight. Still a hike into a field would be worth it knowing the Phantom 'should' land when the batt dies! The app loaded up and I refreshed the location. To my dismay it had its location as being where I was standing!! Great so a busted GTU10 and a lost phantom/gopro was on the cards!! But why can I still hear the props out there somewhere?!
Then of course it dawned on me and rather than staring just above the tree line in the direction from where it vanished, I looked straight up.... high up! Sure enough there was the Phantom directly over my head at what seemed like a lot higher that the RTH 60 feet! I let it float down a little closer knowing it was now easily 10+ mins flying on the stock battery and 250gram extra pay load.
I flipped it Into attitude mode and regained control. At this point the batt was clearly on its last beat with red lights flashing away. Indeed as i descended there was no up thrust at all from 6 feet and a somewhat bumpy landing followed.
Still what can I say! I am one happy man with DJI and the Naza's RTH. A lesson well learnt that is for **** sure but it was comforting to know had it have landed the GTU10 would have been pretty **** accurate in helping me recover it (in a 'feet dry' situation of course!
Today's flight was being done as a favour to my Mother (a local historian) wanting an overview of a local Castle ruins. No drama at all until about 6 minutes in where we both lost visual on the Phantom behind a tree (The Phantom was about 250 meters away at the time. I pushed for more altitude to gain some safe air but neither of us could see it at all. Not a pleasant feeling as I'm sure many new flyers have experienced!
I think a 'medium panic' set in as opposed to 'good sense' (good sense would have been to put the IOC in Home Lock and pull back!) so I put my faith in Return to Home function (via a transmitter disconnect). Minutes passed like hours, the faint buzz of the props could be heard out there somewhere but no sign at all... ugg.
So I reached for the iPhone and booted up the GTU10 app knowing it was almost certainly over the river at the time I lost sight. Still a hike into a field would be worth it knowing the Phantom 'should' land when the batt dies! The app loaded up and I refreshed the location. To my dismay it had its location as being where I was standing!! Great so a busted GTU10 and a lost phantom/gopro was on the cards!! But why can I still hear the props out there somewhere?!
Then of course it dawned on me and rather than staring just above the tree line in the direction from where it vanished, I looked straight up.... high up! Sure enough there was the Phantom directly over my head at what seemed like a lot higher that the RTH 60 feet! I let it float down a little closer knowing it was now easily 10+ mins flying on the stock battery and 250gram extra pay load.
I flipped it Into attitude mode and regained control. At this point the batt was clearly on its last beat with red lights flashing away. Indeed as i descended there was no up thrust at all from 6 feet and a somewhat bumpy landing followed.
Still what can I say! I am one happy man with DJI and the Naza's RTH. A lesson well learnt that is for **** sure but it was comforting to know had it have landed the GTU10 would have been pretty **** accurate in helping me recover it (in a 'feet dry' situation of course!