What do in this scenario?

[alirz]

So i've always thought and somewhat partially experienced this scenario.
I've never really used any of the smart function like home lock etc. But i can see it can be useful in case you lose orientation and simply want to bring back the p3, you flip the swtich, select home lock and hold down on the right stick...
Now i know in a case where P3 is far out, not really visible by eye, and if the DJI app crases (which has happened to me), i hit the RTH button and the P3 came back. So far so good.

But what if, p3 is far out, not visible, for some odd reason it loses gps, switches to atti mode and then the dji go app crashes and wont connect back to the p3? At that point i cannot switch to home lock even, obviously cannot use RTH too.....I would assume the RC would be connected to the aircraft still however because i dont know the orientation of the aircraft, i cannot fly it manually towards home point..

I know this is really a crappy scenario with several failures occuring, but i would still like to know the best way of recovery. Any idea folks?

 

[msinger]

But what if, p3 is far out, not visible, for some odd reason it loses gps, switches to atti mode and then the dji go app crashes and wont connect back to the p3? At that point i cannot switch to home lock even, obviously cannot use RTH too.....I would assume the RC would be connected to the aircraft still however because i dont know the orientation of the aircraft, i cannot fly it manually towards home point.

There would be no way of knowing the orientation of your aircraft at this point. You'll either get lucky and it'll be pointing in the correct direction or it'll fly further away from the home point and eventually land when the battery is too low to continue flying. This is a perfect scenario for retrieval via a tracker.

 

[tgadler]

Cant you just activate RTH with the RC?

 

[msinger]

In the OP's scenario, the Phantom lost GPS. That means it could not RTH.

 

[alirz]

Cant you just activate RTH with the RC?

Nope, assuming GPS signal was lost and that aircraft is in ATTI mode.

 

[tgadler]

Oh, I see. Then I would probably throttle up a bit to try to recover GPS signal and then activate RTH.

 

[RedHotPoker]

Throttle up? Without RC connected to drone, a pointless effort.

But if for some reason it reconnects, go for it, by all means... ;-)

RedHotPoker

 

[msinger]

Throttle up? Without RC connected to drone, a pointless effort.

True -- but, the RC is still connected in the OP's scenario.

 

[tgadler]

Throttle up? Without RC connected to drone, a pointless effort.

But if for some reason it reconnects, go for it, by all means... ;-)

RedHotPoker

In this scenario I think that the DJI GO app crashed but the RC remained connected. If you lose both RC and GPS signal and are very far away I think the only thing you can do is to start running after you Phantom trying to reconnect.

 

[msinger]

If you lose both RC and GPS signal and are very far away I think the only thing you can do is to start running after you Phantom trying to reconnect.

You will only have 3 seconds to catch it since it will auto land when the signal is lost. That's of course if you did not change that default setting to RTH on RC signal loss in DJI GO.

 

[BigAl07]

Throttle up? Without RC connected to drone, a pointless effort.

He sort of did state for this scenario the Tx was still connected to the aircraft:

.....I would assume the RC would be connected to the aircraft still however because i dont know the orientation of the aircraft, i cannot fly it manually towards home point..

I think I would do this.....

A) Determine some landmarks to orient yourself so you can use them to head towards the aircraft ( you'd be surprised how the landscape looks different just a few hundred yards away when you're trying to orient to objects)

B) Immediately start advancing towards the last known direction of the aircraft as quickly as possible to maybe regain full connection to video

C) Restart the tablet and the GO ap

D) If you can't reconnect the aircraft will hover and auto-land in a vertical column to the best of it's ability but without GPS it's going to be drifting with the wind. Hopefully little to no wind will be present.

E) Make sure your name and contact info are on the aircraft to help the potential of it being returned if found.

 

[tgadler]

You will only have 3 seconds to catch it since it will auto land when the signal is lost. That's of course if you did not change that default setting to RTH on RC signal loss in DJI GO.

Did not quite know about that. I admire your extended knowledge and appreciate what you do for this forum!

 

[FantomFlier]

In this scenario I think that the DJI GO app crashed but the RC remained connected. If you lose both RC and GPS signal and are very far away I think the only thing you can do is to start running after you Phantom trying to reconnect.

Or take up fishing. Fewer things to go wrong.

 

[alirz]

Oh, I see. Then I would probably throttle up a bit to try to recover GPS signal and then activate RTH.

Sure that be tried but height shouldn't matter unless i'm in Urban area or something, which is unlikely. Assumption is that possible compass error or some other interference made the aircraft switch to ATTI mode.

 

[alirz]

Glad to know that running after it seems the likely solution in this case. I just hope it never happens. Thanks all.

 

[tgadler]

Sure that be tried but height shouldn't matter unless i'm in Urban area or something, which is unlikely. Assumption is that possible compass error or some other interference made the aircraft switch to ATTI mode.

Gaining some altitude is the only way (In most cases) to get away from the interference without risking to crash into something.

 

[alirz]

Throttle up? Without RC connected to drone, a pointless effort.

But if for some reason it reconnects, go for it, by all means... ;-)

RedHotPoker

In this scenario, the RC is still connected to the AC. However, the DJI go app has crashed and the AC is in ATTO mode.

 

[RedHotPoker]

Then we should all practice in ATTI, because flying in ATTI mode is more real, than simply floating around on helium like we normally do with the Phantom. So before you get caught with your pants down, have a spare set of clean under drawers, close. Hahaha
When the satalites go silent, so shall many drones...

Sorry, but I'm in a self elevated awareness state today. Chuckles


RedHotPoker

 

[alirz]

Then we should all practice in ATTI, because flying in ATTI mode is more real, than simply floating around on helium like we normally do with the Phantom. So before you get caught with your pants down, have a spare set of clean under drawers, close. Hahaha
When the satalites go silent, so shall many drones...

Sorry, but I'm in a self elevated awareness state today. Chuckles


RedHotPoker

Yeh thats what this thread is about. I know how to fly in ATTI mode. But it wont help if you cannot see the drone with your eyes and your DJI go app has crashed( no video link).. as you cannot tell which way your facing. youre kind of screwed.

 

[CCrew]

But it wont help if you cannot see the drone with your eyes

But of course that will never happen to us with the new FAA regs amiright?