Why didn't my controller re-connect (WayPoint Mission)

Joined
Apr 4, 2017
Messages
753
Reaction score
376
Location
ON, Canada
Yesterday, I was running a Waypoint mission using Hammer Missions. For Waypoints, it works a lot like Litchi, it loads the mission to the drone and will continue the mission if signal is lost, and yesterday that is exactly what happened. The AC lost connection to the controller about 3/4 the way through on the return portion and never regained connection even as it came closer and auto landed at the home point. My question is, why did it not regain connection even when the AC was close by? Would shutting off the controller and restarting it have helped regain connection?

At the point of disconnection, there was a message on my screen indicating that the AC had disconnected from the controller and the controller light turned from green to red. The AC continued the mission uninterrupted and auto landed as programmed at the home point. Usually after the last waypoint has been reached, I resume manual control and either fly around a bit more or land (hand catch).

The AC was always in sight the whole mission and when it lost contact I had sight of it, so could tell that it was finishing the mission.

Where I was flying there was some interference from local WiFi networks, but I have flown in this location numerous times and everything was fine.

I looked over the flight log but can't see anything that would lead me to the cause of the disconnect. Here's the link to it in case someone else has a better idea.

DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

Please note that the Google map shows summer but there is lots of ice on the bay and I took off from the ice (not from a boat).

Chris
 
My question is, why did it not regain connection even when the AC was close by?
You won't know from this file, and maybe not even from the aircraft data.
 
You won't know from this file, and maybe not even from the aircraft data.

Thanks for your reply.

I do have the AC DAT file and was looking at the Event Log file in DatCon and there is a line that reads:

194.318 : 15075 [LED] changed: rc completely lost

I'm assuming that is when the signal was lost but I can't see if there was any cause to it.

Here is the link to the DAT file on my Google Drive.

FLY448.DAT

Chris
 
194.318 : 15075 [LED] changed: rc completely lost
This is only one of several during the flight. There is no signal loss during the RTH portion. Only at the very end of the flight and the aircraft was already on the ground at that point. There is really no way to determine a cause for the brief disconnects, other than possibly antenna orientation. You can see the disconnects below and these are also in the event log.

Capture2.png
 
This is only one of several during the flight. There is no signal loss during the RTH portion. Only at the very end of the flight and the aircraft was already on the ground at that point. There is really no way to determine a cause for the brief disconnects, other than possibly antenna orientation. You can see the disconnects below and these are also in the event log.

View attachment 109402
Thanks for your reply.

My antenna was in the upright position (90 degrees) and pointing at the AC like I always have it. The only thing I can think of is there was more WiFi interference at the time than there usually is. I fly frequently at this location, but usually in the morning or early afternoon. On that particular flight it was early evening and I was trying to capture a sunset.

After swapping batteries, I took off again and took this pano (manually) in Litchi.

Chris
BF9FD07C-CBFB-4A81-991D-7C07EEA48DC0.jpeg
 
I've been thinking about this Chris as I fly waypoint missions with Litchi and want to avoid this happening to me.
1- did you have another phone nearby? maybe in your pocket? it's wifi could cause interference and prevent your RC wifi reconnecting to the AC. worth putting any second phone in airport mode while flying.
2- prior to take-off, it is recommended to switch on the RC first, then the AC and let it connect before connecting your tablet/phone wifi.
Assuming you did this, the wifi connection between tablet/phone and RC could mask the weaker AC wifi signal and prevent it re-connecting as it comes back into range after signal loss.
Just thinking out loud really, maybe I'm talking through my hat.... ;-) happy to be corrected if I am.
 
I've been thinking about this Chris as I fly waypoint missions with Litchi and want to avoid this happening to me.
1- did you have another phone nearby? maybe in your pocket? it's wifi could cause interference and prevent your RC wifi reconnecting to the AC. worth putting any second phone in airport mode while flying.
2- prior to take-off, it is recommended to switch on the RC first, then the AC and let it connect before connecting your tablet/phone wifi.
Assuming you did this, the wifi connection between tablet/phone and RC could mask the weaker AC wifi signal and prevent it re-connecting as it comes back into range after signal loss.
Just thinking out loud really, maybe I'm talking through my hat.... ;-) happy to be corrected if I am.

Thanks for your reply.

I didn’t have another phone nearby and I had turned on the RC first then AC. I have flown many other Waypoint missions in the same area since and have not lost single again, so not sure why it happened that time. All I can think of is that there was too much interference from the WiFi networks in the area.

Chris
 
Good to hear it's not happened again Chris. :)
I have connected to RC using my phone in the past but now use a tablet for flying, I should probably tell my phone to forget the RC network in case it tries to connect before my tablet does.
It shouldn't cause a problem like you had cos your phone wouldn't have disconnected from the RC, just the AC that disconnected.
one to be aware of though especially if, like me, you fly with a mate and have connected to his RC with your phone/tablet in the past.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,355
Members
104,934
Latest member
jody.paugh@fullerandsons.